!! SHRI SWAMI SAMARTH JAY JAY SWAMI SAMARTH !!
CASE-STUDY #4
Before you read the article, kindly note that I am not an English speaking person. I am not familiar with colloquial language. Hence I request you to pay attention to the content of communication, and not to language proficiency. Purpose of presentation in English, is to approach the maximum number of personnel, around the world.
REAL LIFE SITUATION
I received SMS from my cousin sister, who works in a govt. office, on Monday morning “Boring Monday has started again.”
I received second SMS on Friday saying” At last week long boring work will be over. Friday has arrived.”
This triggered my thinking.Why this sort of reluctance about work? What may the trouble be? What can the solution be?
ANALYSIS
This problem is faced by many. Many people work with this mind-set, on account of helplessness. However this attitude is not good.
Such reluctance may develop on account of monotony, or thoughts of domestic problems, or thoughts about past problems at workplace.
Reluctance or negative emotions, generate a huge crowd of resistive thoughts. This crowd of thought stall the sequential thinking process. Intellect has to exert a great push to control these crowding thoughts, in order to continue the thinking process. Such pressure conflicts or tussle, or internal war, consumes substantial chunk of energy. This is unproductive waste of energy. One suffers from huge mental fatigue, on account of loss of energy. Thinking process slows down, because of frequent interruptions. Decisions are delayed. Delayed decisions prove to be improper and untimely. One cannot concentrate upon work. Resultant half-hearted work may create problems at workplace. You may become a nuisance to your boss, rather than becoming a helping hand.
Boss may tolerate only up to a certain extent . But God’s regulating system will never tolerate. Regulating System (GRS) automatically registers your intentions while working, every moment. Physical actions, along with resultant effects, are not recorded. GRS decides upon consequential effects of your Karma Records (कर्मफल), ruthlessly. You may face these consequences immediately, or little later or may be during subsequent births. But you cannot avoid or escape facing the karma consequences. This threat of GRS is a long term affair and is much more powerful and than the actions by employer or boss. It is therefore necessary to consider these long term effects also, as you work. Otherwise you are a looser. Work consumes most of your available time. Activity of work is extremely important from Adhyatma perspective. Do not ignore or neglect. Do not pay attention, only towards remuneration/ gains. You have accepted to work for earning remuneration. It’s your duty to deliver quality work, timely. Negligence of duty is never tolerated. Having accepted the job, you have no other alternative, but to work with full attention, and to best of your ability, all the time. To perform is your commitment. You must honor your commitment.
Man tries hard to overcome negativity. But does not find a proper solution. In turn, he accepts life as it is, and drags along, suffering from stress related mental & physical disorders. Drags himself unwillingly to work as much as he can.
Main problem is, ignorance about “methods to revise thinking pattern, & ways to overcome negativity”.
Adhyatma teaches the ways and means of revising mentality. But majority of working people, today consider Adhyatma as a totally useless subject. However Adhyatma is very important and useful for leading a happy life. The subject should be studied properly and practiced regularly.
Relatively simpler solution is to improve and strengthen will power by thinking positive. Any way you convince your inner-mind, by reminding about the consequences of not earning remuneration, in order to reach work place on time. Try still further to pump up, & push positive thoughts. You will surely be able to convert negativity to a little enthusiasm or little improvement of will power. Continued convincing efforts will re-establish enthusiasm gradually. Try various tricks & means to push positive thoughts. You are sure to succeed in reaching the higher level of enthusiasm. Lure if necessary.
Before starting your work, sit steadily. Stop body movements. Close your eyes, and pray or recollect image of GOD, of your choice. Mental turbulence will settle in a short while. Thinking about GOD or Deity is the easiest way to pump in positivity. Intensity of internal conflict will surely reduce gradually, on account of boosted positivity. This is an ages proven trick. Do this exercise only for five minutes, regularly. Thereafter start your work. As you start working, You would then feel like working. Gradually you get engrossed in work. As a result of engrossment, you would experience some glimpses of Happiness or Joy from within. While working, avoid thoughts about memories of past events. Memories may be good or bad. Mind lingering in memories, may please you. But recollection of memories will restart internal tussle and distract your attention. As you get engrossed in past, your thoughts about work, which is the activity of Present time, get interrupted frequently. This interruption will result in errors or mistakes. Be alert and think about work only. Avoid any other thoughts. This will improve your work quality and working efficiency as well. At the end of the day, you will feel stress free, fatigue free, and relaxed. In evening, return journey to home would also be cheerful. Try yourself and enjoy the results. You are sure to notice remarkable difference.
Theory
Any action, physical or mental is Karma (कर्म). Man performs variety of Karmas every day, knowingly or unknowingly. Long ago, our ancestors conducted research with an idea of “using these Karmas or activities for establishing connectivity with Parameshwar; for attaining merger with Parameshwar; for getting released from Karma trap or rebirth cycle; for gaining uninterrupted Bliss; for gaining uninterrupted satisfaction; etc.” They developed a special thinking pattern. This mentality and the methodology was termed as Karmayog (कर्मयोग). Karma means activity + Yog means method or process of establishing uninterrupted direct connection with Parameshwar. If mentality as per Karmayog is adopted while working, your daily real life activity can be used for establishing connectivity with Parameshwar. Daily regular activities, including activities for earning livelihood, get converted to Sadhana (साधना), the efforts for attaining merger with Parameshwar. No extra time & efforts are needed for performing Sadhana(साधना). You will automatically spend maximum of your quality time for Sadhana (साधना), as well as for earning your livelihood. Both purposes will be served simultaneously. Physical activity and the aftereffects are never recorded. But every minute detail of mental activity is recorded automatically, as the action is executed by Physical Body. These Karma records are referred to, for deciding the consequences (कर्मफल), by divine system. Karmayog addresses this mentality portion or intention behind the Deed, in order to regulate the consequences. Let us try to know more about , recommendations of Karmayog (कर्मयोग).
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते। मा फलेषु कदाचन।
This is a well known statement from Bhagvadgeeta (भगवद्गीता). Current popular meaning of this statement is “Man is empowered to perform Karma. But he is not authorized to enjoy the resultant gains. He should not think about gains at all. He should keep on working. ” According to youth, this concept is not sensible. It is useless & impracticable. Adhyatma professes such concepts. Hence Adhyatma or spiritualism itself is useless and should be discarded.
The real interpretation is very much practicable. It only narrates the facts, the reality. According the rules of divine system, every individual must face the consequences of his deeds, good or bad. He cannot escape from enjoying the gains. You will anyway get the gains. It is mandatory for You to enjoy the gains/consequences. No one can stop you from doing that. There is no need to crave for gains. You will be entitled for gains, provided you work, and not by thinking about gains. Craving will disturb you mentally. Real life situation continuously keeps on changing. Man has to face various situations during life span. These varied situations are monitored by divine system, according to predefined plan, called Fate. Man is aware of the changed situation, after it changes. There is no advance intimation of change. Situation changes suddenly. Man cannot decide, whether he wants to face the changed circumstances, or not. He has no choice. He must face it, the way he can. Divine system changes the circumstances. Man cannot control. Man does not have authority to decide “Which consequential effects of his past deeds, to face. Where to face and when to face.” This is real meaning of (मा फलेषु कदाचन).
However, Man can very well decide, “How to handle the changed situation? Which way to react? Which action to be executed?” He has full choice. He only has to decide on his own. Role of Fate is limited to generation of action stimulus as per predefined plan. Thereafter one must decide action on his own. Man has full right to act according to his will. That is real meaning of (कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते).
The statement describes facts only. No question of practicability.
No body is refrained from thinking about gains . In fact, One must think about remuneration, profits, gains, etc. before hand. This activity should be done only while accepting the job. Negotiate to best of your ability, about gains, type of work involved, & scope of work. Clarify each & every doubt at that time only. Issue should be sealed, when you accept the job or order.
Thereafter, while performing the allotted work, one should not rethink about gains or any other selfish motive. One should think only about job; improving quality of delivery; about completion of job in time; etc. Not a single different thought, is permitted as per Karmayog (कर्मयोग). A minute thought about gains will distract your attention. Disturb your concentration. As a result, quality of work as well as schedule, both will be affected adversely. In case if any doubts about gains pop-up, that issue should be raised separately and clarified. But should never be thought about, while working.
If you work with full concentration, you gradually get involved and engrossed in work. On account of engrossment you experience glimpses of Joy from within. You work at ease unknowingly. No fatigue or stress is generated. As you experience joy, you come closer to GOD in that state of mind. Thus you find the trick to get connected to GOD. During engrossed state, you get ideas bias through intuition. knowledge about eternal truth, emerges from within in form of such ideas only. This way one builds the capability to grasp each & every incoming intuition. Thus flow of ideas from within start from working tricks. Thus knowledge concepts pop-up from within.
To complete the allotted work flawlessly and timely, with full concentration is the best policy to be adopted. Better not think about performance of other colleagues. This policy proves to be the best for teamwork. Coordinator’s job gets simplified. Collectively , best quality product is produced, in the process.
Selfish thoughts generate internal emotional tussle. Absence of selfish thoughts while working, avoids tussle ; avoids energy wastage. Man then works with full vigor and strength.
Individual becomes happy and collective outcome is also best. Dual benefit of adopting Karmayog mentality.
Another concept of Karmayog is “work without expectations”. This means avoid craving for gains. On account of craving, selfish thoughts popup frequently, during working. Craving increases frequency of interruptions, disturbing concentration.
In case if temporary gains match, or supersede expectations, one gets excited. Looses mental stability. Demands more & more endlessly. These extra demands are classified as unsatisfied desires, which get recorded. These records entangle Soul in trap of rebirths in spite of getting released, for sake of fulfilling these desires.
In case if temporary short term gains do not match with expectations, one looses mental stability. Mental disorders like anger and frustration engulf. Frustration makes Man loose interest in working. This results in bad performance and adverse effect on career.
In absence of craving for gains, Man does not loose balance of mind in any case. Temporary short term gains may or may not match with expectations. Man tries to find opportunity even in adverse situation. Maintains or improves performance level & adheres to progress path, keeping eye on long term goal.
Entire brain storming until now, concludes that revision of mentality is essential. Appropriate mentality is the key to wisdom. This is the base of spiritual as well as materialistic progress. Strengthen your base, for sound and lasting progress.
How to achieve? Shri Swami Samarth has suggested a remedy.
– स्वामी वचन –
गंभीरतासे चिंतन करो। नियोजन करो। अन्यथा केवल श्रवणेंद्रियको एक श्रम दिया जाएगा। किन्तु इंद्रीय अपने रास्तेसे चलते जाएँगे। मन की पुरानी आदत परिवर्तित नहीं होगी। समाज अपने रास्तेपे चलता रहेगा। भक्त केवल पूजापाठ आरती करते है। किन्तु अपने नित्य जीवनमे बडे संभ्रममे बडे अज्ञान बडे समस्याग्रस्त जीवन व्यतित कर रहे है। इतने सारे भक्त इकठ्ठे आते है। घोष लगाते है। आरती उतारते है हमारे प्रतिमाकी। हमारे ज्ञानप्रबोधनका अधिष्ठान उनके आचरणमे कैसे प्राप्त हो जाय? एक एक सिध्दांत चिंतन करना पडेगा। अपने आचरणको सुधार करनेके लिये। अपने आचरणको पवित्र करनेके लिये। समय जा रहा है। समय हाथसे निकल जा रहा है। सावधान। समय नही रुकेगा।
Think over seriously. Otherwise old habits of individual will not change. Man will not change. All his physical activities will continue in the same old fashion. Society will also behave the same way. Devotees perform Puja, sing devotional songs, individually or in a group. But stop there only. How can they start using eternal knowledge in their real life conduct? Each and every concept should be studied and thought over in depth, in order to improve conduct. For purifying mind-set. Patient efforts are needed. Changing mentality is a very slow process. Get up. Available life span is short. One cannot afford to waste time. Day by day available time is reducing. Time will never halt. Start now. At least give a fair trial, make sincere efforts. You are sure to succeed. Unless you view your real-life-events from a different perspective, you can never be happy.
Swami Samarth has suggested the remedy. Let us analyze further. Use of conceptual thoughts about eternal knowledge is the right way, to revise mentality. This is the recommended method.
First and foremost, you should learn to observe your mental activity as a third party without any bias. Gradually develop habit of observing mind alertly for 24 hours a day. You only can understand minute thoughts, roaming in your mind. No one else can know about that, unless you narrate. It is a very much a private affair. Unless you know about thoughts roaming in your mind, how can you alter the thinking pattern? This habit is useful to examine the resultant effects of your efforts for revising mentality. In order to develop this capability, practice the mental exercise, known as Dhyan (ध्यान). We will publish an article on blog page, little later. Please follow.
One must know the technicalities about working of thinking process. Understand the loop holes, to be used, in order to regulate the thinking pattern. Explaining minute details of thought process, is quite lengthy. We will consider only the broad steps and the loop holes. I will explain the minute details in a separate article, which will be posted on blog page soon.
Generation of action stimulus:-
Records of Karma consequences and unsatisfied desires are automatically stored on Causal Body (कारणदेह). No chance of manipulation. During every life span, collection of records swells. Total quantum of records, accumulated over numerous rebirth cycles, is unimaginably huge. Each record should be nullified, in order to get released from cycle of rebirths. Fate of individual for the current life span is formulated from these records, by divine regulation system, before birth. Right from birth, execution of the time based plan of fate, starts. Real life situation around Individual, keeps on changing according to Fate, i.e. according to consequences of past deeds. Sensory systems of Body, feed signals about situation. Based upon understanding of situation, and plan of Fate, an action stimulus pops up on Causal Body (कारणदेह). This is the starting point of thought process.
Argumentation for decision making:-
This stimulus is then transmitted to inner-mind (चित्त). Stimulus received at inner mind (चित्त) is called Cittavruttee (चित्तवृत्ती). A file or a register is opened at inner-mind (चित्त) for recording the arguments. This file is called Cittapravruttee (चित्तप्रवृत्ती). Thereafter logical arguments for analyzing situation and for deciding action, start. This argumentation is main body of thought process. First starting bias pops up, based upon the basic tendancy, called Swabhav (स्वभाव). Subsequent arguments, which develop thought chain, are based upon the thoughts, stored in reference library, from memory bank located in memory registers of inner-mind (चित्त). This reference library is called Dharana(धारणा).
Decision & Action:-
At the end of argumentation, Intellect decides the action, based upon argumentation. Inner-mind then seeks approval of Ego (अहंकार), for execution. On receipt of approval, order for execution is issued to Mind (मन). Mind works as coordinator and gets the order executed through organs of Physical Body. Thus action is done by Physical Body.
Man does not have any control over stimulus generation. Stimulus generation is automatic. Argumentation can be intercepted. Start of argumentation is based upon Swabhav(स्वभाव). Reference material for further arguments is Dharana (धारणा). Hence Swabhav(स्वभाव) & Dharana(धारणा) are the loop holes in process, to be used for influencing Argumentation.
Swabhav(स्वभाव) is formulated from data input to Body. Regulation of data input in form of thoughts, as well as food, is the recommended way of amending Swabhav(स्वभाव). This input alteration activity is very much linked your lifestyle, and habits, which are very difficult & tough to change. We will not think about this aspect right now.
Appending Dharana (धारणा) is a bit easier. Dharana(धारणा) is collection of reference thoughts in ready reckoner library. Reference thoughts can be categorized into following three major categories.
- Thoughts & impressions, formulated on basis of experiences during the current life span.
- Conceptual thoughts regarding materialistic knowledge, acquired during current life span.
- Knowledge concepts about eternal facts of nature and governing system, acquired during current life span.
Thoughts in first category are largest in quantum. They are referred to, in maximum number of occasions.
Thoughts from second category stand second in quantum. They are referred to less frequently.
Thoughts from third category are least in quantum. They are referred to at very few occasions.
Our job is to incrase the quantum of thoughts in third category. Try to acquire more and more knowledge concepts and get them admitted to reference library, Dharana (धारणा). It is not easy to get the admissions. Donations or anybody’s influence do not work. Your inner-mind should be convinced about reality and truness of concept. Immediately thereafter, concept gets registered in reference library. Each concept needs to be processed properly, before convincing your inner-mind.
Adhyatma recommends a four fold process for convincing inner-mind.
- Shravan (श्रवण):- Acquire knowledge concepts by listening to knowledgeable personnel OR by reading literature presented by knowledgeable persons.
- Manan (मनन):- Recollect the grasped matter and isolate each concept.
- Chintan (चिंतन):- Think over each concept from all possible angles, inclusive of implementation, thoroughly. This part of process will make your understanding clear. This clarity is very important. Never assume reality. Verify yourself. Never try to skip this part.
- Nididhyas (निदिध्यास):- Repeatedly recollect the concept and think about it. This repeated hammering of concept is the method of convincing inner-mind. This method is being used by media for advertising. Repeated display of advertisement on social media, convinces person about the communicated message. Same method is being used by psychiatrists for rehabilitation of adicts.
Caution:-
All this process should be done on each concept. Never neglect step no.3. Conviction of wrong concept will play havoc. That can put you in serious trouble.
This way one can get the Adhyatma knowledge concepts & habits admitted to reference library Dharana (धारणा). Dharana (धारणा), enriched with Adhyatma knowledge concepts will automatically promote use of Adhyatma knowledge during argumentation. As a result, proportion of actions based on balanced thoughtful decisions will improve gradually.
Get habituated to observing each decision making thought process, carefully. Be alert. If you compare your action with knowledge concepts, you will notice your mistake, initially, as soon as it occures. You can avail the opportunity to correct, if any. Gradually you will start noticing mistake during argumentation, and can take corrective steps well in advance. This way, you will progress to notice mistake, before starting argumentation.
All this is for improvement of conduct, behavior, and attitude.
Please study the above analysis carefully,
Enhancing capacity of observation of mental activity, & Enriching Dharana (धारणा), are the major activities, which need efforts. Further improvement will take place automatically, In case if you face difficulties in convincing or implementation, please feel free to contact. Mutual interaction will surely be beneficial. Please work with full determination, vigor and patience. Remember that you are never alone in the process. Success is assured, by grace of GOD. I wish you all willpower, determination, & patience for a grand success.