Work is worship
By Taru Bahl

THE opposite of work is idleness. Even today, when the means no longer seem as important as the end, people continue to view those who lead a purposeless existence with disdain. However moneyed the person may be, having inherited a rich legacy through forefathers, he fails to win admiration and respect unless he earns his bread the hard way. Pt Nehru aptly put it, aaram hai haraam (idleness is sinful). A person who has based his fame, riches and reputation on the strong foundation of hard work, diligence and singleminded devotion is looked upon like a demi god.

The Ant and the Grasshopper is a popular Aesop’s fable which amply brings out the two extremes of industriousness and laziness. The opening sequence in the story has a group of ants conscientiously drying their store of corn, which had got damp after a spell of rain. A famished grasshopper begs them to spare some food.The ants ask him sarcastically, "What important things were you busy with in the summer, when it was time to stock food?". The grasshopper replies, "I was so busy singing that I forgot all about it." The ants without taking any pity say, "Then spend the winter dancing!"

The story of the Three Little Pigs is also about working hard, smartly with the right tools and the right material to do a job right, implying that God helps only those who help themselves.

It has been drilled into us that unless we work hard we cannot reap the fruits of success. Also, that success can come and, more importantly, sustained only by those who are prepared to slog. We all work. Whether it is the Queen in Buckingham Palace or the man in the street below; all of us have to put in some work. Similarly, both a scientist working on a multi million dollar project or a retired government servant who has taken to maintaining a garden and reading for the rest of his life are working; even if the type of work may be different. Both of them may have the same amount of love and commitment towards the task at hand. Even if the former goes on to win a Nobel Prize for his achievement, it does not belittle the effort the other may be putting in keeping his garden pretty and well tended. It is, thus, not what you do but how you do it that makes all the difference.

Doing things is learning how to do them. Liking them and making them a part of one’s life are logical steps which must follow. Simple tasks like good habits of personal hygiene, household chores or caring for pets require learning. One can do them well or poorly; cheerfully or grudgingly; with pride or distaste. The choice is ours. Ancient Roman Stoics maintained, "There are no menial jobs, only menial attitudes". The Bhagavadagita goes a step further and states that karamayoga is the essence of life. The philosophy of work as duty eliminates any debate on one kind of work being superior to another. It is performance of duty, irrespective of its consequences that must lead human life, according to Lord Krishna.

The distinction between a worker and a non-worker is very evident when one compares their attitudinal behaviour and approach towards work in general. A worker is one who believes in the work he performs. He accepts challenges and strives towards accomplishing goals with sincerity. For him work is an integral part of his life, one which must be performed without expecting immediate rewards and accolades. There is consistency in his approach. He does not work in fits and starts, allowing moods to dictate the pace and quality of his work. There is no misgiving, shirking or an attempt at passing the buck. This sense of commitment brings along with it a sense of pride in whatever he does. He reposes confidence in people as they hand over charge to him, knowing that he will be accountable and put in his 100 per cent. For him, work is worship. He approaches all his chores, responsibilities and duties out of the same level of reverence and good heartedness.

He knows there are things from which there is no escaping, like bearing and rearing children, looking after aged parents and maintaining cordial relations with family and friends. He accepts these as an inevitable part of life. Even if his heart is not in it, he resolves not to compromise. This simplistic logic helps him unclutter his mind. His body too turns more receptive to the demands and pressures of social obligations Work, in fact, becomes his best friend. In moments of great distress he turns to work which becomes the perfect antidote for him. Doers find a way round the most complex situations because they are armed with the right attitude towards work. They neither martyr themselves nor expect the world to acknowledge/appreciate their hard work. They work for themselves. They set their own goals, time frames and quality control checks as they keep upgrading their standards of perfection. It is no fluke that they are efficient and organised.

At times, work can be boring, monotonous and uninspiring. When one performs the same task tirelessly over a period of time it may loose its initial sheen and aura. Watching mother doing puja religiously, going to the temple and performing fasts may inspire one to do the same. But once we begin doing it, it may not appear as exciting. Here, one has the choice of either doing it half-heartedly, unceremoniously leaving it midway or trying to make it into a habit. When we get up at the crack of dawn to study, it may be difficult initially —even irritating — but as one sees the increasing levels of productivity one may be forced to look at it differently. By sheer persistence and doggedness we may succeed in making it a part of our routine. Once it becomes a habit, we will realise that although there are no exams to be taken, no assignments to be completed, yet we cannot laze around in bed for long. We have turned into an early riser packing in numerous things, thanks to the few extra hours in the morning. From a tiresome chore, it has become a habit one finds difficult to shrug off and, with the passage of time, something which one loves doing. They may become the most precious hours which one would fiercely guard as one’s personal time to do things undisturbed, giving it a spiritual dimension.

When a ploughman asks Kahlil Gibran to talk of Work, he says: "Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune. But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth’s fondest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born. And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life. And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life’s innermost secret." Indians have a long tradition of approaching work with a sense of reverence. Shree Ganesh is an auspicious opening before commencing anything new. Shopkeepers bend humbly and reverentially to touch the floor of their shop before entering it and beginning their business for the day. The Vishwakarma Puja is a day specially reserved for worshipping one’s work tools.

Ideally, one must love the work one does. But this would be an Utopian situation. It would be realistic to approach work, any work, with an open mind. Then one must make a distinction between what one can and cannot do. Finally, what one must and mustn’t do. When there is something that has to be done, irrespective of whether one fancies it or not, one must zealously work towards accomplishing it. This is possible only when one regards work as something which is sacrosanct and worth worshipping.