We all like to be successful. The need to be successful in all fields of life makes our life worth living. Many factors help in making us successful: intelligence, talent, clear goal, determination and so on. When we look closely, we see that many intelligent people are not successful as they are not clear in their goals or determined. Talent or lack of it, is often used as excuse by lazy people who do not wish to work hard for their success. Even when goals are clear and defined, the success is not guaranteed. But when a person is determined to succeed, he is successful in whatever he undertakes.
Determination comes with a dogged will to continue doing the task till it is complete. Determination is backed by strong will and discipline. More than that, determination is backed by renunciation. We need to let go of other needs and desires, the other urges and pulls which could eat into our time and effort. Unless there is a level of renunciation and detachment in us, we will find it difficult to overcome impulses and base desires. The only person who can influence you or argue with you is yourself. No one else can shift you from your goals. Let us see such a story of a determined farmer:
Once in a certain part of the country, there was a drought. There was a river flowing, but it was at some distance from this place. All the farmers began to cut long channels to bring water to their fields from the river. One farmer was very determined and stubborn. He decided to work steadily and continuously till his channel reached the river and the river water flowed into his fields. He set to work at dawn and continued working. After some time, his daughter came to call him for his bath. He refused and continued digging. It was past noon and the sun was high. His wife came to him and called him to eat lunch. She was annoyed at him that he did not have his bath or come home to have his food. She was angry that he overdid everything and that when he wanted to do something, he did not care about time or place or family.
The farmer was furious with his wife and chased her away. The crops were drying and the cattle were dying. He feared for his family – for providing food for them and taking care of them. The thoughts of the grim future without food, water and starving staring at them in face had made him take a vow that he would not think of bath and food and would work continuously to link his fields to the river. The man worked the whole day with utmost dedication and determination. His detachment was very strong and no thoughts of drink, food or rest entered his mind. By evening he managed to link his long trench to river. He watched with great joy and as the river water flowed into his fields. He went home with utmost peace. He went home, had a bath, a smoke and his dinner. Filled with contentment, he slept well at night. The determination of the farmer showed strong renunciation and he was able to overcome the temptations of the daughter and wife calling, his tiredness, lack of food and rest. There was another farmer who was also digging a channel to bring water to his field. His wife came to him and asked him to come for lunch and some rest. He could continue another day as there was no need to overdo things. The farmer went home and tomorrow never came. With such mild determination nothing much can be achieved in life.
We require strong determination and detachment in order to realise God. Unless there is no intense yearning, the mind will seek sensual pleasures and the body will follow willingly. Just knowledge about the greatness of God or spiritual practices is not enough. We need an indomitable will to succeed and renunciation to overcome the pulls of attachment, greed, lust, ego, jealousy, pride etc. The Siddha mantra of SitaRam, meditation, following teachings of the ParamGuru help to attain grace which will increase our determination and detachment. The man who is attached to his possessions can never realise God. So we must learn to live in this world like the lotus in the pond, without getting wet or dirty, yet drawing nourishment from the waters and soil below. With determination we can be successful in the main goal of human life – self realisation.
