Learn from the Vedas___part 6

Be Proactive & Help Yourself

In the ninth chapter of Srimad Bhagvada Gita ; this is what Krishna says to Arjuna :

I am omnipresent. This entire world is a manifestation of my entity; all beings abide in ME; but I stand Apart from them.

# IX-4

further he adds that :

And yet you all who wander, are not rooted in me. Behold my sovereignty , I am the origin , the support and the destination for all beings ; yet I stand afar.

# IX-5

In these verses, Krishna enlightens Arjuna on a very trivial issue that many of the later writers from 15th to 19th century plagiarized upon. You may all have heard this in form of "God helps those who help themselves."

The story of the two frogs is a very well known adaptation of these verses :

There were two frogs who accidentally fell into a bucket of milk. Both tried to jump to freedom, but the sides of the bucket were slippery, and with no substance on the surface of the liquid, escape seemed impossible.

The first of the two frogs eventually despaired and gave up, falling into the milk and drowned.

Even though he saw no chance of success, the second frog reufused to give up and continued to jump tirelessly. Even though each jump saw the same results, he continued to struggle.

After a short time, something amazing happened! The persistent friction in the milk churned some of it to butter. From the newfound hardened surface, the frog was able to jump completely out of the bucket to safety.

# Author Unknown (I remember reading it in primary school)

This proactive mentality that I speak of, relates somewhere down the line to fearlessness. Fearlessness is also amplified in the story above to some extent. Vedanta discards fear. As according to it ; every being is like a Mobile phone – micro waved directly to God and God wouldn’t forsake the Brahman (Virtuous).

The root of this fearlessness that will eventually result in proactive behaviour is well versed by the Tamil poet Bharati :

Let the whole world rise against me,

And calamity and ridicule pour without pause,

Let me lose all my wealth,

And be forced to beg for a morsel…..

Let my friends turn against me,

And seek to put me down with poison in my meal;

Let armies come forth and attack me,

Let the heavens break loose and fall on my head,

There is no fear in my heart; for why should I fear?

The same matter is touched upon by Isavyasa. Another example to substantiate that great minds indeed think alike :

Who sees all beings in his own body and his own soul in all beings –hates no one. When the traveler realizes that all beings are one – what sorrow or joy can there be ?

# Isavyasa -6/7

The Vedanta advises people to take hold of the bow called knowledge , morph their souls into an arrow – sharpened with experience and shoot themselves ; with the supreme being as the target……..again a call for proactive measures.

 

[Simran Rai]

The idea of being proactive is deeply rooted in spiritual wisdom, ancient scripture, and timeless parables. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna speaks not of passivity but of divine presence as a foundation for human effort. Though all beings abide in Him, He remains separate—an observation that subtly hints at individual responsibility and the power of will. The message becomes even clearer when interpreted through the proverb, “God helps those who help themselves.” This is where the story of the two frogs fits so perfectly. The one who gave up was consumed by despair, while the one who persisted transformed adversity into an escape route. Proactivity, as highlighted here, is not merely about effort but also about fearless faith. Bharati’s poem underlines that fearless mindset with unflinching conviction—demonstrating that even when the world turns hostile, the spirit can remain undeterred. The teachings of Isavyasa further reinforce this universal unity and inner strength. Once someone sees all beings as one, ego dissolves, fear fades, and proactive action becomes a natural expression of the divine. Thus, Vedanta doesn't merely preach devotion; it teaches empowerment—through knowledge, detachment, and fearless effort. The call is not to wait for salvation, but to walk toward it, steadily and bravely.​