29 July 2001, 08:29pm IST
SEEMA BURMAN.
Free from attachment, fear and anger, a man of wisdom faces life with a smile, never rejoicing nor worrying. this is a man of renunciation (sanyasi) who is awakened to the infinite consciousness. but for the men of action lord krishna has drafted karma yoga as means of self realisation. to a confused arjuna, he explains that sanyasa is more difficult than action. in the path of sanyasa one is required to give up ego while in the path of action one must give up the anxiety to enjoy the fruits of action. in sanyasa one gives up the false sense of pride (i do) and in action one needs to give up the feeling of enjoyment (i like). both feelings are deterrents in achieving divinity. a sanyasi is not necessarily one who wears ochre robes and leaves his family. a sanyasi may be married and living amidst luxury but he is one who has got rid of likes, dislikes or ego. these feelings arise from the vasanas prevalent in us. vasanas have to be exhausted by either of these two paths. krishna insisted that one becomes fit to serve god only when one learns to serve man. says sant shri aasaramji bapu, "when actions are performed for the welfare of others with no motive they are called nishkaam karma. seva (serving others selflessly) is not the prerogative of the wealthy and powerful. seva can be words of sympathy, sharing sorrows, instilling optimistic thoughts in defeated souls, directing them towards the door of god, showing the way of honesty to the dishonest. john d rockefeller - the american millionaire - was given a few weeks to live when he was 50. he began serving the poor selflessly and to the amazement of his doctors he lived up to 93. an action is neither good nor bad; it is the underlying motive that makes it good or bad. a knife in the hand of a doctor and a robber yields different results. when the motive is noble the achievements are spectacular and a feeling of contentment floods the self". explains swami chinmayananda, "everyone acts according to their vasanas (thoughts) - saatvic, raajsic, taamsic. when action is undertaken with egocentric desires, vasanas take birth. consequences of wrong motive are disorder in the mind, turbulence, agitation, indiscipline and a failed life. when we perform an action with no feeling of like or dislike, i.e. without egocentric desires, our vasanas get exhausted and the heart fills up with tranquillity. with vasanas being destroyed there is `thoughtlessness' and then comes actionlessness. when the mind gets purified, it becomes calm and the peaceful mind discovers its meditative poise. deeper reality stands revealed. spiritual takeoff becomes possible. this is karma yoga". why should we help others? vivekananda said, "apparently to help the world, but really to help ourselves... do not stand on a high pedestal and take five cents in your hand and say, `here my poor man', but be grateful that the poor man is there, so that by making a gift to him, you are able to help yourself. it is not the receiver that is blessed., but it is the giver. be thankful that you are allowed to exercise your power of benevolence and mercy in the world and thus become pure and perfect". in bhagavad gita, sri krishna tells arjuna, "those gods shall bestow on you all the gratifications you desire; one who eats what is given by them without giving in turn to them - he is a thief indeed". (3-12). explaining the verse swami chinmayananda says," when an action is desireless, it is blessed with rewarding success by nature. in a society few people produce, rest consume. yet, all should share and enjoy equally. those who create wealth should be happy that by lord's grace they have the extra ability to serve others. few have the knowledge and ability to serve their brethren.those who serve the society with all their ability are freed of all sins. this is the hindu socialism based upon the guidance for the evolution in man of godhood". poet rahim helped all those who came at his door. his fame spread far and wide. whenever he gave, he did not even look at the person who was receiving. on being questioned he answered in a couplet, "it is the lord who gives through me while the people assume that it is i who is the giver. i am embarrassed by the false fame that comes my way, so i dare not glance up".
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