Gita3
Keshava Swami WebsiteFollow @keshavaswamiBuy the print editionSupport this work
  • Welcome to Gita3 Online!
  • Copyright
  • The Inspiration
  • Gratitude
  • Introduction
  • The Battlefield of Life
  • Part One: Think Different
    • Think Different
    • 1. Leave the Problems | Learn from Problems
      • Hidden Stories
  • 2. Act First, Ask Later | Ask First, Act Later
    • Living or Existing?
  • 3. Spiritualists don't own | Spiritualists aren't owned
    • Spiritualising
  • 4. Know through study | Know through sincerity
    • Digesting Wisdom
  • 5. Be the Best | Try your Best
    • Circles of Life
  • 6. Train your Body | Train your Mind
    • Do Not Disturb
  • 7. See to Believe | Hear to See
    • Locating your Heart
  • 8. Live Before you Die | Die Before you Die
    • Your Memorial
  • 9. Ask God for your Wants | Give God what He Wants
    • Daily Prayers
  • 10. Can't See God Anywhere | Can See God Everywhere
    • Missing the Obvious
  • 11. Believe in Yourself | Believe in Krishna
    • Quietly Confident
  • 12. Make a 'To Do' List | Make a 'To Be' List
    • Practical Saintliness
  • 13. God is Far, Seated in Heaven | God is Near, Seated Within
    • Answer my Prayer
  • 14. The Wealthy Have the Most | The Wealthy Need the Least
    • The Balancing Act
  • 15. Pursue your Dreams | Discover the Reality
    • Frustrated Happiness
  • 16. I, Me, and Mine | We, Us, and Ours
    • Me to We
  • 17. Faith Opposes Knowledge | Faith Builds Knowledge
    • Building Faith
  • 18. Try To Be Happy | Try To Serve
    • From Selfish to Selfless
  • Summary | Think Different
  • PART 2: HOW TO
    • How to...
    • 1. How to Become Determined
      • My Mission
    • 2. How to Make Decisions
      • Decisions Decisions
    • 3. How to Overcome Temptation
      • A Battle Plan
    • 4. How to Find Purpose
      • Finding Purpose
    • 5. How to Become Successful
      • Building Blocks of Success
    • 6. How to Be Present
      • Mantra - Free the Mind
    • 7. How to Avoid Mistakes
      • Learning through Hearing
    • 8. How to Face Death
      • Life’s Change Agent
    • 9. How to Find Love
      • Loving Connections
    • 10. How to Perceive Beauty
      • Enjoy, Ignore or Engage?
    • 11. How to Detect Divinity
      • Connection Points
    • 12. How to Spiritually Progress
      • Spiritual Flow
    • 13. How to Find Freedom
      • Big Questions
    • 14. How to Avoid Burnout
      • Sattva Life
    • 15. How to Become Detached
      • Eternal Assets
  • 16. How to Change Outlook
    • True Lies
  • 17. How to Perfect Your Speech
    • Real Conversations
  • 18. How to Conquer Fear
    • Face your Fears
  • Summary | How To
  • PART 3: WHY NOT
    • Why not?
    • 1. “I don’t have the time.”
      • Killing Time
    • 2. “I already know all of this.”
      • Library for Life
    • 3. “I have so many duties to fulfil.”
      • Work as Worship
    • 4. “I’m not intelligent enough.”
      • Walk the Talk
    • 5. “I’d prefer to practically help the world.”
      • News of the World
    • 6. “I’m too active – I just can’t focus.”
      • The Yoga of Writing
    • 7. “I trust science and fact, not spirituality and faith."
      • Faith Issues
    • 8. “I'll do it in the future.”
      • Enemies of Growth
    • 9. “I don’t follow organised religion."
      • Mechanics of Spirituality
    • 10. “I don’t experience God – I’ve never seen Him”
      • Time for God
  • 11. "I have too many difficulties in my life"
    • Digesting Life
  • 12. “I will lose all my friends.”
    • Best Friends
  • 13. “I’m already happy.”
    • Hierarchy of Needs
  • 14. "I have too many bad habits"
    • Four a Day
  • 15. “I’ll lose my ambition and won’t be successful."
    • Chasing Dreams
  • 16. “I see religion causes more problems.”
    • Spiritual Solutions
  • 17. “I’ve seen too much hypocrisy in religion.”
    • The Truth about Lying
  • 18. “I don’t want to be forced.”
    • 12 months, 12 goals!
  • Summary | Why Not
  • APPENDIX
    • Bhakti: The Yoga of Love
    • The Author
    • Wisdom that Breathes
    • Read the Bhagavad-gita As It Is Online
    • Support this work
Powered by GitBook
On this page
  1. PART 3: WHY NOT
  2. 3. “I have so many duties to fulfil.”

Work as Worship

Our occupation can often seem an obstacle to progressive spirituality. The competitive climate, stressful lifestyle and weighty responsibilities can create frustration and confusion as we pursue our spiritual aspirations. Is it possible to operate in this dog-eat-dog world and still maintain our spirituality? Can one serve God via their worldly profession? The Bhagavad-Gita offers the ‘3R’ formula on how to spiritualise your daily work.

Consider your daily work in the world – is there a way you could incorporate these three elements in a more powerful way so as to spiritualise your occupation?

Righteous – First, one must endeavour to engage in righteous work. Certain occupations and livelihoods are based on exploitation, violence, dishonesty, and generally cause harm and disruption in the world. Such work is neither progressive for the individual nor prosperous for society at large. Although every type of work in today’s world is tainted by some fault or imperfection, the spiritualist should nevertheless strive for a career that promotes harmony, compassion and upliftment.

Results – Second, we can dedicate the ‘fruits’ of our work to God. Such fruits come in the form of remuneration, knowledge, expertise, skills and influence in a particular field. Some measure of wealth is required to survive in the world, providing the necessities of food, clothing and shelter, but a certain portion should be reserved for spiritual causes. By offering charitable contributions towards the worship of Krishna and the spiritual upliftment of others, one also develops detachment and selflessness, which are the key ingredients in the spiritual journey.

Remembrance – Third, one should cultivate an active spiritual consciousness of Krishna while at work. Newly-wedded couples are wrapped in thoughts of each other even when separated and otherwise occupied. Eventually, our remembrance of Krishna will be just as natural. In the meantime we can make a conscious effort; keep devotional pictures on your desk, set computer passwords to Krishna’s names, talk to your colleagues about spirituality, play spiritual music in the background… be imaginative! We must perform our daily duties with due care and attention, but actively remember that we are ultimately working for Krishna, our true employer and master.

Previous3. “I have so many duties to fulfil.”Next4. “I’m not intelligent enough.”

Last updated 2 years ago