Action without motive does not bind

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Action without motive does not bind. Even a jnani acts and there can

be no action without effort and without sankalpas (motives).

Therefore there are sankalpas for everyone. But these are of two

kinds, the binding (bandha-hetu) and the liberating (mukti-hetu). The

former must be given up and the latter cultivated.

 

Note: Here is a way out of the karmic stream. Bhagavan postulates

action for all men, and results for all action, yet repudiates the

binding residue of action to apply equally to all actors. Action

binds only to the extent that its motive element is of the binding

type, the bandha-hetu, and never if it is of the liberating type,

where the material, selfish motive, is totally absent. Therefore

those who wish to jump out of the stream of bondage into that of

liberation have to curd their binding sankalpas and cultivate those

of mukti.

 

The question may now be asked - How are they to distinguish between

the two, which is admittedly difficult to do ? This text is mainly

meant for the sadhaka, who constantly worries whether a certain

action of his is consistent with his Sadhana or not. Bhagavan

dissipates this doubt by admitting action to all men, and a motivated

action too. For example, in olden days Bhagavan himself used to work

in the kitchen, and even once built a mud wall to his cave on the

hill. He knew then why he did that work, and certainly aimed at the

utility element in it, or else he would not have done it. But when

Bhagavan worked he was all along aware of his true being as the doer

of the action, which is desire less. The motive of this action is

thus not of the binding type. Therefore the sadhaka's action should

not worry him, so long as it is not of the binding type, having

desires in the background.

 

- Ramana Maharshi

 

>From Reflections

 

Hari Aum !!!