“Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the Self, and among logicians I am the conclusive truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 10.32)
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सर्गाणाम् आदिर् अन्तश् च
मध्यं चैवाहम् अर्जुन
अध्यात्म-विद्या विद्यानां
वादः प्रवदताम् अहम्
sargāṇām ādir antaś ca
madhyaṁ caivāham arjuna
adhyātma-vidyā vidyānāṁ
vādaḥ pravadatām aham
You are passionate about what you do. It’s fun. There is the saying that if you enjoy your occupation then you will not work a day in your life. Sure, there are the tedious tasks. There are the clients that irritate you, the ones you wish you could reject. But getting up in the morning is not difficult. Generally, you look forward to new days and you are surprised at how quickly the time passes.
If you are really good at what you do and you have the skills necessary to articulate that passion, you might develop a training class in your spare time. Perhaps gathering a few books on the subject matter, you invite others to learn and possibly enter the same field.
Such targeted training has been around for a long time, and yet so many of those classes have little to no relevance to today’s world. A person might consult them to get an idea of a particular state in time, but they are not necessarily learning skills to put to practical use.
1. Learning Windows 95
No more relying solely on the command line. Sure, some people can type rather fast, and so they have no problem entering commands through the keyboard. But to make the personal computer really user friendly, there has to be a nice graphical user interface (GUI), where everything can be done with a point and click methodology.
Enter Windows 95. The main competitor, Apple, long before provided a user-friendly experience with the computer, but Microsoft had significant market share for its software. This means that they had a loyal following ready to dive into innovative features.
While important at the time, Windows 95 is not really relevant to anyone today. Operating systems go through a constant flow of evolution. Even the one most used at the moment is likely to become obsolete in a few years. Tremendous effort goes into developing a guide for a soon-to-be antiquated product.
2. How to start a video store franchise
Tired of working for someone else? Want to set your own hours? Sick of sitting next to someone in a crammed office? Why not start your own business? You get to hire and fire people. You set the prices. You can go on vacation at your choosing.
An even easier way to get started as an entrepreneur is to participate in the franchise model. Another entity does most of the heavy lifting. They establish name recognition. They worry about increasing market share. All you need is some capital and a physical location.
One particular type of franchise popular in times past was the video store. Here someone could teach you what is needed. The brick and mortar building. The size of the parking lot. The pricing model. The advertising. The ideal location. A training program to teach everything you need to know to get started being on your own.
The issue here is that technology has changed significantly. A few video stores are still around, but the internet has changed the way the public consumes video programming. They no longer require physical storage. They can stream content directly from their television or tablet computer.
The training program took time and effort to develop. The teachers likely participated in the franchises, and so not only is their instruction no longer relevant but they probably also moved on to a different kind of business.
3. How to repair your VCR
What did the original video store franchises keep in stock? You guessed it: videos. Known as VHS cassettes, these were the commodity to trade in. Rather than purchase a title outright, a patron could rent from the store. They had to return the VHS after a certain amount of time or face a penalty, similar to the way the public lending library works.
The cassettes played on a specific device. During that era of technology, the video player was a staple in most homes. The tapes would sometimes get stuck. There would be problems in rewinding and forwarding.
Enter the repairman. They were trained by someone. The instruction involved learning the ins and outs of the device and also the cassettes. The issue, of course, is that no one publishes content in the VHS format anymore. The DVD quickly replaced it, and while still in circulation, the digital platform is greatly reducing the reliance on physical media.
…
The same review can be conducted across a broad spectrum of subject matters, from transportation methods to techniques used in medicine. The idea is that what you are passionate about today is not guaranteed to stay relevant into the future. This is due to the nature of the material world, which is always changing.
There is a notable exception to this principle, however. When the discussion turns to the origin of all things, to the person who was around before anything manifest, then the subject matter has eternal relevance. Works like Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam are evergreen.
Shri Krishna reveals that He is the beginning, middle and end of everything. The principle is presented solely for our understanding. In truth, He has no beginning. He is both the start, adi, and also without a starting point, anadi. He is the end, anta, and also without an end, ananta.
If any effort is made towards explaining the principles of dharma and the ultimate objective of connecting with the Supreme Lord, the output remains relevant for as long as people are around to consult.
An ideal reference is Shri Hanuman. He directly connected with the Supreme Lord in the incarnation of Rama. Hanuman had the option of returning to the spiritual world with Bhagavan, but he chose to remain on earth for as long as Rama’s glories continue to be told. This outlasts any phase of societal preference, any evolution in lifestyle choices, and even the shifts in the overall climate of the world. Hanuman takes great pleasure in reliving the events of Rama’s time on earth documented in the Ramayana poem. Such potency can only exist when there is direct association with the Supreme Lord.
In Closing:
Class to give for training,
So that proper knowledge gaining.
Like Windows 95 how to use,
Or cherished VHS not to lose.
But models changing due to time,
With notable exception to find.
That Vedas and principles so,
With eternal relevance to go.
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