‘’Do Spiritualists are Escapists??’’

He was a nice fellow, did hard work, took care of everything, felt responsible for dependents but as soon as he started practicing spirituality or started following some baba he became weird, he stopped doing things as before even he neglected his work and engaged in something which is truly unproductive. Why? does spirituality taught him to leave everything aside? If is it so then I wont even dream to follow spiritual path…these are few thoughts arise in mind when we see renunciates or sadhus or celibates. But are they really irresponsible guys?

Bhagavad-Gita answers our query. Gita is the book of action, When Arjuna wanted to give up his duty as a fighter to become a beggar on the name of being non-violent spiritualist, he was actually chastised by Krishna. Lord told him, ‘’till the time one is influenced by material energy and gunas one cannot remain away from acting and even if you abstain from your work you will get reaction. Because you have born in material world, your material mind unless fully purified cannot give up thinking about sense enjoyment, so even if you externally give up your duty as a fighter and accept the robes of a sanyasi your mind will run towards the senses, that’s the pretension and very dangerous. So, the conclusion is to keep yourself engaged in your duties thinking they are an offering unto me then you can be ideal spiritualist while being a King.’’  

In conclusion Lord doesn’t approve the escapism at all, he himself perfectly performed his roles as a parent, a king, protector, a husband etc.  The people who have renounced the activities are not escapists or work haters but they are engaged in fulfilling the higher responsibilities towards humanity and world at large. Their main work is to aware the people about their own real, spiritual identity, to inform them about the real problems and solution, educate them in the spiritual matters etc, and when one understands these matters his aimless life gets true direction for living and leading.

 

Rupesh Gauranga Das