MAKAUT online lecture series show the way to happiness

Kolkata:  The world is suffering from a severe psychological crisis, due to negative elements, sorrow and sufferings around us. This is aggr...

Kolkata:  The world is suffering from a severe psychological crisis, due to negative elements, sorrow and sufferings around us. This is aggravated by the ongoing Covid pandemic. Who is there to guide the world in the proper way? 

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT), WB is organizing an online Lecture Series "Sorrow-Depression-Joy", based on what the sages of ancient India and other eminent personalities have told about overcoming this problem. They were truth realizers and this problem was foreseen by them. That is why they set the goal of life as complete removal of miseries, hence achieving bliss. The Vice-Chancellor of MAKAUT Prof. (Dr.) Saikat Maitra has been the key inspiration behind organizing online Lecture Series on topics of this kind, especially in this pandemic situation. The audience was mostly young students of MAKAUT, its affiliated colleges and other institutions. The teachers and other staff of MAKAUT were also present. The eminent speaker in the first lecture of the ongoing series on May 1 was Swam Divyajnananda (Nitai Maharaj) of Bharat Sevashram Sangha.

The session started with Prof. (Dr.) Saikat Maitra welcoming all the participants of the webinar and expressing his sincere regards to Nitai Maharaj. He pointed out the importance of the webinar's topic of discussion in this pandemic situation. Most of the human beings presently residing on earth is experiencing a pandemic for the very first time. This grim situation is taking a toll on the students' psyche and making them psychologically imbalanced. The young generation is more adversely affected by the present circumstances as they are full of life. When they were ready to celebrate life, this pandemic hit them hard. The schools and colleges were forced to be shut down, and they became completely disconnected from the outside world. It’s is MAKAUT's utmost effort to revive their mental strength.

MAKAUT has also joined hands with Bharat Sevashram Sangha through its organisation, Pranavananda Institute of Management & Technology (PIMT) to launch a number of  Skill Development Courses for the youth, so that they can be establishes in their lives. They can seek employment or even build their own start-up enterprises.

Nitai Maharaj hailed Prof. Maitra as a true friend of Bharat Sevashram Sangha. Swamiji indicated that "Sorrow-Depression-Joy" ultimately brings about success in one’s life. There are various types of sorrows which one can experience. Sorrow may come in the form of losing one’s near and dear ones, it can be due to unfulfilled desires, or from getting hurt due to someone's behaviour. Depression comes from monotony and deprivation from jobs, money and what not. One of the major reasons of depression being isolated from nature. To do away with depression one must not be selfish and only think about one's own success. It should be kept in mind that spreading love is the only way to battle depression. To rise above all selfishness one must be austere and follow certain disciplines. One should be disciplined in one's meals, sleep, behaviour, glance, i.e., one should control all of one's five senses. These disciplines cannot be achieved in one day. One must make these disciplines their daily routine and not drift from them for even one inch. This strict disciplined life will instill a habit, which will give way to building up of ones nature and eventually humanity. Furthermore, one will achieve happiness in metal as well as physical self. Sorrow is a path that leads to happiness. Swamiji reiterated the sayings of Tagore " Eso eso dukkho, jwalo shikha, dao bhale agnimayi tika" ("Oh misery, come on, flare up, Mark forehead with the blazing dot.") One must enter the world of happiness through by treading the path of sorrow and also by following disciplines. 

In this route of achieving happiness, nature plays the most important role. Humans should be connected with nature in every possible way. One must always look up towards the sky, catch the sight of birds and observe every little aspect of nature to avoid leading a mechanical life. Humans are the children of immortality (Shrinwantu Vishwe Amritasya Putra) and hence human beings have the potential to rise above sorrow, misery and all forms of crisis. To utilize this potential to the fullest extent one must remember that nature is the most important factor in human life. Human beings must go back to nature.