During the war against evil Ravana, Vibhishana saw the Ravana on a huge chariot while Lord Ram being chariot-less and on foot. Due to excessive regards for Lord Ram, Vibhishana became saddened and doubtful (about the victory of Lord Ram over Ravana) and with respect questions Lord Ram that, "Neither you have chariot, nor Kavach, protective clothes with helmet, for protection of your body and you don't have even the shoes. How can then the great warrior with immense strength, Ravana can be defeated? Lord Ram replies, "Listen, dear friend, the winning chariot is different", and explains the features of the Winning Chariot having Spiritual Strengths for real success. Ramayana, Lankakand-79:1-2:
We must have fifteen qualities, which Lord Ram has picturised as a strong chariot, with its components representing these qualities in a person. Any one using these qualities will be a success in any enterprise. Lord Ram demonstrated by winning. By implementing the same, you too can!
1. Wheels are of, a. Courage and b. Persistence,
2. Banner is of, a. Truthfulness and b. Character,
3. Horses are of, a. Physical Strength, b. Wisdom (sense of discrimination), c. Self-Control and d. Helping All (benevolence).
4. The reins of horses are, a. Forgiveness, b. Kindness and c. Equality to all. Ramayana, Lankakand-79:3.
5. Effective Charioteer is the Devotion to the goal and God,
6. Detachment is the Kavach, that is Armour- the protective clothes & helmet,
7. Ultimate Contentment is the Sword of Action,
8. Charity is the Sharpest Axe,
9. Intelligence is the Immense Strength,
10. Using Best Science is like a Strong Ready Bow,
11. Purity and balanced mind is the Quiver,
12. Several arrows are like Focused Actions i.e., Yama ( Restraint) and Niyama ( Controlled Implementations ),
13. Unbreakable Kavach ( Armour- protective clothes with helmet) is made of the respect of elders, the wise and Guru.
14. Synergy of these, the solution is no other for Success.
15. Spiritual Chariot of Action, enables winning all competitors in opposition.
Lord Ram says that the Spiritually Strong Chariot takes us on the road of formidable and Ultimate Success upon even the most non-victorious competitors and is the only Winning Strategy. Ramayana, Lankakand-79:4-5 & 80.
The difference between life and school is that in school you get the lesson and then you get the test. In life you get the test and then you get the lesson. Without the test there can be no testimony of failure or success. German philosopher Kierkgaard said, "Life is often understood backwards but must be lived forward." Patanjali in Yogsutra says, "Success is nearest to the Teevra-Sanvega, extremely fast seekers of success". 1.21.
"You are what your deep, driving desire is;
As your desire is so is your will.
As your will is, so is your Karma,
As your Karma is, so is your destiny". --Brihadaranyaka Upanishad IV.4.5.
Albert Einstein observes, "Great spirits are always faced with violent opposition from mediocre minds." It is all about inner transformation. You cannot control what happens to you. You cannot control what happens around you, but you can control what happens in you.
Mahatma Gandhi says,
"Keep my words positive, because my words become behaviors.
Keep my behaviors positive, because my behaviors become habits.
Keep my habits positive, because my habits become my values.
Keep my values positive, because they become my destiny."
We have to make a commitment to ourselves that is never to give up. "Decide to be unstoppable. You may stumble, and you may fall, but you must not stop", said Wilie Jolley. "It's not whether you get knocked down. It 's whether you get up again," suggests Vince Lombardi. And Plutarch said, "The measure of a man is the way he bears up under misfortune. I may be wounded, but I am not slain. I shall lay me down and bleed for a while, but I will rise and fight again". In his book, Trump: The Art of the Comeback, Donald Trump writes, "In order to comeback, you must be willing to fight, and fight hard. And you must expect to win. You will need confidence, determination and persistence. And you must take adversity and make it an asset. This means finding creative ways to make the best of both good and bad situations. Finally, in order to comeback you have got to have a champion's heart. Talent is not enough, hard work is not enough, you have got to have a champion's heart and then go out and get it done."
Let's have a champion's heart and get success, I say, the Lord Ram's way!