Personality development thro’ Gita 2

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Personality development thro' Gita 2

2. The Secret of Work

 

Madduri Rajya Sri

      `Trees give fruits for the good of others.  Rivers flow for

the good of others.  Cows give milk for the good of others. 

Similarly the possessions of the saints are used only for the good

of others.'

      The lawyers argue the case for or against a victim with all

Sraddha, but they cannot pronounce the judgment.  The students read

day and night and write the exams with all sincerity, but they

cannot award degrees to themselves.  The players play the games with

all their might, but they cannot be referees to their own play. 

That is the secret of work.  Vivekananda has explained unselfish

love in his article entitled `The Secret of Work'.

      `Work incessantly, but be not attached to it is the essence

of this article. This also sums up the famous sloka in Bhagvadgita.

      Karmanye Vaadikarastye Maa Phaleshu Kadaachana

      Ma Karma Phalaheturbu Ma te sainghostva Karmani      Bhagvadgita

2 - 47

      Te - you

      Adhikara + Asti   - have right to

      Karmanye va - do karmas

      Kadaachana  - at no point of time

      Ma phaleshu - have right on the results

      Ma - bu  - you don't be

      Karma Phalahetur - the reason for the result

      Te - Ma - astu   - May you not be

      Sangaha  - interested

      Akarmani - in avoiding work

      This sloka conveys three don'ts and one do

      1.      You have right to do work

      2.      You have no right on its result

      3.      You should not be the reason for the result

      4.      Do not show interest in avoiding work.

      An old man was planting a seedling.  A passerby asked `Sir,

you look so old. Do you think you will live long to enjoy its

fruits ?' The man smiled to himself and added. `If everyone thought

that way, we wouldn't have had the schools, colleges and the

hospitals today to serve us.  We have to work but should not think

of its results.

      You play pretty well, when you don't think of the results. 

The best example for it is carom board. You play well, it is a sure

coin and you can strike it well.  But when that turns out to be the

last coin, the deciding coin for your victory you fail miserably. 

Why?  You are worried about the consequence of the actions.  The

same way, you can play chess better as an observer rather than as

one of the two players.  It is because you are unmindful of the

result and so you are not obsessed with the game.  On the contrary

if you play, you are more worried about the result than the course

of action.  Playing the game with interest, but not worrying about

the result is Karma yoga.

      Ramana Maharshi was once asked by a disciple to define karma

yoga.  He took him to the top of Arunachala hill.  He cut a branch

of a tree and shaped it into a fine stick with great zeal and

enthusiasm. As he was stepping down, he came across a shepherd who

badly needed such a stick. The Maharshi willingly offered the stick

to the boy.  We come back to the line `work incessantly, but be not

attached to the work.'

      Most of the people work incessantly but only for a good

result.  One builder was a skilled craftsman.  His houses have a

specialty of their own.  Finally he wanted to retire.  He declared

the same to the boss. The boss agreed but asked him as a last favour

to construct just one more house for him.  The builder had already

tuned his mind for retirement.  So he was in no mood to work. All

the same he could not say no to the boss.  So he did oblige him, but

the building had no beauty.  Finally when he completed it, the boss

gave him the key to the house `Mr.Ramayya! I asked you to build this

house for you! It's my gift to you! Mr. Ramayya was shocked. You can

guess why!

      The parents and teachers are next to God. They work

incessantly for the family without any expectation of any return.

Does any parent ever say, `I brought you up with great difficulty.

Come on send me Rs.10, 000 every month!'  Even if they say so, it is

only to pull the leg of the children, but they don't really take

it.  They add a little more money of their own and give it back to

their children.  The same way the teachers teach the young ones

though the latter are not very keen on learning. They mould their

teaching to suit their calibre. Once the students pass out, the

teachers hardly see them.  They hardly get a sweet as a reward for

their hard work but they never expect any return. Nor do they shirk

from their responsibility of training the young ones.

      Out of the three yoga - Bhakti yoga, Jnana yoga, Karma yoga -

Karma yoga is best suited for us human beings - we have to fulfil

our vihita or kartrutva Karma without expecting any result. 

Kartrutva karma is the duty we are expected to fulfil and Nishkama

karma is to do the duty without expecting any result.

      If we worship our work we need not even do the general

prayer.  This is explained in the story of Maha Tapa.

      Maha Tapa as the name symbolizes, was a great saint. He

attained some special powers by his tapas Shakti.  He stared at a

crane once when its droppings fell on him.  The crane was burned

down to ashes.  Then he came into the village begging for alms.  A

woman in a house came out, `Please wait; I am busy serving my

husband. I cannot attend to you immediately.' The saint got angry

and began to stare at her the same way. The woman said, `I am not a

crane to be burnt down. I am a `Pativrat' (serve my husband as my

lord)' Maha Tapa was taken aback. How did she know it ?  He wanted

to become her disciple, but she advised him to go to a man called

Dharma Vyadudu, some where in Ujjain. The saint went accordingly and

was shocked to see him as a butcher. He was deeply engrossed in his

work and asked him to see him later.  Later when he went, he was all

the more shocked to see him sleeping with his feet over a Siva

Lingam. The saint got angry and shouted at him.  The man said `OK

you remove my feet from there and keep them aside. But surprisingly,

wherever he kept his feet, a Siva Lingam rose from under his feet. 

Then Maha Tapa realized that the lady there and the butcher here

believed in their `Kartrutvam' in their duty and treated it as God. 

The butcher served his old parents well.

      For a student - his karma yoga is to study well and for a

businessman his karma yoga is to do his business sincerely.

Work is Worship

Work is Divine.

 

Note: This compilation is an emotional outcome of electrifying

inspiration derived from the works of Swami Vivekananda and Gita

Makarandam. This is meant for personality development. Memorizing

the above Sloka along with meaning and understanding the essence and

implementing it in daily life is highly recommended (especially

children). I stand corrected for any misinterpretation of the

subject. Your valuable suggestions and comments are highly

appreciated – Madduri Rajya Sri

 

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