The subject of work - How much? How long? To what end? At what cost? - has been doing the rounds for a while now. While there are multiple sides to every story, the scriptures are clear that hard work, discipline, and perseverance form the cornerstone of personal and societal growth and work best when aligned. This philosophy emphasises that success, however one defines it, is earned through consistent effort and virtuous action.
Chanakya Neeti, the classic treatise on governance and statecraft, highlights the responsibility of both rulers and householders to diligently work for the welfare of their domains. A notable verse states:
Raja rastrakrtam papam rajnah papam purohitah/bharta ca strikrtam papam sishyapapam gurustatha - king bears sins of the nation, priest bears sins of the king, husband bears sins of wife, and teacher bears sins of disciple. This verse underscores the cascading nature of responsibilities - from the pivotal role of a ruler in ensuring the kingdom's prosperity through tireless effort and just governance to a householder's purpose to work earnestly to support the family, fulfilling both moral and material obligations. If you have taken up a role, then it is your duty to fulfil that role.
Chanakya also advises: Sukhasya mulam dharmah dharmasya mulam arthah/Arthasya mulam rajyam rajyamulam indriyajayah - the root of happiness is dharm, righteousness; root of righteousness is arth, wealth; root of wealth is rajya, a strong state; root of a strong state is indriya-jaya, self-control.
Chanakya underlines overlapping orbits of influence through action. The essence of such actions is to be found in diligence and discipline, resulting in prosperity and happiness.
The Bhagwad Gita reinforces this wisdom with the verse:
Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana/Ma karmfal heturbhu ma te sangostvakarmani - you have a right to perform your prescribed duties but are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself the cause of results, nor be attached to inaction.
The Gita emphasises acting with dedication, without attachment to rewards or succumbing to the inertia of inaction. It aligns human effort with the three gunas - tamas, inertia, rajas, activity, and sattva, wisdom. While tamas governs rest, rajas drives productivity and innovation, and sattva fosters contemplation and renewal. Growth thrives only in rajas, where ambition and perseverance fuel success.
Human progress has been the consequence of constructive and beneficial action - destructive action also has its bearings, which gives us pause to reflect on virtues of tamas, non-action. Throughout human history, the greatest economic transitions and paradigm shifts have been marked by dedicated labour and tireless effort. Critiques of hard/long work hours often arise from a gilded minority detached from the realities of a developing society yet to reach its apogee.
Ultimately, our scriptures remind us that fruits of life are proportionate to the effort we invest. Success is not merely a goal but a way of life, achievable through dedication, discipline, and a sense of purpose. While every individual has the right to choose his path and pace, it is through hard work that transformation and fulfilment are realised.
Like how rajas bereft of sattva can lead to mindless action and destruction, the state of tamas can often induce individuals to a lazy lack of discernment that avoids the effort required to think critically or take constructive action. This inertia can manifest as unproductive and offensive behaviour. In the many-forked flowchart of life within society, respecting individual choice is fundamental. But it is equally important to inspire and encourage a shift toward rajas wedded to sattva - a state of dynamic activity and creation - where the true potential of human effort can be realised for both personal and collective progress.
Authored by: Sivakumar Sundaram
