Bg 18.45
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ
sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tac chṛṇu
Bg 18.46
yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ
Translation
45. Devoted, each to his own duty, man attains Perfection. How, engaged in his own duty, he attains Perfection, listen.
46. From Whom is the evolution of all beings, by Whom all this is pervaded, worshipping Him with one's own duty, man attains Perfection.
Commentary
WITH THESE FACULTIES IN HIM MAN CAN ULTIMATELY REACH THE STATE OF PERFECTION --- THE LIFE IN THE SELF --- HOW?
EACH DEVOTED TO HIS DUTY, MAN ATTAINS PERFECTION --- By being loyal to our own level of feelings and ideas, to our own development of consciousness, we can evolve into higher states of self-unfoldment.
The truth of this classification of mankind may not be very obvious, if we observe it only superficially. But the biographies of all great men of action declare repeatedly the precision with which this law-of-life works itself out in human affairs. A tiny Corsican boy who was asked to tend sheep refused to do so and reached Paris to become one of the greatest generals the world had ever seen --- Napoleon. A Goldsmith or a Keats would rather compose his metres in a garret than take up a commercial job, courting prosperity and a life of comfort. Each one is ordered by his own Swabhaava, and each can discover his fulfilment only in that self-ordered field of activity.
By thus working in the field ordered by one's own vasanas, if one can live surrendering one's ego and ego-centric desires to enjoy the fruits, one can achieve a sense of fulfilment; and a great peace will arise out of the exhaustion of one's vasanas. The renunciation of the ego and its desires can never be accomplished unless there is a spirit of dedication and a total surrender to the Infinite. When unbroken awareness of the Lord becomes a constant habit of the mind, dedication becomes effective, and man's evolution starts.
Such an intelligent classification of human beings on the basis of their physical behaviour, psychological structure and intellectual aptitude is applicable not in India only. This four-fold classification is universal, both in its application in life and its implication in the cultural development of man.
HOW CAN ONE, DEVOTED TO ONES OWN DUTY, ATTAIN PERFECTION? "THAT DO THOU HEAR," SAYS LORD KRISHNA:
In this chapter the four-fold classification of men and the duties of the individuals belonging to each classification are given. When a man acts according to his "nature" (Swabhaava) and station-in-life (Swadharma), his vasanas get exhausted. This exhaustion of the load of vasanas and the consequent sense of joy and relief can be gained only when he learns to work and achieve in a spirit of total self-surrender.
By constantly remembering the higher goal towards which we are working our way, if we do our work efficiently, this vasana-exhaustion takes place. The goal to be constantly remembered is indicated in this stanza: "HE FROM WHOM ALL BEINGS ARISE AND BY WHOM ALL THIS IS PERVADED." The three equipments --- the body, the mind and the intellect, that flutter out into activity, are all in themselves inert matter with no consciousness in themselves. It is only at the touch of the Light-of-Life that inert matter starts singing its vasanas through the various activities.
To remember constantly, this Consciousness, the Atman --- the Atman that lends, as it were, Its dynamism to the Matter that invests It in its activities --- is to stand apart from all agitations in the field of strife. Just as a musician, constantly conscious of the background drone, sings his songs easily in tune, just as a dancer dances effortlessly to the rhythm of the drum, such a man is never caught on the wrong foot ever in life. A new glow of tranquil peace and dynamic love comes to shine through all his actions, and his achievements radiate the shadowless Light-of-Perfection, unearthly and Divine.
Work can thus be changed into worship by attuning our minds all through our activity to the consciousness of the Self. A self-dedicated man so working in the consciousness of the Supreme pays the greatest homage to his Creator. This subtle change in attitude transforms the shape of even the most dreary situation. Even the most dreadfully unpleasant field of activity is converted into a sacred chamber of devotion --- into a silent hall of prayer --- into a quiet seat of meditation!
By thus setting one's hands and feet to work in the field-of-objects with one's mind and intellect held constantly conscious of the Divine Presence, one can attain "THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE OF ONE'S OWN DUTIES THE HIGHEST PERFECTION." Work results in self-fulfilment, apart from its legitimate "fruits." The inner personality gets integrated, and such an integrated person grows in his meditation and evolves quickly.
Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ
sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ yathā vindati tac chṛṇu
Bg 18.46
yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ
Translation
45. Devoted, each to his own duty, man attains Perfection. How, engaged in his own duty, he attains Perfection, listen.
46. From Whom is the evolution of all beings, by Whom all this is pervaded, worshipping Him with one's own duty, man attains Perfection.
Commentary
WITH THESE FACULTIES IN HIM MAN CAN ULTIMATELY REACH THE STATE OF PERFECTION --- THE LIFE IN THE SELF --- HOW?
EACH DEVOTED TO HIS DUTY, MAN ATTAINS PERFECTION --- By being loyal to our own level of feelings and ideas, to our own development of consciousness, we can evolve into higher states of self-unfoldment.
The truth of this classification of mankind may not be very obvious, if we observe it only superficially. But the biographies of all great men of action declare repeatedly the precision with which this law-of-life works itself out in human affairs. A tiny Corsican boy who was asked to tend sheep refused to do so and reached Paris to become one of the greatest generals the world had ever seen --- Napoleon. A Goldsmith or a Keats would rather compose his metres in a garret than take up a commercial job, courting prosperity and a life of comfort. Each one is ordered by his own Swabhaava, and each can discover his fulfilment only in that self-ordered field of activity.
By thus working in the field ordered by one's own vasanas, if one can live surrendering one's ego and ego-centric desires to enjoy the fruits, one can achieve a sense of fulfilment; and a great peace will arise out of the exhaustion of one's vasanas. The renunciation of the ego and its desires can never be accomplished unless there is a spirit of dedication and a total surrender to the Infinite. When unbroken awareness of the Lord becomes a constant habit of the mind, dedication becomes effective, and man's evolution starts.
Such an intelligent classification of human beings on the basis of their physical behaviour, psychological structure and intellectual aptitude is applicable not in India only. This four-fold classification is universal, both in its application in life and its implication in the cultural development of man.
HOW CAN ONE, DEVOTED TO ONES OWN DUTY, ATTAIN PERFECTION? "THAT DO THOU HEAR," SAYS LORD KRISHNA:
In this chapter the four-fold classification of men and the duties of the individuals belonging to each classification are given. When a man acts according to his "nature" (Swabhaava) and station-in-life (Swadharma), his vasanas get exhausted. This exhaustion of the load of vasanas and the consequent sense of joy and relief can be gained only when he learns to work and achieve in a spirit of total self-surrender.
By constantly remembering the higher goal towards which we are working our way, if we do our work efficiently, this vasana-exhaustion takes place. The goal to be constantly remembered is indicated in this stanza: "HE FROM WHOM ALL BEINGS ARISE AND BY WHOM ALL THIS IS PERVADED." The three equipments --- the body, the mind and the intellect, that flutter out into activity, are all in themselves inert matter with no consciousness in themselves. It is only at the touch of the Light-of-Life that inert matter starts singing its vasanas through the various activities.
To remember constantly, this Consciousness, the Atman --- the Atman that lends, as it were, Its dynamism to the Matter that invests It in its activities --- is to stand apart from all agitations in the field of strife. Just as a musician, constantly conscious of the background drone, sings his songs easily in tune, just as a dancer dances effortlessly to the rhythm of the drum, such a man is never caught on the wrong foot ever in life. A new glow of tranquil peace and dynamic love comes to shine through all his actions, and his achievements radiate the shadowless Light-of-Perfection, unearthly and Divine.
Work can thus be changed into worship by attuning our minds all through our activity to the consciousness of the Self. A self-dedicated man so working in the consciousness of the Supreme pays the greatest homage to his Creator. This subtle change in attitude transforms the shape of even the most dreary situation. Even the most dreadfully unpleasant field of activity is converted into a sacred chamber of devotion --- into a silent hall of prayer --- into a quiet seat of meditation!
By thus setting one's hands and feet to work in the field-of-objects with one's mind and intellect held constantly conscious of the Divine Presence, one can attain "THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE OF ONE'S OWN DUTIES THE HIGHEST PERFECTION." Work results in self-fulfilment, apart from its legitimate "fruits." The inner personality gets integrated, and such an integrated person grows in his meditation and evolves quickly.
Sources: vedabase.com; The Holy Geeta
