Dear Friends,
Namaste!
The entire drama of this universe unfolds through many (apparently distinct and unique) characters playing a number of roles over a number of births, species and across huge time and space. The interplay is intricate and interdependent.
No man is an island! Therefore, in order that a character plays an assigned role successfully, other characters have to help by playing their respective roles well. And when with their help the character executes his or her role, (s)he is helping many others in turn to play their roles.
For example, so many people are contributing for these articles to reach the audience. Some have invented electricity and computers, some have built the software in which these words are being typed, still some others are running e-mail servers that will distribute these articles to the readers’ mailboxes! This would simply not work if any of the characters were not playing their roles.
And hopefully these articles will bring certain clarity of thought to the readers that would in turn translate into more effective actions on their part and help in execution of their roles. Life would become a little easier, the world would become a little better place and the Show would go on!
Hence it is entirely incorrect for one character in one role to claim that this is happening (and hence the show is going on) solely through the singular effort of that character in that role. Hence Lord Krishna has stated “Ahamkara Vimoodh Atma, Karta Aham Iti Manyate” (“A person who is ignorant about Reality and hence has Ego thinks he or she is the doer or indeed the cause of any effect!”).
This is not to say that a given character has NO role to play in the scheme of things! On the contrary, we have seen that God’s wish manifests through several “instruments” who actively contribute towards fulfilment of that wish. However, no single instrument need claim the entire responsibility for execution.
It is in this context that Mahatma Gandhi has said, “Whatever you do will be insignificant. However, it is still important that you do it.”
For we have discussed that if the characters do not play the roles, the show would not go on. Therefore, beyond certain (well-designed) aberrations that make the Script more exciting and complete, God makes the characters play their roles to sustain the world. Where this sustenance gets threatened due to certain characters veering off track, He makes a personal appearance in a suitable live form to apply course correction.
We have also seen that characters playing their role(s) are usually “happy” since they are well-aligned with the Script and enjoy His blessings. Characters who do not play their roles end up suffering. This is the single cause of all happiness and sorrow and one who sees this is the real seer (in Lord Krishna’s words, “Yah Pashyati, Sa Pashyati”).
Therefore, to remove all of Arjuna’s confusion and enable him to remain perennially at peace with himself and the world, Lord Krishna categorically told him, “Nimitta Matram Bhav Savyasachin” (“O ambidextrous Arjuna, just be my instrument”).
The foregoing discussion quite clearly underlines the importance of “playing the role(s)” or “doing the duty” for all of us.
Having thus established why each one of us has to perform our respective duty at all times in all places, we will now go on to explore what the duty constitutes (in other words, how to identify our duty). Having identified what is the “right thing” to do at a given moment, every moment, we will reserve the discussion ofhow to perform that right thing for later when we discuss “Karma Yoga” and its nuances in much more depth. So let’s just focus on the “what” part for now.
Each character in its lifetime clearly plays a plethora of roles. For example, a normal gentleman can be a son, husband, brother, friend, professional, father, son-in-law, citizen of his country, artist, employee, an earthling etc. all at the same time! Each role has certain responsibilities associated. Thus the gentleman has responsibilities towards himself, family, society he lives in, his country and indeed the entire planet. By virtue of having so many diverse roles and responsibilities, the gentleman may expose himself to certain situations in which a conflict arises between two roles/responsibilities.
While discussing the “what” part, we will discuss how to identify our duties, what is the hierarchy among the same and which considerations should take precedence in case of a conflict. We will take several case studies (stories!) to understand the nuances. At the end of this topic, we will have complete clarity about what is the right thing to do at the right time in the right place for every one of us. Guaranteed!
Let’s brace ourselves...
Live, laugh, love!
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