nobility versus convenience or where man falters (woman too)

10-18-2004, 09:43 AM

Sookti Manjari from Bhaktimala September 2004
Duty Scriptural Dictum

Shastrena choditamidam
Kartavyamiti nishchayaat
Nijechchaa dvesha rahito
Yah karoti sa vai kritee

("This is how the scriptures ordain me to do: therefore this is my duty" -
those who act with this attitude, disregarding their own likes and dislikes, are
noble)

The Sookti is laying down three conditions for doing a work.
1. It should be ordained by the scriptures
2. It should be done with the attitude " I am doing it o n l y because the
scriptures have ordained"
3. In doing the work there should be no consideration of personal likes and
dislikes

If one does not take into account these three conditions, even good deeds
that one does will not be of proper use. Therefore, let us try to understand the
meaning behind these three conditions.

Generally, everyone acts with some profit motive in the mind. However, what
is profitable for one person will be unprofitable for another person. What is
useful for one might be harmful to another. Whatever it is, the motivation
behind an act is its profitability. In other words, everyone gauges profit or
loss
based on likes and dislikes. Also, likes and dislikes are usually based on
those aspects that are tangible in nature. That is, he must be able to see and
experience the fruits.

For a child, playing is a tangible activity. Tomorrow is not tangible to him.
For a young fellow[or woman], today´s passion is the truth. He is more
attached to that than to the future in which he becomes a householder. These are
mere examples. Even for a highly intelligent person, the next moment is not
something he can see now.

Therefore, it is difficult for anybody to decide the loss and profit that
occur in the future based on the present. Even Lord Krishna said:

Tasmaat shaastram pramaanam te
Kaarya kaarya vyavasthituou

In deciding what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, the
scriptures are the final authority.

Therefore, any work should be undertaken only after understanding what the
scripture says about it. This is the first condition laid down by the Sookti.

The scriptures say "do charity". In mythological scriptures, there are
several stories which narrate the fruit of undertaking charitable activities.
"He
did this work, so he got that merit." - such descriptions are common in
mythological scriptures. Our mind combines these two and dishes out a new
lesson. "If
you do this charitable work in this life, it will bestow that particular fruit
in the next life." A very convenient lesson indeed! If it is said that a
particular act will yield a particular fruit in this birth itself, it becomes
verifiable. If it doesn´t turn out to be correct, it can be questioned. However,
no one can question the truthfulness if the fruits are said to become available
in the next birth. Therefore, there is no fear of erring. Therefore, our mind
tends to take this convenient stand. This is where man falters. Keeping a
particular fruit (that accrues in the next birth) in mind, people engage in
charitable activities during this life. While doing so, the person in question
thinks that he is adhering to the scriptures. However, in reality, what he is
doing is not strictly in conformity with the scriptures. He
is doing only what he has found convenient. When we understand this point, we
will realize the meaning behind the second condition laid down by the Sookti.
The second condition is It should be done with the attitude "I am doing it
only because the scriptures have ordained" Here, the word "only" is the key. it
should not be duty+desire.
It should be only duty. This is the second dictum.

Even here, there is a problem. The scripture ordains that one should serve
the parents.[like serving the Guru, serving one s fellow devotees as part of
Guru seva etc] A particular person is more fond of his mother. When it comes to
serving his mother, the scripural dictum is very convenient to him. However,
when it comes to serving his father, it is somewhat less convenient to him.
Still he is showing due respect to his father, but continues to serve his mother
wholeheartedly. Is this correct or not? - it is a difficult question to answer.
However, the third condition laid down by the Sookti is quite categorical
about it. It says that such an attitude is wrong. It says, in doing the work
there should be no consideration of personal likes or dislikes. To understand
this
aspect, let us see a small story. ~~~~

to be continued Jai Guru Datta
Om Aim Hreem Shreem Lalitambaye Namaha

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