Expecting Best of Rewards
Whenever we make investments in form of our money or time our endeavor is to always lookout for the best asset classes (stock, gold, crypto, real assets, startups etc.) that yield us the highest returns. Even when we are spending our money on purchasing products or services we hope to derive the highest sense-gratification and value for a prolonged period of time. The extent of returns or success depends on how and where we are investing our resources. In a similar way, our investments into various Karmas (Action) in our day to day life shape future outcomes whether it's our thought process or social or professional life. We usually expect the best possible outcome for our efforts and rightly so.
Endless Loop
However, we more often than not end up finding ourselves short of expectations which in turn either makes us slow and negative towards life or alternatively drives us to put in more effort. In this entire process of gaining satisfaction, we often miss out on an important aspect which is- our mind changes the goal post of targets as soon as we are about to reach there.
Hence, we end up being in this endless loop throughout our lives deprived of peace and satisfaction. Our karmic account (generated through attachment with our actions) acts as a gravitational force, forcing us to be born again and again into the human body.
The Right Way - Karma-Yogi
In an effort to avoid such a situation, we often procrastinate or choose inaction as an option. Just like Arjuna did on the battlefield of Mahabharata, he chooses not to fight a war as killing his “own” would yield only sins to his account. However, God incarnate Guru - Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna in the holiest of all scriptures Bhagwat Gita -
यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन |
कर्मेन्द्रियै: कर्मयोगमसक्त: स विशिष्यते || 3.7 ||
The Karma-Yogis who are in control of their senses and engage in working without attachment are superior.
In an effort to persuade Arjuna to fight the war, Lord Krishna explains that being a Karma-Yogi is the prima facie requirement of engaging with this world and remaining free from the effect of our actions. The word Yogi means the one who is connected to the Supreme throughout. Hence, that Karma which is done while being one with the almighty is superior and non-binding. This increases our focus on the task at hand but frees us from any expectations of results.
The Root Cause & Solution
If we observe, whatever actions we undertake, good or bad, are driven by our thoughts which in turn originate from our mind, acting as a root cause of what we do and become.
Once Divya Guru Shri Ashutosh MaharajJi while discoursing, quoted - मन एव मनुष्याणां कारणं बन्ध मोक्षयोः and highlighted that it is the Mind that is the cause for both the bondage and freedom.
A disciple then, out of curiosity, asked Shri Maharaj Ji- How can Mind (one element) be the cause of two opposites - bondage and freedom?
Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji gave a remarkable response. He said- The Mind is like a Key. The same key if turned in one direction shuts the Lock and if turned in the reverse direction opens up the same Lock. Gurudev further explained that instead of keeping the Mind extrovert, one has to work on making the Mind introvert i.e. to be contemplative on the Self (Soul or Pure Consciousness).
Verily, what we think of, we become. If we will contemplate on vices, materialism and lust then we will continue to get tied up with those actions. However, if will contemplate on the God within i.e. the Self (Soul or Pure Consciousness, our thought process will become positive and pious and one day we will attain freedom. Well, one needs to seek Brahmgyan – the Eternal Technique of Self-Realization. Only then can one reign over his/her Mind.
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