Humbly Begging for Their Mercy
"It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexorable, that those who will not risk cannot win."
[ John Paul Jones, Commander, United States Navy, 1776 ]
Yours
Bhakti Yoga - The Topmost Yogic Practice!
Humbly Begging for Their Mercy
A Festival in Poland to Satisfy the Lord
TEXT 47:
sreyan sva-dharmo vigunah
para-dharmat sv-anushthitat
svabhava-niyatam karma
kurvan napnoti kilbisham
TRANSLATION:
It is better to engage in one's own occupation, even though one may perform it imperfectly, than to accept another's occupation and perform it perfectly. Duties prescribed according to one's nature are never affected by sinful reactions.
PURPORT:
One's occupational duty is prescribed in Bhagavad-gita. As already discussed in previous verses, the duties of a brahmana, kshatriya, vaisya and sudra are prescribed according to their particular modes of nature. One should not imitate another's duty. A man who is by nature attracted to the kind of work done by sudras should not artificially claim to be a brahmana, although he may have been born into a brahmana family. In this way one should work according to his own nature; no work is abominable, if performed in the service of the Supreme Lord. The occupational duty of a brahmana is certainly in the mode of goodness, but if a person is not by nature in the mode of goodness, he should not imitate the occupational duty of a brahmana. For a kshatriya, or administrator, there are so many abominable things; a kshatriya has to be violent to kill his enemies, and sometimes a kshatriya has to tell lies for the sake of diplomacy. Such violence and duplicity accompany political affairs, but a kshatriya is not supposed to give up his occupational duty and try to perform the duties of a brahmana.
One should act to satisfy the Supreme Lord. For example, Arjuna was a kshatriya. He was hesitating to fight the other party. But if such fighting is performed for the sake of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there need be no fear of degradation. In the business field also, sometimes a merchant has to tell so many lies to make a profit. If he does not do so, there can be no profit. Sometimes a merchant says, "Oh, my dear customer, for you I am making no profit," but one should know that without profit the merchant cannot exist. Therefore it should be taken as a simple lie if a merchant says that he is not making a profit. But the merchant should not think that because he is engaged in an occupation in which the telling of lies is compulsory, he should give up his profession and pursue the profession of a brahmana. That is not recommended. Whether one is a kshatriya, a vaisya, or a sudra doesn't matter, if he serves, by his work, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even brahmanas, who perform different types of sacrifice, sometimes must kill animals because sometimes animals are sacrificed in such ceremonies. Similarly, if a kshatriya engaged in his own occupation kills an enemy, there is no sin incurred. In the Third Chapter these matters have been clearly and elaborately explained; every man should work for the purpose of Yajna, or for Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Anything done for personal sense gratification is a cause of bondage. The conclusion is that everyone should be engaged according to the particular mode of nature he has acquired, and he should decide to work only to serve the supreme cause of the Supreme Lord.
No work is abominable, if performed in the service of the Supreme Lord - [BG.18.30]
We should try to be like the bees that go after the honey instead of the flies that go after stool.
Some complain about getting along with others who cause them many problems—ah, if they
could only be alone they could experiencesome peace and quite—but really we are all relational creatures as is all existence,
conscious or inert if we really study the universe:
Everything has
its component parts
from solar systems and planets
to the elements composing them
earth, water, fire, air, space
living things, celestial bodies
cells, DNA, atoms, molecules
mountains, streams, valleys
plains, deserts, oceans
all having meaning
by comparison
and relationship to.
Whatever we see
or experience is
in relationship
to something else
as nothing stands alone
though all is one in Krishna
he manifests form and variety
and we cannot, not be
in correspondence to
another part,
even a speck.
To master oneself
or our life
we must master
relationships
seeing them as life's
building blocks
the key to happiness
and fulfillment
as mirrors
to help us
look at ourself.
We are interdependent,
independence is illusion
from any angle of vision
whether atomic or universal
the ultimate truth being
we are part of Krishna
who is the center
of our center
life of our life
soul of our souls
the glue which
causes things to
relate to things,
parts to parts
people to people.
True lasting happiness
is playing the part
we were designed
to play
in loving service
to our Source
and more intimately,
the Lord of our hearts.
Our principle forms
of God, Radha-Krishna
Gaura-Nitai
who are never alone
always surrounded
by loving servants
friends, parents, lovers—
every type of relationship
finds its rest in them.
Now we have to practice
relating to other
people and devotees
whether a spouse, child
friend, boss, guru,
teacher, student,
antagonist, all for
relationship practice
to be loving, kind
compassionate
choosing to find
the good, not seeing
the blemishes as who
they—or we— really are.
Can't escape others by false renunciation since we must learn how to get along with all types of
"others" from the lowest mean selfish conditioning to the great souls—all can be our teachers
with the potential to help uncover our sleeping soul or show us what we need to be purified from
learning that without relationships we can't exist whether in this world or the next.
Relationships are Everything