The entire content of this mail is from Shri V N Gopala Desikan's Srimad Bhagavad Gita, published by Vishishtadvaita Research Centre, Chennai and The Bhagavad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda published by Ramakrishna Mission
The ways and means of liberation are now expounded
The Four Fold Caste System Explained 41-48
1 Gita Sloka Every Day - Chapter 18 - Moksha Sanyasa Yoga - Sloka 46
Yatah pravrittih bhutanam yena sarvam idam tatam I
Sva karmana tam abhyarchaya siddhim vindati manavah II sloka 46
येत्ः प्रवृत्त्तिः भूतानां येन सर्वं इदं ततम् I
स्व कर्मणा तं अभ्यर्चर्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः II श्लोक 46
He from whom is the evolution of all beings, by whom all this is pervaded, worshipping him with his own duty, man attains perfection.
It is because of the proximity of Iswara that the universe functions uniformly and intelligently. No being is superfluous or useless in this cosmic setting. By doing his duty properly, every man is contributing his quota to the phenomenal whole. This being the plan, an intelligent man ought to perform his duty as an act of worship of the lord. When the right attitude is assumed, it aids the purification of the mind. One's svadharma proves thus, as the means for gaining of wisdom and for the attainment of godhood.
The common notion of man is that the worship of lord is one thing and the discharge of one's worldly duty is another thing. Such a man betrays his ignorance of the worship of the almighty.It is evident that every physical exertion is an aid to the build of the body. A bodily exertion can serve simultaneously both for the build of the body and for earning of one's livelihood. The same endeavour can next be made to serve three purposely holding it as an act of worship of God.
The Mahabharata has it that a butcher treated his profession as an outlet for self expression, for his livelihood, for his service to society and adoration of the lord. Through the discharge of his duty teh man matured fully in wisdom. His teachings to an ascetic form a scripture known as Vyadha Gita - The burcher's Gita. The idea of eking out an earthly existence i a wretched one. unbecoming of a man.
This negative attitude should be elevated to a positive one of adoring the lord with teh life that one lives; and that life should be worthy of it maker,Whatever duty falls to our lot is sacred in itself and it should be directed to the glory of the lord. This attitude would pull him godward. He is a yogi who converts his earthly life into the worship of the lord.
A coconut contains a fibrous sheath outside, the shell inside and the kernel within. The sheath has to be peeled off and the shell broken in order to get at the kernel. Similar to this, doing one's duty in the spirit of adoring the almighty is the means to get at the kernel which is god in the heart of man,
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