Everyone, irrespective of gender, caste, race, religion (faith), is equal in front of God.

God’s countless names reflect and correspond to innumerable Divinity attributes (manifested and unmanifested), many crores in numbers (33 crores or 330 million, rhetorically speaking). Yet all those different names stand for one God only (Rig Veda: Book 1, Hymn 164.46).

Similarly, Creation is enormously varied, numbering perhaps in lakhs and lakhs of yonis (millions of species of life in the world). Man (human) is just one part of the creation (metaphorically speaking, one of the 84 lakhs yonis or 8.4 million species).

Because of man's superior intellect and great capability to rationalize and chart his own course, his position in this world is considered unique, powerful, privileged and vastly superior to that of others, belonging to lakhs of yonis of life. This places enormous burden of responsibility on man to be mindful of his actions and decisions so as not to affect the creation (including environment and other creatures) adversely. Needless to say, there is a shared responsibility in this regard on the part of every man to avoid upsetting the balance of nature, permanently or otherwise, by his actions (decisions).

This incidentally does not mean that people need to abandon their duty but only that the duty must be done honestly and with dedication (Appendix) while also keeping in mind its overall immediate and long term consequences.

Appendix
Gita’s message on doing one’s work (duty) honestly and with dedication

People should concentrate on doing their duty in the best possible way and its result will come to them naturally and automatically, sooner or later and, as determined by their effort.

"Action is greater than inaction: perform therefore thy task in life. Even the life of the body could not be if there were no action: a person cannot fulfill his body’s needs, food etc., without working." (Gita: Ch. 3 - V. 8)

"In liberty from the bonds of attachment, do though the work to be done: for the man whose work is pure attains indeed the Supreme (real success, salvation)." (Gita: Ch. 3 - V. 19)

"Even as the unwise work selfishly dedicated to their selfish works, let the wise man work unselfishly and with the same dedication leading to the good of all." (Gita: Ch. 3 - V. 25)

"Those who follow the above guidelines faithfully, and have a good will, find through working honestly their freedom and success." (Gita: Ch. 3 - V. 31)

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By: Dr. Subhash C. Sharma
Email: [email protected]
Date: Sept. 19, 2009

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