STRESS

AND

ENTERTAINMENT

DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

Entertainment has become a necessary and inseparable part of many of us. In fact for many of us it has become essential aspect of our life. Many of us have become dependent on and addicted to entertainment in one form or another. Many of us measure the index of our happiness on the basis of how often and how many varieties of entertainments (and items of luxuries) we enjoy! There are many STRESS management guides, which advocate; hobbies, shopping, socialization, meditation and such measures; apart from some fitness tips; for STRESS management. It is natural therefore; that whenever we suffer from STRESS; we turn to entertainment. Not only whenever we are sad, depressed, bored or going through some unpleasant situation, but also for feeling relaxed, elated, euphoric, high, better, excited, buoyant and on top of the world; we turn to some kind of entertainment. This is why; we like even what is said and written about entertainment. We love the entertainers; in fact; we adore them! This has made entertainment (and STRESS management) a roaring business and lucrative career for millions amongst us. Even the print and electronic media are addicted to entertainment; and keep on following or actually chasing; the entertainment personalities (celebrities), activities

and even the love affairs, sex scandals and gossips for the stories! But in spite of this; why do most of us (even those from media and entertainment business) continue to suffer from STRESS? Why is this so? Why are we not at peace with ourselves or why are we not satisfied or fulfilled? Why do we need counselors and support systems in different forms? Why do we suffer from various diseases caused or complicated by STRESS? Why do we suffer from STRESS and spread it to others? To find out the answer; we have to know the limitations of entertainment (with very few possible exceptions) and find out; even as entertainment means so much to us, What is beyond entertainment! If we reflect on our experience, then we discover that entertainment (with very few possible exceptions) does not enter and empower our conscience! It does not enter our inner being and does not take us near the sublime and immortal reality; the self. It distracts us from apparent reality; but does not empower us to fight the challenges in this apparent reality and realize the immortal self. In nutritional parlance; entertainment is junk food! It really tempts us and pleases us temporarily, but erodes and weakens us deep inside! It is deceptively attractive and delicious but

harms our health. It smells wonderful; but drains our vitality and vigor. Every time we go through the entertainment (periodically, repeatedly and frequently) we get drained of time, energy and money and become perennially empty. Entertainment (with very few possible exceptions) is unproductive and uncreative. It does not and can not blossom us from within. As students of physiology and anatomy we never were taught that there is a center of fulfillment beyond entertainment! But at this instance I hypothesize such a center of fulfillment (which may actually occupy the whole brain and/or be an altered state/s of activation of synapses and secretions of neurotransmitters; in different permutations and combinations)! The entertainment caters to many centers in our brain and hence is undeniably important; but can not cater to the center of fulfillment in our brain! We have neither striven enough through NAMASMARAN to develop this center of fulfillment nor have we bothered to participate in Total Stress Management to satiate it! We seem to be harping on entertainment, going through different experiences of trivial pleasures and boredom; in slumber. This is more so; in wake of individualism, pettiness,

superficiality, whims, fancies, obsessions; and casual approach; without heed to the ancient precepts embodying the development of the center of fulfillment through SANSKARAs and their essence; the NAMASMARAN. This has made us frail, weak, and vulnerable to marketing and buying addictive, useless and often counterproductive entertainment (sometimes even under the garb of spiritualism), leading to retardation of our inner growth and fulminant and malignant growth of the individual and social STRESS! This has further proliferated; the individualistic and petty pursuits of profiteering and exploitation; thereby jeopardizing the blossoming of one and all! If we develop and satiate the center of fulfillment right from the childhood through SANSKARAs, NAMASMARAN and participation in Total Stress Management i.e. blossoming of one and all, then we can certainly conquer the STRESS, which is invincible to entertainment! ENTERTAINMENT AND AMRUTANUBHAV It is undeniably true that entertainment forms a vital aspect of our life. Different experiences of excitement, entertainment, recreation, relaxation, lazing, brooding, basking, gossiping and even indulging and so on; are attractively interesting,

infatuatively captivating, pleasantly absorbing and hence universally enthralling. These experiences sustain and nourish business and industry in religion, culture, art, fashion and so on! In fact these experiences dominate every walk of our life all over the world. But if we seriously introspect, then at least some of us would find that we do not experience the fulfillment; in spite of these experiences. This lack of fulfillment is divine restlessness, which is akin to the restlessness of a pregnant woman. Just as the restlessness of a pregnant woman can not be satisfied by anything other than a safe delivery resulting in a birth of a healthy baby followed by healthy mother-baby interaction; the divine restlessness can not be satisfied by anything other than dedication for Simultaneous individual and universal blossoming! This is exactly why and how the concepts and practice of TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT, SUPERLIVING, HOLISTIC MEDICINE, HOLISTIC HEALTH, HOLISTIC EDUCATION, (and others with different names and titles but similar purport) are evolved all over the world. If we compare our various experiences in life, then we realize; that some of them are eternally guiding, inspiring, revitalizing, rejuvenating and remodeling our lives.

One of such greatest ever experiences; is that of studying AMRUTANUBHAV, the immortality objectified in the form of a literary super articulate masterpiece; by Shri Dnyaneshwar Vitthal Kulkarni; popularly known as Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, Dnyanadev Maharaj and Dnyanoba Mauli. (For those who are interested, he was born in 13th century in Maharashtra in Brahmin caste and subcaste was most probably Deshastha Rugvedi). AMRUTANUBHAV is being SELF, the field, and the culmination; of everything in universe from all eternity to all eternity, the contingent!