Bhagavat Gita - 14

August 1, 2002

Bhagavat Gita - 14

Enlightened Ones too should work (Chapter 3 verses 19-26)

There may however be some rare individuals who have risen above all

personal wants. They may be able to withdraw themselves from society, and

live a life of self-contentment without depending on the services of others.

Even they should work without attachment or desire for the fruits of work.

For, by doing so one progresses spiritually and attains Perfection. Just as

socially-oriented work makes man ethical, work done without any thought of

selfish gain, as an act of pure service of God and Man, raises him to

spiritual heights. Purely unselfish action without any thought of returns or

obligations, is the higher aspect of law of Yajna. So Janaka and other great

Rajarishis continued to be in the field of action and attained Perfection

through a life of disinterested action.

There is also another reason why all, including men of higher spiritual

attainment, should work; for, otherwise they will be setting a bad example

for the unenlightened men, who, without a proper understanding of their

mental state, would surely imitate their external behaviour, and relapse

into abandonment of their duties, ending in pure idleness. A leader has

always to be careful about the example that he sets. So an enlightened man,

though he might have risen above the considerations of self-interest, should

work unattached and without any return in view, but at the same time

evincing just the same zeal and energy with which a man desirous of selfish

return works. Otherwise he will be creating conflict of ideas and ideals

among common people.

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Based on " Srimad Bhagavat Gita - The Scripture of Mankind "

a translation by Rev Swami Tapasyanandaji, published by

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