MONDAY MUSINGS SEASON 2 - EPISODE 365
11th May 2026
Miles to go before I sleep
That which seems like poison at first, but tastes like nectar in the end, is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness. It is generated by the pure intellect that is situated in self-knowledge. (Bhagavad Gita 18.37)
Pain is something no one wants to experience. But today’s pain could be the key to future success. Learn to enjoy the pain when it is the road to happiness.
Struggles are not signs of failure but building blocks for success as they shape the person you are meant to be:
“What does not kill you only gets you stronger?”
The next type of happiness, as explained by Lord Krishna, is the opposite.
Temporary Happiness
Some actions make us feel elated first, but they end up as gloom. What are they? How do we identify and understand them so we can be careful? Lord Krishna gives the answers in the next sloka ie 18.38.
विषयेन्द्रियसंयोगाद्यत्तदग्रेऽमृतोपमम् | परिणामे विषमिव तत्सुखं राजसं स्मृतम् (Bhagavad Gita 18.38)
Happiness is said to be in the mode of passion when it is derived from the merger of the senses with their objects. Such happiness is like nectar at first, but ends up as poison.
Our senses are designed by God to help us enjoy life and make us happy, but at times they lead us into gloom. There is no issue with enjoyment as long as the senses and matter (habit forming sense objects) are separated ie the senses remain rational.
The problem arises when the thin layer of separation between the senses and the controlling sense objects gets broken. Senses merge with the objects, and it becomes an addiction. You, of course, enjoy such a merger. It also brings happiness and elation, but Lord Krishna warns that such happiness is temporary. He calls it happiness in the mode of passion (rajasic sukham).
Such happiness tastes like nectar at first, but it turns into poison. Beware of such happiness. Such happiness leaves in its wake greed, anxiety, guilt, and a thickening of the material illusion. Even in the material realm, for meaningful accomplishment, it is necessary to reject rājasic happiness.
Miles to go before I sleep
#RobertFrost was a famous American poet known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his examination of complex social and philosophical themes.
Among his well-known works, one particular poem held special significance for India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. This poem is titled 'Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening'.
He was so moved by the final stanza that he kept a handwritten copy of it on his desk with the last stanza underlined to remind him of his extensive duties and responsibilities and not to get distracted by temporary happiness.
Last stanza of the poem #StoppingByWoodsOnASnowyEvening” by Robert Frost.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
These lines, from what was considered his favourite poem, resonated with him as a reminder of his commitment to his nation and unfinished tasks. Premature celebrations are also rajasic sukham.
Woods are lovely, and it is a normal tendency to enjoy them, and that is not wrong. That enjoyment should not come in the way of losing track of your journey when you have miles to go before the nightfall.
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#PositiveNewsPage
Scripting an inspiring story of grit and determination, a 14-year-old girl from Saruali village under Kamakhyanagar block in Odisha has successfully cleared the matriculation examination with 309 marks despite having over 90 per cent physical deformities.
Standing at just one-and-a-half feet tall and facing speech and mobility challenges, Sunita Naik was the shortest examinee in this year’s matric exam. She studied in Nigamananda high school under Kamakhyanagar block. Facing difficulty in walking, speaking and hearing, she appeared for the examination at Panchayatraj Kanpura high school with the help of a writer.
The teenager’s achievement has drawn praise from teachers and local education authorities. Kamakhyanagar block education officer Saroj Sahu said arrangements are being made for her further studies through distance learning.
“Considering the difficulties she overcame to pass the matric exam, we have decided to enrol her in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) in Dhenkanal. An offer has already been sent to her family. She will continue her higher studies through correspondence,” Saroj Sahu said.
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Conceived, compiled and posted as a weekly newsletter #MondayMusings posted every Monday by Jaganathan T (www.authorjaganathan.com)
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PROMOTIONS
250 copies of the new crime thriller by Author Jaganathan have been sold in just 15 days since the book release ie 22nd April 2026.
This book is a combination of the styles of Agatha Christie, Arthur Hailey and Tamil writer Sujatha.
