3. ACTIONS (KARTAVYA) – INHERENT TENDENCIES AND DUTIES
Each of us has inherent tendencies, potential talents and abilities, which are called our swadharma. For example, Arjuna’s gift or swadharma was brilliance in archery.
Also, depending on one’s stage and position in life, duties come to us unasked. If I am a student, I have to study, whether I like it or not! These are called vishesha dharma or kartavya. Actions with respect to our inherent talents and duties can be satvic, rajasic or tamasic.
Satvic: To act according to one’s inherent abilities, thereby manifesting one’s full inner potential, is to follow one’s swadharma. In such cases, one progresses easily like a fish taking to water. For instance, a man with acute business acumen prospers rapidly whereas another without the flair for business, even if loaded with business management degrees, may fail. Man easily becomes proficient (skilled knowledge-wise) and efficient (skilled application-wise) in his swadharma. Work becomes a joy and he works tirelessly and rapidly, progressing within and without. A father once told his son, “Son, take a job that you love and you will not have to work a day of your life!”
A satvic person does his or her duties cheerfully, without expecting others to congratulate, appreciate or reward him or her. This is most beautifully seen in the mother who serves her child without expectation. There is joy in the very performance of the duty and in doing it well which results in deep satisfaction during and upon completion of the task. Even unpleasant duties are done without complaining but with the attitude that it is the right thing to do and that it has to be done, such as escorting a senile, old relative to the hospital.
A satvic person is ever alert (tatpara) in the performance of his or her duties and does them properly, efficiently and without pride (anahamvaadi), pomp or show like Gandhiji who washed the bathrooms in his ashram. We have a duty towards our family, society, nation and universe. We also have a duty towards ourselves. A satvic person is a aware and ready to perform all his duties without any confusion in priorities. For example, when the country is being attacked, my first duty is towards the nation and not just my family. A satvic person does his work with patience and enthusiasm, in true sportsman spirit, and is therefore never elated or dejected in success or failure. He maintains his equipoise at all times. Jataayu fought Raavana till death and even as he lay defeated and dying, he had no regrets.
Rajasic : When a person does work that is not in consonance with his or her inherent nature (aptitude), such work is called paradharma. For example, many who have no inclination to serve and sacrifice become doctors only to make money. For such people, there is little joy in their work as the result is the main focus. Therefore, the work itself becomes tedious, boring, burdensome and full of tension. Also, unethical methods may be employed in the process as when Raavana disguised himself as a sanyaasi to abduct Sita. Some act only to impress others like one who sits in meditation to appear spiritual. Others blindly copy peers in enrolling for a professional course because all their friends have done so. There is no inner unfoldment or fulfillment in such actions-often these lead to unhealthy competition, jealousy, frustration, depression or dejection.
The rajasic person does his or her duties with expectations (karma-phala-prepsa) attachment (raaga) and pride (ahamvaada). We often hear statements like “My relations must appreciate what I do for them” or “Without me, this house will never run well”. Such a person is often worried, tense, fearful and filled with thoughts like “I have to get my daughter married. What will happen if we cannot find a groom for her?” “What if I fail in my exams?” and many other negative mental projections. Such a person is confused about his or her duties and gets distracted by temptations even while doing them. Examples are those of a student watching a movie the day before an exam or of Arjuna who was confused on the Kurukshetra battlefield as to what he should do. The rajasic person is not able to maintain his mental equipoise because of his attitude towards action.
Tamasic: All of us have good and bad in us. The tamasic person performs actions based on his baser values (adharma). Violent tendencies make him resort to terrorism, murder and the like. Such actions give him no joy, and in the long run, his life becomes a hell. A tamasic person does not do what he should do (kartavya karma) and does what should not do (nishiddha karma). He is lazy (aalasa), postpones and forgets things (pramaada) easily. He prefers inaction to action and finds excuses for not doing things. Such people stagnate and rot in life. Swami Chinmayanandaji said, “if you rest, you rust”. Such people are burdened by the guilt of not doing what has to be done, or doing the wrong thing and they tend to find various means of escape such as drugs or alcohol. They also keep relegating their duties to others. Such people become a burden to society – they do not mind living off others’ sweat and toll and even feel it their right to be taken care of by others. Even their efforts are halfhearted and their minds disintegrated (ayukta). It takes them a week to do what can be done in a day (dirghasutri) and they are often dissatisfied and depressed (vishaada). They believe in the philosophy of chalta hai and hota hai – even if the work is not done, they tell themselves, “It is alright” and “Don’t worry, it will get done by someone at some unspecified time.”
4. INTELLECT (BUDDHI)
Man’s intellect has a very important role to play in his or her life. It is the driver of our life (buddhim tu saarathi viddhi) and can lead us to great heights or to our downfall. It has the ability to observe, discriminate, understand, analyze, judge and decide what should be done in a given situation. It can be satvic, rajasic or tamasic.
Satvic: The satvic intellect can figure out clearly, correctly and promptly what should be done and what should not be done under all circumstances. For example, “I should not drink hot coffee after ice-cream. It will disagree with my system.” It also knows what is right and wrong. For example, “I must not copy in exams even if all around me do so”. It tells me what my duty is and what it is not. For instance, “I must hand over the thief to the police. I need not beat him up to punish him”. It tells me what I should not fear and warns me about what I should. For example, “Since I speak the truth, I need not fear” or “If I lie, I will get exposed”. The satvic intellect helps me understand what will cause bondage and sorrow and what will give lasting joy and freedom. For example, “Attachments will cause sorrow. I should stay away from this person” or “Living a disciplined life is good for me and will make me happy even though it is difficult”. The Geeta advises, ‘Take refuge in your satvic intellect’ (buddhou sharanam anviccha) – it will lead you to glory and success.
Rajasic: The rajasic intellect gets easily confused, is vague at times, fluctuates in moods and thoughts and is, therefore, indecisive. Arjuna was confused on the battlefield – “Should I fight or not? I can’t decide.” Such people change their decisions often and doubt their decisions all the time. Their actions are, therefore, not focused and their minds agitated and worried. For instance, "I should not have joined the Engineering course but done a Catering course instead”. Some people are very good at deciding what others should do. In that their intellect is satvic but when it comes to making decisions in their own lives, they get confused (para upadeshe paandityam). They become good consultants, in solving others’ problems. A rajasic intellect is undecided about most things in life. An actress was asked if she believed in astrology. “I believe in everything a little bit!” she replied.
Tamasic: The tamasic intellect either does not understand at all or misunderstands people or situations and, therefore, comes to wrong conclusions. For instance, a teacher was demonstrating the harmful effects of alcohol. A student, after seeing how worms died in a glass of alcohol, concluded, “When we have worms in the stomach, we must drink alcohol!”
Such an intellect views wrong to be right and prompts man into sinful acts. For example, “Might is right, so I will bully everyone,” or “All work and no play makes jack a dull boy, so I will never work, just enjoy”.
5. PATIENCE AND WILL (DHRITI) Chapter 2
To gain everything in life, patience, forbearance and will are most essential. These may be satvic, rajasic or tamasic.
Satvic: Satvic patience is not patience in facing a particular situation but exists at all times, with everyone and under all circumstances. It enables man to consistently (avyabhicharini) apply his or her body and mind to the task at hand until it is accomplished, like a man who makes it to the top of a mountain peak, even when physically exhausted. It helps man overcome adverse situations or obstacles that may arise while doing a task. His will and patience do not allow him to get distracted, dejected or impatient. Instead, they give him greater inner strength the more he is challenged. Remember the story of Robert Bruce and the spider that fell several times yet finally succeeded. “Try, try until you succeed’ is the secret behind many of our achievements. We fell a hundred times before we learned how to walk. If we had become impatient and given up, we would be crawling on our fours even today! A strong will can make the impossible possible. Shri Buddha decided that he would not get up from under the bodhi tree till he attained realization, even if he were to die in the process (shariram vaa paatayaami, kaaryam vaa saadhayaami). Man also needs patience with his own mental and physical shortcomings. For instance, one has to patiently cajole the mind to still it in meditation. One needs a great deal of forbearance and restraint in dealing with others, especially in situations like teaching a mentally handicapped child or house training a dog. When one realizes that whatever comes in life will also go, one learns not to get too attached to the good things of life or impatient with difficult people and situations.
Rajasic: Patience, forbearance or will periodically shown towards some people or to accomplish some task (prasangena) is rajasic. A classic example is that of one who demonstrates remarkable patience with his boss but impatience with his wife. Some study or work patiently till the exam or project is over. Yet, once the task is accomplished, they go back to their normal impatient selves and lose their will, restraint or forbearance. Haven’t you seen some who fast on Monday and feast on Tuesday? Some are patient till obstacles come their way. Then they lose their cool and either give up, get irritated or quickly frustrated. Statements such as “How long will I have to bear the pain? I cannot take it anymore” amply demonstrate this.
Tamasic: Tamasic patience or will is to stubbornly hold on to a wrong notion or course of action. For example, “I refuse to become happy”, “It is my opinion and I will not give it up even if proved wrong” or “What if I die drinking? After all it is my life and I can do what I want with it.” A postman almost got hit by a charging bull while taking a short cut, on the way to his work place one day. A passerby remarked that he just saved his skin by the teeth. The postman said, “Yes, he almost gets me every day.” Some become neurotic in their thinking and actions, like when they assume, “The whole world is after me”. Some live in the past, waste time daydreaming or live in a fool’s paradise, and refuse to face the world.
6. HAPPINESS (SUKHA)
All of us, without exception, want happiness in life. Each of us wants the maximum possible happiness. We feel that different objects, beings or circumstances are ‘joy-giving’ and hence, we adopt different pursuits. The quality of happiness we experience is satvic, rajasic or tamasic.
Satvic: When our vision, actions, intellect and will are satvic, we experience satvic joy. A satvic mind is naturally and effortlessly cheerful, peaceful and poised. There is a sense of well being, a feeling that life is beautiful and that living is a joy. The joy that results from dispassion, self-control, discipline, concentration, selflessness or doing good is satvic in nature. The sense of satisfaction that one gets in doing a job well, achieving something by one’s own efforts, creating a piece of art, discovering something, understanding a subtle subject or mastering a skill is satvic in nature. What may initially seem difficult and unattractive but which results in one’s well being and gives lasting joy is satvic. Classic example are waking early, practicing meditation or memorizing arithmetic tables. Satvic joy can be effortlessly gained from simple things in life like sharing a heart-felt smile, watching the sun rise, good health, breathing fresh air, watching the flight of a bird or seeing the smile of an infant. Being with nature makes the mind restful, peaceful and gives satvic joy. A sensitive mind and keen senses have the capacity to gain satvic joy and acquire a taste for it. Satvic joy is subtle, yet its bondage is also subtle. One can get hooked on to subtle sense pleasures, which later cause sorrow.
Rajasic: When our vision, intellect and actions are rajasic, we experience rajasic joy. A rajasic mind has a taste for grosser joys. It seeks thrills and excitement from objects and beings like listening to fast music, watching ‘thrillers’ or partying. The joy we get from indulgence and comforts is rajasic. It depends on the coming together of various factors like the availability of the desired object, a healthy body and senses and the right mood or conducive environment. After all these factors come together, we experience a momentary joy, which leaves a craving for more of the same or gives rise to new desires within. Having enjoyed a holiday in Ooty, many want to repeatedly return to the same place or visit Kodaikanal and Munnar. In case one or more of the factors do not come together, we do not experience joy, rather we feel angry or dejected. Take this typical instance-with much effort we gather our friends, reach the movie theatre, procure tickets in the black market and sit for a popular movie. Suddenly, halfway through the movie, the power supply goes off and you have to return home. Imagine the feeling. If the joy is not to our expectation, then there is disappointment and dissatisfaction. If the early morning tea is lukewarm, then some feel that the entire day has had a lukewarm start. All the problems of that day are blamed on the tea. Rajasic pursuits seem very attractive and easy-to-get joys are experienced but they result in the exhaustion of the mind, dullening of the sense, money being ‘blown’ and yet do not give much satisfaction to the intellect. Do you recall an unwanted shopping spree, late night partying or eating at a marriage feast? A mind that gets habituated to pleasure seeking can hardly entertain noble or great thoughts.
Tamasic: Tamasic vision, actions and intellect give rise to tamasic joy. It is the joy that makes it very difficult to get up from bed each morning and that one gets by lying around in bed even after waking up. A tamasic mind revels in laziness, sleep, sadistic and masochistic pleasures, harming and hurting others, vulgarity, drugs and alcohol. Such people feel that ignorance is bliss. Some even take to murder, rape, revenge, loot and plunder. This is a base joy and appeals only to our lower instincts.
7. SLEEP
Sleep is basically a tamasic activity. But the quality of one’s sleep can be satvic, rajasic or tamasic depending on how you sleep and awake.
Satvic: When we enjoy sound sleep and awake alert, rested, rejuvenated, bright and refreshed, then that sleep is satvic. It fosters a creative, contemplative mood and gives a good start to the day. About six to seven hours of good sleep at night is enough to refresh a normally healthy person.
Rajasic : When our sleep is restless and interrupted by spells of wakefulness or dreams, it indicates rajasic sleep. The body feels tired and the mind is agitated upon waking. We tend to get irritated quickly, which is obviously not a good way to start the day.
Tamari: When we experience heavy sleep, and wake up feeling lethargic, dull and heavy, sleep is tamasic. We linger in bed even after waking up, and the first thought on waking up is to go back to sleep. It gives a very dull start to the day.