Nishkam Karma

For months together I have been pondering on the concept of 'nishkam karma', which loosely translated in English means, " Do your work but don't crave for the results" and been wondering how is this possible? When you do something, you naturally get attached to it and how can you do effort if you are not sure about the result. Won't it be similar to creating sand house on the sea shore which could be swept away by the wave of sea anytime. How can you not be attached to your effort? What does attachment with detachment want to speak? All those self help books and Gita that I have read speaks that it frees you from the bondage to the effort which your longing to result ties you to. What does this mean? I do something, as if I am supposed to do it and do not desire results. Many months I tried to get the hang of this concept and read some more in the process. However, the meaning of this concept dawned on me lately.




When you put an effort in anything, your mind goes in the future tense and anticipates results which will come out of it. Then you are no longer in the moment but planning and thinking that if this effort goes right, I can do this. You may think, what's wrong in doing it? There is nothing wrong except the fact, that you are no longer in the moment enjoying and savouring it rather you are anticipating the result that will come out of it which is building more pressure on you in the present tense. As a result you're working harder. Sounds complicated, let me explain--



You went to the doctor who said that you have gained weight by 5 kilos and it's desirable that you lose it to keep your health in good shape. You and the doctor design a program of morning walks to lose weight and at the end of three months it would help you lose those extra kilos.



On the first day of the morning walk you are very happy with the fact that you've got up early and are going for it, and while you're at it you think that three months down the line, if you keep doing it morning, you'll lose five kilos and five years that have seemed to creep on your face. You will get in all the clothes that seemed to have become snug and your health will become better. You will get compliments from everyone that you want to hear.



What happens that there is nothing wrong with these thoughts, except that all of them are in the future and you are no longer in the place where you ought to be that is in the 'present'.



You are no longer enjoying your walk, watching the beautiful sun rise, feeling the gentle sway of the breeze and gazing at flowers that are blooming in the first wind of the morning, rather you are at a place where the results of your morning walk will show.This puts pressure on you and you decide to walk briskly to gain what you have just now chalked in your mind and you make a resolve that you'll walk in the evening too. So the walk that should have been an activity to connect yourself and defalte stress becomes a target-oriented activity.



Obviously, when you attach a target to something, you no longer enjoy doing it and then you will begin to come up with hundred excuses to bunk your evening walk. If only you had been in the moment and enjoyed it while doing it without attaching any result to the walking routine, your chances of adhering the programme would have been much higher. It's like kids never get tired of playing because there are no targets attached to it, but the same child will not resemble his energetic best while studying because he is studying to achieve something.



In fact, the mantra of life should be Do What You Enjoy The Most.