Upanishads are galore of proven wisdom. Isavasya Upanishad is a complete guide to growing higher in life for lasting peace and joy. Wealth, power, fame, etc do not stay with one forever.

sarve:kshayantha:ha ni:chaya:ha marana:ntham hi ji:vitham

Everything depletes as death approaches

In that case, what is the motivation to work/grow in life?

Upanishad is suggesting a higher motive to work/grow. It teaches us to focus on growing towards something that gives eternal prosperity, not that which depletes on death.

When death happens, one leaves the current body and gets into the next body with a su:kshma sari:ra, a mini-body based on one’s karma. The mini-body contains records of karmic imprints that one accumulated during all the previous births at various levels such as the physical body, senses, intellect, etc.

  • A bad stock of karma in the mini-body puts one in a less capable body in the next birth.
  • A good stock of karma in the mini-body puts one in a more capable body in the next birth.
  • No relation to karma in the mini-body liberates one from the birth and deathcycle, and thus enjoys in the eternal abode of God.

How can I get a mini-body that has no relation to karma?

kurvanne:va ha karma:ni
jiji:vishe:th sathagam sama:ha |
ev:am tvayi na:nyatthe:tho:sthi
na karma lipyathe: nare: ||

Isavasya Upanishad, 2nd mantra

If one aspires for having no relation to karma, all the karma accumulated in past lives must be burnt and new karma should not pile up in current life. That can happen only when one exercises one’s duties/work in a guided/recommended/prescribed way.

Type 1: “I will do this work but I hate doing it” – this is burdensome work
Type 2: “I will do this work because I am getting some benefit out of it” – this is business
Type 3: “I will do this work because I am responsible for it” – this is duty
Type 4: “I will do this work, and I don’t expect anything out of it” – this is service
Type 5: “I will do this work because it is God’s command for me” – this is karma
Type 6: “I will do this work because I am driven to it out of love and devotion for God, the supporter of myself and the entire existence – this is kainkaryam

When one transforms the thought driving one’s work to type 6 (kainkaryam), the same work becomes so powerful that it releases one from all the karmic bondage. This transformation is the growth one must aspire for in life. This is the growth that is worth working for!

agne:! naya supattha: ra:ye: asma:n
viswa:ni de:va! vayuna:ni vidva:n |
yuyudhyasmajjuhura:na me:naha
bhu:yishta:nthe: nama ukthim vidhe:ma || 

Obediently, I pray to God for blessing me with the strength to grow in this well-guided path.

Isavasya Upanishad, 18th mantra

– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– Isavasya Upanishad
– 29th Nov 2020

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