All Those Questions That Won’t Go Away

By: Dr. H. G. Adisesh

Sri Narasimha Swamiji tells us: “He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.” We usually ask other people questions, but there are more significantly those questions we must ask ourselves in order to live fuller lives.

Staying with the question for a while is almost a completely unknown skill. Turning it around in our minds can stop us from jumping to that quick answer – something we have been trained to obediently do since we were very young – which often gives just a part answer at the surface. Sadly, we settle for the most obvious, which may not be what can guide us or open to us.

Shri Narasimha Swamiji writes about questions that “have no right to go away.” These are the questions that have to do with the person we are about to become. Soon after I finished my Final MBBS examination, I met Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji who greeted me as ‘Doctor.’ I hesitatingly told him that the results are yet to be announced. He laughed and told me “I have already passed my examination.”

Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji asked me a question, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your precious life?” I told him about my plans to go abroad. He knocked me with a question – ‘Is there any difference in the number of times you are going to eat in India or abroad?’ When I told him ‘No,’ he asked me, “Listen – are you breathing just a little, and calling that life? Chant Vishnu Sahasranamam and that will brighten your life. Stay back in India and take care of your parents.”

Swamiji gave me a children’s book ‘Zebra Questions’ by Shel Silverstein. He wanted me to read this thought-provoking book. It goes “I asked the zebra, Are you black with white stripes? Or white with black stripes? And the zebra asked me, Or you good with bad habits? Or are you bad with good habits? Are you noisy with quiet times? Or are you quiet with noisy times?
Are you happy with some sad days? Or are you sad with some happy days?”.

Swamiji’s intention was that I should dwell on these promptings and to unfold my responses to open the door to my yearnings. With his blessings, I did Post-graduation in Pathology and joined the Central Government Health Services.

Adopt the culture of the tree in one’s own life. If you throw a stone at a tree, it will give you a fruit in return. This is the highest kind of positive behavior. By adopting this positive behavior, you can make the whole world turn in your favor just as the tree does. This is Sai Baba’s message.