Saturday 24 January 2015

Efforts are a must in leading a purposeful life

|| योग: कर्मसु कौशलम् ||

After saying the need of master plan for life, Eknathji makes karyakartas introspective. He asks :
Are we living a purposeful life or a moment-to-moment life?
And further he gives example of a dog and makes one understand as to what is moment to moment life. He says : A dog's life is a moment-to-moment life. It is propelled by the desires and has no purpose in life. The instinct which is predominant for the moment is satisfied by a dog. It feels hungry, it goes in search of food, finds it somehow, somewhere and the hunger is appeased; it has nothing to do thereafter. It feels sleepy, it sleeps; it feels like enjoying, it enjoys; thus the desire for the moment is sought to be satisfied. There is no purpose or goal of life for which a dog strives and lives. Thus, the four natural instincts or hungers are satisfied by a dog.
Having known this, he puts very probing questions : "Am I to lead a dog's life? What should I do? I am a human being and I must know how to live for a purpose. Why do I live?" These are the questions that every youth must ask himself. If you ask any Indian youth today why he lives, the reply will be "because he does not die".
One must have something to live for and to die for. The pursuit to achieve the goal will not be lost even if one dies.
Once this difference is known, one can real start living real life and then keep on progressing on one's chosen path of purposeful life. Eknathji says :
A purposeful life is a planned life and there is no importance to personal instincts. Man should not be a product of atmosphere; he should not be at the mercy of circumstances. If the river flows from east to west and if one has to go to the east, he must go against the current.
Here he cites another example of stray cattle : One's life should not be like that of the stray cattle in the cities. When person go behind them to take them to cattlepound they close all the avenues and keep only that open which leads to cattle-pound. The cattle just seeing the other roads blocked by these men take to the road which appears favourable but they end up in confinement of cattle-pound. Our life should be just like these cattle avoiding the obstacles and difficulties and ultimately ending up meaninglessly. Many young men are creatures of circumstances. They try to make their way where circumstances are favourable. They aspire to go to medical faculty; if that is not possible, try for engineering side, if not, then be a B.Com, if that is not favourable, then try something else. If the road to one aspiration is blocked, leave it and try another like the cattle and the dog which go by the way they find easy.
'Bhavatu vihat vighna dhyeyamarganuyatra' is remembered here:
You must always remember that you are a man, a rational animal and you must pave your way for liberation. Strive hard, build up your future and reach the final goal. You have the power and faculties to live a purposeful life. Think always how you can contribute to the betterment of the world. What account of your life are you going to render?

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