Q: What type of offerings does one need to make to please the Lord?

A: The Lord who owns the universe has no need for any offerings from anyone. Those desirous of pleasing the Lord make offerings in many ways:

• Some people meditate on the Lord as a form of offering - 

• Some focus on working diligently in their naturally chosen profession, without any material expectation, with their mind focused on the Lord as their offering

• Some focus on controlling indulgence in sensual pleasures as their offering

• Some donate time and resources to charities

• Some focus on gaining spiritual knowledge and then spreading the same

• Some focus on breath control in order to help them minimize their eating (eat just enough to sustain the body)

In summary, activities that society recognizes as selfless endeavors performed with some element of sacrifice of pleasures are considered as offerings accepted by the Lord. 

 

Q: How does one achieve eternal bliss and freedom from the cycle of births and deaths? A: One should perform naturally chosen duties without expecting worldly fruits and simultaneously focus on the Lord through various means such as meditation, listening to Lord’s glories etc. This leads one to a clear and pious mind which allows the percolation of pure, spiritual knowledge which ultimately leads one to the state of bliss. The one who achieves this is called ‘Sthitha Prajna’ or an ‘equi poised person’ or a ‘calm person’.

 

Q: How does one identify such as ‘calm person’? Is it by the way he/she walks, talks, sits? A: A person with pure mind devoid of any blemishes or desire for worldly objects is a ‘calm person’. The second question is rhetorical. The real question is why does such as ‘calm person’ need to do any activity as he/she is already on the way to attaining eternal bliss? It turns out that everyone, including those who have already attained eternal bliss is always performing some activity. The Lord Himself is continuously performing benevolent activities. That is in the nature of things.

 

Path of Knowledge v/s Path of Labour

 

Q: Which is superior: Karma Yoga (Path of Labour) or Jnana Yoga (Path of Knowledge)? A: Both are required by a seeker who has to perform naturally chosen duties (Path of Labour) while having the requisite knowledge in performing the action (Path of Knowledge). Merely following the path of labour without proper knowledge may lead to temporary fruits at best. Similarly, merely acquiring knowledge (Path of Knowledge) without actually implementing the tasks (Path of Labour) will not help one achieve salvation. However the proportion of time traversed on the path of labour or the path of knowledge may be different for different individuals based on their innate nature. Thus, a Karma Yogi is someone who by nature is more inclined to be in the path of labour while Jnana Yogi is one who is more inclined to be in the path of knowledge.

 

Q: Why should one indulge in actions (labour) which may entail hurting others? An example would be a warrior fighting a war which could result in injury and death to opponents. Why not focus only on studies of scriptures, meditation and perform minimum activities required for survival?

A: There are broadly two ways to cross the ocean of life and reach deliverance. Those who are predisposed to intellectual pursuits often pursue professions such as teaching etc, and those who are inclined towards physical activities engage in professions such as armed forces etc. The former are ‘Jnana Yogis’ and the latter are ‘Karma Yogis’. Suffice it to say that Jnana Yogis also have to partake in Karma Yoga and Karma Yogis also have to partake in acquisition of knowledge. For soldiers, participating in a just war is a naturally chosen duty and their way to eternal glory is by carrying out their duties in a just way without getting attached to the activities. Such professionals cannot abdicate their naturally chosen work which at times might be unpleasant. Indeed they cannot take shelter solely in intellectual pursuits and hope to achieve salvation. In fact, the preferred way for such professionals would be to focus on their work and pursue intellectual studies when possible and at all times dedicate their work to God.

 

Knowledge Management

 

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