There was a businessman who also had spiritual leanings. He was an avid reader of various scriptures. He regularly chanted also. His family saw all this and was very assured. They did not have any anxieties about their future well-being. However, surprisingly, this man suffered from the malady of taking shelter of various worries, which only end with the demise of the body (The Bhagavad-Geeta 16.11).

One would wonder why he was thus stricken, since he was intelligent and also spiritually inclined. Paradoxically, it is mostly the intelligent people, also successful materially, who get afflicted by this problem. They become proud of their bodies, power, intelligence, ability, family, wealth, etc. They misuse the facility of their minds, intelligence and time to think of all sorts of problems that may arise in future. This is considered wise as a preparation for meeting any eventuality.

Obviously, all such real or imagined problems cannot be solved. Neither can one know the actual picture which may emerge nor is one equipped to handle just any eventuality, being not all powerful like God. Such persons only tie themselves in knots and suffer.

This person should have known better. He should certainly have, but how many practise what they know? In spiritual matters, our knowledge is mostly at the theoretical level. How many of us know that we are souls? And how many identify us as souls that are distinct from our bodies?

What should this man have ideally done? Surely, any intelligent person would think of consequences; only fools act without thinking. The problem arises when we begin to dwell on consequences without doing matching actions. Let us take an example of the fear of a heart attack. An intelligent man, being aware of such a possibility, takes steps to control his food, activities, etc. Does he or she gain anything by worrying? In fact, anxious people condemn themselves to a hellish existence which is worse than any misfortune that may befall them. Suffering comes and goes (2.14) but how do you get away from a recalcitrant mind? It is one’s constant companion for all the twenty-four hours. No wonder Lord Krishna has advised us to restrict ourselves to do whatever we can possibly do in our interest and not meditate on predetermining the shape of future events (2.47). Devotees of God are very well placed in this regard; they, after doing their duties conscientiously, can leave the results to God, who promises to help them cross all such impediments (18.58). Taking shelter of worries, anxieties, fears, etc. is not great intelligence. Rather it is self defeating. (The source: The Bhagavad-Geeta).