1. DEFEATING
STRESS
DR.
SHRINIWAS
KASHALIKAR

2. Our stress is produced due to the tussle and tug
of war between; the innate attraction of our soul
and the dragging force of temptation towards
the hyped thrill in; romantic associations, the
utopian radicalism, charity, indulgence, physical
sex, fashions, glamour, glitter, power, fame,
entertainment and even working for hyped
academic and other varieties of successes and
achievements.
The Hindu dharma is actually a conglomeration
of perspectives and practices of various
traditions and ways utilizing physical,
instinctual, emotional and intellectual needs;
and cognitive, psychomotor and affective
capabilities; and all the means and ways possible
in the nature; towards simultaneous blossoming
of self and all, i.e. self realization!
If and when we rebel against such way of life
due to ignorance, there are some possibilities

3. about our fate. Thus, we may become atheist.
We may shun the rituals and get converted to a
religion where there are fewer rituals. We may
become bohemian and indulgent. We may leave
the mainstream society become ascetic. We may
become a radical and take to arms or we may
become morbidly ambitious and resort to illegal
activities. Of course there could be many more
possibilities.
However, the issue is that in every possible fate
we become indiscriminately violent towards self
and the others and unhappy and disgruntled in
the heart i.e. STRESSED. This is reflected in the
society in which we live!
All the sermons about austerity, simplicity and
goodness; are rendered ridiculous; and all the
propaganda of indulgence and petty pursuits
are rendered obnoxiously repugnant.

4. The forces assisting our inward return or
following the call of our soul are unable to
decisively conquer the forces dragging us (due to
lack conviction and weakness) away from our
soul! This leads to unbearable stress!
Whether we call NAMASMARAN; good, bad,
scientific, unscientific, logical, absurd, rational,
irrational, theistic, atheistic, religious,
irreligious or anything, it is the (chief or most
important) way (other means are adjuvant), that
reorients our perspective, thinking, instincts and
our whole existence towards the quest and the
thirst of our soul i.e. simultaneous blossoming of
one and all. NAMASMARAN is neither the
monopoly of so called religious gurus nor is it an
issue isolated from science. Through
NAMASMARAN our life (and also the social
life) gets reoriented and reorganized; in every
possible way to self realization i.e. blossoming of
one and all and thus decisively defeat our stress!