Fwd: Whatever is Your Duty, That Alone You Must Do

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Hare Krsna.

 

Doing one's duties, with equanimity is called Karma Yog (Disciple of Action). In Karma Yoga the predominance is that the sentiments must be one of selflessness. When the sentiments are not one of selflessness, then the activity is only an "activity", not "Karma Yoga". Even if the activities done are within the ordinance of the scriptures, then too, if the sentiments, the motives are not selfless, then that too is considered only an action, and with such actions it is not possible to attain liberation; because in liberation, the importance is on the inner sentiments. Attachment and aversion are the main obstacles in becoming selfless - "Tau hasya paripanthinau" (Gita 3:34); These are the robbers in this path. Therefore one must not be under the influence

of attachment and aversion. Then what is to be done? - "Shreyaan sadharmo vigunah paradharmaat svanusthitaatSvadharme nidhun shreyah pardharmo bhayaavaha." (Gita 3:35) - In this verse there are some extraordinary points that have been revealed. In this one verse there are four segments. Bhagwaan has beautifully and artistically structured and shared this verse. In simply a few words, He has share such profound, unfathomable meaning filled with deep sentiments. With respect to activity (work), He has said - "Shreyaan svadharmo vigunah" Here why has He used the word"Shreyaan"? Because in Chapter Two, Arjuna had said that it was better to live on alms and be a beggar, than to kill the Gurus, and noble elders "Shreyo bhoktum bhaikshympeeh loke" (Gita 2:5); but "yaccheyah syaannischrtam bruhi tamne" (Gita 2:7) also asked - tell me what is

decidedly good for me to do ? - "Tadekam vada niscitya yena sreyohamaapnuyaam" (Gita 3:2), here too he said "niscityam". The sentiments are that for me there must be a plain, one principle, a solution that will definitely be for my highest good, without missing the bull's eye. Here Arjuna, while asking the question said - "jyaayasi chetkarmanaste mataa buddhirarjunaardan" (Gita 3:1). i.e. If you think that knowledge is superior to action, why then do you make me do a dreadful deed?"

Here the word used is "jyaayasi". For this Bhagwaan responded in "karma jyaayo hyakarmanah" (Gita 3:8) with "Jyaayo" - for action is superior to non-action. Here Bhagwaan ignored the talk about begging for alms. Then what activity is one to do? For this Bhagwaan has said, that whatever is your svadharma (one's own duty), that is your rightful duty, that alone one must engage in. For Arjuna what is his "Svadharma"? It is to fight ! In Gita 18:43 Bhagwaan has shared the natural duties of a Kshatriya, and since Arjuna is a Kshatriya, it is his natural duty to fight. Along with "Svadharma", why was the word "vigunah" used ? In Gita 3:1, Arjuna has called fighting on the battlefield as "ghor karma" i.e. terrible act, therefore to respond to Arjuna, Bhagwaan used the word "vigunah", that even though your svadharma is without any qualities (vigunah), yet, since it is your dutiful act, it is

better; i.e. for Arjuna to fight in the battlefield, itself is his duty. Also in Gita 2:32, Bhagwaan said that for a Kshatriya, there is no spiritual practice for his highest good as fighting the righteous war. "Pardharmaat svanushthitaat" - In other words, even though other's duties may have more merits, and other's duties can be fulfilled well, and in our own duties there may be shortcomings in qualities, and it's performance cannot be done properly, then too performance of our own duties is better than the duties of another. Similiarly for a chaste wife, her husband, whether he has any qualities or not, is deserving of her service. It is said in Sri Ramcharitramanas - "Buddh rogbas jad dhanheen. Andh badhir krodhee ati deen." If these eight bad qualities are predominant in the husband and his service cannot be performed properly, and if another's husband is even full of qualities and

his service can also be performed properly, then too for the wife, only the service of her husband is better, he is only to be served, and deserving of service; never another's husband, never is another to be served. In the same way, our own duties are best for us, others duties can never be better. "Svadharme nidhanam shreyah paradharmo bhayaavaha" By this sentence, the sentiments expressed by Bhagwaan are that the end limits of all difficulties is death, and in the fulfillment of your rightful duties even if one dies, then too the end result is one that is for one's good and is beneficial. The point is, that there is no value for the happiness in the qualities and goodness seen in the duties of another, and the ease of execution, because their end outcome, is terrible and dangerous. Whereas in our own duties, there may not be many qualities, they may be difficult to accomplish, yet

the difficulties encountered are also precious; because their end result is beneficial and uplifting. Therefore those duties in which there is no shortage of qualites, where they can be easily performed and one is happy in doing them, it is the best of all duties - what to speak of it ! Based on the explanation of this verse, man must become fully engaged in carrying out his rightful duties with a selfless attitude.