In the last post, we discussed the need for constant practice. A question might arise in our minds. We have a family, wife / husband and so how is it possible to think of the Lord 24 hours? In such a circumstance, what do we do? The Lord says, “even if we cannot practice in such a fashion, at all times, we can practice the sadhana – “matkarmaH paramo bhavaH”. We shall elaborate on that concept in this post..
अभ्यासेऽप्यसमर्थोऽसि मत्कर्मपरमो भव ।
मदर्थमपि कर्माणि कुर्वन्सिद्धिमवाप्स्यसि ॥१२- १०॥
Abhyaase.apyasamartho.asi matkarma paramO bhava
Madarthamapi karmaaNi kurvan.h siddhimavaapsyasi
Abhyaase api – even to practice : asamartho.asi – you are unable: matkarma paramaH – intent on doing actions for My sake: bhava – be: Madartham – for my sake: karmaaNi – actions: kurvan.h – by doing : siddhiM – perfection : avaapsyasi – you will attain
With what attitude do we perform all actions as on offerring to the 
Lord? In the third chapter, the Lord provided guidance on this when He said,
“mayi sarvaaNi karmaaNi, sanyasyaadhyaatma chetasaa
niraashii nirmamo bhuutvaa yudhyasva vigata jvaraH”
The Lord says, “do your action, but offer all actions to Me”. This should be the attitude. He teaches the way to lead life. If we take the simplest of our daily actions, for Eg., “if we think that we are cooking for Him, then there will be a total change in attitude. We will cook with great interest and care, as though we are cooking for a very special guest, instead of thinking of this as a daily, boring chore that we just need to do!
Thought of the Lord brings out all the beautiful qualities. For Eg., while doing a puja, when we offer the asana for Lord, will we take out a tissue paper and put it for him? If it is for the Lord, we first purify and offer a pavitra aasana. Whatever we do, we give full concentration, respect and enthusiasm. These qualities are present in anything that we do for the Lord. It follows therefore, that, if we have purity, happiness, love and respect in any action, then automatically it becomes an offering to the Lord.
The lord says niraashi bhuutva which means without thinking about tomorrow – without expecting something for the future. The message is “Do any action NOW”. Do not procrastinate and think about tomorrow for today will be spoiled. Live life fully today.
Niramamo Bhutva means shed one’s ego. It means means without thought of oneself and what benefits we will get by doing the action. Do not pollute the present by bringing the past into it. People talk about the past all the time – six generations back, my super super grandfather was in Kabul selling Channa and he came to Bombay. So many stories. Ego is the extent to which our present is corrupted by our past. The longer the past, the longer the ego. The mantra to worship is “From today, I vow that I shall never waste someone’s time by talking about the past”. If we take this vow, automatically we would remain quiet.
The extent to which we are in the present, that much we are happy. This is the equation for joy and closeness to God. That is why we are happy to be with sadhus even for two minutes because they are 100% present. Their temporariness/ impermanence is not divided into time frames and is called Paramaatma.
Matkarma Paramobavah means “If we experience joy in action, one can never be sad”. When I am writing to you, if I can’t be happy, then there is no use. If I expect that after I complete this post, people are going to praise me and I do this in expectation of that, when it does not happen, I will become sad. Wrong expectations can never give happiness.
Madhartham karmani kurvan siddhim avaapsyasi – the Lord says if you act for me, you will always be happy. If respect and Love are there in each and every action, there will be no tiredness; only Joy and we become closer to God. So if in every action, we feel happiness and enthusiasm, then it is a qualification for a devotee.
Lord first said employ your mind and intellect for me. Then he said, if it is difficult, don’t worry, it can be done by practice. After this he said, even if the practice is difficult, do not worry. If every action is done with love and happiness, then in each action, you experience the Lord. So far he has given three alternatives.
In the next post, we shall discuss a fourth alternative.
Pranams to Bhagavatas,
Talking about past is a kind of withdrawal Symptom. True … who likes to hear about your great grandfather and so on…….. my own wife gets bored if talk about my great heroic days…she tells me repeat it now …. I want to see it . Don’t at least bore others.
Good post -Sister Sowmya
I always had a question in mind that although i try it is really not possible to think abt the Lord every moment. It becomes difficult especially while at work. The four paths that the Lord has mentioned and so well explained out here has cleared all my doubts. This post has been a Blessing for me and answered my question. Thanks for this wonderful piece of work.