Bhagavad Gita 3.35
śreyān sva-dharmo viguṇaḥpara-dharmāt sv-anuṣṭhitāt
sva-dharme nidhanaḿ śreyaḥ
para-dharmo bhayāvahaḥ
One's own law of righteousness, though defective,
is better than that of another, though well observed.
Arjuna, work determined by Nature, though defective,
one should not abandon.
is better than that of another, though well observed.
Arjuna, work determined by Nature, though defective,
one should not abandon.
GOD has given us birth to perform duties assigned to us. For example, a donkey is made to carry loads and dog is made to guard its owner's home against thefts. If a donkey shouts when someone intrudes its owner's home at night, then the donkey will be beaten up by its owner for disturbing his sleep. So, donkey should only do its duty of carrying loads which is Swadharma. Donkey barking like a dog is Paradharma. That is why Lord Krishna said to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita, that one must not do Paradharma, but do Swadharma, even if it leads to death.
In our current context of modern India, I feel our IT people are losing their health and family life by working from India for clients abroad in the name of IT outsourcing. Some IT people from India burn mid-night oil for their clients' abroad to be available during their clients' daytime. The reason behind one's suffering is one doing Paradharma. Swadharma for a typical IT professional from India is to keep oneself happy followed in the order of one's family, one's dear ones, India, and global society. I remember many Indian based IT firms claiming that they are not interested in making software for Government of India to prevent losses. These firms forgot that it was GoI which helped them prosper by offering them tax benefits in past. The IT work we do for clients abroad from India is so menial, that we lose our intellect leading to brain dumping. I feel migrating to developed countries i.e. brain drain is far better than brain dumping because it helps the individual and his family to prosper followed by India and the global society.
The main motto behind this Lord Krishna's Saying is that the society and nation will flourish, if every citizen like Army Men, Artists, Athletes, Bankers, Businessmen, Doctors, Employee, Employer, Engineers, Farmers, Judges, Labour, Lawyers, Media personnel, Police, Politicians, Priests, Public Servants, Scientists, Teachers, Thinkers and others perform their assigned duties which is Swadharma. Society/ Nation will be chaotic if its citizens don't do Swadharma. Doing corruption is Paradharma which is not only a sin but a crime as well. Similarly, an Engineer doing surgery is Paradharma. The list is endless and I leave it to your discretion. I hope you understood why our ancestors said 'Work is worship'. Doing work determined by Nature, Swadharma, is nothing but worship.
In our current context of modern India, I feel our IT people are losing their health and family life by working from India for clients abroad in the name of IT outsourcing. Some IT people from India burn mid-night oil for their clients' abroad to be available during their clients' daytime. The reason behind one's suffering is one doing Paradharma. Swadharma for a typical IT professional from India is to keep oneself happy followed in the order of one's family, one's dear ones, India, and global society. I remember many Indian based IT firms claiming that they are not interested in making software for Government of India to prevent losses. These firms forgot that it was GoI which helped them prosper by offering them tax benefits in past. The IT work we do for clients abroad from India is so menial, that we lose our intellect leading to brain dumping. I feel migrating to developed countries i.e. brain drain is far better than brain dumping because it helps the individual and his family to prosper followed by India and the global society.
The main motto behind this Lord Krishna's Saying is that the society and nation will flourish, if every citizen like Army Men, Artists, Athletes, Bankers, Businessmen, Doctors, Employee, Employer, Engineers, Farmers, Judges, Labour, Lawyers, Media personnel, Police, Politicians, Priests, Public Servants, Scientists, Teachers, Thinkers and others perform their assigned duties which is Swadharma. Society/ Nation will be chaotic if its citizens don't do Swadharma. Doing corruption is Paradharma which is not only a sin but a crime as well. Similarly, an Engineer doing surgery is Paradharma. The list is endless and I leave it to your discretion. I hope you understood why our ancestors said 'Work is worship'. Doing work determined by Nature, Swadharma, is nothing but worship.
