One of the important insights of Bhagavad Gita is its contention of the doctrine of niskama-karma i.e. action with deep sense of accomplishing one’s ontological duty.
O Dhananjaya, all this work cannot bind Me. I am ever detached, seated as though neutral. (B. Gita 9:9)
It was interesting to find something similar in the Bible.
“Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (Lk 17:7-10)
Though the concept originates in different contexts, both the holy texts communicate something noteworthy to us: first, that we are basically created beings, thus indebted to the one who has gifted us existence; second that the success story of our life is an unfolding of our ontological vocation. The credit is that we have done our duty (the will of the one who made us), amidst people who ignorantly pursue their ego. It is in this response to our call we find the meaning of our life and happiness. It is to such a life the authors refer when they cry “go live your hearts way”, “listen to the river” “discern the will of God” and other similar phrases. The difficult part here is the ability to distinguish between one’s wish and one’s duty (call). It happens with continual self-appropriation and discernment under a guide. In the present culture of performance life style such a life is rare, as one finds it very difficult create a space to pause and then discern his/her vocation. The secret of happiness however lies there. The task is worth its end!
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