I remember, when I finished my MBA (in Apr 2005), I had a desire to work in the best MNC in the world. My dreams shattered when I came down with CHICKEN POX right when the PLACEMENT SEASON started at my b-school (IMT GHAZIABAD). By the time I recovered I was left with 2 very lowly offers from two B-grade companies. But by the grace of the almighty I got a pre-placement offer from IBM. I joined and that too at a salary which was the highest in my entire batch. It was a real MIRACLE. I started working, I needed a bike to commute to and from work, I needed clothes, shoes, watches, perfume, belts, a mobile phone etc.
My 1st year of work was a complete wash out, because of which I moved roles internally at the end of it. Then to prove myself I did a lot of innovation / automation and suddenly started getting praised for my work. That’s when I got to know that if I get a promotion, I will be eligible for a leased car. So I started working super hard for that promotion.
The had work started paying off. I started GLOBE TROTTING.(all work related though).
In front of Petronas towers, Kualalumpur, Malaysia
Parliament of Srilanka, Colombo Srilanka
Tianammen Square, Bejing, China
Somewhere in front of EIFFEL TOWER, Paris France
Bangkok, Thailand
In a sense I was living the life (atleast that’s what my peers thought, personally the first couple of trips were exciting, but then I started hating them cause of the pain of international travel and also that I was a pure vegetarian and non-alcoholic)
I got the promotion in Feb 2008, so I went to book my car to know that there was a 8 month waiting period for the high end version of it (It was a MARUTI DZIRE which was just launched then)
I was ready to wait, cause this had everything I aspired for. I waited till Dec 2008 for the car to be delivered. I had called for my 2nd brother & mother (who were based out of Pune) to come by for the delivery.
I was super proud, of my achievement both professionally and personally.
My brother came along with my mother, we got the delivery of the car in the 2nd week of Dec 2008.
It was a huge milestone versus how our situation was just 5 years ago. We had plans to go to SRIRANGAPATNAM & CHAMUNDI TEMPLE.
The only trip that happened was till KAMATH LOKABHIRUCHI. This is literally the last pic I have with my brother (he’s the one on my right in the mustard colored T-shirt.
One week from when this picture was taken my brother (in the mustard colored t-shirt) of 34 years passed away, it was the 3rd week of Dec 2008 at my house out of the blue. Yes, out of the blue, he took a nap after a heavy brunch on a sunday morning and never got up.
My only trip to SRIRANGAPATNAM was for dissolving my brother’s ashes in the SANGAM.
This one incident changed my life and my perspective of life. It showed me HOW DELICATE LIFE ITSELF WAS. You are alive now but there’s no guarantee you would be alive same time tomorrow. When you see life from that perspective all desires look so petty.
My brothers demise pushed me into learning astrology cause medical science didn’t give me a satisfactory reason except that “death happened due to heart failure”. But why, my brother never had a heart problem.
Professionally I was living my dream and that should have made me happy. But I was far far away from that because my own brother just passed away and I could do nothing about it.
Biggest truth of LIFE is that that we run behind material things – money, status, position, power, people, real estate because we think it will make us happy. But it just gives us TEMPORARY PLEASURE which is ephemeral in nature. It flees. That’s the nature of all material things. They are TEMPORARY.
Going back to my car story when I had bought the car I used to live in the ground floor of a duplex house in south bangalore then. I had to park my car outside everyday and it would become very dusty. So I bought a cover to cover it, still I found that the car was getting dusty. So I would wash the car every morning and cover it again. All this for a car I rarely drove. I had become possessive of the car.
What I realised is that that People in general first run behind possessing material things and then become possessive about it.
There’s a story in BHAGAWAT PURANA of a KING who had everything but could not be happy and he saw a wondering sadhu who was so happy and jubilant the King could not believe it.
At once he called for the SADHU.
As soon as the SADHU came to him, the king asked him – I have everything in this world that a human being would wish to possess but I don’t feel happy no I can sleep peacefully whereas you a wandering sadhu don’t seem to have anything, but you seem to be happy and jubilant. What’s the secret behind your happiness.
The SADHU says – I don’t own or possess anything material. So I am FREE of all material bonds and therefore I am happy & jubilant.
The biggest perspective change that I have experienced and which has absolutely changed my viewpoint of life is that that HAPPINESS is a STATE OF MIND. You just need to DECIDE TO BE HAPPY and you can.
You don’t need anything external or material. If it’s there well and good. if not well good.
What has to come to you, will come to you, and what does not have to will never no matter how hard you try.
Pray to God for happiness and good health not just for you but also the people around you. Leave the rest to the universe. What has to come to you WILL COME TO YOU.