The Hindu Article - Perform duties as worship to God

[Guest guest]

Namaste:

 

During the discussion of Jnana and Bhakti, we have concluded using

the Gita verses from chaper 5 that True jnana is exactly equivalent

to True Bhakti. In this article, Gita emphasizes how True Karma Yoga

is exactly equivalent to True Bhakti. Those who have listened to

Swami Tejomayanda would agree that he is one of very few who can

articulate and bring the hidden insights very forcefully. In this

Hindu article, he reinforces his excellent understanding of the

subtle messages in Gita. When you get an opportunity to listen to

him, don't miss it!

 

After reading this article,I couldn't resit to make the important

identity that can be derived from Gita:

 

True Jnana Yoga = True Bhakti Yoga = True Karma Yoga.

 

In other words, a yogi freed from all delusions is also from all

attributes such Jnaa yogi, karma yogi and bhakti yogi.

 

Swami Dayananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam correctly

emphasizes that the clasiffication of Gita by jnana, bhakti, karma,

sanysa, etc. should not be interpreted to be as alternative

approaches (path) to liberation!

 

Warmest regards,

 

Ram chandran

 

=====================================

 

Date:05/05/2003 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2003/05/05/stories/2003050500670900.htm

 

Miscellaneous - Religion

 

Perform duties as worship to God

 

CHENNAI MAY 5 . The Bhagavad Gita entreats man to consider life as a

whole, without giving emphasis to one particular aspect so that it

does not become lopsided. In his day-to-day dealings with the world a

person must be guided by this vision of unity. The perceptions of the

five sensory organs are received by the mind and the intellect's

response to them can be seen in a person's actions. This response

will correspond to his vision of life.

 

The Lord categorises three kinds of vision that human beings display

in their worldly interactions. The best is the vision of unity and

the middling is seeing only the difference without understanding that

there is an underlying unity in spite of the diversity. The example

of how Manthara succeeded in poisoning Kaikeyi's mind by creating a

difference in her perception of Rama as different from Bharata helps

to understand this; whereas, Rama's and Bharata's visions were

holistic and so there was no room for any rift whatsoever between

them. The worst vision is when one mistakes one facet of life for the

whole.

 

Further, one who has developed the vision of oneness must perform

actions without attachment to the outcome and accept the result with

mental equanimity. The Gita terms this mental equipoise as Yoga. Lord

Krishna says clearly that no one can refrain from performing action.

There is no choice regarding this. The choice is only with reference

to what actions one wants to perform. This begs the question, "What

actions must a person do?"

 

In his discourse, Swami Tejomayananda said the text clearly

enunciated that one must perform the prescribed obligatory duties. It

further adds that these duties must be done as worship to God. When

an action is dedicated to God it becomes worship and the individual

is absolved of the ensuing result. The famous Gita dictum says, "Your

right is to work only, but never to the fruit thereof. Be not

instrumental in making your actions bear fruit, nor let your

attachment be to inaction." It is human nature to become

disinterested or lazy if one is enjoined to do anything without

expectation of result. Lord Krishna has clarified without any

ambiguity that one should not succumb to laziness because it is the

greatest enemy of man. Even the most talented person can be

unproductive if he is lazy.

 

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