Spiritual Shield

Prabhu flicked on the television switch to watch the most anticipated India vs NewZealand third test match. It was a series decider in Mumbai after both teams secured a win each in the nail-biting series. As far as India was concerned, this match had gained all the significance since they had not lost a test series at home in the last 14 years. Whereas for Newzealand it was a golden opportunity to win a series against the mighty India at home for the very first time in their test history. With the series at stake, both teams refused to resort to defensive cricket, which could pave the way for an early collapse. New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat. Prabhu's mother, Reema, prepared a sumptuous breakfast for her son to savour. Her son seemed to have gotten engrossed in the realm of cricket and nothing other than that mattered to him at present. Reema called her son by his name to have breakfast but the latter did not respond. She called him again but to no avail. She picked up the plate, weaved through the kitchen, hall and reached the sofa where he had ensconced. 

"I don't want breakfast," he said with his eyes glued to the television.

"You can watch cricket later. At least feed your tummy some food now. We need to have food at the right time to have a healthy body and mind," she advised.

"I can't digest food unless I see a wicket fall now," he grimaced thanks to wayward bowling by Indian bowlers. 

"It is just a cricket test match, and the outcome of the match has no bearing on your life. Why do you want to take it seriously? It is not your life," she said.

"I don't know. I get frustrated if I don't see a wicket fall now."

"Switch off the television. Even your frustration will subside. Why do you want to compromise your health for the sake of cricket?" she asked.

"Ple,ase Mom! Leave me alone," he bit his nails which reflected the mounting frustration growing within himself. 

His mother fed him breakfast while he watched the Indian team being hammered by the Kiwi's openers. Prabhu had lost his father in his childhood owing to cardiac arrest. Even during those turbulent times, his mother did not lose heart. She raised him with unconditional love, sacrificing all her passion. She had played an instrumental role in shaping her son's career. Patience had been a hallmark of her life. Prabhu was a naughty kid back then who was used to throwing tantrums often. Reema had shown copious patience in dealing with his eccentricity. The tremendous resilience and tenacity she showed while raising her kid was remarkable. There were times when people tried to pull her down but she withstood all the storm alone. 

Prabhu had donned a solemn face at the end of the day. Newzealand had raced to 320-2 at the end of the day's play, and they seemed to have held the upper hand in the series decider. He stood at the balcony looking at the flock of birds that materialized at the sky with their grace. Still,l he seemed to be consumed by the lingering thoughts of the cricket match. Accompanied by his mother, he sauntered down the street to reach the park. Reema looked at his sad face. She could quickly discern the reason for his sadness. It was just after effects of watching a cricket match when your team performs poorly. Prabhu had developed a strong bond with cricket. If India did not perform well, it had a deep impact on his psychological state. Reema always tried to cheer her son up. She never left him alone when he was drowned in the sea of sadness. She tickled him in desperation to see him erupt with laughter. 

"Can we go for a movie?" she asked.

"Which movie?" 

"King Kong," she said.

Prabhu had been wanting to see that movie for a while but could not due to unforeseen circumstances. He quickly gave a nod. Reema knew that if he could watch the movie, he would be entertained, thereby allowing him to wake up from sadness. Both of them had a great time for three full hours. It was an amazing movie that kept them on the edge of their seats from the beginning till the end. Reema was happy to see the laughter blossoming in her son's face. The sun had already taken a break when they came out of the cinema hall. A plethora of movie lovers had thronged to the theatre to watch the next show which was a testament to the blockbuster status of the movie. Both of them loved each other.

Reema wanted to see her son marry, whereas the latter did not want anybody in his life except his mother. She understood that she could not be there with him forever and his son would need a partner to take a step towards the future generation. Despite her son not acknowledging her words, she secretly kept on looking for a suitable bride for him. She believed that if he found a suitable partner, then he would never say no. If his karma demands him to get into a relationship then he would indeed give his nod. She never believed in the idea of marrying just for the sake of societal approval. She never forced him or blackmailed him to marry against his wishes. Marriage must never be one-sided. Both men and women must give consent right from the bottom of their hearts for the marriage to materialize; otherwise, the forced relationship has no significance and may break at any moment. 

The sun flapped his wings of lights across the streets to wake up people from slumber. Tree leaves took the wind into confidence and started swaying pleasantly. The alarm bell went on a ringing spree thereby waking Prabhu. He punched the alarm coaxing it to go on a silent mode. Before he could revert to sleep, his mother asked him to come out, reminding him about the significance of the Diwali festival. He squinted as the sun's rays attacked him through the window. A rocket went straight up the sky and exploded into a million colours to commemorate the beginning of the Diwali festival. Reema was ready with coconut oil. She rubbed her son's head and limbs with the oil and asked him to take a shower. She, being deeply a religious lady, performed Pooja from her end and went on a hymn reciting spree. She had learnt a million hymns which reflected her conviction in God. Perhaps her calm demeanour and tremendous resilience stemmed from the power of spirituality. His son wasn't interested in religious rituals though. She compelled her son to do Pooja before having breakfast. He was quite happy to see Indian batters coming to the party in the series decider against New Zealand. He was in a jovial mood. The bankable batters had done a terrific job for the team taking the attack to the opposition. His mother prepared sumptuous sweets and meals in the kitchen. The tantalizing aroma propagated across the hall beckoning Prabhu's taste buds to come to the party. He went to the kitchen, but his mother asked him to wait for some time since she first wanted to offer the food to God. Later on in the afternoon, they fuelled their tummy with delicious meals before taking a power nap. In the evening, they stood on the balcony to see the sky being painted with glorious colours. People irrespective of their ages, thronged to the streets to celebrate Diwali grandly. Light, peace, sweets, crackers and pure joy lit up the streets with its grandeur. After an eventful day, the mother and the son duo went to their respective rooms to rest. The beautiful day evaporated into oblivion, but Diwali was not done yet. It promised to ignite the next day with much fervour. 

It was the fifth and final day of the third test match between India and New Zealand. The match was swinging on either side. Prabhu bit his nails anxiously. No team was in the driver's seat. India had to chase 240 runs on the final day to win the series. Tension flared high. Prabhu refused to stay away from the television. Hours passed by and the match seemed to have reached the climax point. India needs ten runs to win, and the Kiwis need a wicket to win. Prabhu's heart throbbed in fear. What if the batsman gets bowled? His mind was ridden with a myriad of questions that would find answers in some time. His mother seemed to have called him but he ignored. India needed 3 runs to win the match and the batsman hit the ball up in the air. Prabhu's mouth was agape in surprise. His mind was encroached by the happenings of cricket and he did not notice his mother. India finally won the match, which put him on cloud nine. He danced in joy and rushed to his mother's room. Reema had fallen by the door which took him aback. His eyes widened in horror and his heartbeats went for a toss. He crouched to wake his mother up but she did not respond. He applied CPR but to no avail. At that moment, the whole world seemed upended. The beautiful soul had already departed the body. He took her to the doctor but she was declared brought dead. It felt as if someone snatched the soul from his body. She was trying to call him when he was busy watching the match. He couldn't control a stream of tears that flowed through his cheeks. The joy of India winning the series was short-lived. The mother who had rendered him unconditional love all these years had taken leave from this world. He felt alone as he cremated his mother's body. Tears conspired to wreck his heart apart. Loneliness planned to plunge him into depression. The beautiful images of his lovely mother haunted him. When he woke up early in the morning, he called his mother but she was not there to respond. When he wanted to have breakfast, he called his mother but she was not there to prepare food. After having a harrowing day at the office, he needed his mother's lap but it was no longer available. Life seemed like a living hell without his mother. An avalanche of pain broke down within him. Losing his mother had lacerated his heart. The guilt of not bidding her a proper goodbye scourged him. He had no one to cling to now. He was slowly falling into the trap of depression due to loneliness. Even cricket matches did not bring a smile to his face. The office work seemed like a herculean task courtesy of a cluttered mind. The onslaught of anxiety and depression exacerbated his woes putting him on the brink of committing suicide. He just wanted to go where his mother went. Life seemed like a hard nut to crack. 

One day, he made up his mind to kill himself, which he thought would be a solution to all the problems running in his mind. He happened to see a group of people going to a meditation centre. Their beaming smile and innocuous personality did not go unnoticed. There was no trepidation in their voice and they seemed to ooze with confidence. He had never been a religious person. He often argued with his mother when she spoke about the power of God. But today, he felt like giving a visit to the meditation centre before he goes about killing himself. He could quickly deduce the positive vibe when he stepped foot inside. The statue of Buddha and the images of Lord Krishna, Shiva and other deities seemed to have cushioned the centre from evil powers. He gained access inside for free and there was no need for him to pay a single penny to enrol for the course. While talking to one of the sisters, he broke down. He briefed them on the aftermath of his mother's death, which had a detrimental impact on his mental health. 

"Nobody is immortal in this world. Nobody is infallible in this world. Nobody is free from pain in this world. Losing one's mother is the most painful experience for any person in this world. There are so many souls who go through unbearable trauma in this world. Suicide is not an option for your problems. You have to build inner strength, which in turn helps you to overcome obstacles that are inevitable in life. You can come here and spend time meditating, reading spiritual books, and having spiritual conversations to understand the essence of life. If a batsman can't score runs in a few innings, is there any use sitting and brooding over the failure? The more you overthink, the more you get swept away by anxiety. Just learn to flow with life. Nobody is going to judge you over here. All have tasted the nectar of spirituality. They all seem themselves in you."

The soothing words of the sister seemed to have revived his lost interest in life. He started visiting the meditation centre often. The power of meditation and the purity of spiritual conversations helped him to virtually wear the spiritual shield, which assisted him in fighting the battle of life with courage and confidence. His wounded heart healed and he successfully overcame depression. 

When your mind is wounded 

Pain is certainly loaded

Suicide should not be the outcome of your ordeal

Do not take an extreme step based on how you feel

Spirituality helps you build your inner power

You ooze with confidence after having a courageous shower

When the forces of vices are nipped in the bud

You stop being stupid 

Pain is not permanent 

Strength within you is abundant

When you are protected by the spiritual shield

You know how to be productive in your life field 

Where spirituality is valued,

There calm and serenity is imbued