Today, after finishing my morning prayers, I decided to hit the gymnasium instead of taking a jog outdoors as the air was filled with dense smog. I was all geared up for my workout, with renewed vigour, to burn the calories waiting to pile up from our last night's sumptuous dinner feast. Being a public holiday, very few members turned up at such early hours to exercise. As I set foot into the Cardio room, I was shocked to see something that left me totally flabbergast.
Compromising the decorum of the premises, a young unwed couple, were flagrantly engrossed in amorous exchanges. Appalled to the core by such promiscuity, I moved away from that chamber in a bid to save my eyes from getting further contaminated. I decided to head to the Garden Section, where while I was in the midst of my workout, I overheard two young boys discussing how one of them has been cheating his boss since the past year by embezzling funds at work. The other friend joined in the natter by proudly sharing detailed accounts of how he dupes his colleagues in myriad ways. This left me wondering whether any ethics, morality, integrity or virtue is at all left in Society today.
As I proceeded to the Weight-Training Section, little did I know that there was something worse in store. Four well-built married men somewhere in their mid-forties were boasting about the number of girlfriends each of them 'possessed'. It was like they felt a sense of monstrous pride in such adultery. The immoral bunch seemed to be competing for the coveted crown of a Casanova, for the maximum number of romantic alliances outside their sacred institution of marriage.
Coming from a background where chastity is considered one of the highest noble virtues, these acts of perversion make me ponder how can society thrive amidst such immorality and then expect peace and happiness in their lives? What is the root cause that ignites lustful propensities and makes people seek vanity while being unscrupulous?
According to a recent survey conducted by a global dating website 86% men and 79% women don't feel that infidelity is a sin. Owing to the rapid modernisation of society, in the name of so-called advancement, the holy fabric of loyalty is being soiled by the nescient masses.
Today infidelity, trechery, adultery, duplicity, cheating, subterfuge and trickery are being glamorised in movies, television serials and glorified in social media. Ignorant people who idolise such charlatans are being misled into believing that these deeds of immorality are acceptable and they have the license to freely be a part of it.
Unfortunately, being exposed to a circle of wrong association, ruthless abuse of social media, lack of righteous values and absence of bonafide guidance, people are being dragged into the dark tunnel of sinful cravings. The innate desire to simply gratify their senses while compromising their character and morality does not seem to affect them at all. However, it is important to remind ourselves that regardless of whether we accept or reject nature's highest convention, the law of karma keeps a detailed account & actually works with precision. It gives back to us what we throw at it, maybe not immediately but definitely at some point of time in future, in the form of sorrow, regret, grief, anxiety, frustration, guilt or even loss of our true loved ones.
Exemplary Paradigms
Our sacred literatures in every religion, enlighten us with the ultimate wisdom of God, that sages have propounded, since times immemorial. The purpose of these holy texts is to show us the correct path, guide us towards integrity and caution us against vices that are detrimental to our physical, emotional, mental health & in general, our overall well-being.
Let us learn from the following classic examples that how in the earlier Ages of Truth; loyalty, committment & chastity were upheld as paramount characteristics in every nature of relationship be it husband,wife, friends, relatives, teachers or masters:
Wife's Loyalty towards Husband
Srimad Bhagavatam narrates the epic story of Sukanya and her husband Cyavana Muni. King Sharyati's lotus-eyed daughter Sukanya once went alongwith her friends to gather fruits & flowers. She was suddenly intrigued by two glowing balls within a mountain of earthworm hill. Out of curiosity, when she pierced those two shining holes with a twig, blood started oozing from them. That's when she realized the huge blunder she had committed. Those two glowing holes behind the mountain were actually the eyes of a very old, diseased and ugly Sage Cyavana who was absorbed in penance since years. Her father immediately begged forgiveness from the wise sage and offered his beautiful daughter Sukanya as his wife. Sukanya whole-heartedly accepted the old Sage as her husband even though he was materially unfit for her and served him selflessly. Once the celestial physicians 'Aśvinī-kumāras' decided to test Sukanya's loyalty towards her husband. With their divine powers they transformed the old, ugly & diseased Sage into the most handsome & healthy man and brought him in front of her. Unable to recognise her husband, she sought refuge of the Celestial Beings. They were very pleased to see Sukanyā’s chastity and faithfulness. Thus they revealed Cyavana Muni, her husband, and after taking permission from him, they returned to the heavenly planets in their plane.
Husband's Loyalty towards Wife
In the Ramayana, we can witness the vintage era when the husbands showcased their profound loyalty towards their wives. While Lord Ram and his eternal consort, Sita, were spending their days in exile, they were living in a small hut in the forest. Ravan's sister Shurpanakha, a demoness, who had the ability to shape-shift, used this supernatural power and transformed herself into a gorgeous lady in order to seduce Ram. However, Ram refused her advances because he loved his wife Sita and was faithful to her. Even after repeated attempts to entice him to accept her, when she failed, she tried to kill Sita. That's when Ram's younger brother, Lakshman, punished her.
Loyalty between Friends
In the epic Mahabharata, the friendship between Duryodhana & Karna is unrivalled. Knowing well that he was the cousin brother of the Pandavas, Karna proved his loyalty towards his best friend, whom he had promised to support for the rest of his life regardless of whether he approved of his principles or not. Taking the side of his best friend Duryodhana, he fought against his own clan in the Battlefield of Kurukshetra.
Loyalty towards Family
The all-powerful Bhishmadeva had taken a vow for his father's happiness, to always stand by his kingdom, under every circumstance. Sacrificing his own joys, peace and tranquility he always remained loyal to the Kauravas since they were seated on the throne as rulers of the Kingdom.
Loyalty between Master-Servitor
Hanuman had accepted Lord Ram as his master. He was always eager to serve with his heart, soul, and life. He is the highest personification of devotion. No obstacles could stand before him. Not because of his strength but because of his love and loyalty towards the Lord. Eventually, he was granted the boon of immortality.
How to Grow the Seed of Loyalty?
Here are some golden rules to assist you to sow, water, nurture and grow this sublime seed of loyalty at every realm of life:
L - Learn to be Sincere & Supportive
O - Offer Obeisances & Respects
Y - Yearn to be Trustworthy
A - Accept & Appreciate
L - Love Unconditionally
T - Take time to Express Gratitude
Y - Yield Compassion
My Role Model
Everyday, at the crack of dawn, I wake up to the life-sized portrait of my parents perched on the wall right below the Lordships, blessing me with their divine smile through that golden frame. Their relationship is something that inspires not just me but every soul acquainted with our world. Their sacred bond, their faithful adherence to obligations, their unswerving loyalty to each other, their commitment to a mutual goal of being together in eternal companionship and perennial servitude to God is iconic.
Personal Realisations - Crucial Lessons
I vividly remember as a child, my mother reciting the following story during bedtime. I have always treasured this story originally told by Bhishmadeva to Yudhishthira.
A giant tree with its branches spread around for miles, which towered over all other vegetation, lived in a forest near Kashi, India. This glorious tree gave shelter to many living creatures. Monkeys swung from its strong branches and joyfully jumped around, chattering with delight, as relished succulent fruits. The green foliage was painted with myriad colours by birds of all varieties, as they fluttered around and built nests on its branches. Rabbits gleefully made burrows under its shade and lived with their families. Squirrels scampered with excitement sheltering in the holes of its trunk. While lizards and snakes crawled beneath the tree and into the burrows around the roots seeking shade from the blistering sun. Bees and ants built their home in this tree, occupied in their toil and confident of their tomorrow. All these living creatures were secure and happy under the protection of this tree.
One day a hunter accidentally launched a poisoned arrow into the trunk of this tree while chasing its prey. Due to the poison, the leaves started falling from the tree, fruits & flowers withered away and the branches began to tremor. All the inhabitants of the tree started running away from the tree as soon as they smelled trouble. Insects stumbled upon each other in a rush to abandon their protector. Birds flew away to take shelter of neighboring trees. There was just one parrot who refused to leave the tree - its own shelter, even in such adverse condition. Everyone tried to persuade him to leave for his well being. Having lived in the tree hollow all his life, the parrot refused to join the exodus. He was just not ready to abandon and leave the tree, out of affection, loyalty, gratitude and compassion.
God always notices the noble acts of his creations. He was amazed by the parrot's conduct. He was surprised that how a small bird could have such divine traits, when humans in today's age fail to have them. He appeared in front of bird in guise of a priest to test him further and advised it to leave the tree. Lord said, " There are many excellent trees in this forest covered with leaves and heavily laden with fruit. O patient one, exercising discrimination and wisdom abandon this unqualified tree that is incapable of producing any good". The bird replied, " This is the place where I was born, here in this tree I gained all the good traits of my character and here I took shelter from all my enemies and natural hazards. Should I now abandon the one who has always been my support? The Vedas themselves teach us to honor our mother, father and guru like God. This tree has been all to me. Should I abandon it now?"
Pleased by the bird's explanation, God revealed His identity and offered the virtuous parrot a boon. With tearful eyes, the parrot craved, "Please save the tree!". Lord Krishna sprinkled the tree with divine nectar. The branches of the tree immediately got laden with fresh green leaves, fully bloomed flowers and delectable fruits. It regained its grandeur through the penance of the parrot. Thus, we see that the tree was saved just because of a small bird because that bird had sense of gratitude towards its benefactor.
The parrot fulfilled his debt to the tree, showing the highest level of loyalty and at the end of his life won the eternal companionship of God through his act of compassion and sacrifice.
Practical Implementation: Loyalty to Ourselves
Due to a dearth of spiritual inclination and enlightenment, one fails to comprehend the Absolute Truth. In turn, due to an absence of the knowledge of this greatest virtue of loyalty, today meaningful relationships are unable to survive. The sole reason is that people are chasing temporary sense pleasures. They are infatuated with sensual objects and wrongly identify happiness with a never-ending lust, greed for something more, something better, something more beautiful, something more attractive, something of higher monetary value. When we remain discontent with whatever is bestowed on us or whoever has been chosen to be with us by the Will of Providence, we become depressed, stop living upto our latent potential and simple waste our energy mulling over insignificance. The key element in relationships is pure love. Unalloyed love is the backbone of loyalty. The foundation of sacred love is based on deeper compatibility and not on material attraction. It encompasses giving more than receiving. Giving love, respect, acceptance, appreciation etc. By keeping our Creator at the centre of everything we do, we have a higher purpose to be together under any and every circumstance. Any relationship is like a rollercoaster ride. We need to acknowledge that alongside the happy moments; trials, arguments & setbacks are bound to exist in relationships. Cheating is simply an excuse. The real test is when we are able to transcend those challenges, rather than cheating on our husband,wife, partner, spouse, or people who hold us close to their hearts. Commitment is crucial at every phase of our lives. Being loyal to our own selves is pivotal, which involves using discretion to distinguish between right & wrong as it helps us stay focused and channelize our energies in the right direction.
Conclusion
There is a popular adage: 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you'. It is imperative to constantly remind ourselves that if we are cheating someone today, we will surely be cheated tomorrow. If we have integrity, we have everything. Therefore, we must always be loyal to those who have offered shelter to us and who have been our support in bad times. We should never forget the people who have been compassionate towards us. If we are unable to see God in the one who has been our support or stood for us, then we can never see God anywhere. We may possess the best of virtues or good qualities but without loyalty and compassion they are meaningless. When we make loyalty to our loved ones and above all, our own selves; our topmost priority, that is the guarantee of real success, permanent happiness and the highest perfection of life. Let's aspire to foster the royalty of loyalty in modern society by setting a high standard of morality and impeccable character, by being souls who are complete within themselves, self-satisfied, contented and believe in spreading divinity.
Article by:
Dr. Meghna Choudhury (Her Grace Mathura Vasi Devi Dasi)
Life Coach | Spiritual Counselor | Author | Social Activist | Artist
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