Since our childhood, we are fed the notion of being. The simplest example is the essay titled “What I want to be?” is written by almost everyone in the schools. The pressure of being is so much that, even the parents tell (sometimes force) their children what they need to be? In this era of industrialization, modernization and technological world, being has got more importance in our lives. But, is it truly that important?
According to the Karmayoga all a human being can do is Karma ie to do. To do the karma and leave the rest for the almighty to take care of. Lord Krishna has praised Karma more than Prarabdha or destiny. Because what you will be? is a part of you Prarbdha. A human being has no control over his/her Prarabdha. So in essence, a human being has no control over What will he be? ie Being and only has control over his/her deeds ie Doing.
The basic premise of Being is to achieve something in the material world or getting into some kind of authority status. Clearly, one cannot be something without doing anything. So, doing is essential for being. For example being an engineer means getting the degree of engineering, being an astronaut means clearing the tests with good marks. It is very evident that if someone’s goal in life is only to be something then, the journey of being ends once the goal is achieved. Suddenly life becomes a boring way of existence.
But, life is an unending process. Can you keep doing while being? Most certainly yes! But, only if the goal of life is doing and not being. Let doing be the path of the life, the path of finding the ultimate truth. Being will follow you on your path. For example, see the difference between following two statements
- I want to be a doctor
- I want to cure every patient that comes my way
In the first statement, the goal is the get the degree and license to open a hospital etc. But, in the second statement, the goal is to cure each and every patient. Now, if a person pursues his/her student life with this goal he/she will not only be just a doctor but will be a good doctor. Because this urge of doing automatically reflects into being.
Just as a caveat, being something and doing the duties is as evil as doing everything just to be something. If you don’t become something you wanted to be even after doing all the necessary things, still you have nothing to lose. You have all your deeds and experience behind you. The path of doing never expects to a person to be. Because intoxication of realization of being is the biggest blocker on the path of Karmayoga.
Now, I am not a so-called guru or pandit. Neither am I a scholar. But, by following Bhagwatgeeta, this is what I have learned. I would like to know your thoughts on this and I encourage good healthy debate.
Lord Krishna always told Arjuna to do the Karma and not worry about being anything but a doer!