New Delhi: Amidst work pressure and the anxiety to prove ourselves, man is also driven by the desire to look for peace of mind and achieve inner satisfaction. These diverse threads are not very difficult to integrate but to comprehend them, we have to delve deeper to understand the true meaning of life. The President of India, Mr Pranab Mukherjee said this while addressing the World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality.
The conclave was organized by ASSOCHAM, Srei Foundation and the Times Group. This conclave is being conducted annually since 2010 to spread the message of inter-faith peace and harmony, to ignite the human spirit, and to harness the potential of human beings towards selfless service. The theme of this convention, “Sach Bharat: Spirituality at Work”, is of immense relevance, Mr Mukherjee said.
“At the workplace, being spiritual is to express the full potential of our souls at work; remembering always that God is our only employer. Spirituality gives a superior meaning to whatever we do. If we approach work with the same piousness as we have when we worship God, we will experience a sense of being uplifted; of being connected to a greater power”, the president opined. “If we think of pleasing God through our work and that God is watching us, our work will have a different quality and meaning. We will then move closer to perfection,”, he added.
The president mentioned by recalling history that Lord Krishna, Lord Ram, Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavira, Emperor Ashoka, Kabir, Guru Nanak, Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi – throughout our history and in our present – India has been blessed with great spiritual thinkers and teachers. This is a land where Dharma Rajya has existed. This is also the country that fought its battle for freedom using non-violence. This rich heritage is among our greatest strengths.
Explaining how spirituality influences workplace and culture, the President said “A work force that is motivated and content, works with devotion and passion, strives for achievement and betterment, indicates the power of a spiritual and honest mind. We need to inspire commitment in our workforce. Through the Bhagwat Gita, Lord Krishna guides us by saying and I quote:
“तस्मादसक्त: सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर |
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुष: || 19||”
“Tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samāchara
Asakto hyācharan karma param āpnoti pūruṣhaḥ”, which means that “Therefore, O Arjuna, always perform your duty efficiently and without attachment to the results, because by doing work without attachment one attains the Supreme Person” (unquote)”
