WHERE THE MIND GOES… WHEN YOUR BODY IS STILL

2020 will remain a memorable year for a long time to come due to the famous or rather infamous
Corona virus – One tiny invisible virus that has compelled the entire world to come to a stand still!
With all the social distancing, travel plans and other outdoor leisure activities getting cancelled, I was
sitting at my home doing nothing and contemplating the situation when my mind suddenly took a
philosophical turn!

The whole world is in a kind of a freeze, lot of business activities coming to a stand still – somehow
this reminds me how Lord Krishna had to freeze activities on the battle ground of Kurukshetra when
Arjuna lost direction of his mind. The battleground froze till Krishna recited 7000 verses of Bhagavat
Gita to Arjuna teaching him and the world lessons for life.

Though this whole incident is an ancient Hindu myth – but the whole point of all religious myths and
legends are to teach some important lessons in life when we are correctly able to map/equate those
myths to reality.

In myths, freeze happens on a battle ground and Krishna – the manifestation of universe, nature
teaches a lesson. In reality freeze happens with business activities shutting down and social
distancing while nature silently teaches us a lesson. We all are Arjuna here running and struggling
daily behind the struggles of existence, ambition and luxury in our daily life. We are fighting either
with ourselves to achieve the targets we have set for our lives – career, marriage, money, etc. Or we
are fighting with the society on communal and social grounds. Just a month back the whole agenda
in news was CAA protests and people fighting over religious property rights. With all the burden that
mother earth takes on her due to our daily activities, we really tested the patience levels of nature
this time. And so nature made its own plan to teach us a lesson – it created a virus that did not knock
people’s doors to ask whether you belong to this religion or that, this communist party or that
communist party, white or black, rich or poor and simply attacked whoever it came in contact with.
Nature to humans – “You love fighting don’t you? Now let me see how you fight this virus instead of
all other petty things in life?” And that is when we (Arjunas) broke down and put down our weapons
when we saw that our own “health and life” (Kauravas) is at stake!

Just when we froze on the battlefield like Arjuna, Nature (Krishna) started teaching us the below
lessons:

1. Whatever happened, happened for the good. Whatever is happening, is happening for the
good. Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good – I know it is hard to think now
that whatever is happening is for the good. But if we really obey the nature for some time –
things are and will happen for the good without harming us. Mother earth is getting some
rest after thousands of years! Pollution is controlled with lesser cars on the road and
factories shutting down. Animals are enjoying their wildlife space without human
intervention. And all the communists have suddenly stopped fighting. The deaths that have
happened so far due to corona is a sad truth – but we have to accept it as everyone have
their own time of life and death set up by the universe on this earth. But, more people are
recovering and will continue to recover if we follow instructions and stay at home for few
days.
2. Do your duty without thinking about the results (Karma Yoga) – In this difficult time we all
have to do our duty of maintaining personal hygiene and not falling sick. However don’t
expect that just because we are following a healthy lifestyle we can roam around as if
 nothing can happen to us and get infected by the virus and spread it to others. Just keep
obeying the nature as it wants us to and stop thinking about it.
3. Change is the law of the universe – We all need a change or break from our daily lives when
we plan a vacation or take a break from our study or office work. Nature also wants to relax
and breathe for some time. Nature also needs a change to balance the cosmic rhythm. Let
nature do its job.
4. You came empty handed, and you will leave empty handed – There is no point running
behind our desires (money, luxury) or fighting on communal grounds in this short span of
life. Universe knows that you came empty handed whichever part of the world you belong
to, you will have to leave empty handed irrespective of your age, sex, caste, social status.
5. There is neither this world, nor the world beyond…nor happiness for the one who doubts –
Believe in the power of universe and have faith in it (Bhakti Yoga). We all are puppets of the
universe – it has the ability to stop all our activities in one moment. But have full faith and
love for the nature. If you have faith, the nature will recharge itself and return to it’s normal
rhythm very soon.
6. A person can rise through the efforts of his own mind; or draw himself down, in the same
manner. Because each person is his own friend or enemy (Gyana Yoga) - You’re your own
best friend. If you have a problem, only you will have a solution to it, and not your friend. To
find answers to your questions, you will have to look within. There is a lot of news and
speculations floating around in social media. Some of it is real and some of it is fake creating
unnecessary panic. Use your own presence of mind and judge wisely what is right and what
is wrong. Get your facts checked. Analyze the speculations as much as possible before
coming to a conclusion – after all Human Mind is the best decision science tool if the correct
algorithm is applied on the brain! 😊
7. Exercise daily - Social distancing doesn’t mean we should stick at our home and be a couch
potato. Exercise daily, do Yoga, do Pranayama (breathing exercises), help in household
chores, spend time with family, rejuvenate a hobby which you otherwise never had time for.
Be active because a healthy body leads to a healthy mind which is most important at this
time. (Raja Yoga) Because an even more dangerous disease than corona is the disease of
depression and stress spread through panic and false rumors.

Thinking Positive and Trying to be Human….in a world that is mostly turning towards the falsification
around….. – Chandrima Chowdhury