"Role Model" An article by Pujyaswami Atmananda

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

Poojya Swami Atmanandaji, the founder of Vedanta Mission studied under

the guidance of Swami Chinmayanandaji and he is a great Vedantin. Let

me take this opportunity to thank Swamiji for granting permission to

post this excellent article on Role Model. Swamiji explains importance

of Role Model in shaping our life in very clear terms.

(Source: http://www.vmission.org/vedanta/articles/index.htm)

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

Role Model by Pujyaswami Atmananda

 

A Role Model is a must for all. It is a great help.

Unconsciously we all have one. It is something which inspires

us, it touches the core of our heart. Something we love to

emulate. We want to be something like that. It is

personification of our goal - in flesh. We can touch & feel it.

Even before we learn to think the role model starts talking to

us, it starts channelising our energy in a particular direction. It

starts coloring us and we feel really happy about it.

Role Model & our Goal :

……… Goal is a must in life. A person without a clear & inspiring

goal just drifts and wastes his or her life without any

achievement or joy what so ever. No goals, no challenges, no

achievements & no love. Goal implies the end which we

ultimately cherish, not the means which we initially work hard

to acquire. Something which having attained we would consider

ourself fulfilled. Basically the most important thing which

touches our heart has to be one, but as a person is

multi-dimensional our list of priorities may include various other

things too. The best of various things at various levels. Money,

relationships, competence, work-satisfaction, recognition,

status, comforts, beauty, dignity, betterment of children,

happiness of spouse, parents, social work, culture, spirituality

etc. This at times becomes a tricky & slippery field. We have a

list of aspirations. What should be our priorities ? What is the

most important of them all ? What are the means for attaining

these ends ? How much importance should be given to the

means ? Where should one draw the line ? In these maze of

questions if we find someone who reflects my priorities and has

obviously sorted out the various difficult questions which were

bothering me, then meeting or even knowing the existence of

such a person is like a blessing from the blue. The whole

complex issue of goals & priorities becomes easy to handle.

Now we just have to follow someone, get inspiration & if

possible also get some tips & directions from him. Such a

person who fits my bill is my role model.

The 'Upasana' of Role Model :

……… We see youngsters having posters of their pet sportsmen,

artists or even natural beauty. The dynamic spirit, name, fame,

prosperity of those people & at times their beauty touches the

fans heart. They feel good & positive seeing such dynamic &

successful people around and want to be something like that

too. The devotees have their gods & saints around and get the

same feeling. The feeling of goodness when increases to such

an extent that we forget ourselves and just be 'that', is called

the state of upasana. Upasana is a kind of meditation wherein

we exclusively bring the thought & feeling of some inspiring

person in our mind and feel highly inspired & good. There is a

loving identification with the role model and simultaneously

there is a temporary forgetfullness of our existing identity.

Such a state is very joyfull and regular sojourns in it helps

make our individuality malleable for change, apart from

channelising our energy in that direction very easily &

effortlessly. Such subjective jaunts have far reaching role to

help bring about new impressions, deep down in our

sub-conscious & unconscious minds. This in turn is the

singularly most potent thing to transform a pesonality and thus

even the society at large. As this is the deep rooted &

profound effect of upasanas, the scriptures are very particular

that our role model should be an embodiment of positive virtues

& knowledge. He should necessarily have a holistic personality.

The ideal Role Model :

……… We are free to choose any Role Model, but we should be

ready to face the music of their negative impressions too, if

any. It is necessary to first understand that who is it who

really deserves to reside in our hearts. Lord Ram resided in the

heart of Hanuman, and this role model helped bring about a

fearless, dynamic, tough & intelligent personality of the son of

wind-god. The essence of the role models provided by our

scriptures is that they are all fearless, dynamic, selfless, and

the most important thing is that they are all awake to their

transcendental dimension too. They literally have an

'out-of-the-world' source of inspiration. This simply implies that

the source of their strength is always within them, and unlike

the worldly things is not perishable. Thus no situation which

can ever make or break these people. Even in the most testing

times they are fearless & highly inspired. These people have

the strength to tread the unchartered paths and give

something new to the world. These are very loving, sensitive &

intelligent. They can afford to be like this because they have

no stakes in this perceptible changing world, that in which they

do have stakes is already available, attained & eternal. They

live like kings. Fulfilled, magnanimous & contended. These

people alone deserve to be our role models.

Inspiration & Attainment of Goal :

……… Ability to do the upasana of our role models, will not by

itself bring about the attainment of the goals represented by

them. The upasana will certainly bring about the right inner

conditions to work for that goal confidently & intensely. We will

not only have the will & love to do, but will also have the

confidence to attain our goals. We know it can be done

because we have a person right in front of us who has done it.

The hard work which will be subsequently put will also be a

great joy by itself. The very doing of hard work will be yet

another aspect of doing the upasana of our beloved role model.