Is karma yoga an independent path for self realisation?

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

In the classical advaita karma yoga is considered as a perperatory step

which purifies the mind of the aspirant which will ultimately lead to

jnana. But some people opine that it can be taken as an independent

path for illumination also. Can somebody give clarification in this

regard with the scriptural support?

 

Karma and Jnana seems poles apart and how can it be said that it can

lead to illumination independantly?

 

Regards,

 

Br. Vinayka

[Guest guest]

advaitin, "Vinayaka" <vinayaka_ns> wrote:

>

>

> Dear All,

>

> In the classical advaita karma yoga is considered as a perperatory

step

> which purifies the mind of the aspirant which will ultimately lead

to

> jnana. But some people opine that it can be taken as an

independent

> path for illumination also. Can somebody give clarification in

this

> regard with the scriptural support?

>

> Karma and Jnana seems poles apart and how can it be said that it

can

> lead to illumination independantly?

>

> Regards,

>

> Br. Vinayka

>

Namaste,

 

They, as all the yogas are only separate early on the path. As one

progresses in one's yoga the paths meet at the top of the hill. For

example the purpose of Karma Yoga is to see all people as the same

as oneself. As long as it is done as nishkarma karma, or no sense

of 'I am doing Seva etc', it reduces the egos sense. Once the ego

sense is reduced to nothing, so is the mind. From there is is but a

short step to Moksha..................ONS...Tony.

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

The lifestyle of Karma Yoga which the Gita teaches is unique to Hindu

tradition. Karma Yoga cannot be found in any of the Principal

Upanishads, except that some scholars find a verse in the Ishavasya

Upanishad implying Karma Yoga buddhi. Karma binds us but Karma Yoga

purifies us. And Jnana (knowledge) liberates us. Hence we can see that

the Vedas (both the ritual and Knowledge portion) advocate only Karma

and Jnana. In between Karma and Jnana comes Karma Yoga which builds a

bridge for a person in Samsara to cross over to the pursuit of Jnana.

The relationship between the 3 (karma, karma yoga & Jnana) can be

stated as follows:

 

Karma: There is doership and it binds

Karma Yoga: There is doership but does not bind (because of Karma

Phala tyaga - renunciation of the fruits of action or Samatvam)

Jnana: There is no doership and does not bind

 

Both the Karma Yogi and Jnani share the same attitude (Samatvam) with

reference to the results of action (Karma Phala) but in their actions

there is a great difference. Karma Yogi still retains his doership

(kartrtva) but the Jnani has no doership. In the beginning of chapter

6 in the Gita, Krishna lauds the Karma Yogi because he is no different

from the Jnanis in his attitude towards the results of actions.

 

Where there is doership one cannot attain Liberation. Therefore, Karma

Yoga cannot liberate us but the attitude of Karma Yoga (Samatvam)

helps us in gaining the maturity to directly pursue Jnana.

 

Pranama,

Kathirasan

 

On 12/14/05, Vinayaka <vinayaka_ns wrote:

>

> Dear All,

>

> In the classical advaita karma yoga is considered as a perperatory step

> which purifies the mind of the aspirant which will ultimately lead to

> jnana. But some people opine that it can be taken as an independent

> path for illumination also. Can somebody give clarification in this

> regard with the scriptural support?

>

> Karma and Jnana seems poles apart and how can it be said that it can

> lead to illumination independantly?

>

> Regards,

>

> Br. Vinayka

Discussion of Shankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy of nonseparablity of Atman

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[Guest guest]

Where there is doership one cannot attain Liberation. Therefore, Karma

Yoga cannot liberate us but the attitude of Karma Yoga (Samatvam)

helps us in gaining the maturity to directly pursue Jnana.

 

praNAms Kathirasan prabhuji

Hare Krishna

 

Very well said prabhuji, yes, karma yOga cannot fetch us the ultimate

jnAna...but it can be a stepping stone towards Atma jnAna..It is

interesting to note that shankara in gIta bhAshya does equate the karma

yOga (karma phala tyAga) with saNyAsa but he confirms that karma yOga can

help us to do chitta shuddhi, jnAna prApti & finally mOksha in the form of

sarva karma saNyAsa. Karma yOga is the one process in mOksha sAdhan & it

is not a means in itself. While commenting on the 5th chapter of gIta,

somewhere shankara says ( dont know the exact reference)..its been already

said that those saNyAsi-s who have *saMyagdarshana* are liberated in this

life itself (sadyO muktaH) now we talk about karma yOgi who does work with

IshvarArpita bhuddhi from this sAdhara chitta shuddhi, jnAna prApti & then

finally mOksha in the form of sarva karma saNyAsa..karmayOgascha

ishvarArpita bhAvEna ...kriyAmANaH...sattva shuddhi, jnAna prApti,

sarvakarma saNyAsa kramENa mOkshAya....(shankara's exact words not coming

to my mind...but I believe it is in the fifth chapter commentary

somewhere)...karma yOga is the essence of pravrutti mArga whereas Atma

jnAna in the form of sarva karma saNyAsa is the essence of nivrutti mArga

of saNyAsi.

 

Just my few thoughts

 

Hari Hari Hari Bol!!!

bhaskar