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| Tuesday, 3 August 2004 |
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The relativity of business work and impulses by Dr. Rohini Jayaratne 'All men are forced to act helplessly according to the impulses born of the modes of material nature; therefore no one can refrain, from doing something not even for a moment.' Everyone has to work even for simple maintenance of the body and the duties for a particular social position and quality are so made that the purpose can be fulfilled. One has to work for the satisfaction of Vishnu 'Yajnaratha Karma' or the 'necessity of work'. One must find the direction of work in Brahman or the transcendental vedas. The vedas therefore are codes of working direction. Anything performed without the direction of the vedas is called 'Vikarma' or 'unauthorised sinful work'. Therefore one should always take directions from the vedas in whatever business or work one does to be saved from the reaction of work. Bona fide religious scriptures and God: Religion without philosophy is sentiment or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation. For not by merely abstaining from work can one achieve freedom from reaction, not by renunciation alone can one attain perfection. Bhagavad Gita is meant to deliver one from the nescience of material entanglement. The prescribed form of duties is laid down just to purify the heart of material is men. Instead of becoming a pseudo-transcendalist for the sake of wanton living and sense enjoyment; it is far better to remain in one's own business and execute the purpose of life - namely to get free from material bondage and enter into the Kingdom of God. The 'varna' and asrama system is designed to help us reach this goal. A person carrying on his or her business activities, can reach this destination by regulated service in Krishna consciousness. If one can live a controlled life and carry on business without attachment that will lead him to her to the progressive path. The Bhagavad Gita states: "Perform your prescribed duty which is better than not working..." Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu has to be performed otherwise work binds one to this material world... perform prescribed duties for his satisfaction.... you will remain unattached and free from bondage. The ways and duties of working devotees: A person acting for Krsna or in Krsna consciousness under proper guidance and without attachment to the result of his work is certainly making progress towards the supreme goal of life. One can perform one's business activities but one has to be completely unattached. One should not expect fruititive results. For example the financial controller may count millions of dollars for his employer but he does not claim a cent of this money. Similarly one has to take it for granted that nothing in the world belongs to anyone; everything belongs to the Supreme personality of Godhead. When one acts in such Krsna consciousness he does not claim proprietorship over anything this consciousness is nirmana or 'nothing is mine'. 'The working senses are superior to dull matter... mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is higher than the mind... the soul is even higher than intelligence.' In the material existence of life one is influenced by propensities of desire for dominating the resources of material nature. This is most apparent in business activities. Such desires are the greatest enemies of the conditioned soul; but by the strength of Krsna consciousness one can conquer the material senses and the mind along with intelligence. A businessman who is in Krsna consciousness need not give up earning money for fear that he is performing fruititive activities; if the money earned by his activity is engaged in Krsna consciousness. Prescribed duties must be performed with this mentality acting without attachment for the result and not associating himself or herself with the modes of work. A man in Krsna consciousness working in a factory does not associate himself with work of the factory, nor with the factory. He simply works for Krsna and when the result is given up for Krsna his renunciation is said to be transcendental. Gradually developing ones Krsna consciousness one can be situated in a transcendental position without being influenced by the material senses and mind, and by steady intelligence directed towards one's pure identity. A person acting in Krsna consciousness is naturally free from the resultant action of work. His activities are all performed for Krsna and therefore he does not suffer any of the effects of work. Consequently he is intelligent in society although he is engaged in all sorts of activities for Krsna which is 'Akarma' meaning 'without reaction to work.' The sense of eternal servitorship to Krsna makes one immune to all the reactionary elements of work. Work that is regulated and performed without attachment love or hatred and no desire for fruititive results is said to be in the mode of goodness. Everyone who is engaged in business or any other work should think he is engaged by Hrsikesa the master of the senses; and the results of his work must be enjoyed by the Supreme Lord. This is Krsna consciousness in practice thus "Though engaged in all kinds of activity... devotees under the protection of Krsna reaches the eternal and imperishable abode by his grace'. |
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