Miscellaneous - Religion   

Symbol of humility

CHENNAI: Every birth is significant since we are born to exhaust/experience our Karma. All individuals must act since action and change are characteristic of life. Every action leads to consequences and thus the Karma attaches itself to beings who are cast into Samsara again and again. The Bhagavad Gita entreats individuals to get engaged in their ordained duties when all actions are performed without attachment and are dedicated to the Lord.

This path of Karma Yoga leads to wisdom gradually. The law of Karma binds all, including realised souls such as Parikshit or Janaka, pointed out Sri G. Balasubramanya Ganapadigal in a lecture. While ordinary beings are engaged in the activities of the world, those who have renounced the world withdraw into a life of deep meditation. But there are others who, having attained self realisation, yet continue to be engaged in work in a detached manner for the welfare of the universe. Their state of realisation does not entail any desire for personal gain, and they have nothing to gain either from performing or abstaining from action. Yet they continue to work with commitment in their ordained roles and their lives establish that action and wisdom are not antithetical.

Lord Krishna quotes the example of Janaka who attained perfection by performing works in a dispassionate manner. Janaka ruled Mithila and yet remained a realised soul and his life exemplifies the spirit of a Karma Yogi who is also a Jnana Yogi. The purely impersonal manner in which he ruled the kingdom while acting for the general good is an example of the path of Karma Yoga.

Janaka is also seen as a symbol of humility for he was in search of wisdom and continued to learn the mystic truths from great preceptors. Once when the preceptor divined the misunderstanding amongst the other disciples who were not aware of Janaka’s realised state, he caused an appearance of a fire in Mithila through his yogic power. While the others ran in haste to safeguard their simple possessions, Janaka who ruled Mithila remained unperturbed. He merely said that his wealth is infinite no doubt, but nothing of it is his; and that if Mithila is burnt, nothing of his is burnt.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoonscape
The Hindu Crossword 9218
Solution to puzzle 9217
Symbol of humility
dated May 8, 1958: Promotion of reading
dated May 8, 1958: Labour management
Weather

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu