On Karma yoga - part I

[Guest guest]

I attended recently Swami Paramaarthanadaji class on Bhagawat Geeta and

on that day he was summarizing Ch. 3. That motivated me to jot down some

notes. I am going to post as couple of parts since it is becoming too

long.

Hari OM!

Sadananda

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Karma Yoga: Summary of Chapter III: Part I

 

The chapter starts with Arjuna's question; what yoga is good for him;

Should he do jnaana yoga or karma yoga?. Krishna glorified at the end

of the second chapter Jnaana yoga with the discussions on sthitaprajna

lakshaNa. At the same time, Arjuna feels that he is being pushed to

perform Karma yoga, which in his case involves fighting the terrible

war. He wants Krishna to decide what is the most appropriate for him.

Implication of Arjuna’s question is that a seeker has a choice to do

Karma Yoga or Jnaana Yoga. Since Jnaana Yoga leads to Jnaana, which is

the means for liberation, then why one should do karma yoga? This forms

the basis for this chapter.

 

Krishna essentially answers that there is no choice between karma yoga

and jnaana yoga. Everyone has to do karma yoga since that is

prerequisite for jnaana yoga. Karma yoga prepares the mind for jnaana

yoga. Jnaana yoga only liberates the person.

 

na karmaNaamanaarambhaat naiskharmyam purusho2shnute|

na ca sanyaasanaat eva siddhim samadhi gacchati|

 

Essentially without karmayoga one cannot gain the requisite

qualifications for jnaana yoga. By just giving up karma one cannot

attain the equanimity of the mind. In addition, no one can ever remain a

moment without performing an action – He will be propelled to act

because of his vaasana-s.

Na hi kaschit kshaNamapi jaatu tushhTasya karma kRit|

kaaryate hyavashhaH karma sarvaH prakRitijaiH guNaiH||

Later in the 6th Chapter Krishna tells us when to give up Karma yoga –

that is when one becomes yogaarudhaH – that is when one is able to

contemplate single pointedly in the direction specified by the

scriptures. yogaaruuDhasya tasaiva shamaH kaaraNamuchyate| and who is

yogaaruuDaH? – sarva sankalpa sanyaasi yogaaruuDha stadocyate|| - the

one who has no more interest in the sense pleasures, or in performing

any action, and who likes to withdraw from all non-essential activities,

he is said to be yogaruuDhaH|

 

If so, then what constitutes Karma yoga? This is discussed in slokas

8-20 of the Chapter.

 

One who performs the vidita karma-s; that is obligatory duties - these

can be shaastra vidita or Veda vihita and some desha kaala aashrama

vidita – Those actions specified by the scriptures. Some obligatory

duties depend on time, place as well as on ones vocation or position in

the family and society.

The essential ingredient of the obligatory actions or niyata karma are,

they are all intended for the benefit of the others and not for oneself

- that is they are not self-fish activities.

The purpose of doing these niyata karma-s is they expand the mind or par

gates the selfishness in the saadhak and purifies him.

According to Swami Paramaarthanandaji there are 5 important vidita

karma-s which are considered as yagna-s – and grouped as panca mahaa

yagna-s:

 

1. deva yagna

2. pitRi yagna

3. Rishi yagna

4. manushya yagna

5. bhuuta yagna

 

1. Deva yagna – also called deva RiNa – is obligation to the Gods. Gods

are the phenomenal forces that give results for the actions. Whatever

is given to us is due to blessings of the Deva-s. Deva yagna involves a

recognition of the fact that you are getting benefit from the Nature and

it is your duty to return back (with interest) to the nature. Swami

Chinmayanandaji puts in a beautiful form: What I have is His gift to me

and what I do with what I have is my gift to Him.

 

Yanga means worship. Deva yagna involves worship of the Gods recognizing

that you are the beneficiary of the natural forces. It starts with

prayer, first thing in the morning and ends with a prayer as last thing

before one sleeps. One benefits from nature immensely - air to breath,

water to drink, food to eat and so on. Krishna says in the 15th chapter

– aham vishvaanaro bhuutvaa praaNinaam dehamaashritaH| praaNaapaana

samaayuktaH pachaamyannam caturvidham|| I am the one in all beings who

is propelling all the essential physiological functions – praNa to

appana, vyaana, udaaana, samaana – contributing to the digestion of the

four types of food that one intakes. So while we are sleeping, Krishna

is awake working whole night digesting the food that we eat. Without his

presence we cannot even breathe for a second. A recognition of this fact

with a reverential attitude is deva yagna. Of course it also includes

other obligatory duties including sandhyaa vandanam, puuja, etc.

 

For obligatory duties, it is said that by commission one does not gain

any merits but by omission one gains demerits or paapam. Fact of the

mater is, it purifies the mind and makes one humble, since one

recognizes that every thing is gift from Gods, and nothing is taken for

granted. I recognized how lucky I am, when I visited a cousin of mine

few months ago, who lost both his kidneys and had to undergo painful

dialysis everyday. God has given us a double gift to be safe, but we

take things for granted. Only when they do not function we recognize how

lucky we were upto that point. Ability to breathe without a problem is a

God-given gift, and we can recognize that only when we are not able to

breathe and had to use a machine to force the air in. Deva RiNa or

obligation to gods is the recognition that we cannot even lift a blade

of a grass without their help, and that there is nothing that really

belongs to us and everything that we have is only a gift from the Gods.

In the last chapter of Kenopanishad there a story of how Gods, vaayu,

varuNa, agni learn that they cannot even lift, wet or burn a blade of

grass without the help of that life-principle.

 

Shankara says in VivekachuuDaamani – manushyatvam, mumukshutvam,

mahaapurushha samsrayam, daivaanugaha hetukam – being born as a human

being, intensive desire for liberation and association with great souls

are only due to the blessings of the God. Since God is the giver of the

fruits of actions, karma yoga starts by recognizing this fact and

performing all actions in the attitude of prayer to the Gods and

accepting the results as prasaada. Iswaraarpana buddhi and prasaada

budhhi are two essential ingredients of Karma yoga.

 

2. PitRi yagna: worship of our forefathers – It is the recognition that

how blessed I am for having parents who could take care of me when I was

in pitiable condition and educate me with proper values. Particularly

the Indian parents sacrifice everything they have for the benefit of

their children. It is blessing to be born to such parents. It is the

recognition that everything that I have is the result of their

sacrifice. Vedic instructions maatRi devo bhava, pitRi devo bhava

recognizes that these two are the first Gods that need to be worshiped.

Formally, pitRi yagna includes all the vedic rituals that need to be

performed, tarpanas, shraadha-s, etc, where three generation of fore

fathers are prayed. Incidentally, tarpana is also done not only for

ones parents, but for other parents, whose children are failing to do

their duties.

 

3. Rishi yagna: Rishi stands for both the Veda-s and also guru parampara

starting from Veda Vyaasa all the way to ones own teacher. This yagna

is done by daily study of the scriptures and by passing on the knowledge

to others what one has gained from his teacher. Thus, guru parampara is

established and veda-s are handed down from generation to generation to

come. We are blessed indeed by such unparalleled treasure of knowledge

left behind by our fore-fathers and it becomes our duty study them and

pass it on to the next generation. The daily study of the scriptures is

Rishi yagna.

 

4. Manushya yagna: This is service to humanity. ‘Maanava sevaye

maadhava seva’ is well know proverb. One ends all prayers with – sarve

janaaH sukhino bhavantu. Samasta san mangalaani santu| kaale varshhatu

parjanyaH, pRithiviH sasyashaalinii, deshoyam shoba rahitaH, brahmanaas

santu nirbhayaaH – go braahmanebhyam shubamastu nityam lokas samastaa

sukhino bhavantu – are the prayers to be done with devoted mind. Here

BrahmanaaH stands for wise people who are the backbone of the society

preserving and passing on the knowledge and wisdom to the next

generation. Self-less service to humanity at large is emphasized in all

religions.

 

5. Bhuuta yagna: This is service to the other living beings with

appropriate attitude. – ‘sarva bhuuta hete rataaH’ – one has to be well

wishers to the whole jiivas – without disturbing the ecology. Polluting

the rivers and oceans destroys the ecology. Unnecssary hurting any

animal in the name of sport is very bad – This include fishing and

hunting as sport. Bhuta yagna as daily prayer and olden feeding the

animals is part of become sensitive to the needs of other beings.

Taking more than what one needs from the Nature is a sin. Animals take

what they need. It is only human that takes more than what he needs –

that is essentially is due to Greed.

 

These panca mahaa yagnaas are considered as obligatory duties and helps

in recognizing ones role and responsibilities in the whole creation. We

are only travelers in this earth and have no right to destroy other

co-travelers in our pursuit for our happiness. In the US constitutuion

it is stated that all men are equal right in the pursuit of life/liberty

and happiness. Vedanta recognizes that and extends to all beings.

 

Hence Krishna says niyatam kuru karma tvam|. Niyatam includes nitya and

naimittika – the daily obligatory and occasional obligatory duties. Kuru

means one has to do – it is viddhi vaakyam – therefore not doing or

omission results in sin. Hence Krishna declares – karma jyaayo

hyakarmaNaH – It is better to do the actions than omitting them. Hence

karma yoga is not a choice that one has.

 

Krishna also gives a worning for those who do not want to follow karma

yoga and we will discuss that later.

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end of part I