18th December 2024
Lord Krishna advises Arjuna: "Performing one’s own duty, even if it seems flawed, is superior to executing another's duty perfectly. By fulfilling a duty aligned with one’s own nature, one does not incur sin."
There is a short story from the Mahabharata about an ascetic who, after years of intense tapas (spiritual practice), discovered that his words had the power to create realities. When a crow kept disturbing him, he cursed it, and the bird fell dead at his command.
Later, the ascetic approached a woman in the village to seek alms. She was occupied serving her family and requested him to wait. Growing restless, the ascetic prepared to curse her as well, but she replied, "I am not like the crow." This bewildered him, and she continued, "There is no need to spend years in tapas; sincerely performing one’s own duty is, in itself, a form of tapas for a householder."
Due to the consequences of actions from past lives, individuals are born into specific societal roles. One should not abandon their duty merely out of personal dislike. No action is devoid of flaws, just as fire always has smoke!
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