Mystery of One’s Duty

Bollywood, known for its diverse musical landscape, has given us a plethora of songs that not only entertain but also offer profound reflections on life. Some songs stand out for their poetic depth and philosophical insights, thanks to the genius of lyricists like Shailendra, Sahir Ludhianvi, Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, and Pradeep. These songs have deeper meanings and these deal with existential questions. In this article, Tish Malhotra delves into one such iconic song, penned by the legendary Shailendra, exploring its philosophical nuances and linking it to the message in Gita. 

Mystery of One’s Duty
by
Tish Malhotra

In a highly philosophical title song of the film Guide, “Waha kaun hai tera, musafir jaayga kahan….” the legendary lyricist Shailendra raised a deeply enigmatic philosophical question: "Kyun Nache Sapera?" ("Why does the snake charmer dance?”) He left the question unanswered.  But the preceding lines of the same stanza had set the context to make listeners contemplate again and again on the mystery of the question why the snake charmer dances: "Toone to sab ko raha dikhaai, tu kyu apni manzil ko bhoola …”  

Shailendra begins the stanza by underlining that the hero of the film had been a guide to others and led them to their destination.  He resolved the complications of others but somehow himself got caught in the weak and delicate strings of worldly ways and relations and lost his way.  Instead of moving on, he landed himself in dangerous whirlpool and suffered immeasurably. 

This makes us focus on the hidden meaning of the song and explore the possible meaning. The life is so mysterious that even the snake charmer, who is master of his art, at some point became bewildered by his own art. Instead of charming the snake, he got carried away by the melodious music of the Been (wind instrument) and himself started dancing to its tune. Instead of charming the snake, he got enraptured by the beauty of his own dance. Thus getting entangled, he forgot his aim and started indulging in doing what he was not expected to do.

By the grace of God and the deep contemplation on the possible hidden message of the lyric in question come to mind is that the dance of life has to go on as it is divinely ordained.  One’s role is to keep watching the show as a witness, though very much being a participant in the act.  The snake charmer plays the tune and the snake dances, both performing their respective roles as per the ordained script of their parts in the play of life.

Lord Krishna through His eternal message in Chapters 2 and 18 of Srimad Bhagavadgita, makes it clear: “Keenly devoted to his own natural duty, man attains the highest perfection in the form of God-realization.  The man engaged in his inborn duty reaches the highest consummation.  

“Therefore, go on efficiently doing your duty at all times without attachment.  Doing work without attachment man attains the Supreme.”  

“Arjuna, as the unwise act with attachment, so should the wise man, with a view to maintain the world order, act without attachment.”  
“Your right is to work only and never to the fruit thereof. Do not consider yourself to be the cause of the fruit of action; nor let your attachment be to inaction.”  

“Arjuna, perform your duties established in Yoga, renouncing attachment, and be even-minded in success and failure; evenness of mind is called ‘Yoga’.”  

“Therefore, dedicating all actions to Me with your mind fixed on Me, the Self of all, freed from desire and the feeling of meum and cured of mental agitation, fight.” 

“From Whom all beings come into being and by Whom the whole universe in pervaded, by worshipping Him through the performance of his own natural duties, man attains the highest perfection.

“Better is one’s own duty, though devoid of merit, than the duty of another well-performed ....”

“Therefore, Arjuna, one should not relinquish one’s innate duty, even though it has a measure of evil; for all undertakings are beset by some evil, as is the fire covered by smoke.”

“He whose intellect is unattached everywhere, whose thirst for enjoyment has altogether disappeared and who has subdued his mind, reaches through Sankhyayoga (the path of Knowledge) the consummation of actionlessness.”

Lord Krishna makes it clear what the state of actionlessness in action and action in actionlessness, as mentioned in the Gita, actually means.  He teaches that we should keep doing what comes to us as our natural duty.  It is ordained by God and for this He equips us physically, mentally, educationally, intellectually, emotionally, and in all other required ways, irrespective of one’s caste, creed, religion, colour, social and economic status, community, etc.  

 We have to stick only to our allotted duty rather than running after that of another; howsoever lucrative, enticing and promising it may appear to be.  As is often said in common parlance: “Mind your own business.” Thus, we are to stick to doing what He has been ordained for us.  That perhaps is the hidden message that highly acclaimed lyricist Shailendra wanted us to understand.

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*A Delhi-based freelancer.