National Integration Through Thirukkural And Sanskrit
Performing Swadharma
The Bhagavad-Gita is one of the most ancient spiritual scriptures of the world. The central philosophy of the Bhagavad-Gita characterizes the central theme of Sanathana Dharma which is the bedrock on which Hinduism is practiced.
Swami Dayananda says “The Gita is not meant for any one person or creed or nation; it is meant for humanity. It speaks to a mind that has fought in life, a mind that is dissatisfied with constant want, a mind that is alert and thinking, and that has many conflicts.”
Bhagavad-Gita elaborates on how anyone can perform ordinary duties in the world and yet remain free from the consequences of one’s actions. It is not by inaction, not even by doing only the so called good deeds, one attains liberation, but by doing deeds without the sense of doer-ship as a sacrificial offering to God in the true spirit of renunciation and without shunning the responsibility, which comes with birth.
In the epic Mahabaratha, at the beginning of war, Arjuna threw down his bow and arrows, wanting to withdraw from the war. Krishna reminds him to his birth in the Kshatriya – or Warrior — caste, and to the natural duty of a Kshatriya, which is war. Krishna says that by shirking our Karma and abhorring it, we only make new Karma. Krishna exhorts Arjuna to perform the duties appointed to him, and urges him to do it on the ground and set a good example that the lower orders would follow. Krishna says, “He who understands the whole universe should not cause people, slow and ignorant of the universe, to relapse from their duty.”
The forsaking of worldly action — called sannyas —is the same as what is called by Westerners as the monastic life. Adopted selfishly under a mistaken notion of duty it cannot be true devotion. It is merely an attempt to save oneself. To-day, just as then, there are those who think true renunciation consists in doing nothing except for themselves, in retiring from active duties, and in devoting their attention to what they are pleased to call self-development. Truly they sought for equal-mindedness, but failed to see that it can only be acquired through right performance of duty, and not by selecting the duties and environments that please us. We have a duty to see that we do all we can in our own place as we see best, undisturbed and unperturbed.
Lord Krishna in Bagavad Gita 3.19 says, a person who performs actions as a matter of duty without being attached to the fruits, attains the Supreme.
தஸ்மாத³ஸக்த: ஸததம் கார்யம் கர்ம ஸமாசர |
அஸக்தோ ஹ்யாசரன்கர்ம பரமாப்னோதி பூருஷ: ||
Thiruvalluvar in his couplet 266 says “A person who discharges his duties with full responsibility and dedication, unattached from outcomes alone, can be considered doing a penance. All others, who entranced by desire in the pursuit of their own prosperity and wealth, will harm themselves with miseries”.
தவம்செய்வார் தம்கருமம் செய்வார்மற்று அல்லார்
அவம்செய்வார் ஆசையுள் பட்டு
Thavam seiyvaar tham karumam seivaar matru allaar
Avam seiyvaar aasaiyul pattu
பரிமேலழகர் உரை:
தம் கருமம் செய்வார் தவம் செய்வார் – தம் கருமம் செய்வாராவார் துறந்து தவத்தைச் செய்வார், மற்று அல்லார் ஆசையுள் பட்டு அவம் செய்வார் – ஒழிந்த பொருள் இன்பங்களைச் செய்வார், அவற்றின்கண் ஆசையாகிய வலையுள்பட்டுத் தமக்குக் கேடு செய்வார். (அநித்தமாய் மூவகைத் துன்பத்ததாய் உயிரின் வேறாய உடற்கு வருத்தம் வரும் என்று ஒழியாது தவத்தினைச் செய்ய, பிறப்புப் பிணிமூப்பு இறப்புக்களான் அநாதியாகத் துன்பம் எய்தி வருகின்ற உயிர் ஞானம் பிறந்து வீடு பெறும் ஆகலின், தவம் செய்வாரைத் ‘தம் கருமம் செய்வார்’ என்றும், கணத்துள் அழிவதான சிற்றின்பத்தின் பொருட்டுப் பலபிறவியும் துன்புறத்தக்க பாவஞ்செய்து கோடலின், அல்லாதாரை ‘அவம் செய்வார்’ என்றும் கூறினார். ‘மற்று’ வினைமாற்றின்கண் வந்தது.)
Sanskrit Translation by Shri S.N. Srirama Desikan
க்ரியதே யைஸ்தப: கர்ம க்ருதக்ருத்யாஸ்த ஏவ ஹி .
ஆஶாபாஶவஶா ஹந்த க்லிஶ்யந்த இதரே ஜனா : ..
sanskritroots.com 