Every religion, culture and civilization of the world believes that work is worship. Work done by an individual produces outputs which benefits others in the society. It helps to fulfill the needs and purposes of life of the doer himself and the beneficiaries. However, if the work does not generate the right output, nothing is achieved.
A person who does the work feels happy and contented when his achievements brings appreciation and satisfactions for his quality work. This provides greater incentive and interest to do further quality work. This is a virtuoso cycle. One could find it happening in every part of the society.
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Work is natural to man. It is work that adds meaning to life. Without it life is dull, uninteresting and monotonous. Honest labour is a praise and a prayer to God. Greater civilization and culture are always the fruit of great toil and labour. No wander a saint remarked, “A true spiritual aspirant will have a reverential attitude towards the duty he is entrusted with.” A true spiritual aspirant will have a reverential attitude towards the duty he is entrusted with, he will carry out every task assigned to him as an act of worship by which the lord will be pleased. Duty is God, work is worship. Worship is not a uniform that is to be donned and doffed at stated hours of the day. Render every though into a flower, worthy to be held in His fingers, render every deed into a fruit, full of the sweet juice of love, fit to be placed in His hand; render every tear holy and pure, fit to wash His Lotus Feet.
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Man is the crown of creation only because he is skilled and capable to do hard work. His mind can guide him to choose the right work and guide to its logical conclusion. Work rides us of three great evils; irksomeness, vice and poverty (Voltaire). In the Bible, there are many instances where the dignity of labour is stressed. God said to the first man and woman that they must eat with their sweat. An idle man is generally an unhappy person while an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
Nations become great when their manpower is fully and suitably employed. Without work, life is not worth living. All the great men had special value for work and for them all sorts of work were of equal importance. It is only by their sheer acceptance and the value they placed on work that they were able to rise and soar high in their ventures.
Gandhiji said, “Work is Worship”. The simple art of your work represents your dedication towards the ultimate. Praying is worthless without doing well to others, without working for yourselves and for others, without earning your bread by your dedicated work.’
“Work is a love made visible” according to Khalil Gibran, Love is considered an abstract term which is very difficult to explain or define but can only be experienced and used. But the easiest means to show your love is through work. Your selfless work will convey the joy and depth of your love.
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In the Ishopanishad also, the important of work has been highlighted in these words, “Only by performing work, one should desire to live a hundred years” meaning that work is the only course to a healthy body, mind and soul and thus, gives energy to cope up with our shortcomings and disparities.
Vivekananda said, ‘Get up and set your shoulders to the wheel’ which implies that everyone should be duty bound, whatever work it may be, one has to work, “Rich rewards will come to him, who works with a smiling vim”. But in practical life we observe that the term “Labour” is considered ignoble. The literal meaning of laborer is ‘one who works’, so anyone who work is a laborer. Why then it is considered reproachful and shameful. This is only because we have to understand the dignity of work or the true meaning of work. Vivekananda said, “Every duty is holy and devotion to duty is the highest form of worship of God.” This statement explains the respect and honor of labour. It is considered as one of the highest forms of worship, still all sorts of labour is not given due consideration.
Right from their childhood, children are taught to aspire huge and to attain high posts. At home and in school, they are not taught about the various kinds of work and the respect and dignity of labour. This is the prime reason for all dissatisfaction and frustration among teenagers when they fail to attain and accomplish their goals and when they are forced to do work below their aspirations. We should consider work as a high human attitude, which is the prime basic of human life and the most dignified act in the life of a human being.
Everyone has a job to accomplish with dignity. This division of labour is for the proper functioning. Moreover we should keep in mind that everyone is not capable of doing all sorts of work. God created each one in a unique way and has given talents and abilities to everyone. Some are good administrators while others are good artists or good servants. There is no need for anyone to get perplexed. Society gives certain grades to certain kinds of work according to the money one is earning, forgetting th differences in I.Q, qualification, interest and capacity.
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Thus the society compels the individual to seek a particular kind of work, sometimes even against the interest of the person concerned. The so-called job satisfaction is possible only when mutual respect, recognition and appreciation blossom in the place and amount the people of work & society. The true dignity of work is not in the type of work that one does but the enthusiasm and interest one shows to do and God always bless and guide those who make their work useful and important.