The Hindu : Perform action with the right attitude

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 07, 2002

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Perform action with the right attitude

CHENNAI SEPT.7 . It is impossible for human beings to refrain from doing actions in worldly life. Man has to enjoy the result of his action and this sets in motion the endless chain of rebirths. Only when action does not give rise to fresh Karma can liberation be possible. As it is not feasible to desist from action, it becomes imperative to understand how to act rightly. Lord Krishna had pointed out to Arjuna when he refused to engage in battle fearing the consequences of the war, "Action based on desire is far inferior to that performed with the proper attitude. Seek refuge in this equipoise of mind. Those who perform action only for the results are misers."

One will wonder how it is possible to give up all desires. Desire is the subtle form of action. So it is desire which prompts man to act. Desire is born out of ignorance of one's true nature. Though the Self (Atman) is ever fulfilled and of the nature of infinite bliss, man by identifying himself with his body-mind-intellect personality mistakes this for the Self. This mistaken notion makes him feel incomplete and he thinks that he can become complete by acquiring knowledge, wealth and so on. So one must pause to ask whether such action prompted by ignorance can put an end to one's ignorance about one's true nature? Any amount of actions, however noble they may be, cannot destroy ignorance.

In her discourse Swamini Shraddhanand Saraswati said meritorious deeds could only lead to purification of the mind. All desire prompted activity will add to the chain of rebirth. It is akin to making reservation for the next birth because desire promotes attachment. Man is enjoined to perform certain obligatory duties for the well being of the world. He does not acquire merit for doing them but by not discharging the prescribed duties he will incur sin. This is the reason the Gita terms those who are driven to perform action for their gratification as misers because they are bothered only about their own security.

Sage Yajnavalkya while teaching Gargi (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad) calls one who is endowed with intellect and does not utilise it to discriminate between the eternal and the ephemeral, as a miser. Another scriptural text refers to one who does not have control over his sense organs as a miser. God has endowed man with these faculties to be utilised properly and not to indulge in self-gratification.

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