The ability to question is a characteristic special to human beings. As children, fascinated by the mysteries of the world, one reads books entitled, “Tell Me Why?” growing up as defiant teenagers, the query changes to, “Why, tell me!’ and as discontented adults one constantly complains, “Tell, why me?”

Sorrows are due to our grievances, desires and continuous dissatisfaction with the world which intensify and torture the mind because of this persistent protest, “Why me?”

However, one never enquires, “Why not me?” In life, something is obtained only when one is competent and fit for it. For example, admission to a good university is attained by the smart, intelligent and diligent student; maximum work is given to the most proficient individual. The law of nature is that greater responsibilities or adverse situations only come to those who have the capacity to handle them.

Saints and sages of the world, from Sri Krishna and Lord Buddha to Guru Nanak have commented on how people are afflicted by misery and anguish and yet, nobody really wishes to die because of the few joys and pleasures in life; one feels secure because there are some heroic and rare people who have the capacity to bear suffering.

This is aptly illustrated in the beautiful Puranic story of the churning of the ocean. All were anxious to covet the exquisite, glorious and enchanting powers and jewels that emerged but none wished to accept the poison. Collapsing and burning from the fumes, they appealed to Lord Shiva to save the world from devastation and death. The Lord did not object, “Why me?” But willingly drank and held the poison in His throat. What would have happened if He had not taken it?

In this world, people emit poison in the form of thoughts, words, and actions. Lord Shiva drank the poison because He was the only one who had the capacity to do so. In the same way, greater responsibilities, pressures, tensions or sufferings come to those who are courageous and noble because they possess the capability to endure them. Today, the world is surviving in spite of atrocities, in spite of wickedness, because there are a few people who have the strength to drink and tolerate the poison; they are great and laudable; and, ‘dare to think, ‘why not me?’’

The Chinmaya Mission runs several rural village developments projects to empower the weaker sections of society. One such village is Sidhbari, in Himachal Pradesh, where the women were uneducated, helpless, mentally and physically abused; they were suffering to such an extent that many contemplated suicide. However, today the picture is so transformed that no one can imagine that they were victims of an unjust society.

Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda inspired them to realise that they were not helpless and vulnerable victims but were the very Shakti behind the universe. These women now, are not only benefiting themselves and their families, but also alleviating the suffering of other villages. They have made a leap from ‘why me?’ to ‘why not me?

This leap is urged by Sri Krishna in one of the most inspiring messages of the Bhagavad Geeta where He exhorts humankind to lift himself by himself. Don’t look down on yourself; don’t cry out to the world; don’t be dependent on the world. Appreciate your inner strength, beauty and hidden potential and lift yourself by yourself.

The author is Global Head of the Chinmaya Mission.