Once there was a rich man who, despite his immense wealth and opulence, was plagued by constant anxiety. He sought the advice of an astrologer, hoping to find a solution to his mental unrest.
The astrologer examined his horoscope and said, “There is nothing wrong in your horoscope. Your anxiety is without reason and is troubling you unnecessarily. You should learn the Bhagavad Gita from an Acharya and implement its teachings in your life. That will solve all your anxieties. There is no other solution.”
Determined to find peace, the rich man approached an Acharya, who was delighted to teach him the Gita. The Acharya suggested, “We will start with the first chapter and complete the entire book of 18 chapters in three months.”
However, the man replied, “No, Swamiji. I am busy with many things. Teach me the most important part.”
The Acharya agreed, “Alright, just learn the 18th chapter. It is the summary of the Gita, and it will take two weeks.”
The man responded, “Even two weeks is difficult. Teach me something simpler.”
The Acharya said, “There is one sloka in the 18th chapter, ‘sarva dharman parityajya,’ which contains the essence of the Gita. Just learn that one sloka.”
The man said, “One sloka is also difficult for me to learn. Tell me something simpler.”
The Acharya finally said, “There is one important word in that sloka, ‘ma shuchah,’ which means ‘do not worry.’ Just understand this, and you will understand the essence of the Gita.”
The man replied, “That’s alright, but I am already anxious. Telling me ‘do not worry’ will not help. Please tell me what I should do to get rid of anxiety.”
The Acharya then explained, “That is what the Gita is all about. If you want to know how to be free of worries, you must start from the first chapter and patiently go through all the chapters. There is no shortcut to this process. The Bhagavad Gita itself is a shortcut given by the Lord. It is the essence of all Vedas, mercifully given so that one need not go through the brain-breaking Upanishads and Vedic mantras to understand the truth.”
Realizing the wisdom in the Acharya’s words, the man came to his senses and began studying the Gita from the beginning under the guidance of his Guru.
Moral of the Story:
In the Bhagavad Gita 2.11, Lord Krishna begins His teachings by saying:
ashochyaan anva shochas tvam / prajnaa-vaadaams ca bhaashase gataasun agataasums ca / naanushocanti panditaah
“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.”
Here, Krishna instructs Arjuna not to worry about matters that are not worthy of concern.
Throughout the Gita, the Lord repeatedly emphasizes the message of not worrying. He starts with “Don’t worry” in 2.11 and reiterates it many times in the second chapter with phrases like “na tvam shocitum arhasi” (you have no reason to worry). In Bhagavad Gita 16.5, He again tells Arjuna, “ma shuchah” (do not worry), and concludes with the same words in His final instruction, “I will deliver you from all sins. Do not worry (maa shuchah).”
The essence of the Gita is that one should rid oneself of anxiety. Anxiety should be thrown out because the world is under the control of the Lord.
People often worry about a lack of opulence or comforts and become anxious when others possess them. When everything seems alright and there is nothing to worry about, people worry that there is nothing to worry about. Worrying has become a part of our nature, but this anxiety is due to a lack of faith and surrender. There are no shortcuts to be free from anxiety.
The only way is through constant chanting of the Lord’s names and a diligent study of scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavatam, with an attitude of surrender. The more intensely we chant and study these scriptures, the more we surrender to Krishna (maam ekam sharanam vraja). As we surrender to Krishna, we become fearless and free from anxiety. This understanding should be supported by honest efforts in maintaining our body and spiritual life.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
PS: I humbly request all devotees to please forward and share these moral and instructive stories they hear so that everyone can benefit from hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees
