How can I think about God when I need to focus on work?

[Dipayan Banerjee: Swamiji, My humble salutations at Your lotus feet. My name is Dipayan, I am a friend of Bandi Bharath Krishna Reddy (one of Your devotees). I got to know about You from him. I have seen his life closely, and how frustrated he was at some point in time, but after receiving Your knowledge he is so happy and filled with energy.

I have been reading Your amazing commentaries on various subjects on Life and unimaginable God. I am just awestruck by the visions that You give. Your knowledge that You are sharing is so attractive, that one feels like reading on and on. I could easily say that some ideas appeal so much that we are forced to think like what's next?

Coming to my question, I feel that there is a kind of psyche, one needs to develop, if he/she has to be successful in worldly life. Suppose I want to get a good job in a reputed organization, I would have to spend hours developing a skill and mindset in order to be successful.

If I see spiritual knowledge, there also one needs to listen, discuss, attend satsangs and then contemplate. After that if people call asking on those topics, I need to share the knowledge, which takes time and hours of reading.

After having observed some cases, I feel that these two are two different paths, if you walk on one you cannot walk on the other. The competition in Corporate life is so high, that it demands toilsome work and focus.

Putting my observations.

During my days in my college, I was interested in spiritual studies, so I started attending or going to places, where I get such information. Soon I found myself in a quagmire or a spiral curve. When I used to seek knowledge or do some spiritual work, I could see I had hardly any time to do my studies, and my performance in subjects degraded. Still none of the people actually told me anything. People used to motivate me to do more spiritual studies, but when I was struggling nobody helped. Those same people asked me "why did you not concentrate on your studies?" when I was unsuccessful.

Many learned scholars gave me the suggestion to think, like I am doing God's work. Tell me Swamiji, when I am supposed to think about how my equations will fetch new results, how can I think about God? I need to focus at work.

Then I told myself to stop my involvement there, so I started hunting for a good job. I ran pillar to post. During my hunt, I felt so much knowledge was missing about my subjects, speaking to people from organizations like IISc, TIFR, JNCSR. I could gather how focused they are. I tried to replicate it and succeeded in getting a decent job.

I eagerly want a connection, when I am at work, all work requires attention, dedication and time. How can I make up my mind to see God at work? Asking a few Gurus, they told me to imagine God sitting beside me and talking to me? Like Krishna sitting beside me and we are discussing my work, but it happens only for a few days and then it stops. How to chant mantras during my work and concentrate at the same time?

My observation is that if we don't see the spiritual and worldly success equivalently, then it becomes difficult for us to generate enough passion at work. In ancient days, when monk used to preach knowledge but not do any service, then Swami Vivekananda said "Service to man is the service to God". Is that the way forward?

When I see people winning Padmashree or Padma Vibushan, my feeling rises, that's why I cannot achieve them. Swamiji: Is that a worldly desire? like those icons, put in so much effort and sacrifice. Are those not achievements and services, in the courts of God?

Please forgive me for the avalanche of questions, if in any way I have offended Your majesty. Actually, after conversing with my friend Bandi, who was instrumental in my success from a very bad situation. I could not resist myself asking my doubts and my worries for my dear friend, who is also in the same boat of finding an excellent job like I was previously. Thanks and Regards, Dipayan Banerjee.]

Swami Replied:- You can concentrate on the worldly life, which is the basis of spiritual life. Whenever you find time, instead of wasting it in entertainments, you can divert it towards God. This much diversion is sufficient to attain the grace of God.

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