Pep Talks

The greatest of all pep talks in India are the words Krishna tells Arjuna when he is dispirited about engaging in a civil war against his own relatives.

Arjuna, is this hour of battle the time for scruples and fancies? Are they worthy of you? Any brave man who merely hopes for fame or heaven would despise them. What is this weakness? It is beneath you. Is it for nothing men call you the scorcher of foes? Shake off this cowardice, Arjuna. Stand up.

You are moaning for those who should not be moaned for. Yet you speak like a wise man. The truly wise never weep either for the dead or for the living.

There is nothing nobler for a warrior than what a righteous war offers. Arjuna! That warrior must indeed be a happy man to whom comes unsought a war like this, which is an open gate to heaven.

Arjuna, if killed in battle you will attain heaven; if victorious you will enjoy the kingdom. Standup now and resolve to fight. Realize that pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat are all one and the same and then go into battle. 

When Rama was dispirited about how they would cross the ocean to rescue his wife Sita, who had been kidnapped by the demon Ravana, his friend Sugriva counseled him:

Rama, you are persevering, knowledgeable, wise and learned. Why are you tormented, like an ordinary person? Give up this torment.  I do not see any reason for this torment now. After all, we have got to know where the enemy resides. We will cross the ocean, invade Lanka and slay your enemy. If a person is distressed and without enterprise, with his soul enveloped in sorrow, all his objectives suffer and he faces a hardship. 

Sugriva then tells Rama what a great team he has and gives a vision of success

In every way, all these leaders of the apes are brave and capable. They are full of enterprise. For your sake, they will even enter a fire. I can discern this through their delight, and reasoning adds firm conviction to this.  In a battle, these brave apes can assume any form at will. When a bridge is constructed over the ocean and all our soldiers reach Lanka, it is certain that they will be victorious.

You must use your valour to get Sita back and slay the enemy. We will construct a bridge and see that city. 

Rama, you must act in this way towards the king of the rakshasas. You will see the city of Lanka, located on the summit of Trikuta. When you see him, you must certainly kill Ravana in the encounter. When you wield your bow, I do not see anyone in the three worlds who can stand before you in a battle. The task that you have entrusted to the apes will not suffer. You will soon cross over the eternal ocean and see Sita. 

Sugriva then issues a call to action!

Therefore, get rid of this confused intelligence that destroys all valiantly engages in a task, capability will follow.  At this time, resort to spirit and energy. Even for brave and great-souled people like you, sorrow over something lost or destroyed renders all objectives unsuccessful. You are best among intelligent ones. You are skilled in the teachings of all the sacred texts. With advisers like me, you are certain to vanquish the enemy. 

Therefore, enough of resorting to grief. Resort to anger. Warriors who do not make efforts are wicked. Use your subtle intelligence and, together with us, think about how the terrible ocean, the lord of the rivers, can be crossed. These apes are brave in battle and can assume any form at will. They will shower down rocks and trees and destroy their enemies. Through some means, we will cross the ocean. 

What is the need to speak a lot? In every possible way, you will be victorious.

In both cases a common thread runs through the counsel given to the distressed warriors:

Do not grieve or weep either for the living or the dead but resort to spirit and energy. Get rid of your confusion and do what needs to be done with equanimity.