Why should we act ? – Gita’s answer.

Dear Ansh
You have raised a very pertinent and interesting question. Before I attempt to answer it, I would like to draw your attention to an advertisement about Rediff Mail is doing the rounds in TV channels. I do not know if you have seen it. It goes like this.
A young boy watches some thugs indulging in eve teasing in a public place. He confronts them by trying to prevent them from teasing the girl and in the process gets severely beaten. He goes home, writes about this incident and forwards it to all people known to him by Rediffmail. In the next scene, we see a big crowd turning up to bash up this gang of thugs.
I mention this ad to highlight on what it really means 'to act against injustice'. Acting against injustice is not necessarily getting physically involved. It may not be possible for every one to do that but there is something that every one can do against injustice. A great example in the modern times is the war that Medha Padkar is waging against the powers that be to ensure that the people who get affected by the project gets a fair deal.
You must have heard of the story of a tiny squirrel helping in the building of the bridge to Lanka in its own way and how the Lord rewarded it. Participation in a good cause or raising against injustice is all subject to one's own limitation. There is some little thing that every one can do about it. This is what is emphasised in the Gita.
Sri

 

Dear Ansh
I do understand the import of your question and its implications. This question vexes every one of us at some stage or other. It becomes even more complicated when it involves our family or our job because the freedom of action gets severely curtailed in these vital areas. When Krishna extols the virtue of Nishkamya Karma, that is performing our duties without getting attached to the fruits thereof, He forsees similar predicament in every one of us.

Let me start with an example. When we perform our allotted duties in our profession on a day to day basis, we experience no difficulties or pressures but when we are asked to appear for a test and interview in connection with a much sought after promotion, we become nervous which in turn affects our performance. It is because of the apprehension and anxiety that the fruit of this action in the form of promotion may elude us. It is a psychologically established fact that when our mind gets weighed down with the thoughts of the fruits of our labour, we find ourselves a bit cramped. That is why we are asked not to place too much emphasis on the results but merely concentrate on our labour. This is a sound advice particularly in the modern age when rewards go more to sycophants and not performers. The vital question here is why should we penalise ourselves more with the self destructing ruminations on some worthless person getting rewarded for our work?

Your question about family situations has also to be understood in this context. But the point to be understood is that in family matters, no one works for a reward. Every task here has to be understood in the context of Nishkamya Karma. No one expects a reward for discharging his duty to his family. If at all, peace of mind is the biggest reward. Having said all this, there is still the problem of our being misunderstood for what we do in the best of our intentions. This is where, Gita assumes the greatest significance!
Sri