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Credit: DH Illustration
It is indeed difficult to cope with the sadness related to monetary loss. This made me think about some of the queens of our mythology who were snatched of their riches for no fault of their own. Yet, they appeared to make the best of whatever circumstance they were put in.
Devi Seetha, in the Ramayana, was sent into exile in the forest. Imagine her situation to be turned down from the lap of luxury to roam like a nomad in the forest with her husband, Ram, overnight. But, the epic says that she never really worried about her kingdom being snatched away. Her joy of being with Lord Ram, no matter where they were, was boundless.
Mahabharata’s Draupadi was not only humiliated in front of the courtiers, but was also expelled from the kingdom along with the Pandavas. When we imagine her plight, she was in the most pitiable condition. Yet, her faith in the Pandavas kept her going. Though life posed tough challenges to her, she remained an embodiment of positivity and bravery and refused to surrender to the rough path of her life.
Raja Harishchandra’s wife, queen Taramati, was also forced into a similar situation by Vishwamitra muni. At one point in time, she was also separated from her husband and son. Yet, she respected her husband’s vision of a life which was one free of falsehood. She kept moving on with positivity, serenity, and determination expecting good times to dawn on her, ultimately.
Queen Savitri, who saved her husband’s life from Yama, was forced to live in the forest and cater to her in-laws and husband’s needs. She did not consider this situation as a curse. The fact that she was near her husband and the determination to protect him from death, made her think a lot more than losing her kingdom.
One thing common among these queens is that they were pushed into difficult circumstances without any warning. They were forced to deal with hard situations for no fault of their own. They all dealt with life’s situations with a positive frame of mind. They never really worried about their miserable condition, as they had higher goals. All said and done, monetary status does not matter much if the state of mind is right; any kind of grim circumstance can be overruled.
As the saying goes, “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.”