Rise above despair

Life inevitably presents many challenges. However, the true test of human strength lies in rising above the dark clouds of despair and seeking the light of hope. Like the mythical phoenix rising from its ashes, those who learn to overcome adversity remain undefeated in spirit.

Bhagavat Puran offers a powerful illustration through the life of Krishn. Towards the end of his earthly journey, Krishn witnessed the tragic destruction of the Yadav clan, whose members turned against one another and perished in conflict. Despite such devastation, he remained detached.

In contrast stands Dronacharya, the revered guru of both Pandavs and Kauravs. During the Kurukshetra war, he was devastated upon hearing that Ashwatthama, his beloved son, had been killed. It was an elephant bearing the same name that had died in battle. Misled by this strategic half-truth, grief overwhelmed him. Losing his will to fight, he laid down his weapons and eventually met his end on the battlefield.


Albert Einstein, in his early years, struggled to secure a stable academic position and worked temporary jobs before becoming a patent examiner in Bern. Yet, he continued to nurture his curiosity and eventually transformed physics with his revolutionary ideas.

Gita wisely teaches, 'Let a person lift oneself by oneself; let one not degrade oneself. For the self alone is the friend of the self, and the self alone is the enemy of the self' (6.5). Ultimately, the power to rise above adversity lies within us.