A mother comes into her son’s bedroom and sees that he is still asleep.
“Wake up, wake up. It’s late,” she says.
The son responds by pulling the blankets up over his head.
“Wake up,” his mother says again, “or you’ll be late for school.”
“I don’t want to go to school,” the son says, “and there are two reasons. All the children hate me, and all the teachers, they hate me, too.”
“You still have to get up and go to school,” his mother replies. “There are two reasons you have to go. You are fifty-one years old, and you are the principal.”
I’ve told this joke in many different countries, and it always gets a big laugh. People relate to the whole scene; in fact, they’ve probably experienced something like it in their own lives—minus the punch line, of course. Everyone, at one time or another, has tried to avoid doing what they need to do.
Here are the two most common ways that you avoid doing your duty:
Sink into lethargy. You can go back to sleep or slump, couch potato–like, onto the sofa. Watching a lot of television or too many movies is also a good strategy. Then, of course, there is alcohol or drugs. Any of these things will block your energy enough to prevent you from acting. Afterwards, you can feel guilty, which is another good substitute for action. The only downside is that you will probably end up depressed.
Get distracted. This is another effective strategy to avoid doing what needs to be done. Find some important task, such as checking out the latest election news. It helps to carry several connected devices—a phone, a computer, a tablet—and use them all at the same time. Checking your devices every ten minutes or so will keep you from even remembering what you should be doing. Shopping is good, too. Really, any activity that takes a lot of time and has little benefit is a way to go.
Ramakrishna used the example of a school of fish caught in a net to show why so few of us transcend delusion. Some fish, the lethargic or tamasic kind, dive into the mud at the bottom, hoping to escape the net that way. Others, the second, rajasic type, swim madly about, crashing into the netting. Both of these types end up on someone’s plate.
To do your duty takes focused, determined effort and the help of a guide.
Only a very few fish swim toward the light, gathering enough speed to jump over the net to freedom. To do your duty—especially to escape delusion, your highest duty—takes focused, determined effort and the help of a guide.
A reporter once asked Swami Kriyananda if people really needed a guru. “No,” he said surprising us all. “Why would you want someone telling you what to do?” He was, tongue in cheek, addressing the first two types. Then he continued, “Of course, if you want to find God, then you need a guru.” The guru will give you the teachings, the tools, and the support, but you will have to do the work.
So, my friends, I have given you two good strategies for dodging your duty and one for fulfilling it. The net is around us. What will you do?
In joyful friendship,
Nayaswami Jyotish
16 Comments
Dear Nayaswami Jyotish Ji,
Thank you for the blog :)
We would love to fulfil our duty with the help of our God & Guru.
We bow to our Great guru to give us the power and support when we get in to delusion or being Lethargic
Aum,
Prem
Pranam Ji
Thanks for reminding , to seek the God’s Light we have to work through our Darkness of Illusions.
With Gratitude
R Sundararajan
Great: I needed in this period…Joy Guru!
Nurture as much of sattvic attitude in daily life with one point drive and devotion towards whatever goal committed to.
Syamal Mitra
Initially a hearty laugh like others and thereafter read thru.. the article .Lovely
Now is a good time to swim towards the Light.
Blessings to you and yours
Light, please! :-)
Thanks to remind me to get over lethargy. I start checking emails to avoid the real work at hand. It gives me perhaps excuse that I have lot of work to do and can ignore the most important work at hand.
I see the gauntlet…and accept the challenge!
:-)
Thanks, as always, Jyotish!
Thank you Jyotish. I’m going for jumping over the net. Everything else doesn’t last. Namaste
Beautiful :)
Good words. Keep it up, friends.
However, I am repairing my cranked up body as material desires have not fully withered.
O guru , remain be there to light so we can jump to free from clutches.
Jai ma got same habits n determined to merge in guru’s light by guru’s grace.as always your wisdom received when most wanted.thank you.jaima.
Pranam Jyotish Ji. I am watching too much to and even following us president closely ??Even your examples tell me where I am.
Thanks for guidance ;will follow light.
Regards
Ajay
Pranam ji.. Incredible posts..Good Lucks..OM