Talks on the Gita -Vinoba 224

Chapter 18 CONCLUSION: RENUNCIATION OF THE FRUIT OF ACTIONS LEADS TO THE GRACE OF THE LORD 105. The full Meaning Of The Renunciation Of Fruit 17. From the elaboration of the idea of the renunciation of fruit of actions the following points emerge: Rajasik and tamasik karma should be completely given up. The fruit of the action of that renunciation should also be renounced. There must not be any pride or vanity about it. Sattvik karma should not itself be renounced, but its fruit should be renounced. Sattvik karma, whose fruit is to be renounced, should be done even if it has some impurities in it. When such karma is done continually, the mind will get purified. Activity will go on becoming gentler and subtler, and will cease completely in the end. Activity will disappear; but actions for the sake of loksamgraha—to bring the people together and show them the path of righteousness—will continue. Only that sattvik karma should be done which comes to us in the natural course. One should keep away from other karma, howsoever good it may appear. One should not be tempted by it. Swadharma that comes to us naturally consists of two parts. One is subject to change and the other is not. Varnadharma does not change, while the ashramdharma keeps changing. The part of swadharma that is subject to change must change. That will ensure purity and avoid stagnation. 18. If a stream stops flowing and water stagnates, it begins to stink. Similar is the case with ashramdharma. A man first accepts family life. He submits to the restraints of family for the sake of his growth. There he gets different experiences. But if he remains bound there permanently, it will spell his doom. The family-life, which was his dharma at one stage, becomes adharma (irreligion) at a later stage, as it then becomes binding. If the changing part of the dharma is not given up in time because of attachment, the result is disastrous. There should not be attachment even to a good thing. Attachment inevitably leads to terrible consequences. Germs of tuberculosis may enter the lungs unawares, but they will nevertheless eat away the whole of our life. If, through our carelessness, the germs of attachment enter into sattvik karma, that will then result in the rotting of swadharma. The sattvik swadharma will then degenerate into rajas and tamas. The part of swadharma that ought to change must be left behind at the appropriate time. This is true for the dharma about family as well as the dharma about nation. If attachment creeps into patriotism, it will degenerate into dangerous chauvinism. That will halt development. Attachment will corrupt the mind and cause degeneration.