Today has been one of those days. A test of my strength and perseverance... and we're only half-way into this day. I have managed though and I think I'm passing this test. I don't want to go evangelical on all ya'll, but I wanted to share these written words that I have held on to for over 16 years now.
Someone very special to me presented a calender with these beautiful words translated from the Sanskrit text of the Bhagavad Gita. From time to time, I go back and read it to get perspective back in my life.
At the age of 15, I was already questioning my faith, or moreover, the lack of. But even at that tender age, there was a deep-seated voracity within me to get to the truth with which I could make sense of the world I was experiencing around me.
With time, every aspect of who we are surfaces.
The truth is, I question the validity and evidence of god, as do most scientifically-inclined people. As well, I have never been comfortable with the idea of dedicating my life to anyone but myself. But, I do not question the validity of karma. Karma to me is as basic as Newton's Laws of Motion- the third law to be exact. I wholeheartedly believe that science and karma can, and do coexist in the same world.
Here is it:
Why do you worry unnecessarily? Why do you fear in vain? Who can kill you? The soul is neither born nor does it die.
Whatever happened was for the best. Whatever is happening, will also be for the best. Do not repent the past. Do not worry for the future. The present goes on.
What have you lost that you cry? What did you bring with you that you lost? What did you create, that got destroyed? You did not bring anything with you; whatever you had, was taken from here. Whatever you took, was taken from here. You came empty-handed. Today what is yours was someone else's yesterday and will be yet someone else's tomorrow. You are happy thinking it is yours. It is this happiness that is the cause of your sorrow.
Change is the law of nature. What you perceive as death is actually life. One moment you have millions, in the next you are poor. Mine-yours, big-small, relations-strangers; remove these ideas from your thoughts, remove them from your mind-then all will be yours and you will be for all.
Your body does not belong to you, nor do you belong to this body. It is made of fire, water, air, earth and the sky and will return to these. However, the soul is immortal. Then what are you? Dedicate yourself to God. He is the best guide. He who knows his power is eternally free of fear, worry or grief.
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