THE SECRET OF WORK

THE  SECRET  OF  WORK

by

Swami Vivekananda

1Q       When will misery come to an end ?

A         Misery of the world can never be put to an end. It can never be cured by physical help. It comes because of lack of knowledge to solve problems. The common man is always in need of items. He is full  of desires. Desire is never satisfied by the enjoyment of a desire. The moment one desire is fulfilled another desire takes birth. So no amount of physical help can remove the man from his miseries. The only solution to solve misery is to make him spiritually strong, and educated.

            One’s thinking should be well guided so that one can solve one’s own problem. Making people depending on others always never solve the misery. It is he, who himself has to solve his own problem. Why  the intensity of  severity of an issue is well understood by the sufferer rather than the adviser.

            Unless one’s character changes, any amount of physical help, charities, hospitals, financial aid etc., can save one from one’s own misery.

            So Swami Vivekananda preaches for man making, character building, self-depending, type of education. Unless one comes out of one’s own ignorant living,  one’s own self-pity,  and lead a  pragmatic life,  one can never overcome one’s own misery.

2Q      How is each man’s character determined ?

A         If money is lost, nothing is lost; if health is lost, something is lost; but if character is lost everything is lost.

            What we think and what we do, leaves an impression on mind stuff. These impressions are not obvious on the surface. The sum total of these impressions create a strong motive force which we call character. If the impressions are good, the character formed is good and if the impressions are bad, the character formed is bad.

            Some people mould themselves and form  such a strong character that no amount of outside force can change them. No body could dare enough to force Harishchandra to  tell lie. No body could alter the determination of Mother Theresa from doing her work.

            Indriyas are such that, they always provoke man to commit blunder. Anyone who keeps the indriyas  in his control can form a good character.  If indriyas dominate a  man he becomes a characterless person. One should always remember that ‘character is the crown of a man.’

3Q.     Explain the statement, “This world is not our habitation; it is only one of the many stages through which we are passing.”

A         According to Vedanta ‘jeeva’ takes birth and dies. This is cycle of birth and death, going on forever. Likewise many births and deaths  completed and have to be completed. We have taken  the birth of a human being because of our past ‘punyam’. In this birth we are here. In the last birth where we were, we donot know. In the next birth where we will be, we donot know. This is the meaning of pass ing through many stages. So utilize this birth in the best way and elevate your selves such that the ‘jeeva’ always goes to higher and higher stages of birth.                               

4Q.     What was the teaching of Swami Vivekananda regarding work ?

A.        He  teaches that everyone should work. Work as if it is your religion of worship. Work with freedom. Work without bondage. Work without attachment. Work without expecting results. Selfish work is a slave’s work. The work that we do, inspired by love, brings us peace. In Geeta Krishna says that He too works every second. If He stops working, the whole universe will decay. He has nothing to gain from work. He says, He works because He loves the world.

5Q.     How can one not be touched by sin ?

A.        Swami says that cowardice is sin. If anybody feels that he is weak is sin. He reminds us that in all of us resides that infinite atma which is  all pervading. Atma which is the manifestation  of god cannot be touched and contaminated by sin. God is truth. God is dharma. So never be afraid of sin.

B.        If  one works expecting something in return, will be in bondage. Bondage leads to attachment. Attachment leads to selfishness telling my wife, my children, my property, etc. This attachment makes one to do unwanted works which throw him in the abyss of sin. So the wise can understand that the root cause of sin is attachment. So work but non-attached. This makes one free from  sin.

6.        Do you find Vivekananda’s plea for non-attachment convincing. Give reasons.

            Swami Vivekananda, a great soul, a great stalwart of India preached for non-attachment. 

            In this materialistic world, when man has become more and more selfish, more and more materialistic, may feel it impossible to relinquish non-attachment . He feels good only when he is in bondage, attached, and serving as a slave.

            It can be possible only with the saints, not with a common man.

            The more one possesses the more strong one is. Because he is more desirous, more greedy and more attached.

            The common man can never imagine non-attachment, because he is always in wants.  He has  family, children, desires, future hopes etc.  Most of his life runs for hand to mouth life.

            The great souls who are born with some purpose in life like Swami Vivekananda, Ramana Maharshi,  Adi Shankara can follow the path of non-attachment.

Bhagad Geeta          =  It is the celestial song told by Krishna to Arjuna,

Indriyas                    =  Gnanendriyas = eye, nose, ear, tongue, skin

Karmendriyas          = kamamu, krodhamu, lobhamu, madamu, matsaryamu

Non-attachment      =  though in the world, no concern with others. Just like a lotus comes from the mud but there is no mud to it.

God                             =  the all pervading, the Almighty, the Omnipresent who is manifested in all.