PHRASES IN THE GITA 22

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PHRASES IN THE GITA 22

स्वधर्मे  निधनं  श्रेयः  ।  (अध्याय ३, श्लोक ३५).
ஸ்வதர்மே  நிதனம் ஸ்ரேயஹ ....  (அத்யாய 3.  ஸ்லோகம்  35).
Swadharme Nidhanam Shreyaha ... (Chapter 3, Shlokam 35).

MEANING :  Even Death is preferable in Swadharma.

Simple  meaning of the phrase is ... Do not copy.  Stick to your own Swabhaava, says Shri Krishna.

In a workshop for parents of tenth class students, I distributed a paper with four questions written on it.

The questions were as under : 

1.  What do you do?
2.   Are you completely satisfied with what you do?
3. If the answer to the previous question is "No" then, what do you want to do?
4. Why?

Government job, Police official, Engineer, Advocate, Tuition, Shop owner, Agency, Building Contractor, Agriculturist,  etc. were the various answers for the first question.

The answer to the second question was a big NO on almost all sheets.

Surprisingly,  the answers for the third question were the same as those for the first question, but on someone else's paper.  i.e.  The some one else wanted to do the job, that was not to the satisfaction of one.

They had listed the hardships, problems as answer to the fourth question.  They had also pointed out the absence of such problems in the work they wanted to do.

A shop owner thinks of the rent, electricity charges and Government Taxes he has to pay and sighs at the roadside Samosa vendor who does not have any of these, who earns "a lot" and is happy.  On the other hand, the Samosaa vendor thinks of the hardships in his own work and sighs at the Shop Owner. "I Have to wake up early, run to the market, purchase tings, prepare Samosaas, stack those on the hand-cart, expect every passer-by to purchase, with anxiety at the back of mind about Samosaas not being sold out and close the shop late in the night, clean the utensils for the next day's work.  And this Shop-keeper has no hassles. He comes at Nine'O clock, opens the shop and sits in AC the whole day."

The sales-man sighs at the Office-man.  "He does not have to face the problems of heat, dust, uncertainty of food, anxiety of keeping appointments, etc.  He happily receives his salary on 1st of every month.  The office-man sighs at the Sales Guy.  "He is enjoying, always out.  God knows what work he does.  He never has to face the Boss.  I have to face the brunt of all the attacks through out the day". 

There are comfort zones and hardships in every work.  Many a times, the comfort zone is visible to others, while the hardships are seen and experienced only by the person doing the job.

"See someone else's luxurious spending, pomp and show, dream to do the same, and plunge your rest of life in debts and sorrow".  This is most commonly observed phenomenon. 

Hence, the best option available to us is to select a work according to our own Swabhaava,/ Swadharma, enjoy doing it, patiently bear the income, expense, comforts and hardships and whatever else the work has to offer to us.