Why is being wrong comfortable and convenient?
Question by: Bhavini Dubey, M.A. Philosophy, Lucknow university ,Lucknow
It is because being right is inconvenient! It is in the nature of man to choose an easy way out. But, if you come to know that being right is the easiest way, then being right will be comfortable and convenient for everybody. Isn't it?
It is only our ignorance that makes us feel that wrong is comfortable. However, being wrong cannot be comfortable! Because, wrong magnifies as misery in the body and the mind. Look in and around and you will know it.
The faculty which makes one tell the wrong from the right and yet forces one to believe that the wrong is convenient suggests a different problem. This is the problem of habit. It is as dirty as a pet shitting on your bed despite you training it to poo at the right place. The pet knows it, does poo there many times. But, habit makes it commit the wrong. And it gets punished, scolded every time. In the case of a habit-maniac too, the scolding can come from within and without. First, it comes from within and then when within doesn't work, it begins to come from outside. That not only feels bad and humiliating but also makes you vulnerable, weak and trapped.
If you tell a lie. You first tell it to yourself and then me. But, each time you say you won't and yet commit it. Isn't it miserable? This is habit. Habit of any kind is bad. Mark my words. अति सर्वत्र वर्जयेत excess is prohibited everywhere as bad as an unlawful act. Therefore, even the habitual sentimentalism makes one miserable. Habit is great warrior Karna. He wins. Only with the help of fiery will and Krishna's support can you kill him.Habit wins and hence you call it convenient! Actually, it is the moment when your habit defeats you and robs you of your energy. Result: You get weak, keep atoning and let it somehow go. The right way is hard because it demands a lot from you--commitment, will and action. It is found that those who are weak in commitment, will and action always get defeated in the war against habit. Take it from me -- only a person defeated by habit can say that doing wrong is comfortable and convenient. Wait and that person will be in a mess very soon. Because, habit makes you a slave. The one who is enslaved within will be enslaved outside too. And it is the slave who is exploited, abused and kicked around. Not the bold one who defeats habits within and crushes the enslaving punches outside.
Krishna very clearly mentions in Chapter 2, Shlokas 49 and 50 that by siding with one's intelligence can one get rid of good and bad habits. What is intelligence? To know what is right and what is wrong. Unless you take shelter in intelligence fully, you cannot execute your will and defeat the habit. Krishna says, दूरेण हि अवरम् कर्म बुद्धियोगाद्धनंजय . अवरम् कर्म means which is not worthy of execution (habit). If you are united with right intelligence, the execution of habit will be far impossible (दूरेण by way of intelligence being too high from its reach). Therefore, Buddhau शरणम् अन्विच्छ , take help of intelligence. बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृत दुष्कृते , with the help of intelligence, you can cut yourself free from both good and bad habits. Ha ha ha हा- हा अस्ति शिवस्य दूतम्, कल्याणम् स: सर्वदा करोति . Therefore, laugh for your own good.-- VS