Skip to main content
October – December 2024

3Ds: FORMULA FOR SUCCESS IN LIFE: V P Dhananjayan

Indian sages have long since advocated a 3D formula for peaceful, easeful and useful life. They are: anushasan (discipline); bhakti (devotion) and samarpan (dedication). These are very important aspects for humans to be balanced and happy in life.

Anushasan: (Discipline): A systematic and methodical lifestyle inculcates physical, mental and spiritual discipline in a child from its formative years. The good habits of early rising, personal hygiene, keeping surroundings tidy and orderly are some of the aspects parents could instil in a child. Physical exercise like games, yoga and naatya, dance, also help discipline the mind.

As a naatya practitioner I have experienced through nritta, physical; nritya, mental and naatya, spiritual discipline comprising a comprehensive module for disciplining oneself for a healthy life.

Initially, home is the ground for a child to understand the concept of discipline. Then the school should take over by imparting the right kind of education, giving importance to character building first, followed by regular subjects. Today’s school curriculum emphasises marks oriented learning and too many subjects that the child is not interested in. Essentially, one should adhere to strict discipline in manas (mind), vaak(speech) and kayam (body) .

Thinking good, speaking well and having good habits make a person disciplined and he will be highly respected.

Bhakti (Devotion) is interpreted as love for God. Prayer, chanting, worship, rituals, sacrificial poojas, homas, and offerings in temples are all common displays of devotion. But devotion has deeper meaning.

Selfless, sincere love of mother — maathru bhakti, father – pitru bhakti and preceptor — guru bhakti are predominantly talked about. Among these, guru bhakti is the vital aspect without which nothing can be achieved.

A useful dictum to remember is that “a place of work is a place of worship”. We do pooja to the lifeless gadgets we use daily for our own existence and a special day is earmarked in a year as “ayudha pooja” These are all part of our Sanaatana dharma.

Aatma Samarpan:(Dedication) : “Vidya dadaathi vinayam, vinayaat yaathi paatrataam, Patratwat dhanam aapnothi, dhanaat dharmam tathha sukham”: Scriptures say this about education, that “humility is the hallmark of knowledge(true education) , humility commands respect, respect brings wealth and doing charity (both knowledge and acquired wealth) liberally, brings peace and prosperity/happiness.”

Total commitment to the work one undertakes is what the Bhagavad Gita advocates. Krishna says, “Do your duty without expecting results and rewards’ ‘ — Karmanyevaadhikaarasthe maaphaleshu kadaachana. Today, dedication to one’s committed work seems to be rare; what is common is the practice of jumping from one job to another for more lucrative employment. This does not allow you to dedicate yourself to a particular work undertaken and complete it with total dedication, showing perfection in whatever you are committed to, whether it is a small, simple job or a large and complicated job. Mohandas Gandhi practised what he preached to others. He set an example of the right path by cleaning his own toilet, keep it spic and span like a prayer room. This is what is understood to be dedication.

These three 3Ds – discipline, devotion and dedication — lead us to the fourth ‘D’ that is divinity.