Spiritual Message for the Day – Purity of Motive by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
Baba Times Digest© | 18 February 2015 16.53 EST | New York Edition
Purity of Motive
Divine Life Society Publication: Ethical Teachings by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
Purity of motive (Anupadhi) is a Samanya Dharma or common duty of every man. It is the motive that counts in the performance of an action. If an action is performed with a selfish motive it binds a man to the wheel of births and deaths. If it is done with a pure motive in a disinterested manner, it will purify the heart and lead to the attainment of the final emancipation.
Right and wrong are to be determined not by the objective consequences but by the nature of subjective intention of the agent.
God looks to the motive of the doer. Lord Krishna says, "He who is free from the egoistic notion, whose reason is unaffected, though he slays these people, he slayeth not, nor is bound" VIII-17. "Having abandoned attachment to the fruit of action, always content, nowhere seeking refuge, he is not doing anything although doing actions" IV-20.
Before you perform any action scrutinize your motive. If there is selfishness give up that action. It takes some time to purify the motives. Go on doing actions incessantly and watch your motives. Gradually the motives will become purer and purer. Selfishness is deep-rooted. Strenuous efforts, patience, perseverance and vigilance are needed to root it out entirely.
Lord Rama fought with Ravana. Ravana also engaged himself in battle. But the motives of both were different though the action was the same. Sri Rama fought in order to establish Dharma and protect the people from the trouble and havoc of wicked Ravana. He had no selfish interests. But Ravana had an evil motive.
A Karma Yogi works in the society intensely with more zeal than a worldly man. The action is the same, but the motives are different, in each person. The Karma Yogi marches forward towards the Goal or the summum bonum but the worldly man entangles himself through his impure motive of self-interest.
Cultivate purity of motives again and again. Persist. Watch the mind carefully. Work without expectation of fruits, and idea of agency. Surrender all actions and their fruits to the Lord. You will be freed from the bonds of Karma and attain Supreme harmony, highest good, undecaying felicity.
Excerpts from: Purity of Motive - Ethical Teachings by Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda
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