Fearlessness

2024-09-20

"The opposite of fearlessness is not caution, it’s fear"

This idea has gradually taken root in my mind.

As a child, I was told to be careful, say, while crossing a road. It was excellent advice. Because hopping and skipping across a Delhi road would be reckless.

But, as time progressed, I began to confuse recklessness with fearlessness. Probably because it was easy to justfy challenges not faced as being cautious, rather than being fearful.

Then, I came across the idea of fearlessness in Vedanta. In Ashtavakra Gita, Sage Ashtavakra is the teacher, and King Janaka is the student. When Janaka achieves enlightenment, Ashtavakra says, "Abhayo si prapta, o Janaka".

"You have now become fearless."

Not "you have become enlightened", or "achieved niravana". Rather, "become fearless". Because once you see the underlying unity behind the apparent diversity of the world, what do you have left to fear? Can my left arm be afraid of my right arm? They are part of the same unity.

This is a bold idea. Bold! A word that often appears in Swami Vivekananda's writing. Boldness not from physical strength or material possessions, but boldness that comes from an understanding of our true nature. Freedom that comes from fearlessness.