By : Seetha ‘Priya’
Nishkama Karma is not mere worklessness, external passivity or idleness. It is the state of establishment in the experience that one is the Atman, the pure spirit, the uninvolved witness of passivity as well as activity of body-mind. Willful worklessness amounting to idleness is not the aim.
When one’s ego identifies itself with the body and feels ‘I am the body’, he becomes an actor, one involved in works. On the other hand, if he feels that ‘I am the Atman’, he remains as spirit, the pure witness, this state is called ‘nishkama’ or egoless passivity of the spirit.
Further, absolute passivity is impractical as living becomes impossible. “To awaken, sit calmly. Let each breath clear your mind and open your heart” (The Buddha)
So, what is expected to do is to work, controlling the senses by the mind and doing his duty with utter dedication and submission to Lord Sainath and without caring for the fruits.
The fifth shloka of Vishnu Sahasranama states –
‘Swayambhu Shambhur-Adityaha Pushparaksha Mahaswana
Anadinidhano-Dhata Vidhata Dhaturuttamaha’
The self-born Sai Baba is ‘Swayambu’ whose birth and lineage we are ignorant and is ‘Shambhu’ the bestower of good. He is the Sun-God ‘Aditya’ and is lotus eyed as ‘Pushkaraksha’. As ‘Mahaswana’ He is Omkara of holy sound and is beyond birth and death as ‘Anadinidhana’. He is ‘Dhata’ the supporter and ‘Vidhata’ the dispenser and the supporter of supporters, He is ‘Dhatuttama’ the best of all substances.
Sai Baba himself taught the businessman who came to him for procuring ‘Brahma Jnan’ that practice of nishkhama karma is easier said than done. Even though the businessman had a bundle of Rs.250 in currency he did not volunteer to give five rupees to Sai Baba when He was frantically seeking a loan. Ultimately Sai Baba rebukes him for his infatuation towards money and still seeking ‘Brahma Jnan’.
This is because an attitude of being a witness does not come unless one feels detached. This happens after he understands and appreciates about what one really owns in life as well as the glories of the Creator.
Nothing belongs to us. We came with nothing. Oxygen was provided to us and we are provided with food so that the body can last possibly a hundred years. Nature meets all our wants. Yes, the world is a well-endowed guest house. Thus, mutually we can live, helping each other, according to Nature’s design.
You cannot be an owner if you are not the author. The Creator is the material cause of Creation in addition to being the efficient cause. You cannot say that you created a business empire, because you must exist to start with, and all that was needed by you, like the ground, building materials, human beings and other raw material, was already available.
Sri Narasimha Swamiji in his book ‘Life of Sai Baba’ points out that human ownership is only a notion of Sai Baba’s will by man’s egoism. When this distortion is overcome through devotion and submission to the divine will of Sai Baba, complete peace and perfection is attained even in the midst of all work. Sri Narasimha Swamiji wants us to establish this reconciliation between Sai Baba and the devotees. Then it will be easy to practice detachment, slowly graduating to the state of being a witness. One will begin to see and appreciate Sai Baba’s manifestations all around with a sense of awe and wonder.
Creation and Time are endless, being cyclic. The process of Creation has a purpose for the ‘Jiva’ or individual soul and that is to help him evolve to regain his full divine nature. Human birth is said to be precious as it is the only vehicle with potential to reach the goal. The worldly man needs only to change his attitude towards work.
One will be successful in doing ‘nishkama karma’ when he can dwell in the state of a witness in discharging life’s duties, without caring for results. This can happen in two stages, the first in which all fruits of action are resigned to Sai Baba – ‘Sainatha Arpanamastu’. This is called ‘prasada buddhi’, graceful acceptance as ‘prasad’, a Divine blessing.
The yogi has still the sense of agency, the feeling of doer-ship. At a higher level of perfection, the sense of agency is also resigned, this is known as ‘Isvararpana buddhi’, offering of choice of action to the Divine. This attitude is based on an appreciation of the Divine even before you begin your action.
Thus, it is ‘Bhakti’ that completes the Vishnu Sahasranama doctrine of dedicated and detached work and practice of nishkama karma leads one eventually to ‘nishkama siddhi’ – an interim stage before enlightenment.
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