Dedication & Perfection in Work
27th November 2023
New sloka, multiple interpretations with lots of new learnings
#CommitmentToWork
स्वे स्वे कर्मण्यभिरत: संसिद्धिं लभते नर
स्वकर्मनिरत: सिद्धिं यथा विन्दति तच्छृणु ॥ Bhagavad Gita 18.45 ॥
sve sve karmaṇy abhirataḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ labhate naraḥ
sva-karma-nirataḥ siddhiṁ
yathā vindati tac chṛṇu
Translation – Every man attains perfection and success by devoting to prescribed duty. Listen to me to know how perfection can be attained.
It is a simple sloka with simple words but interpretations are many. The word sva-karma means ‘one’s own duties’ and can be given multiple elucidations.
Many translations of the above sloka explains sva-karma as ‘duties as per individual’s varnashrama dharma’. Many experts opine that ‘people who undertake their duties as per their (varnashrma) dharma with devotion can attain success and perfection’.
‘svakarma’ means duties expected from someone and not necessarily ‘duties assigned by birth’. Anyone who understands their commitments and discharging duties expected from them with commitment can be said to be performing ‘sva-karma’. Sva-dharma can include commitments to the organization, to the society, to the family and not to forget commitment for self-development. ‘Man is a social animal’ and everyone need to understand their multidimensional commitments and need to engage actively in fulfilling their commitments.
Svakarma can also mean work as per your qualities and abilities. Svakarma is a work in which you have competence as well as interest, work which essentially is your #ikigai.
Lork Krishna leaves the interpretation flexible but is clear that one must understand their commitments and engage in their duties with dedication and passion so that the work will result in perfection.
As Lord Krishna indicated there are more aspects to this commitment to work and perfection in work:
श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् ।
स्वभावनियतं कर्म कुर्वन्नाप्नोति किल्बिषम् ॥ Bhagavad Gita 18.47 ॥
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥ
para-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt
svabhāva-niyataṁ karma
kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Translation - It is better to do one’s own work even if it is done imperfectly, than to do another’s duty perfectly. By doing one’s innate duties, a person does not incur sin.
This will look like a wrong advice on the face of it but has innate meanings. When we do our sva-dharma, duties as per our nature and abilities essentially work in which we have interest, there is a two-fold advantage. It is in tune with our disposition. Hence, it is as natural to our personality as flying is to a bird and swimming is to a fish. Secondly, since it is comfortable to the mind, it can almost be done involuntarily, and the consciousness becomes free to be engaged in devotion.
Instead, if we abandon our duties thinking them to be unsuitable, and take up another’s duties unsuitable for our nature, we struggle against the innate inclination of our personality.
Essentially, take up work such that you can be passionate about your work. No point taking up work for the sake of compulsions and/or monetary considerations.
No work is mean work. Dedication does not come from the power and the monetary considerations but by the nature of the work and your natural abilities to do that work.
This is one of the concepts in Ikigai and we have seen Ikigai earlier. However, I shall reintroduce ikigai briefly in the next episode.
GOOD NEWS COLUMN
This week’s good news column starts with horror news for a change. Yes, individual’s innate strengths in commitment to service without fear exemplifies in tough situations and the deadly attack on 26/11/2008 on Mumbai was one such occasion where scores of individuals demonstrated their mettle.
On the 15th anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks, let us remember the heroes who raised to the occasion by showing courage and commitment to their work. Innumerable people raised to the occasion and let us remember and respect five heroes who saved hundreds of lives in Mumbai, putting their own lives on the line.
Tukaram Omble
Assistant sub inspector (ASI) in the Mumbai Police, Tukaram Omble, despite being shot over 40 times while on duty, managed to singlehandedly nab Lashkar terrorist Ajmal Kasab, which led to multiple revelations about the terror plan.
Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan
Indian Army major Sandeep Unnikrishnan was a part of the elite National Security Guard (NSG) unit responsible for neutralising the terrorists at the Taj Palace Hotel. He entered the hotel with other officers and engaged in a gunfight with the terrorists, simultaneously evacuating over 50 hostages. He was shot dead by the terrorists inside the hotel while saving dozens of lives.
Mallika Jagad
Mallika Jagad was the banquet manager at the Taj Palace Hotel during the time of attacks. Upon hearing gunshots outside the hall, she ordered the guests to get under the table and remain silent. She also separated the spouses to reduce the risk of losing entire families. She was eventually able to lead 50 guests to safety with no casualties in her group.
Karambir Singh Kang
Karambir Singh Kang was Taj Mumbai’s general manager and was at another location when the attack happened. He immediately returned to the hotel to guide the evacuations and led hundreds to safety. Kang was gunned down by terrorists inside the hotel, with his wife and son also dying in the attack alongside him.
Thomas Varghese
Thomas Varghese was a senior waiter in Taj's Japanese restaurant Wasabi and was on shift when he heard gunshots in the hallway. He immediately asked all the guests to crouch down, and eventually guided their evacuation. Varghese was the last one to leave the restaurant, but was gunned down by the terrorists in the alley.
This is exactly the sva-dharma Krishna talked about in that sloka. Respect does not come based on their position in the power hierarchy but based on the commitment they showed to their responsibilities.
______________________________ Conceived, compiled and posted by Jaganathan T (www.authorjaganathan.com) as a weekly newsletter MONDAY MUSINGS in LinkedIn