DO IT BECAUSE IT’S RIGHT

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

103. DO IT BECAUSE IT’S RIGHT
In the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna uses a significant phrase, a
sentence: “kripanah phalahetavah (Wretched are those whose motive is the reward).” He says that
it is greedy and avaricious people, miserly people, who always think in terms of doing something
for obtaining something. The Lord says that this is a very ignoble view, not a lofty, sublime or
beautiful view.
Why should one always want to obtain something? Why not do something just because the
doing of it is noble, because it is good, because it is beneficial to others, so others may obtain? Why
should you always equate the usefulness of a thing in terms of what it brings to you? Why not value
something in terms of what it brings to others? Why should the consideration always be linked up
with “I and mine” and obtaining something for “me and myself”?

The Lord says: “This is not laudable. I cannot appreciate it. You are My children. The whole
universe is yours. I am yours. What more do you want? Why don’t you realise how great you are,
how fortunate you are, how blessed you are, how your life is complete in every way because I
indwell you? Is there anything higher? Is there anything greater? What more is there to be obtained
when you have Me? Why do you go about being burdened by such petty little thoughts: ‘What will I
obtain if I do a certain thing? I do something because I want to obtain something’?”
He says: “Get rid of this view. Be noble. Be large-hearted. Do not have a constricted heart.
Throw away all ideas of obtaining something for your little self, which, in any case, is false. It does
not exist; it is an imagination. And, truth to tell, it is not only false and petty, it is your problem. It
creates the ‘I, I, I, mine, mine, mine, for me, for me, for me.’ Don’t you know that this is your
problem-creator? And yet you want to always nourish it, cherish it, safeguard it and make a big
thing out of it. You are led by it, dominated by it, and orient everything by it—I, mine and what shall
I get?”
Why should you lead the divine life? Because it is noble to lead it. Because it is grand and
sublime to lead it. Because it is good to lead it, and because so much good comes out of it for the
whole world. What does it matter if it creates some difficulties for you? If it is not so very easy or
pleasant, what does it matter? It does not matter.
Therefore, this crucial thought imparted to us by Lord Krishna should be deeply considered,
deeply pondered, deeply reflected upon. Why should anything bring something for you? If it is
good by itself, why not do it? This ideal is echoed in a familiar saying in the West: “Virtue is its own
reward.” You practise virtue, adorn your life with virtue, not because you wish to get something out
of it, but because it is good to do so, it is beautiful in itself. This is indeed the right and healthy
attitude one should have.
“May good thoughts come to us from all directions.” Thus an ancient rishi of the Vedic age
addressed the great Universal Being. And he added: “So that we may become centres of good.” This
is enough. Do not wish to obtain something by imbibing good or becoming good and doing good.
This obtaining mentality reduces a noble, sublime thing to the level of commercialism. You do
something because you want to obtain something. That is what every shopkeeper is engaged in
doing. It is not a mentality that is spiritual.
“I want to have visions. I want to have ecstasy. I want to have darsan.” So all your sadhana
is reduced to this level—that you do it because you want something that gives you a kick, that
makes you feel specially good about yourself. Is that why you entered the spiritual life? Is that why
Milarepa underwent hundreds of difficulties and problems, sufferings and tortures, and put up with
all of them?
Ramakrishna used to say that it is like sowing a seed and digging it up the next day wanting
to know how far it has grown, if anything has happened. Why should anything happen? Do your
duty. Our approach and attitude towards our sadhana should be that “I am fulfilling my mission in
life. I am justifying my human status. I am carrying out God’s plan for me, His will for me. He has
destined me for a particular state of experience. Therefore, this itself is enough reason to engage in
this type of life. No other reason is necessary.

“It is not necessary that He should give me results, give me this or that. I do it because it is
the right thing to do. It is the very purpose and meaning of my existence as a human being. And if I
persist in doing it, that itself is enough satisfaction for me. I have the great satisfaction of knowing
that I have not wasted away or misused this great God-given gift of life. I have put it to the highest
use. That is enough for me. I do not have to go on looking to see how far I have succeeded, what I
have obtained. Let me make my whole life God-oriented. Let me live for the ultimate Goal. Let Him
do whatever He wishes to do.”
This is the spirit of the true devotee of God. By casting away this limited and prosaic attitude
of doing something for obtaining something, you liberate yourself from this petty thought; and
spontaneously, with full heart, you throw yourself into this sublime task of making your life divine.
Life has been given to you to thus utilise it towards this sublime consummation.
May you all shine with this large-heartedness. May you be blessed with this
noble-mindedness, this noble attitude towards all that is good, all that is auspicious, all that is
beautiful, all that is spiritual and sublime. If out of it much good, much gain comes to others and
God’s creation, well, even that is up to Him. But you live your life because it is godly and sublime; it
is the only life worth living. No other reason is required.