Politics can’t be mixed with Religion
The Bhagavad Gita is widely revered as one of the superlative heritage of the entire human civilization. Swami Chinmayanandji, noted thinker, philosopher and philanthropist is one of the world’s greatest scholars on Bhagavad Gita and Upanishad. He is also the founder of Chinmaya Mission which by way of sermons, ashrams for elders, spiritual retreats, literature and tapes is working in the direction of betterment of humanity at large. Recently, he was in Indore to conduct the 466th Gita Gyana Yagna under the auspices of Chinmaya Mission. JITENDRA MUCHHAL talked to him on contemporary issues.
Q. Why do you highlight the message of the Gita in your sermons and preachings out of various other scriptures?
A. Because The Gita was addressed to Arjun and my generation is made up of Arjuns. Highly intelligent, extremely ambitious, supremely dynamic yet incapable of action, this is my age. A confused man who renders himself incapable of dynamically acting – such a man has to be revitalised by the philosophies of The Bhagvad Gita and that is what is needed today.
Q. When the going is generally good, man is very praiseful of god’s blessings. But as things start roughing up, the same man can even curse the same lord. Does this indicate any loss of faith?
A. When I was hospitalised in the past, every morning that rascal called the doctor and the nurse would give me a bowl of sorrow by cleaning up the wound which is a painful experience. At that time, I would curse the doctor with the choicest of phrases. But when the same wound is healed. I would lie prostrate in front of the same doctor to express my gratitude. Now, does the doctor worry about the curses and the blessings while performing his duties? In the same way, the Infinitely Kind Lord gives measured quantities of joys and sorrows to every individual. So, When a person is in sorrow he cries because that is the language of pain. In the beginning, this roller coaster of blessings and curses enhanced, but with the passage of time and strengthening of faith, man learns to be static in all phases.
Q. The famous shloka of Gita ‘Karmanye vadhi Karaste…’ preaches Arjuna to go on with his work without at once worrying about the results. How is it relevant today in the age of intensifying cutthroat competition?
A. Yes, one may go ahead as the world is going about intensifying the competition leading to increased chaos, sorrow and restlessness. But if one does a job as he feels that the job ought to be done, not because of the covertedness of the profits but because of sublime inspiration and involvement, excellent work comes about. When an artist paints thinking in terms of the per square inch realisation, that is commercial art. But a painter who is fascinated and charmed by the beauty of the composition and is least concerned about the price and profit of the work that is the time when he brings about a master-piece. The result of an action is always after the action. You can’t pass in a exam before appearing in it. Now, at the time of action, if one starts worrying about the result in the future – he is depleting and wasting his mental energies which ought to have been used only in the action. Future is a closed book but future is being built up in the present. When the action itself is half-hearted, how can it reap fruitful results? The person’s job is only to do the job. Results are none of his business.