THE TRAFFIC JAM

Each one of us has surely encountered a traffic jam. Nothing moves and there is just plenty of confusion, chaos, conflict and a clouded thought process. It affects one and all, nobody benefits.

To undo this, there ought to be some systems in place and some people who bear the austerity to help create coordination, cooperation and coherency. But this is a challenge, for one who is a part of the problem doesn't bother taking any interest in resolving it. He has the ability to do it but he wants to get out of the jam instantaneously and that too without any consideration about the collective situation. But that is not possible.

Society means connections. If your neighbour is in trouble today, in due course you too will be in a similar situation. Being aware of connections allows us to be cooperative. Ignorance of our interdependence makes us bound eventually.

If the driver of a car tries his best to only rescue himself out of the jam, he will make a further menace of the situation. But if some people take the initiative and attempt to manage the situation in an organized way, we see that the jam is cleared quickly and everyone is freed from it.

Once there was a conflict amongst frogs. Seizing this opportunity, a hungry snake devoured the frogs one after another. Each of the other frogs observing this felt, "I can't be next, it must be someone else". But by the time they completed the thought, they didn't even realize and they lay in the mouth of the snake. Eventually, every frog was consumed by the snake; death without glory.

In life, we must have individual values. But more important is to have values that are connected; growing personally and collectively as a society. We will certainly grow only when our society grows, and our society will grow only if we grow. It can't be separated.

When the Pandavas blew their conch, it was orderly. Therefore, they shattered the hearts of the Kurus. On the other hand, when they Kurus blew their conch, it was chaotic, exposing their conflicting condition. They all stood there individually, lacking the spirit of unity, lacking belief in the collective cause. And sure enough, the Pandavas were triumphant and the Kauravas were trampled upon.