The Vision Of A New Society: 24 ►Efficiency in Work

There are all types of people in this world. Some people are extremely good and some are extremely bad. Some people fall in the middle category. Some people are given to hard work and some are lazy. While some people laze, others work hard. Some people can stick to their resolve, while some easily waver. There are also people who manage in life with average capacity to stick to resolve. Some people belong to the highest category, some to the middle category and some to the lowest. From many points of view, human beings can be categorized in this order. These categories, in turn, can be defined in many ways. Bhartrihari defined them as follows in terms of success on one's work:

People of the lowest category do not begin any work at all. They are afraid of facing obstacles. People of the middle category make a beginning, but disheartened by obstacles, give up midway. People of the highest category do not lose heart despite repeated obstacles. They rest only after accomplishing the work they have begun.^[1]"

Will-Power

I know a large number of people who begin some new work with great enthusiasm. Their enthusiasm lasts so long as there is no obstacle in the way. The moment they have to face an obstacle, their will-power sags. Weakened will-power is the biggest obstacle in the way to success. Work may be big or small, but it cannot be completed without will-power. The individual with strong will­power firmly resolves to fight against obstacles, struggle hard and not leave the work in the middle.

An ant falls down in the process of climbing a wall. But it does not change its course in spite of falling not once but several times. The success of an ant inspires confidence in the kind of an enthusiastic person. He awakens his latent powers and engages himself in work. Obstacles do bother him, but the moment he remembers the persistent effort of the ant, he ceases to bother. After that the fear of the future does not weaken his spirits. From this point of view, the first factor, leading to success in one's work is will power.

Balancing the Impulses

Whatever may be the field of activity, the person engaged in it is not alone. When a person is alone, he is free. No one is there to pull him up if he acts according to his whim. But when there are two persons instead of one, it is the beginning of collectiveness, and then it is necessary to keep in mind each other's wishes and expectations. Unless this is done, there is always the danger of peace being disturbed. For this, balancing the impulses is very important. Imbalance is not desirable under any circumstances when there is imbalance in nature, it plays havoc. Too much rain, too little rain, floods, cyclones, earthquakes etc. are the results of imbalance in nature. Imbalance in the case of human beings causes turmoil in family and society. Family quarrels, social conflicts, war frenzy are no events by themselves. These things happen, because man loses control over his impulses. They play their role when effort is wasted or when not enough effort is made. Therefore, the principle of balancing the impulses should be put into practice. Without that, neither the student nor the teacher can be successful in his efforts. In that state, neither the household can be run on proper lines nor can a renunciation serve its purpose. In an imbalanced state, neither the child nor the aged person can have mental peace. Balancing the impulse has its value from j this point of view.

Tolerance

The individual whose impulses are balanced is able to live a healthy life. Tolerance is related to balance. There is a word kshanti^[2]which has been described as follows:

Kshanti means the capacity to face every kind of physical, mental and emotional stress. Some people do face such hardships but they are overcome with anxiety and grumble. This is a weakness. For the weak person, facing hardships and living meekly is a curse. Some people face their troubles fighting against them. In the case of some people, there is always some reaction in their minds. Still they suffer those situations for the sake of reputation, honour or with a view to gain some special advantage.^[3]

Such a situation is not without some consideration either. They develop tolerance because they do not wish to show weakness by becoming intolerant when the other person is tolerating him.

After passing examination from a great educational institution, a student went to SantKabir. SantKabir asked him the purpose of his coming. The student said, "I have completed my studies. Now my parents are keen to fix my marriage. But I am fascinated by the saints and the sages. I am in a dilemma and cannot make up my mind. That is why I have come to you for guidance."

Kabir was an odd type of saint. He asked his wife to bring a lighted lamp, although it was the afternoon time. The young man was somewhat disappointed. Kabir sent for some milk. The wife brought milk in two cups and left. A moment later she came back to check if any sugar was needed. Kabir said after having a sip or two of milk, "Milk is fine. Sugar is not necessary." The young man could not keep quite. He said, "Respected saint, this milk is salty. Why did you not tell the lady?" Kabir said, "This is for your guidance." The young man did not understand. Kabir said, "My wife puts up with me as I am. I asked her to light the lamp in the afternoon, but she did not argue. She lighted the lamp and left it here. When she is putting up with everything I do, why should I not put up with her? I know there is salt in milk. She has put salt in it, but she has not deliberately done it. Out of negligence, she has mixed salt instead of sugar in this milk. So what? Do I not become negligent like this myself at times? I put up with her. Otherwise we would have quarrelled twice right in your presence. Whether you live in an ascetic's ashram or be a householder, you can succeed in life only by being tolerant." The young man found a new direction in his life.

This is an example of balancing the impulses. Such occasions often arise in a man's life. He who puts up with them, is safe. He who cannot do it, faces danger to his existence. An intolerant person often commits suicide. Students commit suicide when they do not get the expected results in their examinations. Young men stake their lives when they cannot marry the girls of their choice. How many businessmen end their lives when they fail in their business: Even great scientists, in their anguish and mental frustrations, put an end to their lives before time. Why do these things happen? The one big reason is the imbalance of their impulses. Therefore balance of the impulses acquires prime importance.

This is the age of economic competition. The edu­cated as well as the uneducated classes are party to the blind race for earning money. Educated young people do not take interest in their traditional profession. They are keen to change their fields of activity. All of them want to become officers. The growing number of the educated unemployed is a challenge to the national economy. Millions are unemployed in this vast country. If these people acquire more efficiency in their respective fields of work with the help of technology, they would never be out of employment.

Mahatma Gandhi was a successful experimenter. He experimented with so many things in his life. A large number of people benefited from his experiments. Sriman Narayan Agarwal once narrated to me some of his reminiscences and said, "Acharyaji, we heard Gandhiji's name when we were studying at the university. We were impressed by the store is of his patriotic fervour. I went to him as soon as the Universe examinations were over dressed in a suit, complete with necktie. I paid my respect to him and introduced myself. Gandhiji said, "Sriman, what has brought you here?" I said proudly, “I have passed ' my university examination. Now I wish to work in your Ashram. Please give me a chance to work."

Gandhiji looked at me intently and said, "Do you want to work? Then pick up this spade and dig the ground. I remained stunned for a moment or two. I thought to myself, "I am a university student, smartly dressed. And here he is asking me to do such a thing! Has he gone out of his mind?" But realizing the situation, I picked up the spade. I felt inspired as never before and started working. That day I learnt a new lesson in my life. I realized that so long as man does not learn to work, his education is useless."

Whenever I remember these reminiscences of Sriman Narayan, I find them very inspiring. Today, it is necessary to teach this very thing to the students. As long as they avoid doing work and do not become assiduous, their education would not serve any purpose. Our monks study. But they do physical work at the same time. Physical labour enjoys pride of place in sramana culture.^[4] He who has become a monk may be any ordinary person or a millionaire, once he has adopted that path, he has got to do physical work. He would have to do his own work himself. He would have to take a begging bowl and go asking for alms in order to live. Assiduousness and pride for the ancestral professions can be of great help in making a person assiduous.