Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Actions and expectations

I learnt a lesson from my own words today. I was writing a post on karma theory today. I was interpreting one of the famous lines from the Bhagavad Gita, "karmaNye vaadhikaraste..."

My own interpretation of the line is, "Do your actions, not based on the expected results". It is easier said than done, of course. But, writing about it made me realize that I was not doing as I was saying. I was expecting certain results and doing things accordingly. I was doing things without being aware of my own expectations on the results. This led me to feel disappointed, sad, and even depressed that despite all my efforts the results weren't as I expected them to be.

As I thought more about it, I realized what unconditional love meant... to do what I'd want to do, irrrespective of whether or not it is reciprocated. It is has to come from within, out of a choice to do what I really want to do, whether or not the results turn out to be as we expect it to be.

As I write this, I also realize that my interpretation is more akin to the Buddhist interpretation rather than a Hindu interpretation (in practice).

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