Action

The power of the choice of the common man became evident when a brand new kid in the bloc rallied against veteran bureaucrats and politicians and formed a government recently. This has re-kindled hopes in a billion people over the despondency created by scams, scandals, rising prices and corruption. Desperate to have a change & as a drowning man clutches a straw - people have univocally voted for change. The power of democracy resonates even after one and half centuries and reminds us of Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg words.
 

Much as voting is an action that a person has to exercise to see change, it does not guarantee the result he or she wishes for.

A famous couplet from the Geetha deals with actions and results.
 

Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana

Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhur: matey Sangostva Akarmani

The first quarter says A person has the choice of doing action - he has freewill - he can choose one action over other. This is the reason why people act differently in similar situations.

"Phaleshou adhikara kada chana Maam" - However, he or she does not have a choice on the results.
 

Though the verse is quite popular, this is supposedly the most misinterpreted verse.


There is a friend of mine who talks about this whenever he does not get the desired result - this is fate or this is god's will or there is a predetermined outcome - so why perform action?

I vote for a party - and when the results are announced and the party I voted for wins – I feel elated, I say "see, my vote mattered". What if the party did not win? -
here as well, my vote mattered, but there were other factors that mattered as well. Results are decided by my action but not by my action alone.

 

People had assembled for a Geetha class on a rainy evening. Just as the teacher started teaching the meaning of the above verse, there was an electricity failure and the microphone stopped working. When the power came back after a few minutes, the teacher said: "The desired action today is to take the Geetha class - so I have done my bit which is to come to the class. However I wouldn’t have taken the class if many of you had decided not to attend the class (due to the rain). Had you all come and had I not arrived, then too the desired results would not have been produced. Even if all of us attend but if the electricity fails, then too the desired result will not be produced. He continued, “To produce the desired result – your action is important. Your action contributes to the result but is not the sole determinant of the result".

 

 

Having freewill to act also means we act according to dharma. The basis of all beliefs are absolutely identical. The Hasshōdō of Japanese and the astanagamarga of Sanskrit or for that matter of any other belief is exactly the same - right action, right intention, right speech etc. The rituals followed may be different but the principles remain the same.
 

Whatever you do may be small (insignificant), but it is very important that you do it. - Mahatma Gandhi

Society does not go down because of the activities of criminals but because of the inaction of good people.  - Swami Vivekananda