When you will relax?

 

When you will  relax?

Yesterday I was travelling in my car with family to visit Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Sholinghur. The temple is known for its deity Narasimha blessing the devotees with health, wealth and peace and fulfils their prayers. We have to climb 1300 steps and full of Monkeys on the way. It was really a relaxation for mind and good exercise for body.

While returning, my 10 th standard studying son mentioned to me something that his teacher told them in the class, on the following lines.

“ I want to hit that person who told me in my college that struggle hard for four years and get good job. “ Life ban jaayega “. You can relax whole life thereafter. I find that happy days were the days enjoyed in school and college. After joining job , I am working day and night for the organization . Boss is not happy whatever you do as expectation is unrealistic. Colleagues try to put me down and show in bad light to project themselves as great heroes, to please the Boss. At home they compare with their known people who they feel are doing better.  Life is not road of roses, it is more of thorns and in between here and there flowers of happiness and success” .

This made me to think deeply with in me. I felt like clarifying to the boy , based on my understanding of the laws of the universe. I started explaining to him.

This world is referred to as Karma Bhoomi. Everyone is coming here for performing karma, to clear his accumulated sanskaras, sins. One cannot remain without workingeven for a minute. When you are not consciously doing anything, mind keeps jumping from thought to thought. Only way to be happy is  You must enjoy the work that you are doing. Krishna preached same to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita. “Karmanye Vadhikarashe , ma phaleshu kadachan” you have right only to perform your duty, not to the results. He tells arjuna that your duty as a warrior now is to fight. Donot bother whether they will die or you will die. Both way possible. However by fighting if you win , you will enjoy the kingdom and all the luxuries, if die will go to heaven and enjoy the heaven. Hence Arjuna, fight. He further explains that at all the times we were there and no one can kill the real you , the soul, Atman.

 It doesn’t man that you should work without getting anything in return. It only means that you do your duty and results will follow. However, you should not have any expectations, then you will enjoy the outcome whatever it is good or bad. If you accept this principle, you will do your duty sincerely without bothered about success, failures, other’s comments etc., that keeps you always happy. Will not be perturbed by others comments/behaviour. You will be proactive in your approach and never reactive. Edison failed 10000 times before inventing light. He mentioned that he found out 10000 ways of how certain thing will not work. This attitude brought him success, He became all time great inventor with credit of thousands of inventions to him.

But, how do you achieve that state of mind which is referred to  as “Sthita Prajna “ by lord Krishna. The path is called “Yoga” by Krishna. Detached from happiness or pain, heat or cold, is his nature and he is called yogi. Yogi is one who has realised that he is part of that universal energy/power and not different from the almighty. Atma is part of  paramatma and like a mug of water taken from ocean which is the ocean itself and the moment you pour into ocean the existence is gone. Same is human. In the state of body consciousness , we are nothing but   “A bubble in the huge river flowing for years, very tiny particle in the realm of the vast universe, galaxies, stars living for billions of years”. However , at the level of spirit / Atman , you are one with that  universal being referred to as “paramatma”. Yama dharma gives this knowledge of the self to Nachiketa.

 

 

 

Our Vedanta literature , primarily, Mandokya , Isha and Kata Upanishads explain this in practical  and simple way. Lord Krishna has given the gist of these Upanishad’s teaching in simple form in Bhyagavad Gita for everyone to understand and live a happy , peaceful , blissful life. This is what Advaita proponent Sri. Shankaracharya mentioned in his Nirvana shatakam that “ “Chidananda Rupah Shivoham , Shivoham” I am that eternal bliss. I am the God. No Two, Non-duality. This is either one or infinite. Means, God and Man are not two different entities. It is only some cover by way of Body differentiating one from the other, though the real spirit within each of this body, mind spirit combination is same as universal power, God.

Realization of this truth and constantly holding that in mind is the way for happiness. Krishna mentions Bhakti, Jnana and Karma as the three methods of yoga for success and happiness, ever Blissful state. Ashtanga yoga is one method to achieve these which talks about eight limbs of popularly known “Hatha yoga” addressing wholesome well being of body, mind and soul. This we will discuss in later Blogs.

Hence, the only way is keep working on your passion. Identify your passion and work without worrying of the results. There is no time you will relax by not doing any work except through Yoga practice. As a student you study the subjects that are of interest for you and whatever you do you must aim for perfection in that. Yogaha Karmasu Kaushala” excellence in the work you are doing is Yoga, that is Karma Yoga. This comes only when you commit yourself completely for the task on hand without even worrying as to success or failure. Knowledge is power. That is the cause as well as result of Karma Yoga. Karma or Bhakti or combination of the two  can be way for Jnana which brings  constant blissful state.