Why road to heaven feels like hell

By Jaya RowDo you feel you would have lived life better if you had known so many things you did not know then? How many more painful lessons would you have to learn to live a fulfilled life? What if you could learn to live wisely, without having to go through suffering?You get weighed down with worry, anxiety, and grief. Is the world giving you sorrow? Or could it be that you have not learnt the technique of dealing with the world?Gita gives knowledge of the world, yourself, and art of right contact with the world. It begins with Arjun’s grief. Arjun, mighty warrior, accomplished archer, and commander of Pandav forces is overwhelmed and unable to act. Krishn does not console Arjun. He gives him knowledge. As Arjun’s understanding deepens, his confusion disappears. At the end of Gita, he rises, fights the battle, and wins. The battlefield has not changed. Arjun has.Life is misleading. The road to heaven feels like hell. And the road to hell is heavenly. One demands discipline. The other rewards temptation. One asks you to be patient. The other whispers – take the easy way.Sense enjoyment gives pleasure. So, you indulge in it indiscriminately. But the law of diminishing returns functions. The more you indulge the less you enjoy. The answer is not rejection, but regulation.We believe selfishness is the way to go. Yet thought of self is the greatest obstacle to success, happiness, and growth. Fix a higher goal. When the mind expands, it is capable of clear thinking, creative output, and dynamic work.Love is oxygen of our hearts. When the soul is deprived of love it fades, withers, and dies. But our love is tainted by selfishness. This is called attachment. It comes from a lack of self-sufficiency. You depend on your loved ones. You have expectations from them and make demands on them. And when these expectations are not met with, there is disappointment, frustration, and conflict. Continue the love. Drop expectations. And watch the result!Before you play a game – cricket, football, or tennis – you first need to learn the rules of the game. However talented you may be, if you don’t know the rules you lose. You have entered the arena of life. Do you know the rules of the game of life?The world is a mix of pairs of opposites. It is in a constant flux of change. And the change is unpredictable. In short, the world is undependable. Everything in the world is passing, ephemeral, finite. Yet you project a false sense of permanence on the world. And are heartbroken when it goes.Possess the world, enjoy it fully. But never depend on it. Amid this kaleidoscope of change, do what you have to do. Play your part to the best of your ability. With sincerity and dedication. And you will grow to the state of spiritual awakening.Jaya Row will give talks on Bhagwad Gita Ch 2 in Mumbai, October 8 to 10, 7 to 8.15 pm. For details, contact: 99200 52227.Disclaimer: Views expressed above are the author's own.