Most people often reject spirituality, stating that if we become desireless, there will be no motivation left in life. Generally, we get motivated to work because of our desire to earn money or the power to obtain the comforts and pleasures we like. If desires are gone, what will we work hard for? We will become dull and lifeless. I think that's a valid observation and appears to be quite true on the surface. People work for money because they need it to fulfill their desires for comfort. People also work for appreciation because appreciation enhances their self-image, which is very dear to people. People also work for power because power makes people feel that they are in control of things, and therefore, they feel secure. People also work for their beliefs because these beliefs form the foundation of their existence. People work for their relatives and friends because they are an extension of their selves.
Now, if people drop their desire for money, power, social validation, beliefs, and relationships, what would remain? For what would we live our lives then? What did Krishna work for? Did he fight the battle of Kurukshetra for money, power, social validation, beliefs, or a relationship? Krishna was the king of Dwarika and therefore he did not require money or powers. He never cared for social validation since childhood and took the most unconventional path. He was never bound by any belief system and, in fact, challenged the strongest of the beliefs prevailing at that time. For example, he challenged the forced prayers to Indra, and when Indra became angry, he lifted Govardhan Parbat to provide shelter to the people of Brij to protect people from heavy rainfall. He married 16,000 girls who were stolen by a demon, going against all the prevailing social norms. His story is full of rebellion against the orthodoxy and widely held beliefs of society. Krishna was not limited by his blood relationships. His own brother Balram would support Duryodhana in the battle of Kurukshetra, and he would support the Pandavas.
Did Krishna lose motivation due to his indifference to money, power, social validation, beliefs, and relationships? No. In fact, he was the most energetic of all the people. Arjuna would put his foot down and refuse to fight, and he would encourage Arjuna to fight the battle by giving the message of the Gita. Pandavas would be either hopelessly dejected or mindlessly aggressive while fighting the battle, and Krishna would always set it right. Spirituality is not about inaction; rather, it is all about mindful action. We realize that money, power, relationships, social validation, and beliefs all have a role in our lives. But they are all double-edged swords. If we use them, they help in making our lives better. But if we allow ourselves to be used by them, our lives become miserable.
We will render ourselves vulnerable to being used if we do not connect to our true selves. If we perceive ourselves as this body, the body will become the center of our life, fears and insecurities will take over our existence, and we will become desperate to become powerful. We would like to have more and more comforts. Money will make us dance to its tunes. We would become hungry for social validation because that makes us feel secure. We would like to follow what society believes in to continue to remain a part of the herd. We will invest a lot in our relationships because of the fear of being left alone. Krishna could use all these as a tool, rather than being used because of his awareness of the true nature of the self. Awareness of the self is a reality check that this body and brain, and all the external possessions, are just tools to play the game. Krishna had this realization, which most of us do not have. That's why he played his game beautifully.
When someone is aware of their true self, motivation stems from that awareness. Aware beings want to explore freely. They are filled with love and compassion for their fellow human beings. That's why they willingly fight against the monsters who make the lives of others miserable through their greed and ignorance. In the process, they continuously strive to make others aware of natural love and compassion. Krishna attempted to make Duryodhana aware of reality until the very last moment. Often, due to ignorance, our motivation revolves around the desire for power because of insecurities, around social validation because of feeling safe within the herd, around relationships because of feeling secure when a few people stand with us during crises, around beliefs because of our fear of stepping into the unknown, and around money because we are so deprived of happiness that we cling to the pleasures money offers. As we connect to our inner selves, we begin to realize the futility of all these, and our actions are increasingly guided by love, compassion, and freedom. We want to freely explore various expressions of truth and create new possibilities; our hearts overflow with natural love and compassion for all beings, giving us the courage to stand and speak with conviction against injustice. This motivation is not weak and fragile like that driven by greed and insecurities; instead, it possesses the strength of truth and awareness, allowing it to stand tall even in the toughest circumstances.
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