trust

Swami Dr. Vishwa Mitter Ji Maharaj

Published in the monthly magazine

"U CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

01. What does trust in a fellow human being mean?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Words 'Faith' and 'Trust' in English dictionaries are synonyms. These have interchangeable meanings. Truly, both these words should be used primarily for Parmatman but knowing that no human being is trustworthy and therefore cannot be relied or depended upon. Yet these words are used for worldly people also.

Faith means acceptance 'as such' whatever has been heard of the Supreme Being through scriptures. What are its Components?
There is only one existence in this world, which manifests itself as the Universe in many names and forms.
Everything and all being belong to HIM. He is the sole proprietor and we are only custodians. Nothing is our. We are all HIS servants or watchmen!
His ordinance is always auspicious as HE remains our benefactor and can never be inimical to anyone.
That supreme existence is all pervading, omnipotent, omniscient and nothing is impossible for HIM. He remains all merciful and all gracious.

Having known and accepted that HE is Omnipotent and Omnipresent, All knower and merciful where is the reason for tension, anxiety or fear in our lives. This is FAITH. Finally the context of trust in fellow human beings is a relativity of truth. And faith in God is of absolute kind.
02. What is your role in a relationship of trust... that is when you trust you do so with some expectations of other person? Do you also have a role to play?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: The basis of human relations in Faith! It is a Faith, which makes a son, accept a person his father! Who knows the truth? Once it gets shaken or altered, one gets shook of the life.

How much faith Ravana had in his godly brother Vibhishana and vice-versa? How much faith Sugreva had in his brother Bali and vice-versa? What happened? Faiths dwindled and brothers became fierce foes!

How exorbitant faith Emperor Dashratha had in his beloved wife Kaikeyi? Once she accompanied her husband to the battlefield where during fight a nail from the chariot wheel came out. Kaikeyi immediately put her two delicate fingers in place of the nail and the life of King Dashrath was saved. Dashrath went to the saviour of his life with uttermost faith that upon hearing the most exhilarating news of enthroning her beloved son Rama, she will be overwhelmed with infinite joy. What happened?

Alas, those two fingers of Kaikeyi that saved the life of the emperor asked with those very fingers for two boons, which finally took away the life of Dashrath. Who is trustworthy in this universe? One cannot have a permanent shelter in any support from anyone excepting ISHWARA.

No one knows when will one be left prop-less. Have faith or Trust only in HIM. Visualizing all as HIM in this world, have unquestionable faith or trust in all beings. This is the way to resultant peace in this and in the other world. Lord alone is with you everywhere.
03. What is the difference between trust and faith?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: I think I have tried to explain the concept in the first answer only. Let me add a few more lines to that. Developing faith in HIM prepares us for total Trust in HIM. The Hindi meanings of these two words are more lucid. Faith means Vishwas (Belief in Him with utmost reverence) and Trust means Bharosa or unquestionable dependence.
04. How to judge if a person is trustworthy or not? Why do we instinctively trust/mistrust some people?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: He alone is Trust-worthy. He never leaves anyone in lurch like the human beings do. He remains with you ever and everywhere and also follows you like a shadow even in dark and after death of this body.

So Ishwara alone is trust-worthy. At the human plane if we instinctively trust or mis-trust a fellow being is due to our samaskars. Before trusting or mistrusting others one must make oneself trustworthy and reliable. Having complete faith in HIM can mend our instincts too.
05. Spirituality preaches amity towards one and all, but you cannot trust everybody. How do you reconcile the two?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Spirituality preaches you amity towards one and all without any least thought of reciprocation. For a spiritual person the world is Ishwara. For him or her Trust in Parmatman means trust in all and vice-versa. Lord comes to his rescue at once.

In Haryana, a newly wedded couple get down at a small railway station to reach the village of the bride. She was loaded with gold ornaments and had a couple of pieces of luggage containing precious clothe and other articles. Four dacoits saw them and enquired 'Where do you want to go?' The couple answered 'Divyanagar'. Then the dacoits replied 'We are also going to the same village, come with us.' Then the couple asked 'you are strangers, how can we accompany you? Those people replied 'Have Trust in HIM, we shall help you carrying the luggage and you will reach safely, come with us without any fear'.

Both husband and wife were the votaries of Ram Naam and had explicit faith in His being ever with them. They walked along. The village was at a distance of 3 kms. And the route was lonely. The dacoits had thrashed the husband and injured him badly and finally tied him with a tree. Wife could not do anything and went along. On the way, she was repeatedly looking here and there on all sides. Dacoits observed this and asked her 'whom are you looking for? Don't you know that your husband has been tied-up with a tree?' The lady answered 'Who is looking for husband? I am searching for lord Rama trusting whom I agreed to walk with you, where is He?" At once, two youths riding on two horses have bow and arrows in their hands appeared and killed the dacoits, untied the injured husband and escorted them to their home. That is Trust or FAITH. It makes life absolutely uncomplicated, without anxiety, worry, tension or fear. Peace, Bliss abound you when you are in His all Protecting and caring hands.
06. Does trust give strength to the trusted and the trustee?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Complete trust in almighty is itself the strength and source of inspirations as well. In the last question I have tried to answer about the strength and the bond of trust between trustee and trusted.
07. Sometimes your trust is betrayed. How to cope with that?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Have faith in HIM and learn a lesson if you are betrayed, that no human being is trustworthy, dependable or reliable. For all these one must bank upon Ishwara.
08. Can you give some mythological stories on trust?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: A king had no son, The old man consulted astrologer who suggested that if a son of a Brahmin willing sacrifices his life, then only he can be blessed with a son who would be his successor.

The king ordered to spread this information and drummers went around spreading the message. In a Brahmin family of four sons, three were well settled in life. The fourth one was jobless and looked after his parents and the household chorus. He has also been serving the saints and deities in temples. Considering him useless, he offered himself to the king keeping in mind that his parent's economic life will be elevated.

The king asked that 'have you willingly came for the sacrifice? The Brahmin boy answered in affirmative. On the day of sacrifice the boy was asked if he had any last wish. The boy replied 'Please take me for a bath in the river!' The king accompanied him. After having bath, reciting Ram Ram Ram Ram he made four small heaps of sand and dismantled the three and after having circumambulation of the fourth heap said to the King 'Sir, I am ready'. On seeing all these the king got perplexed and asked the boy 'What is this you did'. The boy replied that 'A man has four props in life. The first being parents, who considering me useless have allowed me to be sacrificed in return for money. This first heap represented the, so I dismantled it. The 2nd support is the king -- A protectors or a guardian who wants to be blessed with a son his successor by sacrificing me. His lordship for begetting a son made a father a son less. So I destroyed this heap also. The third prop is Gods -- the deities of heaven who are accepting my sacrifice in this yajna. So having no support from them I dismantled the third heap. The fourth one is of the almighty - the sole abode. This remains akahnd (non partisan and indivisible (?) for all.' The king pondered over for a while and murmured who knows after sacrificing such an intellect, having complete faith and trust in Him, I will be blessed with a son or not. How will he be disabled or able I don't know that also. Why should I not adopt this Brahmin youth as my son?' Prabhu Ram made his devotee a successful successor to the king who was for better an emperor than the father King. Lord recompenses HIS incumbents everywhere and with everything.

Gita proclaims 'A person, who depends on me, attaining my grace the eternal, imperishable state even though performing all actions.' ( 18/56 )

Gita further explains 'the devotees who loving none else, constantly thing of me and worship in Me in disinterested (?) spirit to those ever united. I bring full security and personally attend to their needs'. ( 9/22 )
09. Is mistrust more harmful than not to trust at all?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: Mistrust is undoubtedly more harmful than not to trust at all. If a wife mistrusts her husband, married life is ruined; if a friend suspects his friend, friendship is ruined but if a person is doubtful about HIS existence, HIS grace and scriptures then the whole life is ruined. Gita categorically declared 'He who lacks discrimination, is devoid of faith and is at the same time possessed with doubt, is lost to the spiritual path. For this doubting soul there is neither this world nor the world beyond, nor even happiness or peace.'

Let me tell you a small story. A king and queen both used to regularly visit a holy saint who used to stay nearby but alone in a hut leading a pure recluse life. One night when both were sleeping in their Palace, it was biting cold, queen's had was outside the quilt and due to severe cold one of her finger got benumbed! She uttered suddenly 'how will he be living in this shivering cold?' The king became doubtful and suspected her character. The king got up with agitation and ordered his ministers that he was going for Saints Darshan and to burn this palace. Upon reaching the saint he saw King confounded and perplexed so asked the king what is the reason. The king narrated the whole story. Saint explained 'I wear only lion's cloth; the rest of my body remains uncovered. Queen's hand was shivering severe cold and almost got cramped, immediately she thought of me thinking sympathetically that how do I survive in this severe cold. Believe me your wife is absolutely spotless and pure.' The king ran immediately to his palace shouting 'please do not put the palace on fire and if you have. please extinguish it'. Thus doubt ruins not only the mental peace but makes other also restless and person makes all biased and wrong decisions. If husband is late by an hour or so, wife starts suspecting. If wife talks lovingly to another person, husband became jealous, doubts her and the life becomes hell.
10. Today's world is characterized by competition. Where does trust find a place here?

Dr. Vishwa Mitter: It is better to become trustworthy yourself rather than expecting others to be so. Learn to become so for the family, for the society and then the world at large. How to gather Trust of others? Develop sincere virtues, world is a mirror in which you see your own image. If you are worthy of Trust, straight and authentic the entire world will appear so. Even a professional cheater or a betrayer will dare not misbehave with you. Be good, do good and earn Trustworthiness of all!