Kannada : Rajagopalan. K. S
Translated by : Hemalatha. B. C
"Do not
be ensnared by the desire for fame" is the caution by the wise. But our elders also bless
us with "May you achieve a good reputation in life". There are
mantras too which pray for fame such as "svastiśraddhāṁyaśaḥprajñāṁ [..]dehi me havyavāhana". So, should we seek fame or not?
It is
inevitable that a sense of "me and mine" remains with us till our
last breath. Sometimes, this can be good since a sense of self is necessary for
self-preservation. Sometimes, though, we can become consumed by the craving for
recognition and appreciation, and toil day and night to be perceived by others
as great. Even this, if it does not hurt others, is only a problem insofar as
it uses up our time and energy. But what if our quest for fame actually harms
society?
Any desire
that takes root in us may grow from a tiny seed to a giant tree. Just as the
desire for wealth can leave one always unquenched and thirsting for "more
and more", so can the desire for fame. It can leave one always restless, ever
unable to sit peacefully for a few minutes.
A person
with enough self-worth need not wait to be certified by others, nor does he run
after fame. Thus have many great achievers lived. In particular, in our
country, many spiritual seekers have led their lives in this way. So have the
authors of many of our wonderful literary works, who have left no information
on themselves: even today we know nothing of their background like where they
were born, or even which century they lived in. Their noble intention was
solely to transmit good thoughts to the people. The celebrated author and poet
DVG (D V Gundappa) in his poem "vanasumadolennajeevanavuvikasi
Simply
performing good deeds may also attract fame. Giving up the desire for fame does
not mean stopping doing good things! When our elders bless us with "may
you acquire fame", their intention is precisely an encouragement to
perform good deeds, because it is thus that one acquires true fame. Recall that
the Vishnu Sahasranama extols God as "satkeerthiH".
In our
culture, we have the practice of beginning any auspicious activity with the sankalpa:
"may this please God". That our work be done not for the praise of
men but for the love of God is what our tradition teaches. Let us give up the
desire to long for appreciation; let us let go of our ego, and do all our work
with God in mind. If this incidentally brings us fame, so be it. Let us
surrender that too to Him and be light at heart. We are worthy descendants of
the Rshis and munis who lived selflessly - this should be the only fame to
aspire for.
Note: The Kannada version of this article can be viewed at AYVM blogs