As
You Think
As
You Become!
Nobody can stop you…..
Part-1
Birister Sharma
Dedicated to my loving parents
Contents
1. Think you can!
2. You have to lead yourself!
3. Never give up!
4. Willpower and courage
5. Challenges of life
I surrendered to you, O my Lord……
“Om Namah Shivaya”
One Word
If you’ve aims in your life; if you’ve wishes in your life; if you’ve dreams in your life; if you’ve objectives in your life; if you’ve plans in your life; then first of all you’ve to think something big; something great; and something unique in order to fulfil it in your life.
You’ve to think positively; you’ve to think affirmatively because the way you think the way you can execute in your life.
There is a great power in your thinking. If you properly and judicially execute it in the right way; you can touch the summit of success. It will act as a magic lamp in your life. You will never see the glimpse of failure.
Think yourself big. Think yourself great. Think yourself good. Think yourself powerful. Think yourself confident. Think yourself excellent. Think yourself perfect.
All the great men in this world are great thinkers. They think great thoughts so they become great in their lives.
Always remember:
As You Think As You Become!
***
1
Think you can!
It is well said that ‘as you think as you become’. If you think yourself strong; you become strong. If you think yourself weak; you become weak.
It is your thinking process that rules you. There is a great power in your thinking. Your thinking can change your life. Your thinking can change your world.
Your thinking connects your mind, body and soul. If your thinking is great; you too become great. If your thinking is low; you too become low.
Think like a winner. Act like a winner.
Think like a hero. Act like a hero.
Think big. Act big.
Think great. Act great.
You too become big. You too become great.
Think you can!
***
Story of Arjuna
Arjuna was a great legendary hero and warrior in the epic of MAHABHARATA. He became a great warrior in archery through his sheer hard work, dedication and continuous die-heart practice.
When he was learning his art of warfare in the ashram of his guru Dronacharya; he continuously practised with his bow and arrows. When his brothers and other fellow students were busy in playing games and sports; he kept himself engrossed in practising his art of archery. He never wasted his time in any other useless things. He was devoted towards one goal.
When all the students of the ashram were fallen in deep slumber at night, Arjuna woke up in the dead of the night and practised with his bow and arrows and hitting the target.
One day guru Dronacharya woke up suddenly with the thrilling sounds of something hitting. He came out from his room and found Arjuna who was practising with his bow and arrows.
Guru Dronacharya asked Arjuna in a surprised tone, “Son, why are you practising with your bow and arrows at this hour? You don’t want to sleep?”
Arjuna halted his practised in the middle; he folded his both hands with revere and said, “Gurudeva, I couldn’t get sound sleep until I wouldn’t learn the art of archery very well.”
“Gurudeva, I want to become the best archer in the whole world,” Arjuna added.
Guru Dronacharya was so pleased that he blessed Arjuna.
“All my blessings are with you, my dear, son.”
As time elapsed, Arjuna became the greatest archer in the entire world. No one could ever dare to challenge him. Even gods and goddess paid him great respect.
Arjuna wanted to become the best archer in the world, so he became; you too become like Arjuna with your sheer hard work and dedication.
Always remember:
As You Think As You Become!
---***---
2
You have to lead yourself!
It is not possible for you that you will always get your best guide and experienced mentor in your life.
All are not so fortunate to receive such things in life. If you’ve no one to guides you or leads you in your life. Then never break your heart. Learn to mind yourself.
Be brave. Believe in yourself. Life is a lone journey. You’re alone in the journey of life.
You’ve to do everything with yourself. Nobody will come to you. You’ve to discover your hidden potential within you.
If you ever fell down on the road of success, while chasing your goal; never waits for anybody to hold your hands. But try to get up yourself.
Keep your running pace without losing your spirit.
Try to do yourself. Be your guide and lead yourself to your endeavours.
If you failed again and again in your mission; never give up, but try again and again. Shed the sweats of your brows again and again.
You’re bound to accomplish your mission.
***
Story of Ekalabhya
Ekalabhya was another great hero in the epic of MAHABHARATA. His name was remembered as the great archer along with Arjuna and Karna.
He belonged to a Bhil tribe. He resided in the deep jungle. He always wanted to be a great archer in the world. But he didn’t know how to learn archery. He had no guru to teach him archery. But he didn’t give up his thirst for learning the art of archery.
In those days, only a student belonged to high class and royal families were allowed to learn archery in the gurukuls. So Ekalabhya went close to the ashram of guru Dronacharya and learned the basic of archery secretly and returned to his jungle.
Ekalabhaya made an idol of guru Dronacharya and worshipped him every day before his archery practice.
He tirelessly practised his art of archery and very soon he too became very skill and excellent in archery.
One day while Ekalabhya was practising with his bow and arrows, a dog came nearby and started barking him violently. He tried to drive it out but it was continuously barking him.
He couldn’t concentrate in his practice properly, so he shot one arrow into the mouth of the dog to keep quiet. As one arrow hit inside the mouth of the dog, its whole mouth was blocked completely with numerous arrows.
The poor dog ran away from there, and it reached the place where guru Dronacharya was training his pupils.
When guru Dronacharya noticed the helpless and poor dog; he was very surprised. He asked his pupils with raged, “Who has shot these arrows inside this poor beast?”
The answered came, that nobody had shot those arrows inside the mouth of the poor dog. Guru Dronacharya knew himself that he didn’t teach that art of archery so far.
Guru Dronacharya and his pupils followed the poor dog and reached the place where Ekalabhya was practising his art of archery all alone in the deep jungle.
Guru Dronacharya asked Ekalabhya, “Did you shot these arrows to this poor beast?”
Ekalbhya answered while bowing down his head, “Yes, I did shot these arrows, acharya.”
“Who taught you this art of shooting arrows? Who is your guru?” Guru Dronacharya asked in vexed.
Ekalabhya lowered down his head and folded his both hands and replied calmly, “You’ve taught me this art of shooting arrows, acharya. You’re my guru.”
Saying these words, Ekalabhya fell down at the feet of guru Dronacharya.
Guru Dronacharya and all his pupils were very surprised and shocked.
Then Ekalabhaya narrated everything and he led guru Dronacharya at the idol of his guru who was guru Dronacharya himself.
Guru Dronacharya was very pleased with him.
And when guru Dronacharya asked his left thumb as a fee, Ekalabhya had no second thought; he didn’t hesitate for a second; he was pleased with his guru and cut his left thumb and offered it at the feet of his guru.
Guru Dronacharya blessed Ekalabhya.
Ekalabhaya became a great archer despite he had offered his left thumb to his guru. He was always remained a great archer and compared with Arjuna in the MAHABHARATA epic.
Even if you’ve no one to guide you or lead you in your life; you too become a great in your chosen field with your sheer hard works and practice like Ekalabhya.
Always remember:
As You Think As You Become!
---***---
3
Never give up!
If you failed in your first attempt; again you failed in your second attempt; again you failed in your third attempt; and again the same result in your final attempt, even you try once again.
But never give up easily, fight back strongly every time you failed, because once you give up you’ll never bounce back.
Think positively.
Think your strong points and weak points. Measure it and analyse it.
Point out your mistakes and try to improve it.
Don’t repeat the previous blunders. Discover your hidden potentials within yourself and work on it with a positive frame of mind.
Success will favour you when you labour continuously without losing your heart, mind and soul.
To get one success in your life, you’ve to prepare yourself to face thousand times of failure.
Remember: Behind every successful man, there are a thousand stories of failures.
***
Story of Karna
Karna was a son of a charioteer. But his mind was to become a great warrior in the art of archery. He didn’t want to become like his father, a mere charioteer. He disclosed his heart’s desire to his father.
Karna’s father loved him very dearly; he took him in the ashram of guru Dronacharya and requested, “Acharya, my son wish to learn the art of archery. I, therefore, came to you to admit him in your ashram.”
Guru Dronacharya didn’t deny Karna’s father directly, he said, “This ashram is only for royal princes, and I impart my knowledge of warfare only to royal breed.”
Karna’s father understood and took Karna back to home with broken heart.
Karna felt very offended the way guru Dronacharya turned down him. He vowed to himself that he would become the greatest archer in the entire world far better than guru Dronacharya’s favourite pupil Arjuna.
Karna’s father became very upset while not finding a suitable guru for his beloved son. And the time was passing by, but Karna didn’t give up his desire to learn the art of archery.
And later when he grew up into a young lad; he went to learn the art of archery from Parshuram who was the greatest guru and the re-incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Karna pleased his guru Parshuram with his hard works, devotion and never die spirits.
Parshuram taught Karna everything about the art of archery and made him skilful and excellent in every tactic of warfare like Bhishma and Arjuna.
Then Karna too became the great warrior in archery like Arjuna.
He showed his skill and valour in the art of archery as Arjuna in the grand show in the amphitheatre in the Hastinapura.
People hailed both Karna and Arjuna with the same voice of applause.
Later in the great MAHABHARATA war, Karna became the greatest barrier to Pandavas. He fought valiantly against the Pandavas.
Karna never gave up his aims and objectives of life despite facing many hurdles and hardships, and finally, he accomplished his heart’s desire with his sheer hard works and dedications and became the great archer.
You too never give up your heart’s desire no matter how many hurdles knock in your life; try again and again.
You’re bound to get success in your life.
Always remember:
As You Think As You Become!
---***---
4
Willpower and courage
To get grand success in your life you must need both will power and courage. If you’ve will power but a lack of courage you couldn’t achieve anything in your life.
In the same way, if you’ve courage but a lack of willpower you couldn’t achieve anything in your life.
Willpower and courage are like heart and soul. It is like a coin of two sides. Without it, nothing is possible for you.
To win the battle of life, you must have willpower and courage because only with your will power and courage you can challenge anything in your life.
If you’ve will power and courage, then nothing is impossible for you. Success will be yours.
Willpower and courage are the keys to your success.
Your will power comes from your courage, and your courage comes from your will power.
Willpower and courage are your success mantra.
Always keep your will power and courage in your life.
***
Story of Chanakya
Chanakya was the greatest acharya or guru of all time; and the great scholar in the field of the administration who wrote the masterpiece book on administration, the Arthashastra.
When Chanakya was merely a young Brahmin; he and his parents were ill-treated and exploited by the Nanda king, Dhanananda who was very cruel and autocrat ruler of Magadha.
Chanakya was humiliated by him. He was disregarded as weak and poor outcast Brahmin in the open court, and in front of all the courtiers and the subjects of Magadha. At that very moment, he vowed to himself that he would overthrow the whole Nanda dynasty one day and liberate the entire Magadha from the brutal ruler Dhanananda. He untied his knot of hair until he wouldn’t overthrow the whole Nanda dynasty.
Chanakya left Magadha and lived in the isolated place. Time was passing on, and then one day he met a young man who was strong and valour. When he saw him; he determined that he would be his pupil who would fulfil his vow. The young man was later known as the great Chandragupta Maurya.
Chanakya made Chandragupta as his pupil and taught him everything about knowledge, wisdom and warfare. And then with the help of Chandragupta, Chanakya prepared to overthrow the Nanda dynasty from the Magadha kingdom.
Chanakya and Chandragupta fought guerrilla war tactics for many years and damaged the war weapons and the state treasury. In that war against barbarism, many people fought with along with Chanakya and Chandragupta who were exploited by the Nanda king. They failed many times against the mighty and strong soldiers of Dhananada. But they never gave up. They fought till the end of their last breaths.
And finally, they succeeded to overthrow the cruel and despotic ruler of Magadha, Dhanananda and liberated their motherland.
Then the new dynasty called Mauryan Dynasty was established which was founded by Chandragupta Maurya with the help of Chanakya.
Chanakya accomplished his vow to overthrow the Nanda dynasty and re-tied the open knot of his hair.
Chanakya was a man of strong will power and courage who vowed to overthrow the mighty king of Nanda dynasty all alone and at the end he succeeded in his mission.
He didn’t spend his days and nights until and unless he couldn’t avenge his humiliation against the Nanda king Dhanananda.
You too need strong will power and courage to accomplish your mission of life.
Always remember:
As You Think As You Become!
---***---
5
Challenges of life
If there is life; there are challenges. A life without challenges is not a life. It is a dull and meaningless life.
Even a small kid faced challenges while putting his first step. In that moment of time, if his parents stop him to walk in fear of falling down, he would never walk in his entire life, and remain lame forever.
If a ship is not allowed to sail in the open sea; it will soon wear out with rust. It is made to challenge with the high tides and waves of sea storms and currents.
You can’t learn the skills of swimming if you scare with water.
If you want to know the currents of flowing water, then you’ve to swim against its currents.
Always remember that another name for life is a challenge.
Challenges are the integral parts of our life. We can’t separate ourselves from the challenges of life.
A life without challenges is not a life; it is a hell.
Challenges come to you not to make you weak, but to make you strong.
Never run away from the challenges of life; learn to tackle it.
If you run away from the challenges of life; you will never escape from it. It will always chase you wherever you go.
You will never reach your success goal; if you fear with the challenges of life.
Never afraid of challenges; face it with a brave heart. Allow it to come in your life!
Welcome, it with your wide open arms!
If you accept the challenges of life; you will become a challenger.
Your shining glory is waiting for you.
***
Story of Ashoka the great
The great king Ashoka was not born in the royal palace or slept in any golden cradle or dined with a golden spoon, but he was born in a small thatched hut even the conspirators torch down it. His poor mother, Dharma somehow fled from there and saved him from the hands of enemies and did his upbringing with a lot of nail biting hurdles and hardships.
Ashoka’s early life was spent in the countryside and in the jungles. His playmates were countryside’s poor boys. Till that time he was not aware that he was a prince and the son of king Bindusara, the ruler of Magadha. But he lived like the king. He declared himself to his friends, “I’m the king of this countryside and these jungles.”
Time was passing by in the same manner, and then one day Chanakya discovered them in their thatch-roofed hut in the countryside. At that time the king Bindusara was attacked by the enemy and seriously injured; there was very little chance to recover from that malice. Chanakya knew that Ashoka’s mother, Dharma was a very skilful physician. He brought Dharma in disguise and appointed her to cure king Bindusara. And after sometime king Bindusara was cured. But king Bindusara didn’t aware of Dharma’s alive. He had already believed that she died many years ago in the great fire.
After that, Chanakya convinced Dharma and Ashoka to accompany him in Patliputra, the kingdom of Magadha.
Both mother and son were under the patronised of Chanakya.
Dharma stayed in the palace as a maidservant of the three chief queens of king Bindusara. And on the other hand, Ashoka was appointed as a caretaker boy of a stable. His job was to maintain the horses of king Bindusara and princes.
The time went on, and then Ashoka started showing his skills and excellence in everything. He was not an ordinary boy. The people started praising him; even king Bindusara himself applauded Ashoka for his might and valour.
Gradually, between Ashoka and king Bindusara grew a good bondage of son-father relationships. Chanakya was aware of all these developments. But he kept everything in secret.
When the sons of Bindusara’s chief queens were about to send in the gurukul for studies; Chanakya indorsed Ashoka to king Bindusara. King Bindusara agreed to send Ashoka along with the princes to the gurukul for studies.
In the gurukul, Ashoka displayed his might and valour in all the departments of learning. He was equally gained the knowledge of Holy Scriptures and warfare along with the princes.
After the completions of his education in the gurukul, Ashoka was appointed as a bodyguard of king Bindusara. At that time, neither Ashoka nor king Bindusara knew that both of them were the actual son and father. But king Bindusara loved Ashoka like his son.
Time elapsed, then one day Chanakya introduced both Dharma and Ashoka to king Bindusara. King Bindusara shed his tears of joy while seen his beloved wife and son in front of him. He hugged them in his bosom. But the three chief queens of king Bindusara burned in the wildfires of hatred and envies.
Then the time came when all the three chief queens of king Bindusara, the princes and the step-mother of king Bindusara, Helena started making conspiracies to wipe out Chanakya; because they knew that until Chanakya was alive; they couldn’t do any harm to king Bindusara, and couldn’t usurp the throne.
In that conspiracy, Chanakya was assassinated by them. Before the last breath of his life, Chanakya called Ashoka and asked him to vow that he would become the greatest emperor of the entire Bharata Varsha and enrich the Mauryan Dynasty to the zenith of glory.
Ashoka vowed to fulfil the last wish of his guru Chanakya.
After that, the conspiracies were continued in the back door of the royal palace and in the kingdom. Ashoka was aware of everything; he was also trying to discover the conspirators who had assassinated his guru, Chanakya, but he couldn’t unearth anything.
In the meantime, King Bindusara sent Ashoka to subdue the revolts that broke out in many provinces of Magadha including in Taxila. Ashoka marched ahead and successfully suppressed all the revolts and came out with victorious.
At the same time, the chief queen, Charumitra made a plan along with the prime minister of Magadha and installed her son Sushim as the future king of Magadha.
When Ashoka returned from his mission to Patliputra he was very shocked to discover that he was treated as a mere soldier, even his mother Dharma was humiliated. All the powers and authorities of the empire were usurped by the future king, Sushim.
Ashoka was appointed as the governor of Taxila and Ujjain. But he was not happy because he couldn’t discover the assassins of his guru, Chanakya.
When Ashoka was a governor of Ujjain, he heard the sad news of his father Bindusara’s sudden dead.
He was very upset and went to attain his father’s funeral.
Time was elapsed but Ashoka couldn’t unearth the conspirators and the assassins of his guru Chanakya.
Then one day the new heir of the Mauryan dynasty Sushim invited Ashoka in the Patliputra.
Ashoka accepted his invitation and visited in Patliputra. However, it was the part of Sushim’s conspiracy to eliminate Ashoka from his way.
Sushim realised very well that Ashoka was more competent than him and until Ashoka was alive he couldn’t become the de-facto ruler of Magadha and couldn’t get support from the people of Magadha.
Everything was planned to execute Ashoka, but Ashoka learned everything about the conspiracy and he too unearthed the assassins of his guru Chanakya.
Ashoka trembled with anger; his nostrils oozing out with a fool of fresh blood to punish all the conspirators of his kingdom. He went in the chamber of Sushim and killed him and at the same time he punished all the conspirators.
Then, Ashoka annihilated whoever opposed him. He killed his ninety-nine brothers who were against him. After killing and suppressing all the revolts; Ashoka himself proclaimed the de-facto ruler of Mauryan dynasty.
He fulfilled his guru Chanakya’s last wish to become the rightful king of Mauryan dynasty.
Ashoka became the first national king of entire India. He ruled for many years thereafter.
However, after the Kalinga war, he relinquished the physical conquest and favoured to the cultural conquest.
Ashoka remained as the greatest king of the Mauryan dynasty.
The life of Ashoka was not a comfortable one; he didn’t get time to lay down on the bed of roses or enjoyed on the royal throne; his throne was surrounded by foes and conspirators; he was spending his days and nights in the spreading thorns and nails.
You never become great without toil and without facing harsh circumstances and hardships in your life.
Always remember:
As You Think As You Become!
---***---
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