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What does trust in a
fellow human being mean?
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What is your role in a
relationship of trust... that is when you trust you do so with some
expectations of other person? Do you also have a role to play?
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What is the difference
between trust and faith?
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How to judge if a
person is trustworthy or not? Why do we instinctively trust/mistrust
some people?
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Spirituality preaches
amity towards one and all, but you cannot trust everybody. How do you
reconcile the two?
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Does trust give
strength to the trusted and the trustee?
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Sometimes your trust is
betrayed. How to cope with that?
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Can you give some
mythological stories on trust?
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Is mistrust more
harmful than not to trust at all?
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Today's world is
characterized by competition. Where does trust find a place here?
01.
What does trust in a fellow human being mean?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Words
'Faith' and 'Trust' in English dictionaries are synonyms. These have
interchangeable meanings. Truly, both these words should be used
primarily for Parmatman but knowing that no human being is
trustworthy and therefore cannot be relied or depended upon. Yet these
words are used for worldly people also.
Faith means acceptance 'as such' whatever
has been heard of the Supreme Being through scriptures. What are its
Components?
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There is only one existence in this
world, which manifests itself as the Universe in many names and
forms.
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Everything and all being belong to
HIM. He is the sole proprietor and we are only custodians. Nothing
is our. We are all HIS servants or watchmen!
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His ordinance is always auspicious as
HE remains our benefactor and can never be inimical to anyone.
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That supreme existence is all
pervading, omnipotent, omniscient and nothing is impossible for HIM.
He remains all merciful and all gracious.
Having known and accepted that HE is
Omnipotent and Omnipresent, All knower and merciful where is the reason
for tension, anxiety or fear in our lives. This is FAITH. Finally the
context of trust in fellow human beings is a relativity of truth. And
faith in God is of absolute kind.
02.
What is your role in a relationship of trust... that is when you trust you
do so with some expectations of other person? Do you also have a role to
play?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: The
basis of human relations in Faith! It is a Faith, which makes a son,
accept a person his father! Who knows the truth? Once it gets shaken or
altered, one gets shook of the life.
How much faith Ravana had in his godly
brother Vibhishana and vice-versa? How much faith Sugreva had in his
brother Bali and vice-versa? What happened? Faiths dwindled and brothers
became fierce foes!
How exorbitant faith Emperor Dashratha
had in his beloved wife Kaikeyi? Once she accompanied her husband to the
battlefield where during fight a nail from the chariot wheel came out.
Kaikeyi immediately put her two delicate fingers in place of the nail
and the life of King Dashrath was saved. Dashrath went to the saviour of
his life with uttermost faith that upon hearing the most exhilarating
news of enthroning her beloved son Rama, she will be overwhelmed with
infinite joy. What happened?
Alas, those two fingers of Kaikeyi that
saved the life of the emperor asked with those very fingers for two
boons, which finally took away the life of Dashrath. Who is trustworthy
in this universe? One cannot have a permanent shelter in any support
from anyone excepting ISHWARA.
No one knows when will one be left
prop-less. Have faith or Trust only in HIM. Visualizing all as HIM in
this world, have unquestionable faith or trust in all beings. This is
the way to resultant peace in this and in the other world. Lord alone is
with you everywhere.
03.
What is the difference between trust and faith?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: I
think I have tried to explain the concept in the first answer only. Let
me add a few more lines to that. Developing faith in HIM prepares us for
total Trust in HIM. The Hindi meanings of these two words are more
lucid. Faith means Vishwas (Belief in Him with utmost
reverence) and Trust means Bharosa or unquestionable dependence.
04.
How to judge if a person is trustworthy or not? Why do we instinctively
trust/mistrust some people?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: He
alone is Trust-worthy. He never leaves anyone in lurch like the human
beings do. He remains with you ever and everywhere and also follows you
like a shadow even in dark and after death of this body.
So Ishwara alone is trust-worthy. At the
human plane if we instinctively trust or mis-trust a fellow being is due
to our samaskars. Before trusting or mistrusting others one must make
oneself trustworthy and reliable. Having complete faith in HIM can mend
our instincts too.
05.
Spirituality preaches amity towards one and all, but you cannot trust
everybody. How do you reconcile the two?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Spirituality
preaches you amity towards one and all without any least thought of
reciprocation. For a spiritual person the world is Ishwara. For him or
her Trust in Parmatman means trust in all and vice-versa. Lord comes to
his rescue at once.
In Haryana, a newly wedded couple get
down at a small railway station to reach the village of the bride. She
was loaded with gold ornaments and had a couple of pieces of luggage
containing precious clothe and other articles. Four dacoits saw them and
enquired 'Where do you want to go?' The couple answered 'Divyanagar'.
Then the dacoits replied 'We are also going to the same village, come
with us.' Then the couple asked 'you are strangers, how can we accompany
you? Those people replied 'Have Trust in HIM, we shall help you carrying
the luggage and you will reach safely, come with us without any fear'.
Both husband and wife were the votaries
of Ram Naam and had explicit faith in His being ever with them. They
walked along. The village was at a distance of 3 kms. And the route was
lonely. The dacoits had thrashed the husband and injured him badly and
finally tied him with a tree. Wife could not do anything and went along.
On the way, she was repeatedly looking here and there on all sides.
Dacoits observed this and asked her 'whom are you looking for? Don't you
know that your husband has been tied-up with a tree?' The lady
answered 'Who is looking for husband? I am searching for lord Rama
trusting whom I agreed to walk with you, where is He?" At once, two
youths riding on two horses have bow and arrows in their hands appeared
and killed the dacoits, untied the injured husband and escorted them to
their home. That is Trust or FAITH. It makes life absolutely
uncomplicated, without anxiety, worry, tension or fear. Peace, Bliss
abound you when you are in His all Protecting and caring hands.
06.
Does trust give strength to the trusted and the trustee?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Complete
trust in almighty is itself the strength and source of inspirations as
well. In the last question I have tried to answer about the strength and
the bond of trust between trustee and trusted.
07.
Sometimes your trust is betrayed. How to cope with that?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Have
faith in HIM and learn a lesson if you are betrayed, that no human being
is trustworthy, dependable or reliable. For all these one must bank upon
Ishwara.
08.
Can you give some mythological stories on trust?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: A
king had no son, The old man consulted astrologer who suggested that if
a son of a Brahmin willing sacrifices his life, then only he can be
blessed with a son who would be his successor.
The king ordered to spread this
information and drummers went around spreading the message. In a Brahmin
family of four sons, three were well settled in life. The fourth one was
jobless and looked after his parents and the household chorus. He has
also been serving the saints and deities in temples. Considering him
useless, he offered himself to the king keeping in mind that his
parent's economic life will be elevated.
The king asked that 'have you willingly
came for the sacrifice? The Brahmin boy answered in affirmative. On the
day of sacrifice the boy was asked if he had any last wish. The boy
replied 'Please take me for a bath in the river!' The king accompanied
him. After having bath, reciting Ram Ram Ram Ram he made four small
heaps of sand and dismantled the three and after having circumambulation
of the fourth heap said to the King 'Sir, I am ready'. On seeing all
these the king got perplexed and asked the boy 'What is this you did'.
The boy replied that 'A man has four props in life. The first being
parents, who considering me useless have allowed me to be sacrificed in
return for money. This first heap represented the, so I dismantled it.
The 2nd support is the king -- A protectors or a guardian who wants to
be blessed with a son his successor by sacrificing me. His lordship for
begetting a son made a father a son less. So I destroyed this heap also.
The third prop is Gods -- the deities of heaven who are accepting my
sacrifice in this yajna. So having no support from them I dismantled the
third heap. The fourth one is of the almighty - the sole abode. This
remains akahnd (non partisan and indivisible (?) for all.' The
king pondered over for a while and murmured who knows after sacrificing
such an intellect, having complete faith and trust in Him, I will be
blessed with a son or not. How will he be disabled or able I don't know
that also. Why should I not adopt this Brahmin youth as my son?' Prabhu
Ram made his devotee a successful successor to the king who was for
better an emperor than the father King. Lord recompenses HIS incumbents
everywhere and with everything.
Gita proclaims 'A person, who
depends on me, attaining my grace the eternal, imperishable state
even though performing all actions.' ( 18/56 )
Gita further explains 'the
devotees who loving none else, constantly thing of me and worship in
Me in disinterested (?) spirit to those ever united. I bring full
security and personally attend to their needs'. ( 9/22 )
09.
Is mistrust more harmful than not to trust at all?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Mistrust
is undoubtedly more harmful than not to trust at all. If a wife
mistrusts her husband, married life is ruined; if a friend suspects his
friend, friendship is ruined but if a person is doubtful about HIS
existence, HIS grace and scriptures then the whole life is ruined. Gita
categorically declared 'He who lacks discrimination, is devoid of faith
and is at the same time possessed with doubt, is lost to the spiritual
path. For this doubting soul there is neither this world nor the world
beyond, nor even happiness or peace.'
Let me tell you a small story. A king and
queen both used to regularly visit a holy saint who used to stay nearby
but alone in a hut leading a pure recluse life. One night when both were
sleeping in their Palace, it was biting cold, queen's had was outside
the quilt and due to severe cold one of her finger got benumbed! She
uttered suddenly 'how will he be living in this shivering cold?' The
king became doubtful and suspected her character. The king got up with
agitation and ordered his ministers that he was going for Saints Darshan
and to burn this palace. Upon reaching the saint he saw King confounded
and perplexed so asked the king what is the reason. The king narrated
the whole story. Saint explained 'I wear only lion's cloth; the rest of
my body remains uncovered. Queen's hand was shivering severe cold and
almost got cramped, immediately she thought of me thinking
sympathetically that how do I survive in this severe cold. Believe me
your wife is absolutely spotless and pure.' The king ran immediately to
his palace shouting 'please do not put the palace on fire and if you
have. please extinguish it'. Thus doubt ruins not only the mental peace
but makes other also restless and person makes all biased and wrong
decisions. If husband is late by an hour or so, wife starts suspecting.
If wife talks lovingly to another person, husband became jealous, doubts
her and the life becomes hell.
10.
Today's world is characterized by competition. Where does trust find a
place here?
Dr. Vishwa Mitter: It
is better to become trustworthy yourself rather than expecting others to
be so. Learn to become so for the family, for the society and then the
world at large. How to gather Trust of others? Develop sincere virtues,
world is a mirror in which you see your own image. If you are worthy of
Trust, straight and authentic the entire world will appear so. Even a
professional cheater or a betrayer will dare not misbehave with you. Be
good, do good and earn Trustworthiness of all!