Premanand Maharaj Ji on work — how to find spiritual purpose in daily work

Shri Premanand Maharaj Ji is often asked by working people: I spend most of my day in work. How does this fit with a spiritual life? He says: it fits beautifully, if you understand work rightly. Work is not the opposite of bhakti. Work done as an offering — 'I am doing this for You, God; I am using these hands and this mind that You gave me, in service of the responsibilities You gave me' — is a form of karma yoga that bhakti transforms from within.

He does not say leave your work to become spiritual. He says: bring your spirituality to your work. Whatever your profession — doctor, teacher, tradesperson, homemaker — you can do it as an offering. You can do it with care, with honesty, with service to those depending on you. This is not separate from bhakti — this is bhakti expressed in the world.

He also addresses the question of ambition and success. He says: do your best work. Do not be lazy in your responsibilities because 'it is all maya'. That is a misunderstanding of the teaching. Give your full effort to whatever you have been given to do. Then leave the results in God's hands. The peace that comes from doing good work while holding the results loosely — this is exactly what the Bhagavad Gita teaches, and it is what Maharaj Ji echoes in his own way, again and again.

Based on Shri Premanand Maharaj Ji's satsangs.