Verse-45-46
Chapter 18 — Moksha Sanyasa Yoga
Verse 45-46
🕉 Original Sanskrit Shloka
sve sve karmaṇyabhirataḥ samsiddhim labhate naraḥ
svakarmaniratah siddhim yathā vindati tacchrṇu
yataḥ pravṛttirbhūtānām yena sarvimdam tatam
svakarmaṇā tamabhyarcya siddhim vindati mānavah
🕉 English Translation
Karte huey apne apne karma,
Pa leta hai jeev siddhi param.
Milti useh siddhi jaise hai yeh,
Kehta hun tujhse viddhi ab mai veh.
Paida huyen hain jeev sab,
Samaya hua jisme sara jagat.
Useh pooj kar apne karmon se hee,
Paa leta insaan sidhi tabhi.
📜 Translation
English
By performing dedicatedly their respective duties, man attains perfection in the form of the attainment of divinity. The way in which the man who is engaged in his own work attains perfection that you do hear from Me. The Supreme to whom all beings owe their origin and by whom this all is pervaded, by worshipping Him and by performing his own natural duties, man attains supreme perfection.
See these verses by putting on the glasses of liberality. How great the thoughts of the preacher of the Gita. They will be understood effortlessly. The state of difficulty, accusation and refutation would have arisen when it had been stated that only the Brahmins by performing their deeds attain perfection or just the Kshatriyas or anyone else! For all there is open thinking and openness.
This verse is a wondrous inspiration for the one who wants to engage in one's own duty with greater dedication, self-surrender and seriousness. Previously too, it has been indicated that the Gita does not have liking for nor does it approve of indolence, laziness, shirking of work, inactivity in any form or by anybody. One may be in any class, any station of life or in any field of activity, perform your duty devotedly; there should be no expectation from the deeds being performed. Direct the energies towards your work. The word 'Karmanyabhiratah' is of significance. There should be eagerness for the performance of work and interest in it. Though there should be no attachment involved in it. Towards work there should be dedication, enthusiasm; there should be happiness while performing work and there should be no room for any excuses, total devotion towards work is keenness towards work. To harbour desire beforehand or not to think or worry about work but for reward is attachment. That is why the preacher of the Gita in the form 'karmanyabhiratah' has used the word alertness. To have such interest, i.e. enthusiasm, dedication, honesty are in themselves a means for achieving perfection through work.
So far as the matter of self-elevation in the form of perfection is to be considered, there is no partiality towards caste, class, order, etc. This is in itself is the superiority and an indication of the highest character of the philosophy of the Gita. Work is worship and work can be turned into worship but not by just displaying it in the office, school or anywhere else or merely by delivering lecture on it. 'Work is worship'—this is a good ideal motto. But think! Will this sentence become meaningful merely by this? No. The Gita is not a scripture meant for display or for just making statements, it is an inspiration for humanity, for the practical expression of the ideals in conduct. It should be taken in this spirit. That work should become worship; it is imperative that work should be done as duty. Work should be discharged with full dedication and uprightness. There should be no expectation of desire-fulfilment from work and it should also not be done with an eye on reward. Allow the work to be a reward in itself, this is very much possible. Do not allow your energy to get divided into egosim, attachment and desire for fruit and also not allow it to get frittered in these emotions! Work should be discharged with 'collected energies'.
What a sweet and endearing guidance this is! From Whom the entire creation and all beings have originated, by Whom beings are sustained and by Whom the entire world is pervaded–the vision should be fixed on that Supreme! He is the doer, sustainer and annihilator of all! If the vision is fixed there then the sense of egosim will not arise. The creator of such a vast universe is that Supreme only By Him is the governance. Then what is the meaning of my egoism! By being free from egoism, to accept the power and importance of the Supreme in our practical conduct and to accept this also in the sphere of our activity is the worship of the Lord through work.