“There are no right things to do in life. If you choose something and put everything you have into it, it’ll become a great thing.”– Sadhguru
There are moments in an individual’s life, where it feels as if the world has come crashing down. This is specially true when we have failed to realize our much cherished dreams. During such times of hopelessness, it’s very easy to lose heart and get stuck in the vicious cycle of self loathing and cursing one’s destiny. In this post, we learn about a particularly life changing incident in former president of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s life and his divine encounter with an enlightened master, which pulled him out of the trenches of despondency and spurred him on in life. After reading this post, I hope you will have a better knowledge on how to deal with failures which you encounter, while pursuing your dreams in life.
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, was an Indian scientist who played a leading role in the development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. He was elected as the 11th president of India from 2002 to 2007. However, what makes Dr. Kalam one of the most inspirational figures of post independence India, is his rags to riches story and his single minded devotion to his dreams. He was born to a poor fisherman family and as a young boy he had to sell newspapers to add to the family’s meager income.
Kalam’s encounter with Swami Sivananda
Right from his childhood in Rameshwaram, Kalam used to observe the Seagulls taking flight with great awe. As a result, Kalam developed a fascination for flying and so dreamt of becoming a fighter pilot. Kalam in his signature humility openly admitted, “Over the years, I had nurtured the hope to be able to fly; to handle a machine as it rose higher and higher in the stratosphere, was my dearest dream”. However, he narrowly missed achieving his dream of becoming a fighter pilot, as he placed ninth in qualifiers, and only eight positions were available in the I.A.F.
In the word of Dr. Kalam, “I could only finish ninth in the batch of 25 examined to select eight officers for commissioning in the Indian Air Force. I was deeply disappointed. It took me some time to comprehend that the opportunity to join the Air Force had just slipped through my fingers. I dragged myself out of the Selection Board and stood at the edge of a cliff, There was a lake far below. I knew that the days ahead would be difficult. There were questions to be answered and a plan of action to be prepared. I trekked down to Rishikesh.
“I bathed in the Ganga and reveled in the purity of it’s water. Then, I walked to the Sivananda Ashram, situated a little way up the hill. I could feel intense vibrations when I entered. I saw a large number of sadhus seated all around in a state of trance. I had read that sadhus were psychic people – people who know things intuitively and, in my dejected mood, I sought answers to the doubts that troubled me. I met Swami Sivananda – a man who looked like a Buddha, wearing a snow-white dhoti and wooden slippers. He had an olive complexion and black piercing eyes. I was struck by his irresistible, almost childlike smile and gracious manner.
“I introduced myself to Swamiji. My Muslim name aroused no reaction in him. Before I could speak any further, he inquired about the source of my sorrow. He offered no explanation of how he knew that I was sad, and I did not ask. I told him about my unsuccessful attempt to join the Indian Air Force and my long-cherished desire to fly. He smiled, washing away all my anxiety almost instantly.
“Then he said in a feeble, but very deep voice, ‘Desire, when it stems from the heart and spirit, when it is pure and intense, possesses awesome electromagnetic energy. This energy is released into the ether each night, as the mind falls into the sleep state. Each morning it returns to the conscious state with the cosmic currents. That which has been imagined will surely and certainly be manifested. You can rely, young man, upon this ageless promise as surely as you can rely upon the eternally unbroken promise of sunrise..and of Spring.’
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear – How true! Here was the teacher to show the way to a student who had nearly gone astray!
“‘Accept your destiny and go ahead with your life. You are not destined to become an Air Force pilot. What you are destined to become is not revealed now, but is predetermined. Forget this failure, as it was essential to lead you to your destined path. Search, instead, for the true purpose of your existence. Become one with yourself, my son! Surrender yourself to the wish of God‘, Swamiji said.
“I returned to Delhi and enquired at the DTD&P(Directorate of Technical Development and Production) about the outcome of my interview. In response, I was handed my appointment letter. I joined the next day as Senior Scientific Assistant on a basic salary of Rs. 250/-. per month. If this was my destiny, I thought let it be so. Finally, I was filled with mental peace. No more did I feel any bitterness or resentment at my failure to enter the Air Force.”
Key Take Aways : How to deal with failures
1. Don’t lose heart : As the enlightened master, Swami Sivananda assures us that desire which is pure and intense, when it stems from the core of your heart is sure and certain to be manifested.
2. Surrender to the divine will and put your heart into what lies right in front of you : Have faith that the divine has your best interest in mind and put your heart into what lies just ahead of you. Read more about this here.
As to what happened to Kalam’s dream of flying, amazingly enough, the universe did ultimately manifest his dream of flying. On June 8, 2006 the then president of India, A.P.J Abdul Kalam, became the first Head of State to fly a fighter plane, when he flew the Sukhoi-30 MKI from the Lohegaon Air Force Base in Pune.
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