The world is full of so many preachers and teachers, yet humanity is becoming increasingly greedy and disturbed. It seems contradictory, but that's true. It is also strange to see that Duryodhana, Dushashana, and Shakuni were not only contemporaries of Krishna but also related to him. In fact, when the battle of Kurukshetra was about to commence, Duryodhana approached Krishna to seek his help. That means none of these people was inspired by Krishna's life, even though Krishna himself was an incarnation of God and constantly interacting with them. That means that an egotist's mind rejects even when God himself is telling him the truth. What gives the egotist's mind such a strong conviction to reject even the words of God?
I think it is true not only for Duryodhana and his brothers but also for us. We are born with a sense of curiosity, and a young child wants to know everything. However, we soon realise that discovering things requires a lot of effort, while believing them is quite easy. It is quite difficult to know God, while it is quite easy to accept whatever society and religion tell us. That's why we choose the easy path. It is quite difficult to understand the principles of astrology and testify to those principles. It is quite easy to either reject the same or to believe some astrologer and do whatever he tells us to do. That's why we chose the second path. It is quite difficult to challenge what society says, and easy to accept whatever is widely accepted. That's why we go for the easy path. It is quite difficult to stay aware, while it is quite easy to close your eyes and follow what others are doing. That's why we choose the easy path. It is quite difficult to live alone on your own terms, whereas it is quite easy to live in a community by following its rules. That's why we choose the easy path.
We choose the easy path constantly, and the sum of all these choices makes us who we are. Suppose a student chooses the easy path in his school and he does the bare minimum required to pass the examination, he will not be able to compete in IIT-JEE, NEET, Civil Services Examination or any other top-class competition, and he will make merry with something that matches his competence. Similarly, psychologically, if we do not make efforts to stay aware from childhood, by the time we grow up as adults, we are left with no option but to play to the tunes of our instincts. Since we have never worked on the "Muscles of Awareness", the instincts take over, and we do whatever they drive us into. The muscles of awareness can't be built in a day. They require constant exercise.
In fact, the more unaware we are, the more afraid we are. It is because we feel more disconnected from the truth. Even if we realise that restlessness within, it is very difficult for us to find a solution. Throughout our lives, we have been shaped by beliefs, dogmas, fear of social validation, and a desire to fit into society's approved framework, which has driven our major life choices. There is no way we can suddenly change the course of life. That looks beyond our capacity, and that's why we become quite resigned. But, at the same time, we do not want to be proved worthless, and that's why we make numerous mental stories. Finding one fault in the character of the great people gives us a sadistic pleasure that none is perfect, and so we are. It's difficult to break free of this vicious cycle. I feel that the only way out is to first find moments of sanity when we stay alone and see within to analyse what these years of living with unawareness have done to us. Once we realise its impact on the entire being, we become more and more aware and vigilant, and that awareness magically makes us stronger from within. We develop the strength to stand alone.
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