Did I Change the World?

Today being the birthday of Sri Ramakrishna, thought that I could share one of my personal experiences wih you.

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The year was 1996, when my mind was leaning more towards the search of God and spiritual answers. I was just introduced to the wisdom of Sri Ramakrishna through a college conference as well as an English supplementary reader. I met a monk who used to sell the books of Sri Ramakrishna Math and bought a book from him. I asked him for some basic clarifications about meditation and then brought out the cliched question of the inquisitive mind, "If God is present, why are there so many evil things happening in the world? How can I change the world?"

He calmly replied, "Boy, have you changed yourself? May be it is time you delve deep into yourself and focus on your own soul. The world is too big for you to change and there is a plan for everything. We are nothing in the vast universe. All that we can do is to strive and change our own selves, instead of boasting about changing the world."

Saying this he calmly went on selling his books. Being the young and egoistic mind mine was at that time - of course, I may not be young now, but I am every bit an egoist still - I decided to prove him wrong. I assured myself that I will change the world and prove him wrong and someday tell him, 'See what I have achieved'. But, in the past 16 years, Life has taught me so many lessons and one of the most important lesson among them is that each of us needs to work for his/her own salvation and purification. Changing the world is not at all a possibility. When the great souls like Jesus, Buddha, Krishna and Mohammed weren't able to raise this human mass, what would a wastrel like me achieve?!

The only realisation and effort that my mind is focused on these days is that, one needs to work for one's own salvation and that of those very close to him. Of course, those close kin and kith still remain responsible for their own salvation and all that we can do is to help them realise it. Changing the world? May be, we can all leave it to the Supreme Soul!

I don't know the whereabouts of the monk these days and not sure whether he is still alive - he was very old at that time. But, if at all Life gives me another chance to meet him, I am waiting to convey him my humble regards and accept my failure to change the world, happily and peacefully!