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Chapter 9
THE SOVEREIGN SCIENCE OF SERVICE TO HUMANITY: YOGA OF SURRENDER
44. Dedication Of The Fruit Of Actions To The Lord
14. Rajayoga says, “Isn’t it true that somebody is bound to enjoy the fruit of your actions? So better offer it to the Lord. Dedicate it to Him.” Rajayoga points out the proper recipient. Here, there is no negative action of giving up the fruit; and as it has to be dedicated to the Lord, the question of judging the fitness of the recipient is also eliminated. Whatever is offered to the Lord is always pure. Even if your actions have impurities, they will become pure the moment they reach His hands. However hard we try to make our actions perfect, there will still be some flaws. Nevertheless we should try our best to act with the utmost possible purity. Intellect is God-given. It is our duty to keep it as pure as possible. Not to do so is a crime. So we must judge the fitness of the recipient. But if we look upon the world as a manifestation of God, it is easier to make the right judgement. 15. The fruit of action should be utilized for purifying the mind. Dedicate the actions to God irrespective of their quality, as and when they take place. The mind should thereby be continuously strengthened and purified. The fruit of work is not to be thrown away; it should be dedicated to Him. Dedicate to the Lord your desires and longings; even the passions and tendencies like anger that arise in the mind, and then have nothing to do with them. ‘काम-क्रोध आम्हीं वाहिले विठ्ठलीं।’ (‘We have dedicated to the Lord our passions and anger.’) There is no question of torturing oneself in the fire of self-control. Just dedicate everything to Him and be free of it. Nothing else needs to be done. There is no need for any suppression or of straining oneself to breaking point. Surrender totally and find freedom. ‘रोग जाय दुधें साखरें। तरी निंब कां पियावा।’ (‘If milk and sugar can cure the disease, why should one take bitter neem juice?’) 16. The sense-organs too are means (for realizing Him). Dedicate them to the Lord. People complain that they have no control over what they hear. Should we then refuse to hear anything? Not at all. We must hear. But let us hear only the edifying stories of the Lord. It is difficult to give up hearing altogether, but it is easier, and moreover more desirable and beneficial, to turn the ears to something worth hearing. Lend your ears to the Lord. Use your mouth to chant His Name. The sense-organs are not your enemies. They are good and useful. They possess great capabilities. The royal way is to take work from them in a spirit of dedication to the Lord. This is what rajayoga means. |
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