Bhagavad Gita for the Creative Soul

Ep 13 - Completing & Releasing Creative Work

• The Voice Bank • Season 1 • Episode 13

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In Episode 13, Saurin wonders if there’s a fool-proof method to determine if his creative work is complete enough to be published. He discovers the answer in Chapter 2, Verse 48 that allows him to be committed yet detached throughout the creative journey. He embraces the profound insight that your works are not babies but children on a journey to find their own way.

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Bhagavad Gita for the Creative Soul

  • Produced by The Voice Bank
  • Concept & Writing: Saurin Desai
  • Executive Producer: Rashmi Sundaram
  • Director: Sundar Sethuraman
  • Voice Artists: Sheetal Sawhney & Saurin Desai
  • Special Advisor: Kushagra Singh (Writer, Spiritual Speaker & Yoga Teacher)
  • Sound Designer: Sushant Sonawale
  • Music Composition: Sushant Sonawale & Ameen
  • Recordist: Agnel & Sushant Sonawale
  • Recorded at Crescendo Studio, Mumbai

00:00:00 Sundar

The Voice Bank presents Bhagavad Gita for the Creative Soul. Conceived and written by Saurin Desai, narrated by Sheetal Sawhney and Saurin Desai. 

This interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita is not scholarly or literal, but personal and creative, with no intent to hurt the sentiments of any individual, community, or religion?

00:00:26 Sheetal

It is said that the Bhagavad Gita has answers for all and all the answers. Join writer and seeker Saurin Desai, as each week he grapples with thoughts and challenges related to life, work, and creativity, then explores the timeless wisdom of the Gita to discover how to harness creativity with grace, understanding, empathy and timelessness.

00:00:59 Sheetal

Welcome to Bhagavad Gita for the Creative Soul. This is episode thirteen, ‘completing and releasing creative work’, where Saurin is figuring out how to know when a creative work is complete enough to be released.

00:01:20 Saurin

I recently published an ebook featuring a few of my fantasy short stories.

00:01:25 Saurin

While many of you may view this as an achievement, the sharing of words with the world, for me the actual accomplishment is that I managed to put these words out in the first place.

00:01:35 Saurin

I've been working on these stories for a while. I would write, then rewrite. I would write some more draft after draft after draft. But I didn't feel like they were getting anywhere.

00:01:47 Saurin

At some point I started wondering. Is there a foolproof method to determine if my work is complete enough to be published?

00:01:56 Saurin

After some contemplation, both in my head and heart, I came to a realization that the only certainty was that I would be a fool to believe that there was a foolproof way.

00:02:08 Saurin

Since then, I've been relying on two factors to make my decision on when to release any of my work.

00:02:15 Saurin

An externally imposed timeline and/or my internal critic, who judges the current work as crap, crappier or crappiest.

00:02:24 Saurin

So, whenever it is crap, it is near release worthy.

00:02:29 Saurin

However, there's still judgment. There's still the hope of success, and the spectre of failure. This bothered me until I chanced upon the following verse.

00:02:45 Sheetal

Yogasthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya | 
Siddhyasiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga ucyate || 2.48 ||

00:03:02 Sheetal

Chapter 2, verse 48.

00:03:06 Sheetal

Be committed in your duty, O Arjun, and be not attached to success or failure. 

Such an impartial and non-judgmental state of mind is called Yoga.

00:03:21 Sheetal

Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root word youth, that is to yoke to unite or to connect.

00:03:31 Sheetal

Yoga refers to the practice of connecting with one’s inner self and with other souls, and ultimately with the Super soul or divine consciousness.

00:03:46 Saurin

The verse conveys the significance of being committed yet attached throughout the creative journey.

00:03:52 Saurin

It suggests that by focusing on the process of creation rather than success or failure, I can achieve a sense of inner peace and satisfaction.

00:04:02 Saurin

This approach would allow me to adopt a non-judgmental attitude towards my work, making it easier to maintain impartiality.

00:04:11 Saurin

And once I feel I have given my best efforts, I can release it and move on to the next creative project.

00:04:18 Saurin

As someone wisely said, your work is not your baby, it's your child. You must let it grow and find its own way.

00:04:27 Saurin

Building upon what I shared in episode two, here are my actionable steps.

00:04:32 Saurin

Embrace the process: Mindfully shift my focus from the result to the process of creation. Keep reminding myself that each word I write or delete helps me grow as a writer.

00:04:51 Saurin

Accept imperfections: Author Mandy Hale says, “Life isn’t meant to be lived perfectly…but merely to be LIVED. Boldly, wildly, beautifully, uncertainly, imperfectly, magically LIVED.”

The best version of my work today will be good a year or so later, average a few years later and mediocre a decade later. My writing will evolve with time, as will I, and imperfections are not meant to stop me from sharing my work but are opportunities for me to learn from.

00:05:25 Saurin

Collaborate with the like hearted: Selectively working with others means there are more eyes, hands, minds, and hearts. It is not always easy for me to work with others, but it is worth the effort, more often than not.

00:05:41 Saurin

Work with a mentor: Having an experienced teacher who understands creatives and the creative work is beyond priceless. This is one area in which I am blessed to have got an unbelievably selfless mentors from time to time. The failure has been at my end to build upon the relationship and do the work needed.

00:06:05 Saurin

Always be shipping: This is a term I first heard from Seth Godin. He says in his book.


The Practice, “We don't ship because we are creative. We're creative because we ship. Take what you get and commit to a process to make it better.” 

00:06:17 Saurin

Do I now have a definite way to know when to publish? I don't think I'll ever be 100% sure.

00:06:26 Saurin

But at least I no longer call my work crap. 

00:06:30 Saurin

Thank you for your time and attention. The greatest gift you can give me. I am Saurin Desai. And each week, I delve into the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. Together, let's create a community of creative souls on this journey of self-discovery and growth. If you have any thoughts, questions, or feedback, reach me at gitacreativesoul@gmail.com 

00:06:57 Saurin

And from this moment onward, I am on a quest to embrace the principle of ‘Always Be Publishing’. 

00:07:13 Sundar

You were listening to Bhagavad Gita for the Creative Soul.

Produced by The Voice Bank. Conceptualized & written by Saurin Desai. Voiced by Sheetal Sawhney & Saurin Desai. Directed by Sundar Sethuraman. Executive producer: Rashmi Sundaram. Special advisor: Kushagra Singh. Music by Sushant Sonawale & Dhirendra. Recorded by Tejas Jadhav and Agnel George. Sound Designing & mixing by Sushant Sonawale. Recorded at Crescendo Studios, Mumbai. Text copyright Saurin Desai. Sound recording copyright: The Voice Bank.