The secret of Life and Living

by Sharbaaniranjan Kundu

There was a time when I felt
I could never be wrong;
for I questioned myself
at every turn of event;
scathed myself
and would not do a wrong thing.

But deep within, I questioned others' motivations
and was occasionally critical.
Righteousness told me
to find fault in others,
because I was so critical of myself.
So sometimes, love and compassion
got bruised, which bruised myself still more.
It was so frustrating
because life does not stand still.

Painstakingly, I tried to correct myself,
overlooked others' faults;
and in the process I decided
I should pardon myself too.
Jainism taught me the benefit of open-endedness.
Taught me to pardon everybody on the heaven and earth.
From the Gita I learnt, everybody is dear to God,
the do-gooder and the sinner alike.
From the Gita I learnt,
whatever one aspires,
God grants him that.

Today I am equananimous.
I have learnt the secret of life and living.
Friends, I therefore share it with you.

20-Oct-2011

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Comments on this Poem

21 October 2011
TO: Mr. Sharbanuranjan Kundu
Your poem reminds me of Ramakrishna's message - " We fill our pitchers by drawing water from the pond; some say it is 'Water', some others "Pani' and some call it 'Jal'. But all of them draw the same thing."
Rajat Das Gupta

Rajat Das Gupta
21-Oct-2011 10:03 AM

Thank you rdashby for enlightening me further.

sharbaaniranjankundu
21-Oct-2011 03:29 AM

There was a time when I felt
I could never be wrong...the poem commences.

Now I know I can never be wrong... the poem concludes.

There are those following in the line of Socrates who say they know nothing about rightness but that it is merely about the best argument. The Gita says life is its own evidence of rightness, in which all acts participate, so defined as good and evil. Out of rightness there rises the righteousness of God in Christ, in which evil is separated out and condemned. Oddly enough, the worst form of evil is self-righteousness, and is defined as pride. The righteousness of God is shown forth in humility and forbearance in its acknowledgment, for as the bible psalm says: 'Vengeance is mine, says the Lord, I will repay.' God alone can both define and defend righteousness: our duty is to seek the righteousness of God, primarily by avoiding evil in all its defined forms. But what we know and what we do are two distinct things, and it is ultimately the grace of God that acts in us to enable righteousness of action.

rdashby
20-Oct-2011 09:47 AM