Every walk of life keeps teaching us lessons for better living. It all depends on orientation and inkling to observe and learn.

Sometimes we miss a point which we have been searching for though it is glaringly present before us. There is an interesting anecdote that some one who believed that there is no God, wrote everywhere in and around his room without leaving any vacant space as “God is Nowhere”. After so many years of watching the same continuously, he got this idea reinforced in him strongly. One day in a different mood he observed the same statement but read it as “God is Now here”, a little space in between the two letters w and h made all the difference. Thus observations make things appear differently to different observers. As time changes the same person observes the same object differently.

In a similar way an observation prompted me to write this article and share it with like minded persons.

We notice any number of people shape themselves by the influence of their associates. Good and bad influence similarly. They come from their associates. A man who is apparently free to choose his life style acts under the direct or indirect influence of his friends, associates and acquaintances. His companions make him different. Children get molded by their friends as elders do. We see people behaving differently after they get married. New association is the influencing factor. Fashions are results of influence by masses.

Let us look at this situation mathematically.

Every student of Mathematics learns about quadratic equations and inequations. The expression a*x**2 + b*x + c can be evaluated for any value of x by substituting it’s value in it. Say, we have the expression as x**2+ x +1 . When x is 1, it’s value is 3. When x ix 10 it’s value is 111. Thus x is free to take any value positive or negative or zero or any real value without any restriction.

It is like a jeeva free to take any form he chooses. But the jeeva puts some conditions on the shape of the body he would take so that he gets the comforts he desires. Thus he chooses his associates like the a, b, and c in the quadratic expression and puts constraints so that the total effect of such an association should give him the comforts he gets. Say, we put a constraint on the expression that it should be equal to zero, similar to the jeeva wanting the total effect of his punyam (effect of good deeds) and paapam (effect of bad deeds)be nullified at any point of time. A little calculation shows that the desired effect can be got by the values that the independent variable x should take. This gets determined by the choice of the values of the constants a, b and c. Further the same calculation also describes the relationship amongst these constants so that the resultant value of the quadratic expression becomes zero. Thus the values that the associates have, influence the jeeva, and he also gets constrained by the relationship amongst them. If they are well disciplined, then their behavior favorably influences him to achieve the desired results. Otherwise his behaviour wouldn’t be realistic or the values he wanted to take would be imaginary!! Mathematically, the values x can take will be imaginary if b**2 – 4*a*c is negative. Thus the negative effect of the combination of the values of the associates would make the native constrained to lead an imaginary life. Thus he can’t realise what he wanted to achieve in reality. But, however, even under such a situation, if he wanted the total effect to be positive, say, the resultant effect be punyam only, the values of the associate “a” must be positive. Similarly, the resultant effect will be negative if “a” takes negative values!!.

This is what can be observed from MahaBharatam and Srimad Ramayana. In MahaBharatam, Arjuna chose his influencing personality as Lord SriKrishna who had positive values and thus Arjuna achieved positive results.

This is equivalent to the factor “a” to be positive in the quadratic expression! When it is positive, the whole expression is positive when b*b- 4*a*c is negative!!. But if “a” is negative, the value of the whole expression is negative!!. (Students must remember this for their JEE).

Whereas, Duryodhana chose his influencing person as Karna who misled him with his negative values which resulted in negative result, his defeat!!

One who gets associated with negative leader, he gets negative results. Kaama, Krodha and Lobha are the associates the jeeva gets as “a”, “b” , and “c” in the quadratic expression!. If the Kaama is for a positive achievement, like getting Moksha, and if Lobha is strong enough , while Krodha squares up, the result will still be positive.

Similarly, in Srimad Ramayana, we notice Kaikeyi getting influenced negatively by Mandhara, her associate, and the result was sorrow!!

Thus each student must know that the direction of his progress depends on how he gets influenced – either positively or negatively, for him to get success or failure in his career.

I noticed that this interpretation is welcomed by kids of the ninth standard who are familiar with quadratic expressions. You too can try. This may influence them in choosing their associates in building up their career.