Karma Yoga – Relevance of fulfilling materialistic needs in life

Karma Yoga – Relevance of fulfilling materialistic needs in life

Reading spiritual and religious books is often considered challenging to the common man. First of all, people assume that by reading such books, we would drift away from materialistic world and care less for things around us – our worldly affairs, ambitions to achieve and to fulfill our materialistic needs. Often while talking to friends and colleagues, I have realized that people appreciate someone who is spiritual and religious, studies spiritual books and follows a Guru. But, at the same time when it comes for them to make an attempt in doing the same, they step back. They withdraw with the fear that by following that path, he or she might drift away from day to day life and lose focus on their goals. They fear that being spiritual would make them demotivated to be an achiever.

Ask someone who is a scholar of religious scriptures – and they would just smile! This idea of withdrawal can be associated with the tradition where in the person who preaches religion or does commentary on spirituality, philosophy and scriptures is often projected as a detached human being who has renounced all worldly commitments and lives a life of aimlessly wandering soul. In Hinduism they are known as Sanyasi, A mendicant priest in catholic order of Christianity, A dervish in Sufi order of Islam and a monk in Buddhism and Jainism. A worldly man would like to listen to them, take their blessings and advise on certain matters and move on. A family man is not encouraged to venture into the other world with a fear that it might break the balance which is holding the family and society together. Most common prescription is ‘ That is good, but not for you’.

Now you will be amazed to read that God never wanted the all the worldly man to become monks and quit their duties and walk away. Only a Guru (Spiritual Master) would be able to comprehend scriptures properly and teach the man what the laws expect of a worldly man. As prescribed in Bhagwat Gita

Na buddhi-bhedam janayed
ajnanam karma-sanginam
Josayet sarva-karmani
vidvan yuktah samacaran

-Bhagwat Gita, Ch.3(The Eternal Duties of a Human Beings), Verse 26

Meaning : The wise should not create discord in the mind of ignorant people attached to fruititive actions; instead the wise man with persistence and precision, should induce others in activities, keeping them fully engaged.

This clearly says that for the unintelligent human being, the concept of working without expecting any fruits or results is meaningless. Working selflessly and being unattached to your actions is only for the evolved human being. Work devoid of desire is an exalted state given to the enlightened few. This philosophy is too high for the common man to understand. To work for results is far superior to being given to laziness born of inertia. The indolent man must be roused to ambitions and exertions leading to pleasures and prosperity. Unable to comprehend this philosophy of ‘work devoid of desire’ man would be given to escape-mentality from actions on earth. Care should be taken no such confusion is created in the mind of the indolent and ignorant.

                                    -                         Commentary by Swami Chidbhavananda

Question may arise if scriptures approve of working for desires, how does a man ever get to the selfless work? The answer may be derived from the teachings given by Sadgurus. By following the scriptures and instructions of a Guru , a sincere man eventually achieves what he desires for. After having fulfilled all his materialistic goals and enjoyed the pleasures of life, there comes a time when the same person has nothing more to wish for. He or she contemplates on his or her life and with the same inertia of action, continues to work unattached to the results thus generated. Those results or fruits of ones action thus reach out to others in need. Since all actions and results thereof are contained within the nature, the outcome of ones good work is utilized somewhere else.

Taking various examples from the life of Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi as described in Sai Satcharitra, we can find that thousands of people flocked to Shirdi for the fulfillment of various needs in life. Some came seeking to be blessed with a child, some came to be cured of illness and some came to seek blessings and advice on business deals and financial troubles. Being a spiritual master who knew that these worldly needs are temporary and man should rather seek spiritual advice, Baba fulfilled their desires. But if you look at how the lives of these men and women who came transformed later, you will be astonished. Most of them came back to Baba and served humanity with all they had. They sacrificed what they sought from the Guru, devoted their lives in serving others and propagating the message of their Master. Fulfillment in life and seeking for it is an important aspect in the path of spirituality and growing as a human being.

Bow to my Guru!

                                                                                                            -Santanu