Condensed from – Talks by Guruji Shree Rishi Prabhakar
What is the value of commitment? Why should one be committed?
Commitment and Dharma:
Basically you are what you are committed to.
You are known by your Commitment. For example: A person goes to work as an accountant every day. Then he is identified as an accountant. A person may know accounting better than this person, but he is committed to stock broking. Then he is called a stock broker, etc.
Basically, everyone is committed to something or the other. Life does not seem to run without commitment.
Some are committed to a thing because of fear. A father may be committed to the family, because of the fear of what others will do and think if he does not care for the family. Most people are com-mitted to their dharma (of what is expected of them).
Commitments make the world work with some certainty.
Mostly, buses and trains come on about time. Precision may vary according to the culture. More precise the time, more advanced is that civilization or person.
Why then is this question on commitment?
The question arises because mostly nobody likes to be committed and get bound by their commitment. They like the freedom in non-commitment.
Knowing your commitment makes other people’s life more free. They can plan with you and be reasonably sure that you will play the game of life with them.
Commitments are a burden to people who follow their Dharma out of fear.
It is these people who ask the question, “Why I should be committed”? The real question they are asking is “Why should I get entangled with commitments?”
Commitment and Moksha:
Let us look at another aspect of Commitment: Commitment is the driving force for persistent action. The spirit that ‘I will get it done at any cost’ makes most important things happen in the world.
A person who keeps his word and commitment at any cost will be trusted and honoured.
Those who are afraid of commitments never progress. Ordinary people honour commitments that are normally expected of them even if it gives some pain to keep it up.
Only the visionary takes up a challenge beyond. The unusual challenge makes them learn new things. They enjoy this new learning. In fact, a person who enjoys learning willingly takes up challenges, which are gate-ways for excitement in life. They are ready to face criticism from the status quo people.
A person who does not try some-thing new is a confirmed failure. His lifeis a boring monotony and a programmed Karma. They curse the status quo, but yet curse the person trying to bring change.
Their life is full of curses and they pray to God to liberate them from the cycle of birth and death.
Those who enjoy the challenges of life, pray to God to give them many life times to continue what they are doing. They take all kinds of risks and live as if this is the last moment in life. They are already with God and death does not bother them.
People who live as if dharma and commitments are imposed on them blame KARMA and live miserably. They are happy after they complete their Dharma or commitment. Such people, who are donkeys, feel that they will be free after their daughter gets married, after their son gets a job etc.
People who enjoy larger commitments live in Moksha or FREEDOM. They enjoy the challenge and also its completion. Larger commitments are truly windows for life’s current.
