Never Despair

By

Sri Swami Chidananda

This article is a chapter from the book Daily Swadhyaya.

The Supreme Being is of the very nature of grace. And Its all-pervading presence means the presence of grace at all times. We live, move and have our being in Divine grace. Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji was a manifestation of this grace. All the saints and sages are verily proof of God’s grace. They come into human world as light in darkness, as pointers to the path of divine perfection and Liberation. They constitute an assurance of ever-present availability of God’s grace to man if only man will turn towards God. God’s grace works through these great messengers.

Holy Master frequently used to write as well as say: “Nil desperandum! – Never despair!” Never despair because grace is at hand. God will never abandon you. Even when you think that you are finished, your spiritual life is ruined, you have lost everything, all your efforts to overcome yourself have been to no purpose, you are defeated, beaten, routed, even when you are in such a condition, God’s grace comes and saves the situation and raises you up from defeat to victory.

This fact is brought out in the manifestation of God in the form of Lord Kartikeya. Even when Lord Siva appears to be completely absorbed in deep meditation on His own blissful Divinity, He is not oblivious of the welfare of this projected phenomenal appearance, and comes out from the deepest meditation. The emergence of Kartikeya is one outstanding example of this fact. He responds to the supplication of the defeated Gods.

Kartikeya is supreme grace from the absolute, the transcendental Universal Spirit. He is also all-pervading, indwelling and ever-present. His grace manifests within your own heart as right enquiry and right discrimination. When you are in great extremity, suddenly an idea flashes in your heart: “This is what I must do at this moment.” This is grace actively working within you. Grace is ever at hand. Hence the expression of the Holy Master: Never despair!” Struggle on! Never give up!

I came across a poem “Don’t Quit!” It says, when you think that you are about to fail, it is only then that help is nearest at hand in a trice. The so-called defeat will immediately become victory. You will come out successful, for grace is always at hand. Therefore, don’t quit. Arise, awake and attain Illumination, become liberated. That is why you are here. Fulfil your divine destiny! Grace is ever at hand.