What is the approach to our duties and life in general that constitutes the virtue of sacrifice? As we observe the festival of Bakrid, Bhagawan lovingly reminds us.

If the mind concerns itself with worldliness, then it is separated from the light of the atma and this separation causes mental perturbation. In order to have a vision of God you have to purify the inner instruments and conduct a virtuous life. We should keep our intelligence disengaged from worldly issues. Intelligence should not be made a tool to satiate physical and mental obsessions. On the other hand, it should be used for the revelation of Atma. It should only be a witness and remain unaffected by the surroundings. Then it is in a state of nivritti (inward path of renunciation). In this context, the sacrifice of work cannot be something which relates to nivritti. Sacrifice of one’s desires alone can be associated with nivritti. People sometimes refer to karma-phala-tyaga (renunciation of fruits of action) and say one must sacrifice the results of whatever work one does. If this is so, they argue no work needs to be done at all and they assert this is what the Bhagavad Gita teaches us. Nothing can be farther from truth. No one can sacrifice all work and yet live! The body is created for doing work. So everyone must perform work. But in doing such work, if your thoughts are sacred, you will do good work without seeking fruit thereof.