WORK IS WORSHIP-WPS Office

In the highest sense, Vedanta means knowledge of God or the Absolute Reality, as recorded in the upanishads, the final
section of the vedas. This

knowledge is not acquired by education, nor by adherence to scriptures. Instead, vedanta declares
that it is the goal and birthright of every individual to obtain this knowledge through direct experience.
1. The universe is a manifestation of one Spiritual Reality.
2. Within each’ person this Divine Essence is at the core of his or her innermost being.
3. Thus human life becomes an opportunity to unfold and manifest this Divinity
from within.
4. All religions are valid paths which can lead one to the realization of these truths.
Practical Vedanta
Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this Divinity within by controlling nature, external and intemal. Do this either by work, or worship,
or a psychic control, or philosophy- by one, or more, or all of these - and be free.
This is the Whole of religion. Doctrines or dogmas, or rituals, or Books, or temples or forms are but secondary details.
WORK IS WORSHIP
•Swami Vikekananda has given a new philosphy of work for the modern world.
•All work in the Ramakrishna math and Mission is done according to this philosophy of work, which is based on the following principles:
1)The highest man cannot work, for there is no binding element, no attachment, no ignorance in him.
2) A ship is said to have passed over a mountain of magnet ore, and all the bolts and bars were drawn out, and it went to pieces. It is in ignorance that
struggle remains, because we are all really atheists. Real theists cannot work. We are atheists more or less. We do not see God or believe in Him. He is G-
O-D to us, and nothing more. There are moments when we think He is near, but then we fall down again. When you see Him, who struggles for whom?
Help the Lord! There is a proverb in our language, "Shall we teach the Architect of the universe how to build?" So those are the highest of mankind who
do not work. The next time you see these silly phrases about the world and how we must all help God and do this or that for Him, remember this.
3. according to Vedanta,the physical Universe is a manifestation of hod known as Virat.hence,as sister Nivedita has stated,there is no distinction between
the secular and sacred.What this statement means is that a work is sacred.Even work such as sweeping the floor or mending the shoes is to be done with
as much attention and devotion as work in the shrine.
4) When work, any work, is done fulﬁlling the above conditions, it becomes a spiritual discipline: the mind gets purified and the potential Divinig of the
soul manifests itself more and more. Thus work done as worshipful service
beneﬁts the doer himself spiritually: it becomes‘a spiritual discinline or Yoga. It is with this understanding of world a spiritual discipline (Karma Yoga) that
all the service activities of the Ramakrishna Mission, such as giving food,
clothing to the poor , nursing the sick etc, are undertaken. Thus service done ssworship ofGod in man helps in two ways: it helps physically or mentally
the person who is served and it helps the spiritually the person who serves.
5) Do not think such thoughts; they are too selfish. All the work you do is subjective, is done for your own benefit. God has not fallen into a ditch for you
and me to help Him out by building a hospital or something of that sort. He allows you to work. He allows you to exercise your muscles in this great
gymnasium, not in order to help Him but that you may help yourself. Do you think even an ant will die for want of your help? Most arrant blasphemy!
The world does not need you at all. The world goes on you are like a drop in the ocean. A leaf does not move, the wind does not blow without Him.
6) One of the important principles Swami Vivekananda learned from his Mastur was Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva, to
server Jiva as Shiva. Since man is potentially divine, service to man is indeed service to god. Instead of looking upon a needy person as an object of pity,
he is looked upon as an object of worship. Such an attitude elevates both the giver and the recipient.
7. Swami Vivekananda was the first religious leader in India to speak for the poor and the downtrodden and to
state boldly, He who sees Shiva in the poor, in the weak and the diseased, ręally worships Shiva; and with him
Shiva is more pleased than with the man who sees Him only in temples. It was Swamiji who coined the word daridra-narayana to refer the poor. Swamiji
love and concern for the poor continues as a directive principle in ramakrishna missions service programmes.
8) Blessed are we that we are given the privilege of working for Him, not of helping Him. Cut out this word "help" from your mind. You cannot help; it is
blaspheming. You are here yourself at His pleasure. Do you mean to say, you help Him? You worship. When you give a morsel of food to the dog, you
worship the dog as God. God is in that dog. He is the dog. He is all and in all. We are allowed to worship Him. Stand in that reverent attitude to the whole
universe, and then will come perfect non-attachment.
9) This should be your duty. This is the proper attitude of work. This is the secret taught by Karma-Yoga.
10. The Gita (18.46 & 9.24) states that the all-pervading God is the ultimate source of all work and the enjoyer of the fruits of all sacrifice. Hence all work
is to be done as worship and the fruits of actions are to be offered to the Lord.

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In the highest sense, Vedanta means knowledge of God or the Absolute Reality, as recorded in the upanishads, the final

section of the vedas. This

1. The universe is a manifestation of one Spiritual Reality.

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