Karma Yoga
Divine Life
Society Publication: Karma
Yoga by Swami Sivananda
Karma is the sum total of our
acts, both in the present life and in the preceding births. Any physical or
mental action is Karma. Karma means not only action, but also the result of an
action. The consequence of an action is really not a separate thing. It is a
part of the action and cannot be divided from it.
Karma, according to Jaimini
Rishi, is the performance of Agnihotra and other Vedic rituals.
According to the Gita, any action done with Nishkamya Bhava is Karma. Lord
Krishna says: "Work incessantly. Your duty is to work but not to expect
the fruits thereof." The central teaching of the Gita is non-attachment to
work. Breathing, eating, seeing, hearing, thinking, etc., are all Karmas.
Thinking is the real Karma. Raga-dvesha (likes and dislikes) constitute real
Karma.
Man is threefold in his
nature. He consists of Iccha, Jnana and Kriya. Iccha is
desire or feeling. Jnana is knowing. Kriya is willing. These three fashion his
Karma. He knows objects like chair, tree. He feels joy and sorrow. He wills -
to do this, or not to do that.
Behind the action, there are desire
and thought. A desire for an object arises in the mind. Then you think how to
get it. Then you exert to possess it. Desire, thought and action always go
together. They are the three threads, as it were, that are twisted into the
cord of Karma.
Desire produces Karma. You
work and exert to acquire the objects of your desire. Karma produces its fruits
as pain or pleasure. You will have to take births after births to reap the
fruits of your Karma. This is the Law of Karma.
Karma is of three kinds, viz. Sanchita
or the accumulated works, Prarabdha or the fructifying works, and Kriyamana
or the current works. Sanchita is all the accumulated Karmas of the past. Part
of it is seen in the character of man, in his tendencies and aptitudes,
capacities, inclinations and desires. Prarabdha is that portion of the part of
Karma which is responsible for the present body. It is ripe for reaping. It
cannot be avoided or changed. It is only exhausted by being experienced. You
pay your past debts. Kriyamana is that Karma which is now being made for the
future. It is also called Agami or Vartamana.
In Vedantic literature, there
is a beautiful analogy. The bow-man has already sent an arrow; it has left his
hands. He cannot recall it. He is about to shoot another arrow. The bundle of
arrow in the quiver on his back is the Sanchita. The arrow he has shot is
Prarabdha. And the arrow which he is about to shoot from his bow is Agami. Of
these, he has perfect control over the Sanchita and the Agami, but he must
surely work out his Prarabdha. The past which has begun to take effect he has
to experience.
Actions are of three kinds,
viz., good, bad and mixed. Every work is a mixture of good and evil. If you do
some action, it will do some good in one corner, and some evil in another
corner. You must try to do such actions that can bring the maximum of good and
the minimum of evil.
The Doctrine of Karma forms an
integral part of Vedanta. As a man sows, so he shall reap. This is the Law of
Karma. It pushes a man to right
thinking, right speech and right action. If all people understand this law
correctly and discharge their daily duties carefully, they would rise to
sublime heights in the ladder of spirituality. They will be moral and virtuous
and have a happy, peaceful, contented life. They can bear the burden of Samsara
with patience, endurance and strength of mind. Blessed is the man who
understands and lives in the Law, for he will soon attain God-consciousness and
become one with the Law-giver! Then the Law will no longer operate on him.
Karma Yoga is consecration of
all actions and their fruits unto the Lord. Karma Yoga is performance of actions
dwelling in union with the Divine, removing attachment and remaining balanced
ever in success and failure. Karma Yoga is selfless service unto humanity without
any attachment or egoism. Karma Yoga is the Yoga of action which purifies the
heart and prepares the Antahkarana (the heart and the mind) for the
reception of Divine Light or attainment if Knowledge of the Self.
Action of some kind or the
other is unavoidable. What binds you to phenomenal existence or Samsara
is not the action but the idea of doership and enjoyership. Karma binds when it
is done with a selfish motive, with the expectation of fruits. But when action
is done without the expectation of fruits, it is liberating. If you act as an
instrument in the hands of the Lord, as a participant in the cosmic activity of
Nature, without expectation of fruits, that Karma will not bind you. Karma,
then becomes Karma Yoga. Work unselfishly. Surrender the actions and their fruits to the
Lord. You will be freed from the bonds of Karma and enjoy peace.
The practice of Karma Yoga
prepares the aspirant for the reception of knowledge of the Self. It makes him
a proper Adhikari (aspirant) for the study of Vedanta. Ignorant people
jump at once to Jnana Yoga, without first having a preliminary training in
Karma Yoga. That is the reason why they fail miserably to realize the Truth. Selfless
service is the only way to remove the impurities lurking in the fourfold mind
(Antahkarana).
Two things are indispensably
requisite in the practice of Karma Yoga. The Karma Yogi should have
non-attachment to the fruits of actions, which brings freedom from sorrow and
fear and makes a man absolutely bold and fearless. When he dedicates his
actions at the Lotus Feet of the Lord, he develops devotion to God and gradually
feels that God works directly through his Indriyas or instruments. He feels no
strain or burden in discharge of his works now. He is quite at ease. The heavy
load which he felt previously on account of false notion has vanished out of
sight now.
The practice of Karma Yoga
does not demand that you should possess enormous wealth. You can serve with
your mind and body. Your heart will be purified. God is more pleased with such
sort of service for the poor helpless people than with the service done by rich
people with pomp and vanity. The more you give, the more you will get. You will
be in tune with the cosmic energy or the Infinite. This is the divine law.
A Karma Yogi should be
absolutely free from lust, greed, anger and egoism. He should not expect any
kind of fruits for his actions herein and hereafter. He should not have any
desire for name and fame, thirst for applause, admiration and gratitude. He
must have a spotless character. He should try to possess this gradually.
A man who is easily irritable
and who can easily be offended for trifling things is absolutely unfit for the
path of Karma Yoga. Let me remind you the words of the Gita: "Restraining
and subduing the senses, regarding everything equally, rejoicing in the welfare
of all, these alone come to Me." Such a man becomes a good Karma Yogi and
reaches the goal quickly.
By doing selfless service you
purify your heart. Egoism, hatred, jealousy, ideas of superiority and all the
kindred negative qualities will vanish. You will develop humility, pure love,
sympathy, tolerance and mercy. Sense of separateness will be annihilated.
Selfishness will be eradicated. You will get a broad and liberal outlook on
life. You will begin to feel oneness and unity. Eventually you will obtain
knowledge of the Self. You will realize One in all and All in one.
The more service you do with Atma
Bhava (seeing God in every face) the more power, energy and capacity you
get. If you really want to grow in the spiritual path you must do all sorts of
service daily till the end of your life.
In the practice of Nishkama
Karma Yoga, there is no loss of effort. Even a little of this practice can
protect you from great fear of rebirth, of death with its concomitant evils.
You will reap the fruits of Karma Yoga, viz. Jnana. The path of Karma Yoga
eventually leads to the attainment of Bliss of the Self.
May you all attain purity of
heart through constant selfless service. May you all shine as dynamic Karma
Yogins radiating joy, peace and bliss everywhere. May you all rejoice in the
welfare of all beings. May your minds be fixed in the Lord while your hands are
in the service of humanity. May you all understand the principles and
techniques of Karma Yoga. May all your actions become offerings unto the Lord.
May you all attain Kaivalya Moksha through the practice of Karma Yoga in this
very birth.
Excerpts from:
Karma
Yoga by Swami Sivananda
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