725. The Stark Reality

They say power corrupts. Power changes the view or vision. One who has been vehemently speaking against corruption, begins to be corrupt when he comes into that power. At that time, he feels it is right to be corrupt. The President of the university Teachers' Union was elected to the Syndicate from the Academic Council. The moment he became a member of the Syndicate, he began to behave as the Management, to the utter surprise of the union members. These are persons who FEEL the immediate environment and do not have a formed personality of their own. To him, it was right to espouse the cause of the teachers while he was their President and it was equally right to plead the cause of Management while on the Syndicate. That was his logic. When the stark reality faces, his face undergoes a great change.

There is nothing in the world that is not found in the Mahabharatha is a saying. The Mother says there can be nothing in the universe even in the distant future that is not in Sri Aurobindo's epic Savitri. The Pandavas sought asylum in the royal palace of King Virata during their year of incognito. Yudhisthira became a courtier, Bhima a cook, Arjuna a dance teacher to the princess, and Nakula and Sahadeva sought work in the stables. Draupadi became a lady in waiting for the queen. Keechaka who was drawn to Draupadi was killed by Bhima. It was Karna who figured it out and Karna, Duryodhana, Drona, and Bhishma came in strength attacking Virata's kingdom to expose the Pandavas who were in hiding.

The Prince, on hearing of the attack, was in the presence of several ladies. He saw how glorious it would be to defeat those august personalities who were the most renowned warriors of the day. He translated his thought into an accomplished act in his imagination and gave extensive utterance to that glory in prospect. Reaching the battlefield, the very sight of those veterans gave a different message to his central nervous system. He jumped off the chariot driven by Arjuna and ran away. Arjuna saw what was REAL to that poor prince. He brought him back as his charioteer and won the battle wielding his Gandiva. Man hopes and expects, translates his expectation into reality. It most fails when it most promises, says the greatest poet. The Reality of the situation can be assessed by the Mind, not the nerves - the vital. People who accomplish act from the Mind and not from their nerves or from the imagined reality of intense expectation.