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THE SOLACE FOR DEPRESSED HEARTS - Thoughts on the Sad Demise of Sushant Singh Rajput


“That is all I want in life: for this pain to seem purposeful.” ― Elizabeth Wurtzel

Was very saddened to hear the news of the demise of Actor Sushant Singh Rajput not because he was a famous Bollywood celebrity but because he was a fellow human being. Human life or for that matter any life is precious and it shouldn't be taken away or given up whimsically. Only God gives life and only He can take it away at a time of His choice.

GOD FATHER FROM BOLLYWOOD
The news is going across that he committed suicide due to depression. People say that he was depressed because of nepotism and favouritism in the Bollywood circle where only those having connection with the "so called" big shots have a firm ground to stand on, the rest are subtly pressurised to quit. Sushant was bullied and harassed by few stalwarts of the industry. He tried his best to get into their good books and get their "so called" blessings because he knew that without their blessings, he couldn't continue his career as a Bollywood actor. He even changed his surname to please them. He was desperately looking for a God father in the Bollywood industry but sadly no one took him under their wings. All this added to the stress of this sincere boy and he succumbed to the stress and gave up his life. The glamorous industry of Bollywood has it's dark side too. After all, everyone is selfish and envious in this "Me" world including the heroes of Bollywood. Reel heroes are not necessarily real heroes. 

GOD FATHER FROM HOLY-WOOD
Sushant would have done better off if he gave up his search for an insignificant God father in the Bollywood of Mumbai and searched for his real God Father, Krishna in the Holy-wood of Vrindavan. Only Krishna, our real God Father can give us shelter, protection, encouragement and love. Srimad-bhagvatam contains a similar story of a boy named Dhruva who like Sushant was looking for and hoping to find shelter and acceptance in his biological father, Uttanapada but was rejected by him. Angry, depressed and lost he went to his mother, Suniti for guidance. His mother being a great devotee of the Lord told him to use this episode of depression and confusion that he was going through as an impetus to connect to his real God Father, Krishna. She told him that He can give you love, shelter and acceptance millions of times more than what his biological father could offer him. Dhruva took his mother's advice seriously, went to the forest and practiced sincere and focused devotional service to Lord Krishna for six months. The result - he saw Krishna, his true God Father face to face. Seeing Him and experiencing Him filled his heart with so much love, acceptance and shelter that, what he was looking for preciously seemed pale and insignificant. He returned back home but not depressed but fully elated. 

MISFORTUNE TO FORTUNE
The fortune of Dhruva was that he had someone who could guide him to his real God Father in times of depression. The misfortune of Sushant is that he didn't come across a devotee of Lord Krishna who would have told him to take shelter of his real God Father and forget looking for shelter in the insignificant God fathers in the Bollywood industry. It is also a wake up call for devotes of Krishna to reach out to sincere people like Sushant and help them in times of their depression, guide them and encourage them to make their connection with the Supreme God Father and thereby convert times of depression to times of self-realisation and spiritual elation. 

FULL PROOF AGAINST DEPRESSION
Bhagvat-gita also starts off with Arjuna, the quintessential warrior and hero of his times going through an episode of severe depression to such an extent that he decides to give up his profession and even his life itself. Does it sound familiar? It is at this time that he fortunately gets a chance to hear Bhagvat-gita from Lord Krishna and his illusion dispels and he gets up with newer vigour and purpose. If someone of the caliber of Arjuna can get into depression then who are we? Incidences like these show us time and again that money, name, fame, education and followers is not a full proof protection against the attack of depression. All these things do not fulfill the emptiness of our heart. What our heart is looking for can be fulfilled only by our Supreme God Father and no one else. The nature of this world is that, there will always be some reason or the other to be depressed, confused and frustrated. There will be always a reason to give up. But we need to use these occasions as opportunities to introspect within, to disconnect from the wrong people, to connect to the right people and above all, to connect to our God Father. 

FINDING & SAVING THE LOST
As devotees of Lord Krishna let us vow to take more responsibility in connecting and guiding others to the message of Bhagvat-gita and thereby save the lives of so many sincere but lost souls. Loosing lives of sincere people like Sushant is a failure on our part for not reaching out to them. Our sincerest prayers are with the departed soul of Sushant. May he quickly attain shelter of his real and infallible God Father and thus be saved from seeking shelter of the false and infallible God fathers of this world. Our condolences also to the relatives, friends and fans of Actor Sushant. May all of you'll too seek shelter of the message of Bhagvat-gita and prefect your lives. 

- Achyut Gopal Das
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