For the last three months, I have been receiving all communications including e mails, texts, with a super- good wish: Stay safe, healthy and calm.

But how?

That let me share with you in the following:

Long ago, as per a legend, there was a King in India. He called all his wisemen and asked: Can you please find something for me that will never let me be sad?

After due research and consultation, the wisemen handed him a folded piece of paper on which a mantra was written. They told the King that you may open this paper and read the mantra whenever you are sad, and you will not be sad after reading it.

It was incredible.

But it worked.

Whenever the King was sad, he opened that folded paper and read the mantra, and soon overcame his grief.

You must be wondering what was that mantra?

You may also like to have it. After all who of us does not experience sadness and doesn’t want to overcome it at the earliest.

We are all currently through those times of sadness, stress, anxiety, panic, scare, fear of Coronavirus.

The whole world is under stress.

It is not hundreds and thousands; it has millions in its grip.

Life has become almost standstill.

While aisles in grocery shops have emptied.

The aisles in gun shops are also getting emptied, as per media reports.

The question that stares in our face all the time is how to stay safe, healthy and calm in this situation?

Let’s read together that mantra that was written on the folded paper for the King.

The mantra was, ‘Yeh Bhi Na Rahega’. In simple English it means, this too shall pass.

In the long history of humanity, these kind of times have come, time and again, and all those have passed. So, this too shall pass.

Lesson: Don’t panic. Be a part of the solution. Government is doing its job. Community is doing its job. Let each one of us do  our job.

Stay calm. Follow advice. Social isolation has worked. Stay isolated for a few days.

Consider using isolation productively.

You have got a time to spend with your family.

You have an opportunity to help someone, particularly seniors and sick, and earn your free dose of serotonin to make you feel happy in these stressed out times.

Let me also share with you another idea.

Please know yourself.

Expected hits are less painful than unexpected.

Good  banking teaches us, know your customer.

In 21st Century, the principle is knowing your customer’s customer.

Do we know who am I?

A good reference to look up may be that more than 5000 years old book, Bhagwad Gita, Chapter 13, Verse 5.

In simple words, that verse in Bhagwad Gita answers who each of us is.

It says, each human being is made up of 14 components.

5 Action organs like hands, legs, etc.

5 Sense organs like eyes, nose, ear, skin, etc.

Mind, an amalgam of reactions of sensory organs to worldly objects.

Intellect, ability to evaluate, choose and direct.

Ego, the sense of me (I).

Soul,  that pre-mordial energy that creates, sustains and destroys (to recreate) life.

Of all the 14, Soul is unmanifest. It is invisible. Those of us who believe there is nothing outside or beyond matter, may not accept it. No arguments.

But everyone will agree that Coronavirus is our invisible enemy.

If you don’t see or accept it that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

The message I wanted to bring to you is that know yourself. Please know that life is made up of two realities. One is manifest, the body; and the other is unmanifest, the Spirit. Human being is primarily mind and intellect and the life is one’s own perception. Never let your spirits sink.

Is Coronavirus an unsurmountable threat or an opportunity to realize that together we are better, today and always? It will bring new vaccines. It will prove our resilience, one more time. The key to  staying safe, healthy and  calm is our positive thoughts. Stay safe, healthy and calm. This too shall pass!

Dr. Sat Parashar, PhD is former Director of IIM Indore. He currently teaches at University of California, San Diego. He is also associated as Financial Services Professional with MassMutual, and as Executive Director, International Hospitality Division with the American Motel Hotel Brokers Network. He may be reached at writetospp@gmail.com

DISCLAIMER: The author is solely responsible for the views expressed in this article. The author carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing of images utilized within the text.