Resolution Bells!
Time for new year parties and resolutions!.
Literally, a New Year’s resolution is an idea, most popular in the Western Hemisphere but also noticed in the Eastern Hemisphere, in which an individual determines to change an undesired trait or behavior, to carry out a particular objective to enhance their way of life.
Some religious resolutions:
Babylonians made pledges to their gods at the start of the year that they would return borrowed items and repay their debts.
Honoring god Janus, the Romans came up with calendar as per Solar system which started with January 1 offered sacrifices to the deity and made promises of good conduct for the coming year.
In the Medieval era, the Knights took the “peacock vow” at the end of the Christmas time each year to maintain their commitment to chivalry.
In some traditions, one is to reflect upon one’s wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness.
Although the motive behind this holiday is more of a sacrifice than of responsibility. The concept, regardless of creed, is to show upon self-improvement annually.
Many of us makes resolution every year. Exercise more, lose weight, save more money, quit smoking, spend more time with family and friends, Travel & Read more.
Are we even anywhere near to the essence of the above resolutions?
I asked my neighbor’s 12-year-old daughter — what is your new year resolution?
She answered, “I want to be Useful”.
Wow, what an answer! How does one become useful?
Study well and become an Entrepreneur, Engineer, Doctor and serve the society? Be a part of some NGO and do social work? Develop a technology useful for a larger number of people.
The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others — says Albert Schweitzer
That reminded me of a fascinating story about how a king served food instead of fighting a war and became useful.
The famous Kurukshetra war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, in which it was difficult to act nonchalant and one had to choose and fight from either of the sides. The King of Udupi however, stood neutral.
He went to Lord Krishna and said, “I don’t find any use in taking part in this war. It will not bring any change in the lives of the people of my Kingdom other than making it worse. But since, I cannot avoid the war, kindly allow us to cater. Someone has to prepare food for the ones who will gather in a higher number. Let me and my people provide food.” Krishna agreed.
The challenge was to cook the food for 5,00,000 soldiers, and every day thousands will die from each side. Udupi managed it very well. He prepared exact amount of food required by the survivors every day. Seems he knew, how many soldiers would die each day.
When the war concluded with a victory of the Pandavas, King Yudhishthira called everybody and acknowledged who battled on his side. He told King Udupi that his contribution was incomparable. That he did a great job in feeding soldiers from both the sides without wasting food and asked him the secret for same.
Udupi asked Yudhishthira, who does he gives credit for winning the war? Yudhishthira said, winning this war would have not been possible without Lord Krishna and he gives all credit to him.
Udupi said my secret is also Krishna. End of every day, I served him boiled peanuts with the evening meal. After he finished, I used to count the remaining peanuts and know how many thousand soldiers would die the next day and accordingly cooked the meal. If he left 10 peanuts that means 10,000 soldiers will die. I followed him and his directions and succeeded in the task.
For this service, Krishna blessed King Udupi to serve humankind for ages. We find many of the Udupi people catering even today.
The lesson I take from this story is — it is not necessary you have to choose a side for right or wrong. There is always a midway where you can serve the bigger purpose. Always a way to serve the purpose of your life with help of time to time directions given by God.
If we believe in teachings of Geeta, then it’s already written how and what will happen, and we are here just to play our role, to serve the purpose of being means to an end.
Today, New Year’s resolutions have merely become a secular practice. Instead of making promises to the god, we make resolutions only to ourselves.
My resolution for the coming year will be to watch out the directions God gives me and figure out the way to serve my purpose of life.
What is yours?
Happy New Year!
