Discovering The Mahatma Within

Invisible Shackles

There is something interesting about human mind. Invisible yet visibly influential, silent yet its diktats loud, shapeless yet shapes the very existence of its host, mind is powerful enough to determine the very path man pursues. It is essentially the difference between good and bad, success and failure, sanity and insanity, even mortality and immortality. From unbreakable bondage of existential chores to deliberate choice of renunciation, enslaving associations to liberated self, everything seems to be guided by mind. In fact, everything starts and ends with the state of mind. Unrecognised but true, almost all of us are slaves to our mind and some of us who don’t have a mind of their own are condemned to be slaves of others’ minds.

Reversible Equation

Pursuit of ‘self-refinement’ involves repeated attempts to alter if not reverse mind-body relationship. Irrespective of the level of moral and intellectual existence, many would have tried controlling their minds at least once in life and would have experienced varying levels of success, even if temporary. Diktats of the situation or sudden surge of wisdom, such responses are mostly born out of need to get over with an immediate survival question. But to do it consciously and repeatedly, as a well thought out method conforming to an internalised value system, is a different matter altogether. Assistance from countless bestselling authors and ever-proliferating breed of gurus notwithstanding, the process could be intimidating. Meanwhile for those oblivious to its importance, mind doesn’t matter, while for many whom mind matters, it steadfastly remains elusive and free from controls. It seems, mind has a way of its own.

It is not always so. Mind can be reined in and reigned upon.

Surprisingly, even mundane everyday life presents innumerable occasions for one to consciously deploy one's mind. However, this opportunity is recognisable and presented only to those who are capable of creating the dilemma required and then initiating a dialogue within, to decide on a choice between, an awakened response and one from the repertoire of natural responses.

Repertoire of Responses

All of us are born clean without prejudices. While necessary basic survival responses are hardwired into the human DNA, irrespective of caste, creed, religion or region, individuals become ‘prejudicially’ conditioned in the process of growing up. Each one of us creates a repertoire of responses within. These are true copies of the responses witnessed and recorded in relation to the event or situation.

Unfortunately, even inherent contradictions and differences between the preached and practiced are also recorded and internalised, normally unquestioned. It is this stack of responses that one instinctively falls back on, to select, draw and deploy the one considered appropriate to deal with the given situation. This stack of ‘ready-reckoner responses’ constructed mostly observing as well as through deliberate tutoring invariably becomes the value system through which the individual conducts his interpersonal and intra-personal transactions.

Given choice of options, mind chooses the easiest or the one seemingly most beneficial. Unless deliberately forced to do otherwise, mind picks one from the repertoire already kept ready for the purpose. It is from this comfort zone that we assess, evaluate and respond to situations. Over time, responses chosen by an individual tend to follow a pattern representative of the ‘philosophy of life’ internalised.

Character Building

The process of building an individual’s repertoire of response and thereby defining his comfort zone and scripting the contours of his character starts early in life. The environment of the individual’s home becomes the foundation and parents and elders the models. He /she models everything based on what was observed being said and done. That is why good parenting as well as good company is important. Character building has got everything to do with the level of awakened existence of the parents and peers and the least with their positions, economic status, educational qualifications or supposed nobility of profession pursued. Whatever it be, home is where value system of

The Leader 

Leaders are born just like anyone else and normally do not have childhood or adolescence spectacular enough to guarantee leadership. Most of them even set out to pursue professions to climb societal ladders. But an event, an act or something within leads them to the metamorphosis. They transform themselves into pivots defining humanity. They at the point of transformation seem to have gained complete control of their minds. They are not products of the environment but produce environments and create moments that catapults them into leadership. History is not the story of multitudes but the story of one who moved multitudes in pursuit of a cause. The crowds believing in that cause, right or wrong, merely flock the course the leader showed.

The Mahatma

When truth dictates the course of action however hard it could be, when the means to the end is steeped in virtues, when thoughts are kind and actions embrace humanity without discrimination then the individual advocating it truly, commences his journey to being a Mahatma. When an individual recognises dichotomies and contradictions of the value systems internalised, accepts the need to address inherent flaws and sets out to rectify those, the journey becomes rewarding, though arduous. Truth and absolute truth alone can sustain such a journey. Truth of convenience are at best distractions and deterrence to the journey itself. When a leader decides to adopt the path of a mahatma, he/she doesn't only lead but transforms the society.

Significant Persistence and Insignificant Increments

In a world where everything is evaluated based on returns on investment, it is ironic that most of us remain oblivious to the power of ‘incremental compounding’ of good. An addition of a mere one percent, on a daily basis to an existing ‘good’ within us, compounded daily, yields returns to the tune of 3,716% at the end of the first year and 1,44,086% in two years.

Interestingly a persistent decrement of one percent compounded daily, however cannot completely wipe out the good in any one of us even after two years. However hard one may attempt to divest oneself of goodness, there would always be some measure of goodness that stubbornly refuses to desert us. The unflinching faith in inextinguishable residues of good in every man irrespective of circumstances and therefore the inherent goodness of humanity is what fuels the journey of Mahatmas. This is why means must assume importance over ends.

Cause and Failure

There is somehow a belief that unless there is a worthy cause, there cannot be a Mahatma. To most of us, all visible causes have already been taken up by someone or the other. Most of those who profess having taken a cause are making a living out of it. The one who makes a living out of a cause is neither a leader nor a mahatma. One who can sublime oneself for the cause is a true leader. A leader who pursues the cause on the path of righteousness is a Mahatma. There is no dearth of causes around. It’s just a matter of choice. There are countless ones around waiting for someone to espouse. Fear of failure is what moors us from sailing out on a cause. Mahatmas are not infallible. But what sets them apart from lesser mortals is not absence of failures but their incredible stamina to weather storms, survive wrecks and resurrect themselves.

Free the Mahatma Within

There is a Mahatma with in each one of us. 

The problem is that either we have not attempted to discover the Mahatma within. Worse, having recognised the great presence within, almost all of us shy away from nurturing our inherent greatness. We stifle it with self-doubts, apprehensions and desire of self-preservation. Within each one of us is a mahatma imprisoned.

A good closer look into the mirror may reveal the face of the next Mahatma. The world is desperate for a mahatma.

May be its time to let him/her free. Maybe you could be the one freeing tomorrow’s mahatma.