2. Even as there are many apparent causes of stress, which we refer to as stressors, our stress is fundamentally produced due to the tussle and tug of war between; the innate attraction of our soul and the dragging forces of temptation! Thus we keep getting attracted and engrossed in apparently pleasant activities; often hyped in literature; or elsewhere for commercial purposes. This is why; we are fascinated by the thrill in; ferry tales, romantic associations, the utopian radicalism, charity, indulgence, physical sex, fashions, glamour, glitter, power, fame, entertainment and even academic successes barring the urge of our soul! The concepts and precepts in Hindu dharma as I know and understand are actually ways of Total Stress Management.
3. They constitute; a conglomeration of perspectives and practices in various traditions; which utilize physical, instinctual, emotional and intellectual needs; and cognitive, psychomotor and affective capabilities; for simultaneous blossoming of self and all, i.e. self realization! Depending on the stage of evolution; various the means and ways are used in these. However this way of life can appear to be coercive to us in view of our blazing passions and emotions and hence we may rebel against such a way of life. This is usually due to our ignorance. But after rebellion we are left with some possibilities 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 and become ascetic. We may become a radical and take to arms; or we may even become morbidly ambitious and resort to illegal activities. Of course there could be many more possibilities.
4. However, the issue is that in every possible fate we become indiscriminately violent towards self and/or the others; and unhappy and disgruntled in the heart i.e. STRESSED. This is what is reflected in the society we live in, and where all the sermons about austerity, simplicity and goodness; on the one hand and all the propaganda of indulgence and petty pursuits on the other; are rendered pathetically ridiculous and obnoxiously repugnant respectively. When the forces assisting our inward return following the call of our soul; are unable to decisively conquer the forces dragging us away from our soul, then it is called a state of GLANI of DHARMA! This leads to unbearable stress, in and around!
5. The solution traditionally provided is NAMASMARAN. 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 being adjuvant), for reorienting our perspective, thinking, instincts and our whole existence towards the quest and the thirst of our soul! This is associated with simultaneous blossoming of one and all. NAMASMARAN appears to belong to spiritual life and isolated from day to day transactions, logic and science. But this is not true. Through NAMASMARAN our personal and social life get reoriented and reorganized; towards the urge of our soul, which is blossoming of one and all, thereby decisively defeating our stress from moment to moment!
