ACTION BRINGS RESULTS
By Swami Chidananda
Geetā, echoing the wisdom of Upanishads, says1, “Success is the result of (hard, honest) work.”
Unless you are convinced that we have very high vairāgya (lack of interest in pleasures of the world), we must work hard. Without having seen the limitations of power, position and pleasure in the world, if we try to walk the path of renunciation, we will neither be here nor there! Neither enjoying the world nor revelling in Brahman!
Work we must (pravritti). Not just by quoting some high philosophy but by actually realizing the inability of the world of objects to give us happiness, we may at the right time move to a life of contemplation (nivritti).
tāni ācharatha niyatam satyakāmāh
esha vah panthāh sukritasya loke
Mundaka Upanishad, 1.2.1
(Mundaka 1, khanda 2, mantra 1)
[Perform those karmas (actions), with desire for true results! This is your path leading to the fruits of karma acquired by yourselves.]
Notes:
1 siddhir-bhavati karmajā – Geetā 4.12