Experience Immense Joy In Devotional Servicе
Vedanta sutra states, 'ananda mayo bhysat'-the spirit is by nature full of joy. Every soul is a pleasure being'. In the bodily concept f self, the pleasure being's potential is limited to the trappings of gross and ubtle bodies. Stuck in the 'well' of altry pleasures, the soul is unable to xperience its full pleasure potential. Pleasure is commonly known to be ensations derived momentarily at ifferent layers of our self: sensations f gross body through the five senses; ensation of the emotional body, of Oving exchanges; pleasures of the ntellectual body, cognitive pleasures f discovery and knowledge and ensations of the ego body, pleasures of ower, freedom, success and fame. Outside the realm of sensational leasure is the existential or being leasure of the self-the pleasure of urstate of being. For example, the appiness of 'love' is different from the sensational pleasure of 'loving exchanges' between loved ones. The pleasure of 'love'is the continuing sense of belonging of loved ones. Existential pleasures arise from a sense of belonging or possessing a lover, wealth, education and social position. We normally work to gain access, create and expand situations for sensational and existential pleasures. The default paradigm of a layman is that 'work' is a burden that must be undertaken in order to enjoy its fruits. There is the other paradigm of a yogi, wherein working itself is pleasure, a pleasure different from sensational and existential pleasures. Such work-pleasure is enjoyed by yogis. A karma yogi takes pleasur in work itself, irrespective of its outcome. He enjoys living most of his time in the world of activity leading to his dream, rather than dwelling on the dream itself. He is content each moment of his work, with whatever fruit comes bythe Will of Providence. He tries to excel in his work every moment, giving each moment his best to attain the fruit. It is the flowing experience of fulfilment of every bit of work. He is focussed on 'doing of work' itself without the anxiety of a distant outcome at the end of the work. However, what the karma yogi enjoys is the preliminary kind of work-pleasure. The pinnacle of such pleasure is that of a yogi whose actions combine the principles of karma, jnana and bhakti. He enjoys selfless devoted service as rendered by a partto the Absolute Whole. It springs from spiritual knowledge (of his oneness in quality with the Absolute beyond his body),love and compassion to serve the ignorant and suffering. The causes of such service are in harmony with humankind's dharma or eternal existential purpose. When engaged thus, one's own needs are lovingly tacare of mystically, bythe Absolute. Arjuna agreed to fight the war of Kurukshetra for a larger cause advocated by Krishna. This illustrates high activity-pleasure of combined karma jnana and bhakti. He transcended the limited, conditioned urges for sensational pleasure of his senses and minand acted harmoniously with the holistic wisdom of the Bhagwad Gitareceived from Krishna. Such actionsare performed and relished in the background of the highest spiritual existential joy of service, even if they mean discomfort for the body and mirSuch a mature yogi enjoys becominga willing, joyful creative instrument iloving devotional service. The inspiriforce behind such works is the Omnipotent Absolute Whole Himself(The writer is president, ISKCONBengaluru and founder-chairman, Akshaya Patra Foundation.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Madhu Pandit Dasa kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Madhu Pandit Dasa Speaking Tree,Times of India
Experience Immense Joy In Devotional Servicе
Vedanta sutra states, 'ananda mayo bhysat'-the spirit is by nature full of joy. Every soul is a pleasure being'. In the bodily concept f self, the pleasure being's potential is limited to the trappings of gross and ubtle bodies. Stuck in the 'well' of altry pleasures, the soul is unable to xperience its full pleasure potential. Pleasure is commonly known to be ensations derived momentarily at ifferent layers of our self: sensations f gross body through the five senses; ensation of the emotional body, of Oving exchanges; pleasures of the ntellectual body, cognitive pleasures f discovery and knowledge and ensations of the ego body, pleasures of ower, freedom, success and fame. Outside the realm of sensational leasure is the existential or being leasure of the self-the pleasure of urstate of being. For example, the appiness of 'love' is different from the sensational pleasure of 'loving exchanges' between loved ones. The pleasure of 'love'is the continuing sense of belonging of loved ones. Existential pleasures arise from a sense of belonging or possessing a lover, wealth, education and social position. We normally work to gain access, create and expand situations for sensational and existential pleasures. The default paradigm of a layman is that 'work' is a burden that must be undertaken in order to enjoy its fruits. There is the other paradigm of a yogi, wherein working itself is pleasure, a pleasure different from sensational and existential pleasures. Such work-pleasure is enjoyed by yogis. A karma yogi takes pleasur in work itself, irrespective of its outcome. He enjoys living most of his time in the world of activity leading to his dream, rather than dwelling on the dream itself. He is content each moment of his work, with whatever fruit comes bythe Will of Providence. He tries to excel in his work every moment, giving each moment his best to attain the fruit. It is the flowing experience of fulfilment of every bit of work. He is focussed on 'doing of work' itself without the anxiety of a distant outcome at the end of the work. However, what the karma yogi enjoys is the preliminary kind of work-pleasure. The pinnacle of such pleasure is that of a yogi whose actions combine the principles of karma, jnana and bhakti. He enjoys selfless devoted service as rendered by a partto the Absolute Whole. It springs from spiritual knowledge (of his oneness in quality with the Absolute beyond his body),love and compassion to serve the ignorant and suffering. The causes of such service are in harmony with humankind's dharma or eternal existential purpose. When engaged thus, one's own needs are lovingly tacare of mystically, bythe Absolute. Arjuna agreed to fight the war of Kurukshetra for a larger cause advocated by Krishna. This illustrates high activity-pleasure of combined karma jnana and bhakti. He transcended the limited, conditioned urges for sensational pleasure of his senses and minand acted harmoniously with the holistic wisdom of the Bhagwad Gitareceived from Krishna. Such actionsare performed and relished in the background of the highest spiritual existential joy of service, even if they mean discomfort for the body and mirSuch a mature yogi enjoys becominga willing, joyful creative instrument iloving devotional service. The inspiriforce behind such works is the Omnipotent Absolute Whole Himself(The writer is president, ISKCONBengaluru and founder-chairman, Akshaya Patra Foundation.)
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Madhu Pandit Dasa kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Madhu Pandit Dasa Speaking Tree,Times of India