THE PERFECT COMPETITION

Often we wonder whether the rules of success have really changed in the world we live in today. Just a few years ago it was believed that Truth alone prevails. But do we have that faith in this statement anymore? Or is it just a saying reserved for the purpose of saying and hearing but not to be practiced. When we look around, we see that, those making progress in life do not really seem to follow this policy any more. And those who follow the principle of being honest, truthful and being good to others get defeated in many a field of life. We all know the difference between right and wrong but as we move along the journey of life, the dividing line begins to grow blurred. The desire to succeed makes us lose touch with reality and we succumb to various pressures. Soon we begin to follow what we call the law of competition, i.e., knowingly or unknowingly pulling others down, taking credit for others work, doing things which show us in better light than others, become greedy and stop sharing Gods gifts with His less fortunate children. Soon we lose ourselves and our innocence in the race of acquiring material possessions.

We feel pressured and pulled from all sides. As we struggle to maintain our sanity, it is time to stop and contemplate the meaning of true success. Why does life seem such a burden, devoid of peace and happiness? When its essential to face the competition in order to succeed, and we are doing what everyone is doing, then why are the things not going right? Even after acquiring everything we ever wished for, why dont we feel contented in the true sense? Why does money not give us the happiness that we want? It is because every action has an equal and opposite reaction. What we sow, so shall we reap. When we sow a seed of hatred, be it on a very subtle level, it grows into a tree of hatred, and gives us the same fruit. A seed of hatred and jealousy can never reap a

fruit of love and happiness. This is the eternal law of karma. Even when we dont realize, the law of karma is at work every second. We keep building our balance sheet of karma with every thought and every action.

What is success in the real sense? Is it measured in terms of the material possessions we have or what people think about our social status? Can success be equated to holding a position of power? Is success really an outward thing or is it the inner state of being? Lets take a moment and look back at our lives. What are the moments that are closest to our heart? Is it when we acquired a new material possession or is it when we shared true happiness with someone or when we helped some needy person? Which moments will matter the most to us? If we think again, how would we define true success? May be we are running so fast in the race of life that we have forgotten what we are running for. We keep running, trying to get ahead of others, collecting material possessions and seeking pleasure in them till we hit an obstacle and fall. It is then that the time forces us to pause and think about what we had been doing so far and what really matters in life. We take time to sit back and comprehend only when the turn of time forces it upon us. But why wait for the time to give us that break?

The fact is that we truly live in a world of perfect competition. We always know when we are right and when we are not. There is an instant satisfaction or dissatisfaction that we derive out of every action, and our actions also get accumulated in our balance sheet of karmas which stays with us till we settle it down, be it positive or negative. Sometimes, certain things, whether good or bad, happen to us and to others around us and when we cannot explain or understand them with our limited vision, we often put it on fate or destiny or start blaming God. But, karmic philosophy tells us that nothing in life happens without a reason. The law of karma is accurate to the level of thought, and no action can escape it. What we perform today creates our future. With the limited perspective of present physical customs and circumstances, we cant really comprehend the functioning of the law of karma. Each and every action of the soul is getting recorded in the infinite Drama being played out on this World Stage.

The more we give happiness, the more we get it in return.Things turn in our favour when we expect it the least.Whatever good things we do, come to our rescue when we are truly in need and when no material possessions of the world can help us out. This is the power of good wishes given by souls who received happiness from us. So, we can benefit ourselves and others around us by understanding and living our life according to the invisible laws of karma and upholding the universal laws of peace, love, happiness and truth. Truth has immense power which makes us fearless. We, then, dont need anyones approval for our acts because we know we are on the right side. So, lets think again. What is success and what is it that we really seek? Are we not living in a world of perfect competition where we dont need to ask for justice as it will prevail? The only thing we can do is not to lose faith and keep moving on the right path.

Regards

Ankush D Shilimkar