Story 236 - The story of a retired soldier

A soldier returned to his village home, as a pensioner, after thirty years of service in the army. One day he purchased some milk in the market and took it in an earthen pot holding it with both the hands. Someone cracked a joke with him, and with a commanding voice, he cried out, 'Attention'. The man had worked in the army for full thirty years and it was a mechanical action for him to implicitly obey this Military Command. It had, so to say, become his nature to act mechanically, without meaning it. Accordingly, on hearing the command, 'Attention', the man, ex-soldier as he was, immediately stood at attention. The earthen pot fell from his hands and the milk was poured out and spilt on the ground. They all enjoyed this joke and laughed heartily.

Now Rama asks, 'Will you call it a work?' No. It is not a work. Why? Because it was all mechanical. It was not done with any higher intention. If, however, you call it a work, then, breathing can also be called a work. Even the circulation of blood in your arteries and veins can be called a work. But, no! It is no work. It goes on automatically, mechanically and involuntarily i.e., even without your knowing or willing it or without making you exercise your intention or attention. You cannot be held responsible for the work which has no intention on your part to help you evolve according to our scriptures, unless you definitely mean to do it. If, while doing any work, your mind is thinking of something else, that work will surely be spoiled. Even the so called big persons are likely to be absent minded at times. They do not, then, achieve the success in their work. Please note that all these persons who put-in all their heart and head in doing the real and useful work, are readily wise men. It is only such persons who could do wonderful jobs in life.

Way to Peace