Citation : Singh AR (2023) Greater Calamity Leads to Greater Immunity / Resilience.In :Ghalib, Psychology and Human Behaviour - 1 (A.R Singh and S.A Singh Eds), Mens Sana Monogr; 21:1.pg 44-45
رنج سے خوگر ہوا انساں تو مٹ جاتا ہے رنج
مشکلیں مجھ پر پڑیں اتنی کہ آساں ہو گئیں
रंज से ख़ूगर हुआ इंसाँ तो मिट जाता है रंज
मुश्किलें मुझ पर पड़ीं इतनी कि आसाँ हो गईं
ra.nj se KHuugar hu.aa insaa.n to miT jaataa hai ra.nj
mushkile.n mujh par pa.Dii.n itnii ki aasaa.n ho ga.ii.n
(DG 112:15:679)
Meaning
If one gets accustomed to sorrow, it disappears.
I faced so many difficulties that they have become easy.
Explanation/Comment:
We view sorrow and calamity with distaste. But if one can get accustomed to them, they become easy to manage.
If you get pain the first time, it hurts. But if you get continuous pain, the body gets used to it.
People who face continuous calamities, like landslides, floods, earthquakes, cyclones etc take it in their stride. Similar with poverty, inequity and class/caste exploitation.
It’s as though the continuous onslaught of problems makes human beings immune to their hurt.
It’s an important coping mechanism and an example of resilience.
In describing how, having faced so many difficulties in life, he had become immune to sorrow, Ghalib echoes a universal phenomenon and an efficient coping mechanism called resilience.