Walk the Talk

By Sachi R. Sachidananda

What is the goal of human life? The answer to this question has been given once and for all by Swami
Vivekananda. He gave the dictum, आत्मनो मोक्षर्थं जगद्धिताय च – “Life is for liberating oneself
and serving all”. The stress on liberation has to be understood not as an advice to escape from this
world but to live life rightly. Only when man lives rightly will his life be for the welfare of all -
बहुजनहिताय बहुजनसुखाय.
What is right living? How does it confer liberation? In my view, we have to tame the mind. Bhagavan
Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavadgita,
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥ ६-५॥
बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः ।
अनात्मनस्तु त्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव त्रुवत् ॥ ६-६॥
Translation (Swami Tapasyananda):

5. One should uplift one's lower self by the higher self. One should not depress or downgrade one's
self. For, the self verily is both the friend and the foe of the self. Here the higher self is the Buddhi
focussed on the higher goals of life. The lower self is the outgoing mind running after sense objects
with ideas of “I” and “Mine” in the material world.

6. To him who has subdued the lower self by the higher self, the self acts like a friend. But to him who
has lost his higher self by the dominance of the lower one, the self functions as the enemy, always
hostile to him.

The lower self or the outgoing mind operates through six forces called the eternal enemies of the man
of higher aspiration - काम, क्रोध, लोभ, मोह, मद, मात्सर्य - Lust, Anger, Greed, Infatuation,
Arrogance, Jealousy.

The title of this article is “Walk the Talk”. So far, we have discussed ideas that most educated people
acquainted with Sanatana Dharma would be familiar with. So, we all have a theoretical understanding
of this subject. How do we now translate this into our everyday life? How do we walk the spiritual
path instead of merely paying lip service to it? For that we need to draw on the wisdom of the
Bhagavadgita again, a scripture that has changed many lives. I quote here a few verses which give
practical pointers on how to accomplish this goal of walking the talk.

The secret formula for accomplishing life’s goal is, according to the Gita, unadulterated, single-
minded devotion to Bhagavan, or the Lord. That is what is true Bhakti. Each one has a different image
or understanding of the Lord. It may be a deity, the supreme Bhagavan worshipped as Narayana,
Shiva, or Devi, or even the abstract Brahman. How to practice Bhakti?
In the Bhakti Yoga, Chapter 12, Sti Krishna does not talk of worship or prayer or chanting or ritual.
He discusses how to live the spiritual life. Here are three important shlokas which convey what I think
are the most important aspects.

अद्वेष्टा सर्वभूतानां मैत्रः करुण एव च ।

निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः समदुःखसुखः क्षमी ॥ १२-१३॥

सन्तुष्टः सततं योगी यतात्मा दृढनिचयः ।

मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिर्यो मद्भक्तः स मे प्रियः ॥ १२-१४॥

तुल्यनिन्दास्तुतिर्मौनी सन्तुष्टो येन केनचित् ।

अनिके तः स्थिरमतिर्भक्तिमान्मे प्रियो नरः ॥ १२-१९॥

Sri Krishna says that the first feature of right living is having no hatred for anything or anyone. How
do we achieve this? We need to make peace with life as we experience it, and see life for what it is – a
drama of highs and lows where there are no true winners or losers, no true friends or foes. It is as if all
life is a play, or a puppet show, directed by the Lord. After developing such an understanding, the
seed of hatred in us disappears. Immediately, we start feeling a cordiality and friendship towards
everyone around us, as we are all actors in a grand play! This friendship leads to spontaneous
compassion whenever we see anyone in want or distress. That is what Swamiji says when he says
जगद्धिताय च.

In order to feel such positivity and compassion towards all life, I have to give up “I” and “Mine”. I
have to give up this big thing called ego. It is ego that makes me feel superior or inferior to anyone. If
I am without ego, I can become dispassionate even during difficult times as I do not project myself as
a victim of life but merely an actor in the life drama. That will help me ride over the highs and lows of
life.

The characteristic of such a dispassionate man is a constant expression of good cheer. That constant
positivity and the ability to face life with a smile is what distinguishes right living. Sri Rama, even
while going through the vicissitudes of life in the forest, practiced this positivity. That positivity
reinforces an inner sense of priority of pursuing liberation from the six inner enemies rather than
acquiring more things in life. That is the nature of a true Yogi. He is resolute in his attitude to life as
he is inward-focussed and not easily disturbed by outside circumstances. That inward focus is called
single-minded devotion or true Bhakti - मय्यर्पितमनोबुद्धिः. Bhagavan says in the Gita that such a
man is dear to Him!

When such a man faces calumny or flattery, he is indifferent. He is easily satisfied, and has meagre
wants. He does not build for himself a mansion, knowing that this life is short and nobody takes
anything with him at the moment of death. He is so firmly established in his devotion that he has truly
liberated himself from the six enemies even in this physical body with its pleasures and pains.

That is what I call the Walk the Talk. Not pious platitudes but right action every moment of life. This
works for a student, a doctor, a manager, a teacher, a businessman or a housewife equally. Do your
duty the best and leave unto God the rest.

हरिः ॐ तत् सत्

***