GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES!!!

A truly wonderful piece by Durga Prasad Dash,which I read and wanted to post it here right away.
Everybody wants to have a good time, and wants the good time to last for ever. In reality everybody experiences a mix of good times and bad times. According to the Bhagavat Gita these are based on one’s Karma.However the incarnations of Lord Vishnu and most of the prophets of various religions had more bad times than good times in their lives. Of course as per the scriptures the Enlightened do not have any past Karma. They come to the earth only to set examples and guide people into spiritual life.Historically bad times have been breeding grounds for inculcation and increase of spirituality in a society’s or individual’s life, the only exception being the life and time of Lord Budha. The message of Bhagavat Gita was delivered in a war field. Lord Rama and Lord Krishna took birth at a time when the society was oppressed by demonical forces. They themselves went through a lot of hardships. Same was the case with Lord Jesus who was ultimately crucified.And the good times, that were mostly utilised for indulging in unbridled sensual pleasures or promotion of in-human values, ultimately resulted in the decline and destruction of many cultures and empires, like the Greek, Roman and Moghul empires.In Mahabharata, Kunti – the mother of the Pandavas – has a strange prayer. She prays that her life be filled with difficulties. Otherwise, she was afraid, she might loose the depth of longing for Lord Krishna.Pujya Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says that when the astrologer says your stars are not favorable, it is a great opportunity for spiritual practices. So Shani is actually not your enemy, but a friend whose main aim is to propel you into spiritual path.Of course it is possible to remain spiritual even in good time and there is a way to have good times last for ever. Sant Kabir knew the basic human tendency that most people turn to spirituality only when miserable. Hence he sang the couplet to wake people up :
Dukh mein sumiran sab karein,
sukh mein karen na koi
Jo sukh mein sumiran jab karen,
to dukh kahen hoi.
(Every one prays/does spiritual practices when miserable, nobody turns to spirituality when happy; where as if one prays/ does spiritual practices even when one is happy, why will there be misery in one’s life?)
Jai Guru Dev!!!!