Tasmaada-saktas-satatam – Further Reading
In this verse, Lord Krishna says, “ do your duty without attachment. By doing the duty without attachment, man attains the supreme.
Renunciation of attachment is renunciation of desires. Attachment leads to desire. Duty done carefully, correctly and efficiently without wishing for the fruits, brings the peace of mind.
Here, again King Janaka is the best example of a Karmayogi, who was performing his duty as king perfectly. At the same time, he was Yogi and was not concerned at all about the fruit of his actions. He had equanimity of mind and always he was living a pious life remembering God.
Work done purely out of love or from sense of duty makes the heart blossom. One’s consciousness expands and deepens. The selfishness latent in us disintegrates. Such a person dedicates his wealth, skill and intelligence, his position and status to others. He becomes truly a man of peace, wherever he may be and people around him also share his peace. Absence of attachment leads to the purification of the mind, our body functions are carried on from day to day without attachment. For example, our heart beats on incessantly throughout the day and night, but we don’t think of this.
Our food is digested by the stomach, but we dot give it much thought. In the same way, our worldly duties should go on automatically, but efficiently. In this way, the mind becomes calm and capable of understanding the Atma. Sometimes, we see village women carrying water on their heads and in their hands, huge pots weighing a lot. But we see them laughing and chatting and walking. In the midst of all the talk and chatter, a part of the mind is on the pots, but the rest of it enjoying with friends. In the same way, we must do our duties at home, at school, in society, but in the midst of them keep our mind fixed on God.
A person who shirks his responsibilities or who does not perform his obligatory and social duties, as a member of home and country, can never knows the higher joys of God realisation. Our past karmas or effects of work done in previous life – times have to be exhausted. These are our Praarabda Karmas which have been given us in this life time.
Our Lord says there is an easy solution to erase the effect of past karmas. He says, ‘ A seed will not germinate when it is deep under the earth. In the same way, the seeds of wrong behaviour will not germinate and grow into painful events of our life, if our seeds are covered deep with loving service to those who are in need of help, comfort and love’.
“ The negative effect of sinful actions can be neutralised only by the positive effects of meritorious actions”. With full intellectual awareness, give up attachments to the fruits of action and continue doing things as either duty or dedication. Cultivate this attitude and through it liberate yourself from bondage and karma.”
-GITA VAHINI