Baba
Namaskar,
Baba
has blessed us with the special formula for how to live in this world
yet escape from the endless cycle of samskaras -- actions and their
reactions -- and attain that supreme stance.
Common human feeling
It
is the universal human desire that everyone wants to experience
happiness in their life. Not just fleeting happiness, but rather that
infinite and permanent happiness known as bliss or a'nandam. Everyone
wants this, knowingly or unknowingly. That is Baba's eternal teaching.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Bound by karmic law
At
the same time, by living in this world one is bound by the rigours of
samskara theory: Good actions yield good results, and bad actions yield
bad results. Bound by this principle, human beings acquire so many
samskaras-- some good and some bad. In that condition, one must return
again and again to this mundane world and undergo so much pain and
suffering. This is the way the cycle of bhava works.
Mucyate bhavabandhana't
Ananda
Marga ideology says, "What does the word bhava mean here? It means the
minimum reactive momenta-- that is, the minimum part of the sam'ska'ras
of any individual's actions, the unrequited sam'ska'ras, for which the
person will have to be reborn, will have to come to earth again. Bhava
is the very small part of the acquired sam'ska'ras that is left over as a
residual and that causes rebirth in the world; those minimum residual
sam'ska'ras are called bhava." (1)
In this way, by always creating more and more bhava, people return again and again to this transitory world.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
A well-known answer - but not so easy
Since
the time of Lord Krsna, the solution or teaching has been given that
one should do work without being attached to the results. Then only can
one escape the endless cycle of actions and reactions.
Karman'yeva'dhika'raste ma' phales'u kada'cana;
Ma' karmaphalaheturbhu'ma' te saungo'stvakarman´i.
"O
human beings, you have the right to action, but not to the fruits
thereof. So don't perform any action hoping for certain results." (2)
However, as true as the aforesaid theory is, in the practical realm it is not so easy to follow.
For
example, if a student is told that they should try again and again to
pass the exam, but they should not be concerned with whether they pass
or not. This type of theoretical advice is enough to confuse and
befuddle any student because if they do not think about the result of
passing the exam then they do not have any inspiration to study. Or they
may think that if it does not matter whether they pass or fail, what is
the use of taking the exam in the first place. This is the type of
confusion that can creep into the mind.
Similarly,
if any businessman is told that they should engage all day in doing
business, but they should not be concerned with whether they make a
profit or not, this will be extremely puzzling for them. Just like the
quandary of the student in the above example, without thinking about the
prospect of making money the businessman may lose all inspiration to
carry out his work. Or he may think what is the use of starting a
business if it does not matter if I make a profit or not.
So,
although the theory of not being attached with the fruits of one's
labour is seemingly very simple and straightforward, in the practical
sphere it often seems absolutely impossible-- except for those who know
the inner secret.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Baba’s special teaching: adopt the devotional approach
Baba's
special guideline is that we are to adopt a devotional approach--
remembering Him always. Then this concept of nis'ka'm karma-- fruitless
action-- is quite attainable.
For
example, if when doing any work one thinks, “This entire world is His
creation and that I am doing work with His strength with the desire to
serve and please Him”, then one will not acquire any samskara for
whatever works they do.
And
if one's underlying feeling is that they are only doing the work to
please Him then they will get constant inspiration to move ahead and one
will not suffer from any consequences-- the pain or pleasure of
negative or positive results. Rather one will always drift in bliss.
This is Baba's practical guideline.
Practical ways for moving ahead
So
if the business man thinks that, “This business is my allotted duty by
God and, by this way, I am to serve the society and earn something for
my family, and, by this approach, I am serving and pleasing Parama
Purusa”, then the businessman will have the motivation with which to
move ahead yet they will not be bound by the result of their actions. In
that circumstance, they will not develop any negative samskara, and
they will have a strong determination to do the work.
Likewise
if a sadhaka-- i.e. one propagating His ideology-- goes to a pracara
program with the sole motive of pleasing Parama Purusa, and they are not
concerned with how many people come or not, then they will not suffer
the consequences of any samskara. And, ultimately, in the deepest sense
they will be successful in their endeavour since their ideation is
proper.
In
contrast, if one sadhaka is chiefly concerned about whether their
pracara program is written about in the newspaper etc then they will
certainly acquire samskaras by their action. And if one thinks that it
does not matter what the result is, then they may not be inspired to do
any pracara at all.
So
no matter what one's role in life, the whole secret behind this theory
of fruitless actions is to do one's allotted duties with the desire to
please Him. If that devotional desire is embedded in the mind, then the
sutra "Karman'yeva..." will work perfectly. In that case, one will go on
executing the work without acquiring any samskaras, and side by side
one will be fueled with constant energy and inspiration to move ahead
with their activities. This is Baba's practical guideline for how to do
nis'ka'm karma-- fruitless action.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Only bhaktas can do
Ultimately
only those who are bhaktas can do nis'ka'm karma. And, by Baba's grace,
every Ananda Margii has this requisite amount of bhakti. That is why,
in our Marga, everyone does sadhana in order to satisfy and please
Parama Purusa—and not to get samadhi per se or to become endowed with
occult powers etc. Just we do our kiirtan and sadhana to please Him. And
this approach should be applied to all one's activities.
So
if one thinks they are doing just to please Baba then that is the
special secret for doing the action without being attached to the
result. In that case, one can do all sorts of work and not acquire any
samskaras at all. Hence doing with the desire to please Him is the
secret of nis'ka'm karma-- fruitless action.
Conclusion
Ensconced
in the ideal of nis'ka'm karma -- fruitless action -- we are to move
ahead and do great works in this world, thinking of pleasing Him always.
This is Baba's blessing on every AM sadhaka.
https://anandamargauniversal.blogspot.com/
Ananda
Marga ideology states, "O' human beings! be established in the radiance
of divinity and the splendour of valour and chivalry, because yours is
the path of revolution. Your path is not the path of extra caution and
scheduled movement. You are the traveller of a rugged path. You are
travellers of an impregnable path. You have to march ahead proudly with
the flag of Marga upright. You have no time to stagger or to look
behind." (3)
Namaskar,
Ramashankar
References
1. Discourses on Krśńa and the Giita, Even the Greatest Sinners
2. Ananda Marga Karma Yoga in a Nutshell, You have the Right to Action Only
3. Subháśita Saḿgraha Part 1, Yajiṋa and Karmaphala
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