Go with the Wheel of Action or get crushed! – Bhagavad gita 3.16-3.17

Originally Posted by Lalitha Shivaguru

Dear C Mami,

I read this piece on thursday itself but could not reply as I did not know what to reply. So thought for some more time and penning the same. Just bear with me if I am wrong anywhere and do correct me.

I understand from your post that you mean to say is we should perfrom our svadharma with out anticipating any return. To quote from one of the books of Gita, "The yogi who performs his duty renouncing attachment and desire, and only with a view to maintaining the efficient working of this wheel of creation, and has no selfish end to serve thereby; realizes God Himself, who is present in that sacrifice in the form of performance of Svadharma".

When we do not perform our duty then we are not following this wheel. It is a vicious cycle.


These words of yours were too good mami, when a person relaizes the self, then what else is there for him. He has attained the Absolute. I think that is why it is called as Nirvana.

Dear Lalitha,
Yes, you have summed up right.
Once man understands this, work is not a training to purify himself but is a fulfillment of his own God-realisation, call it Nirvana.
Love,
Chithra.

Dear C & C

Many thanks for yet another profound post. It is very true that neglecting ones work only results adversely. Neglecting health causes health issues and more suffering, neglecting daily chores just increases work exponentially, while creating a war zone, neglecting other work just piles up more work and creates a bad name. The title is rightfully justified - go with the wheel of action or get crushed. Neglecting work makes a person bored, does not offer any sense of accomplishment nor peace of mind.

The quote of St. Thomas Aquinas that action should be added to the life of prayer and not taken away from it is indeed profound and very apt. The definition of sanctity by De Caussade is very profound indeed. It is interesting to note people from various background contemplate on the lines of Gita, which only shows how practical Gita is.

-Gayathri

Dear Mrs.Chith,
Rightly said by Lord Krishna..go with the flow or else..you would be drowned..
We must atleast try our little bit to understand the purpose of this life and why we are born, etc..so that we can run smoothly the Wheel of Action..if we want to go the other way, sure we would be crushed..

the last para sums it all for those who want to know what would be the result if the person follows the Wheel of Action.
action without attachment...


Cheeniya Sir,
If we want to know the purpose of our life, reading, hearing and seeing the lives of great saints would allow us to search for our purpose here..
rightly said..
The quote of St.Thomas Acquinas..is very much relevant here...action is needed but it should be done with Divinity..
De Cassuade rightly points out that what happens is the order of the Lord.We should develop that kind of mind-set...
Last but not the least..the last para sums it all..
Thanks for making us understand by giving eg. and quotes...relevant to the topic..

sriniketan
sriniketan

Originally Posted by gayathriar

Dear C & C

Many thanks for yet another profound post. It is very true that neglecting ones work only results adversely. Neglecting health causes health issues and more suffering, neglecting daily chores just increases work exponentially, while creating a war zone, neglecting other work just piles up more work and creates a bad name. The title is rightfully justified - go with the wheel of action or get crushed. Neglecting work makes a person bored, does not offer any sense of accomplishment nor peace of mind.

The quote of St. Thomas Aquinas that action should be added to the life of prayer and not taken away from it is indeed profound and very apt. The definition of sanctity by De Caussade is very profound indeed. It is interesting to note people from various background contemplate on the lines of Gita, which only shows how practical Gita is.

-Gayathri

Dear Gayathri
The aim of all religions is to seek the Ultimate Truth. The true followers of different religions may speak different languages but they all convey the same meaning. In this context, it is a pity that a lot of killing goes on in the name of religions. Without knowing that all roads lead to the same destination, they hold their routes as supreme and fight for them!
Sri

Originally Posted by Sriniketan

Cheeniya Sir,
If we want to know the purpose of our life, reading, hearing and seeing the lives of great saints would allow us to search for our purpose here..
rightly said..
The quote of St.Thomas Acquinas..is very much relevant here...action is needed but it should be done with Divinity..
De Cassuade rightly points out that what happens is the order of the Lord.We should develop that kind of mind-set...
Last but not the least..the last para sums it all..
Thanks for making us understand by giving eg. and quotes...relevant to the topic..

sriniketan
sriniketan

Dear Sri
Talking of interacting with great souls, I am truly blessed to have had quite a few interactions with Kanchi Paramacharya.

Once someone asked him that why he was doing pooja to Chandramouleeswara daily when he should be educating people about Advaitha as a disciple of Adi Sankara. Being a follower of 'non-duality', why should he be worshipping an image of a deity which would appear contradictory to what he preached. The Paramacharya replied that Dwaitha, Adwaitha and Visishtadwaitha were all branches of the same Tree. To get to the ultimate Truth, one had to progress step by step. He gave the example of how a child was initiated into education. Though the parents might want the child to be a Scientist or a Doctor or an Engineer, the child started with Kindergarten, learning the alphabets with pictures like A for apple etc.

Our going to temples and praying before idols is akin to a child in a kindergarten school. The Spiritual Evolution starts there but most of us remain at the same level all our life. A Spiritual Education is expected to lead us from there gradually to a higher reach.
Sri

Dear Gayathri,
It is a fact that we are egged on to activity seeking and demanding a better satisfaction and complete contentment. They are the two wheels of life-chariot. Once they have arrived, no more desire can rise at all and where the desires are not, there cannot be any action. Thereafter he is free to act or not to act, to serve or not to serve and lives as a God-man upon the earth.
Love,
Chithra.

Originally Posted by gayathriar

Dear C & C

Many thanks for yet another profound post. It is very true that neglecting ones work only results adversely. Neglecting health causes health issues and more suffering, neglecting daily chores just increases work exponentially, while creating a war zone, neglecting other work just piles up more work and creates a bad name. The title is rightfully justified - go with the wheel of action or get crushed. Neglecting work makes a person bored, does not offer any sense of accomplishment nor peace of mind.

The quote of St. Thomas Aquinas that action should be added to the life of prayer and not taken away from it is indeed profound and very apt. The definition of sanctity by De Caussade is very profound indeed. It is interesting to note people from various background contemplate on the lines of Gita, which only shows how practical Gita is.

-Gayathri

Dear Bhargavi,
If a man is just a base sensualist, he could as well be born as an animal.An animal, too, lives ordered by its impulses and urges. To be in the human form and to live in human society only to live an animal's life of licentious passion is indeed a degradation, despicable too and ultimately it is an insult to one's own evolution. Such a man lives in vain, indeed!
Love,
Chith.

Originally Posted by Sriniketan

Dear Mrs.Chith,
Rightly said by Lord Krishna..go with the flow or else..you would be drowned..
We must atleast try our little bit to understand the purpose of this life and why we are born, etc..so that we can run smoothly the Wheel of Action..if we want to go the other way, sure we would be crushed..

the last para sums it all for those who want to know what would be the result if the person follows the Wheel of Action.
action without attachment...


sriniketan
sriniketan