only little difference between pyre and worry

 

चिता चिन्तासमाह्युक्ता बिन्दुमात्रविशेषतः।

सजीवं दहते चिन्ता निर्जीवं दहते चिता॥

सुभाषितम्॥

citā cintāsamāhyuktā bindumātraviśeṣataḥ|

sajīvaṁ dahate cintā nirjīvaṁ dahate citā||

subhāṣitam||

An ancient saying worth pondering over and over..

The word Chita denotes funeral pyre in Sanskrit and the word chintaa denotes worry. In Indian script when we write these words, there is only the difference of a (.) dot. Therefore, one can consider both the words as almost the same.

Hence, the subhashitam or the great saying quoted above says that there is hardly any difference between a funeral pyre and a mind full of worry.

The difference is just a trifling dot.

The funeral pyre burns a dead body.

At the same time, worry burns a person even when he is alive.

Alacrity, anticipation, anxiety, are useful in their own ways, and they would help us to complete our tasks effectively. However, when these turn into a stage or worry, then the effects are toxic. A worried man can just worry, and would not do anything else. He will ruin the task and himself too, and perhaps even others, through his worrying ways.

Of course, we should be sensible enough to differentiate between natural concern and pathological worry.

Regards

k v ananthanarayanan