Namaste Readers🙏 Hope life is treating you all well, Today, we are going to talk about something that has so much strength to change your life and yet its so simple to practice.

What is Dharma ? very simple to ask, but even if someone takes a shot at answering this very simple word, probability of you actually understanding what it means will be very low, coz it cant be just understood with words, but we will try it anyway.

We all have heard stories about arjun, stories about shree krishna and we often wonder, even after leading such a decent, righteous life, why on earth, they had to face such difficulties, why is life so unfair even to those who choose to lead the ideal life, trouble no one, care for everyone, feel for everyone around them and yet their personal life is no short of tragedy

I used to always think that justice means its what I want, I should get what I want, but if you go a bit in depth, its not what you want, its what collective universe brings to you, maybe you pull it with your vibration, remember that famous quote from scientist Nikola tesla? He used to say that everything in life is made up of energy and is vibrating at a certain frequency, well it could be that, but lets not speculate, and let’s learn from the Lord shree krishna himself.

Explore the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita as it elucidates the concept of Dharma – one’s duty and righteous path. Discover how Krishna’s teachings on Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action, can help you navigate the modern world with purpose, detachment and inner peace.

Introduction

In the sacred verses of the Bhagavad Gita, an epic conversation unfolds on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Here, Lord Krishna, embodying divine wisdom, counsels the warrior Arjuna, who stands conflicted with the moral dilemmas of war. This ancient scripture delves deep into the philosophy of Dharma—understood as one’s rightful duty, or righteous path. Among its numerous teachings, the Gita highlights a fundamental and timeless principle: the importance of performing one’s duty while relinquishing attachment to the outcomes of one’s actions.

This idea is not only profound but also immensely practical for our contemporary lives. In a world where success is often measured by results and rewards, the Gita calls us to a higher standard of action—action for the sake of duty, guided by moral and ethical integrity, rather than for the fruits it might bear. This perspective invites a shift from ego-driven ambitions to a more selfless form of participation in the world.

What does this mean for us today? Imagine approaching your professional and personal responsibilities without the overwhelming burden of their potential outcomes. This does not imply a lack of care for results but suggests a deeper focus on the action itself. Such an approach frees us from the anxieties of success and fear of failure, allowing us to act with purity of intention and dedication.

By decoupling our actions from their results, we also cultivate a sense of inner peace and stability. Our self-worth is no longer tied to our successes or failures, but is grounded in the quality and sincerity of our efforts. This not only enhances our resilience but also allows us to contribute more positively to the tasks at hand, regardless of their immediate outcomes.

Adopting this mindset can profoundly affect how we interact with the world, making us more conscientious and compassionate individuals. It encourages us to live more authentically, aligned with our deepest values rather than superficial gains. As we strive to embody this principle from the Gita, we find ourselves engaging with life’s challenges with greater clarity and calmness, driven not by the desire for personal gain but by the commitment to do what is right and good. Thus, Krishna’s counsel to Arjuna on the battlefield transcends time, urging us all to find our path of righteous action and to tread it with unwavering sincerity and grace.

Understanding Dharma: The Essence of Righteous Action

Dharma, a cornerstone of Hindu philosophy, encompasses the fundamental principles and responsibilities that guide an individual’s life. It is not merely a set of rigid rules, but a dynamic and holistic framework that encompasses one’s moral, ethical, and spiritual obligations. Krishna’s teachings in the Bhagavad Gita underscore the importance of understanding and aligning one’s actions with Dharma.

It is your dharma to act, even if you think you will fail at it, you must perform the duty with devotion, shree krishna says that if you are sincere in your acts, it is impossible to fail at something your put your mind and heart into.

Then question arises, what is moral? what is right? what is ethical? because I must clarify this for you, if you don’t already know this, but what’s right, what’s ethical is very very different for each person, also it varies from timeframe to timeframe

What was ethical 1000 years ago, could be blatantly illegal and wrong at this time, so how we can understand what is the right action?

Before that I would like to ask you a simple question, Is there an action that can exist without adverse consequences? Can a single word be spoken that universally brings only joy and comfort to all who hear it? If I am a policy maker and I feel bringing price of goods will make customers happy, I would be fool to not think that decreased prices would make sellers unhappy at the very same moment

This proves that happiness, joy, misery, pain all are sides of the same coin, you cannot have happiness and reject all pain, it cannot exist, the very thing that gave you happiness will convert into such a thing which will make you sad, its nature

Coming back to morality and what is ethical, whichever action brings happiness to the face of your loved ones without knowingly making others life miserable would be considered moral act, it could be your dharma.

There is youtuber who has recently started a playlist on his channel, where he personally goes to the place of religious teachings and learn. His channel name is Nas Daily

In his video titles as I spent 1 month studying Hinduism. It made me love YouTube. he explains how he learned what is his dharma. He has put so much efforts into making this video, so do watch it

It is your way of living, in which you are content, always happy and not at the expense of someone’s joy, doing what you loved with deepest of gratitude and devotion, that is dharma, you are in your own paradise, you can live with freedom, you have freedom, you have the freedom of thought, you have the freedom of choice and yet many of us suffer from our own demons.

The Bhagavad Gita’s Perspective on Duty and Detachment

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna imparts the timeless wisdom that true fulfillment lies not in the pursuit of personal gain or the attachment to the results of one’s actions, but in the selfless performance of one’s duty. He urges Arjuna to embrace his role as a warrior and fulfill his rightful obligation, without being swayed by the temptation of victory or the fear of defeat.

Frankly speaking, sometimes I feel like I am stuck in a war of my own thoughts, sometimes I feel I most excited to do the stuff, sometimes I dont feel like doing anything, there are times when I need to do things and my mind is not in the right state, how do we combat that? how to win the battles with your own mind?

Shree krishna told arjuna, treat it as your duty, don’t expect to win, infact dont waste your time thinking about it at all, you might say how is it possible? we all do work in order to gain something isn’t it ? and to tell you the truth, arjun asked the same question to shree krishna.

Well now we can say that our questions are not wrong, how do one not think about outcome while performing a task? In my experience, whenever I have been most happy and was able to perform according to my highest abilities, I was actually very present in the situation, rather than thinking about the outcome of that particular activity

There are only a few things we can focus on at a time, maybe in true sense only one thing at a time, so in my opnion, it is our duty, our dharma, to be present in the situation, rather that thinking about something which is entirely out of our control

I find krishna’s logic so sound, because just think about it for a moment, is outcome in your hand? even if you care only about the outcome, it is your dharma to perform the duty and not think about the outcome, only then you will be able to get the results that you forever desired for. I have given so much thought to this topic, and I think you should too.

Logically speaking, if you are thinking about many things at a time when you are in sword fight with your opponent, things like, how will I look when I win this fight, How will people talk about me, how great I will be consider, what kind of respect I will get and your opponent is just thinking about the fight, in face he is not even thinking about the fight, he is performing at his highest, who do you think will win the fight? Be honest and tell me?

So finally, its your dharma to do the task given to you with utmost sincerity.

I will explain this in a bit more details for you, bear with me, I am in the mood to explain it with everything I have got.

See, In the heart of every task we undertake lies a profound principle that guides us, often likened to the concept of ‘dharma’ in various Eastern philosophies. Dharma, a rich and multifaceted term, transcends mere duty; it encapsulates righteousness, moral law, and the ethical path one ought to walk in life. Essentially, it’s about aligning your actions with your highest moral and ethical values.

When you approach any task, treating it as your dharma means engaging with it with full sincerity and commitment. This is not just about fulfilling responsibilities or meeting expectations; it’s about honoring your role in the larger context of your life and the lives of others. Whether you’re a teacher shaping minds, a doctor saving lives, an artist inspiring souls, or even a student learning to navigate the world, your dharma is to perform your role with integrity and dedication.

Performing your tasks sincerely as your dharma has a transformative effect. It not only enhances the quality of the work produced but also elevates your own spirit and character. When you pour genuine effort into your tasks, viewing them as contributions to a greater good, your work ceases to be just a means to an end. It becomes an expression of your deepest values and aspirations.

Moreover, embracing this perspective fosters a sense of purpose and fulfillment. It’s not merely about the outcome anymore, but about the process—about living according to principles that are fundamentally rooted in ethical and moral virtues. This approach to tasks and duties can profoundly impact not only your own well-being but also that of those around you, creating ripples of positivity and meaningful change.

In a world that often emphasizes the end result over the means, choosing to perform your tasks as your dharma is a powerful stance. It’s a reminder that how we do things matters just as much as what we do, and that integrity and sincerity can and should be at the core of all our actions. So, as you move forward, consider how transforming your approach to work and duties into expressions of your dharma can enrich both your life and the lives of others around you.

I am a big believer in karma, do good and good things will follow till the rest of your life, it will multiply and you will soon think, what did I do to receive this kind of rewards from universe, well, my friend, you followed your dharma.

The Art of Karma Yoga: Performing Duty with Equanimity

Karma Yoga, its a very difficult thing to understand in my opinion because with words we can explain its meaning, but when we start performing according to karma yoga, we find ourselves in a state of confusion.

If we do not want to attach ourselves to the fruit of the action, then why to work in the first place, there is so much confusion on this topic, many great saints tried to explain this as best as possible, In my opinion, Swami Vivekananda, explained in very detail

sukha-duḥkhe same kṛitvā lābhālābhau jayājayau
tato yuddhāya yujyasva naivaṁ pāpam avāpsyasi

Meaning (Fight for the sake of duty, treating alike happiness and distress, loss and gain, victory and defeat. Fulfilling your responsibility in this way, you will never incur sin.)

In my opinion, Shree krishna says, if you do something only because it gives you happiness, you have not yet understood life yet, how long does one same action/reward keeps you happy? for a few moments, days, maybe a little more than that… but what after that?

So if you keep chasing happiness, you will have to keep on shifting your focus to new things, every time when you are somewhere where you can actually become a very PRO in the particular skill, you are going to give up, because it does not bring you the same happiness as it once did.

So happiness can never be the sole motivation to perform the duty, to follow your dharma, NEVER.

Then, you might say, I want to avoid loss, defeat, pain in life, well that’s not possible, in plain words, Happiness and misery are two sides of the same coin.

Imagine you preparing for an examination, you worked so hard, cleared it and your got the job that you wanted all your life, but now imagine after spending 10 years in the same place, you are bored, you are not motivated to do the things that once brought happiness in your life, what happened? how did this happen? why did this happen? spend some time thinking in this direction and you will understand that happiness, joy, misery, loss, pain are momentary in nature

Krishna introduces the concept of Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action, as a means to attain spiritual enlightenment. He emphasizes that by performing one’s duty with a detached and equanimous mindset, free from the desire for personal reward or the aversion to undesirable outcomes, one can transcend the cycle of attachment and achieve a state of inner peace and fulfillment.

Applying Dharma in the Modern World

In the fast-paced and often chaotic world of the 21st century, the principles of Dharma and Karma Yoga hold immense relevance. By embracing our duties and responsibilities with a sense of purpose and detachment, we can navigate the complexities of life with greater clarity, resilience, and inner balance. This approach empowers us to make a positive impact on the world around us, without being consumed by the attachments and egoistic desires that often hinder our growth and well-being.

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Conclusion

The Bhagavad Gita’s timeless teachings on Dharma and Karma Yoga offer a profound blueprint for living a life of purpose, fulfillment, and spiritual evolution. By understanding and embodying the essence of Krishna’s wisdom, we can transcend the limitations of ego and attachment, and unlock the transformative power of selfless action. As we navigate the challenges and opportunities of the modern world, let us strive to uphold the principles of Dharma and cultivate a mindset of detachment, ultimately finding the true meaning and joy in the journey of life.