Every Problem Has a Solution

In the real world, even gods, if they have assumed bodies in saguna swaroopa, have to face problems. But if there are problems, there are also solutions. They always come. When you are in the middle of a problem, you feel that it is the end of the world, but it is not like that. For any problem, there is a solution. Through this incident, this truth is being revealed to us.

Matsarasura, after receiving a boon from Lord Shiva that he would become the emperor of the universe, conquered all worlds, including Brahma's Satya Loka, Vaikuntha, Kailasa, Swarga, Bhumi, and Patala. He established himself as the emperor. He demolished temples and ordered that all yajnas, pujas, and charities be stopped. He declared that he was the only god and that everyone should start worshipping him. He imprisoned all the devas, including the Tridevas, but later released them all.

The devas returned to Kailasa and were worried about how to end Matsarasura's atrocities. At that time, Lord Dattatreya came to Kailasa and told them, 'There is only one way you can do this. Only Lord Ganesha can help you.'

Dattatreya then told Lord Shiva, 'Your mind is filled with thoughts of Matsarasura. You are constantly thinking about him. Unless you chase him away from your mind, you will not be able to chase him away from the outside world.' This great principle was revealed by Dattatreya. If you have a problem, do not keep thinking about it. Unless you stop thinking about it, it will not get solved.

For this, Dattatreya gave them a technique: do Lord Ganesha's upasana. Replace the negative thoughts of Matsarasura with thoughts of Lord Ganesha. This will solve your problems. Do Lord Ganesha's tapas. After giving this advice, Lord Dattatreya left Kailasa.

The devas told each other, 'We are blessed that Dattatreya came here. Now we have a way to move forward. We were completely lost and did not know what to do.'

Understand this clearly—who were saying this? Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Indra, Agni, Surya. They had a big problem, and they did not know what to do. Problems are part of life, even for them. If you exist in the physical world, then even devas have to face problems. Even they feel helpless. Then help comes. This is the 1-2-3 process. It always happens like this. Be it Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, or you—problem comes, you worry about it, feel helpless, then the solution comes.

What kind of solution? Dattatreya did not say, 'I will eliminate Matsarasura and set you free.' He told them, 'You people start working. Work hard. Do upasana of Lord Ganesha. Have the right attitude. Throw negative thoughts out of your mind. If you keep thinking about Matsarasura, he will become stronger and stronger. You will never be able to defeat him.'

If there is a problem, the solution always comes—sooner or later. For the devas, it did not come instantly. They suffered. They worried for a long time. Then the solution came. A solution in the form of something they had to do. The solution did not fall from the sky. They did not get the news that Matsarasura suffered a heart attack and died. No, you work and solve your problem.

So do not live under false hopes. You have to solve your own problems. That is how it is for the devas. Why should it be different for you? If there is a problem, there is definitely a solution. It will definitely come to you if you look for it. If you sit and lament—'Why this injustice? I have not done anything wrong. I did not harm Matsarasura, why is he harming me? I have no luck, it is always like this for me'—see, this is not what the devas did.

They were worried. They wanted to save the world from Matsarasura. They were looking for a solution. Then it came to them. Dattatreya came and gave them the solution. What kind of solution? Something that they had to do to solve the problem. That is it. This is how every problem in this universe works. Problem comes, affects you for some time, then if you look for a solution, the solution comes. You work on it, and the problem gets solved. For the devas, it was the same. For you, it is the same. If you are intelligent, you will look at it and work like the devas. Or else, you will sit and cry forever.

So, as instructed by Lord Dattatreya, the devas and rishis, all of them in Kailasa, started doing tapas. Tapas to propitiate Lord Ganesha. Not one method, different methods. Not like how branded spiritual gurus say, 'My method is the only method.' Not like that.

Somebody was in padmasana, somebody in veerasana, somebody in swastikasana—as it suited each one individually. Somebody stopped eating, but all of them were perpetually remembering Lord Ganesha and chanting his ekakshara mantra. That was the common factor. It is with this visualization that they had to remove all negative thoughts from their minds. This was the technique given by the greatest of all yogis, Dattatreya—constant chanting of the ekakshara mantra of Lord Ganesha.

When you do this, sakshatkara of the Lord happens. He actually comes in front. Constant visualization and constant chanting. Someone kept on doing pranayama. Someone ate only leaves. Someone drank air as food. Someone drank only rainwater as it fell from the sky. Someone stood on the tips of the toes of one leg. Somebody else gathered fruits and flowers and kept on doing Lord Ganesha's puja day and night. Somebody kept on doing parikrama, pradakshina. Somebody kept on doing namaskara.

What does this mean? It is never a single method. It is what suits your body, your mind, your nature. Lord Shiva did not say, 'We should all do the same kind of sadhana, then only it will work.'

We see messages on social media—'Mrityunjaya mantra chain—on this day, at this time, everyone around the world sit and chant Mrityunjaya mantra, the vibrations will purify the world.' Four thousand people sit at one place and chant omkara—the vibrations will purify the world. Have you seen the purification happening? The world is moving from bad to worse. These are all because of complete ignorance of the real content of our scriptures.

Spirituality is individual, private. Sit together and sing bhajans—no problem. That is how it is meant to be. That is what the scriptures say. But Mrityunjaya mantra chain over WhatsApp, ten thousand people sitting and chanting omkara—do not waste your time. Also, you will get disillusioned. You will miss the real essence.

Spirituality is individual. It is between you and the divinity—one to one. Your guru, if you have one who is genuine, is also a part of this divinity.

The devas and rishis in Kailasa did tapas like this for one thousand divya varshas. In their time scale—one thousand years. In our time scale—three hundred sixty thousand years. Hard work it is. If the problem is big, then the work involved to solve it will also be big. No freebies. This is the real world.F

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi