'tasmad asaktah satatam karyam karma samacara
asakto hy acaran karma param apnoti purusah'
'Without attachment without interruption perfectly perform prescribed actions.. By performing prescribed actions a person achieves the highest good!'
Thus says Lord Krishna in Sloka 19 Chapter III of Srimad Bhagavad Gita on the importance of doing one's activities in day to day life.
Coming to the field of activities with any one in the world, they are broadly classified into 2 groups Viz.,
1. Nitya karma (The Essential works)
2. Ni-nitya karma(The Pleasant works)
The very definition of Nitya Karma wrt to me is that if I don't do it, I alone will suffer.. And the concept of Ni-nitya karma is that even if I do not do that too, nothing happens to me in general!
Again, in Sloka 5 Chapter III of Gita, the Lord says..
'Na hi kascit ksanam api jatu tisthaty akarmakrt
karyate hy avasah karma sarvah prakrti-jairgunaih'
'One cannot remain without engaging in activity at any time, even for a moment; Every one is helplessly driven by actions endowed by the qualities borne of material nature!'
So it's very clear here that all individuals would be continuously doing actions because that is their basic nature and in such a case, if they are not doing the Nitya Karma, they would definitely be doing the Ni-nitya karma alone in it's place which as the definition says is nothing but the pleasant activities of life.
Further if one gets into the Karma Structure of life, it's very much clear that asking some one to do a work sure comes under the category of pleasant work only unless it comes out as the role of a Manager or Owner towards the one who works there for the wages paid under the contract of agreement with applicable code of conduct rules.
When we thus look at all these aspect in detail, it is evident that the family with us never comes under the above category and the family members are there with us because of the existence of the sacred relationship which is well defined under the chapter of our duties.
Seen thus, the first step for any one here is to totally leave this extra thinking and get into the mode of checking one's own works involved with respect to the self and family members which are the basic and welfare works under which alone one has pledged to live with the family, get into the eternal action of all these essential works and thus sail thru' one's life..
No other view is sacred here and if at all the young ones of the family are to be taught on these lines, the elder care taker of the family is the first one that should get into these actions and continue doing them with all devotion.. Further educating the younger ones on these lines is not required beyond a limit as they invariably copy their own care taker as reference except streamlining their actions here and there!
This type of 100% living example by the elder care taker and other grown up members of every family itself forms the core of sharing the burden of the other members as well as teaching and guiding the younger ones of the family which would definitely go a long way in streamlining and setting right the thinking of those growing members towards equality and reducing the related prejudice if any existing!
“I am joining the Ariel #ShareTheLoad campaign at BlogAdda and blogging about the prejudice related to household chores being passed on to the next generation.”
Sir I beg to differ with your interpretation of verse 3.19. The 'Prescribed Action' doesn't go with the spirit of Swadharma Karma. I interpret this as the 'action which should be done.' As I see, Karma is about choices and every choice has its consequences.
ReplyDeleteKrishna's emphasis is not action but performer. Action will go on but there will be no performer. (3.5) I've written about it in detail here: http://rvsh.in/1Cydwwj
I understand your point mentioned here, Ravish.. Swadharma Karma is that work which I should never neglect in this life else I alone would suffer. For example, a Sage may go without work, family, entertainment, bath, food etc etc but being mundane I should never do it that way as then I would be achieving nothing but real pain in my life.. So copying some one is never a solution in life however great the personality may be as that will never make me truly happy..
DeleteHere alone the concept swadharma exists and I should first do the most essential works of mine by doing which alone my stability stays with me.. That essential work is the Nitya Karma of mine and this I alone should do it and none else.. This Nitya karma is actually my prescribed action in this life as Lord Krishna says.. The Lord here stresses to do this very Nitya karma itself a 100% without a feeling that I'm doing it if it is possible to feel so.. Here too the full freedom is given.. If I can't do that without a concept of mine totally, the prescribed action for me is to do that at that level of thinking where in my mental balance ever stays..
In our life, our body basic maintenance and some base level psychological well being are a must for the right existence in this life above which alone we can have a judgement of not getting into unnecessary works which we usually tend to do..
This discipline saves me a lot because, I become happy and I never put my burden on others for my enjoyment which is ever the right way of living my life as per Gita and further do my own Research in this field whose out come is never known to me at this stage and the rest being left to the Will of the Lord alone.
By leading this basic life, I am automatically helping my family members, setting a right example for the younger ones and equally I'm at peace. The exact meaning of swadharma Karma exists for a normal human at this approx level alone and never on the extremes.
Thanks for bringing out the right point of discussion in this regard and hope my interpretation is acceptable.. Kindly revert to me if I said anything wrong here and I would be happy to correct myself as ultimately the aim thru' these columns is to bring out the Truth alone!
I'm totally in agreement with your understanding of the concept of Swadharma. What I meant to say in my previous comment is that the word 'prescribed' conveys a meaning of 'given by others.' If it's self-prescribed then Swadharma and if prescribed by some religious scriptures or some manual of moral ethics or code of conduct then it's Pardharma.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting discussion, Ravish and I feel I would be able to clarify on this as I understand at my level..
DeleteThe Rituals, customs and certain conduct I got to follow around me which I can classify as Paradhrma because as such I have no belief there indirectly becomes my Swadharma itself when not doing all that is likely produce too much trouble and threat for me which I may not be able to bear beyond limit..
In such a case, that level of what I thought as Paradharma is indirectly my swadharma itself as my living is threatened at that level and it is the first duty with me not to do anything myself against my basic living and happiness which too is my swadhrma only unless my eternal happiness is bound to continue forever even if the threat materializes to whatever level..
I'm very happy to communicate with you on these lines as your doubts/questions are truly noteworthy and have to be clarifired at my best level..
Hope I could tell something here.. May be I'm not 100% correct in saying so but I feel we should continue these discussions and learn together in this process..
Thanks for the interest taken in this context.. Best wishes!