On Karma Yoga: Part IV - Swadharma

[Guest guest]

Swadharma

 

We have discussed the obligatory duties or niyata karmas. But what

about the kaamya karma-s or desire prompted actions. Should one perform

or not. Does one have a choice not to perform? Asking us not to have

desires is a useless advice since we already have them. It was

mentioned that among the purushaarthaas, we have artha and kaama along

with dharma and moksha. During marriage time one declares in front of

the fire, ‘dharmeca, artheca, kaameca naati charaami’, I take this lady

as my wife to follow the three purushaarthaa-s only.

 

The desires are classified as two types. One is dhaarmic or righteous

and the other is adhaarmic or unrighteous. Dharma depends on the

aashrama or simply one’s status in the family and in the society.

 

Krishna says:

shreyaan swadharmo viguNaH paradharmaat svanushhTitaat|

svadharme ndidhanam shreyaH paradharmo bhayaavahaH|

 

Krishna says that it is better to follow one’s dharma than dharma of

others, even if he can do that better. It is better to die while doing

one’s dharma than taking up dharma of others, since in the final

analysis the later would lead to a fearful end. Swadharma has been

interpreted has varnaashrama dharma, which depends on one’s guNa and

karma. Since Krishna is a universal teacher (jagat guru) and the Geeta’s

teaching has universal application, varnaasrama dharma based on guNa and

Karma is a universal classification, relevant not just for Bhaarat.

Those who have predominate saatvic guNa are intellectually oriented and

prone to a contemplative mode of living, and it is better for them to

study, teach and contemplate on the higher nature. Those who have

predominantly rajasic guNa are action-oriented and cannot sit down and

contemplate, their swadharma demands an active life of constructing,

maintaining law and order and improving the standard of living for all

beings. They are worker of the society – religious workers, political

workers, social workers, etc. And those who are tamasic by nature and

do not have any self-motivated drive and do not have the capacity to

study, or act independently, it is better for them to follow their

leaders and act as instructed. They are laborers. Their motivation for

work is only sense-enjoyment. There are intermediate class whose major

concern is only their bottom line, the business minded persons, who work

towards their gain. They look for name and fame or self-glory, even

while performing noble actions that benefit the totality. Thus Krishna

provides a universal classification based on both guNa and karma. This

classification is provided to evaluate oneself to determine his own

swadharma and is not meant for evaluating others, since one cannot

evaluate others as these guNas are based on mental attitudes than

physical attributes. Applying the converse, those who work for their

selfish ends only are laborers (they could be Ph.Ds), those who work for

the benefit of society are workers where primary beneficiary is the

society, and those who study, teach and contemplate on the higher

reality are contemplative seekers. This classification is universal.

Being in a conducive environment or born to saatvic, rajasic or tamasic

parents could cause to foster similar guNa-s, but that by itself does

not define one’s swadharma. One can see that children born to the same

parents having different types of guNa and karma. One’s samskaara

dictated by his guNa and karma alone determine one swadharma. By

following one’s dharma one evolves to higher – from tamasic to rajasic

to saatvic is the path of evolution. Saatvic nature alone takes one to

go beyond all guNas through contemplation. ‘dhyaanena aatmani

pasyanti’.

 

We may note here, as a slight divergence, that Bhagavaan Ramanuja

provides a peculiar interpretation for swadharma and paradharma.

Swadharma is interpreted as doing karma yoga and paradharma is

interpreted as doing jnaana yoga – where jnaana yoga in his system

involves realization of one’s own self (jiivaatma), which is not the

final end in itself. Self realization is only a step towards

realization of Paramaatma, which can happen only when that self that is

realized completely surrenders – which is called prapatti or

sharanNaagati. For that, Bhakti is the only means and not jnaana or

karma, or to put it correctly it is bhakti ruupaka jnaana involving a

recognition of sesha-sheshii bhaava. Jiiva is dependent entity and

Paramaatma is the independent entity and is all pervading reality that

indwells in all, as antaryamin. The relation between paramaatma and

jiiva is not one of identity as in advaita, but one of organic

relationship. That is, jiiva is part of Paramaatma like an organ is

part of a body. That is oneness from the total perspective like one body

(advaita), but distinct and different from the rest of the jiiva-s, and

different from jagat with different and non-different relation with

Paramaatma– vishishhTa advaita. From Ramanuja’s point, the above sloka

excludes everybody from jnaana yoga since it is paradharma for

everybody. Ramanuja says one need not go through that path since one

can directly go from karma yoga to bhakti yoga using charama sloka

(sarva dharmaan parityajya..) as the basis, where one surrenders all

dharma-s other than, of course, service to the Lord or kainkarya dharma.

 

 

Coming back to our topic, adhaarmic desires are called nishhiddha karma

and to be avoided at all costs. In case if one does without his

knowledge, there is a praayaschitta karma, constituting essentially

actions to repair the damage as much as possible. Even if it does not

eliminate, it makes one to be conscious of his actions, so that he does

not repeat it in future. Once a devotee-salesman asked Swami

Chinmayanandaji, “Swamiji, as a salesman I have to lie a lot to sell

the products that I know are not really worth, but that is my

profession; what should I do”. Swamiji said, “Then, do it very well,

but do not forget to take the help of Krishana, He is good in that”.

Then Swamiji added “It becomes Krishna’s problem and not yours. He will

make sure you will find a better job that is conducive to your dharma.

Until then follow Krishna’s orders; just as Arjuna did to kill Karna

when Karna became armless or shot arrows at Bhiishma hiding behind

ShikanDi’. Once you handed over your reins to the Lord, you are no more

accountable. Hence, Krishna says:

 

mayi sarvaaNi karmaaNi sanyasyaadhyaatma cetasaa|

niraashiirnirmamo bhuutvaa yudhyasva vigatajvaraH||

 

Offer all actions (without exceptions – including both obligatory and

desire prompted actions) to me with full devotion without concerning

about the results and without any attachments and excitements that

deprive one’s efficiency in action – fight on your war of life. This

teaching is repeated in the ninth chapter – where Krishna says – I

accept everything as prayer if it is done with full devotion.

 

yat karoshhi yadashnaasi yajjuhoshhi dadaasi yat|

yattapsyasi kounteya tatkurushhva madarpanam||

 

Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblations,

whatever you donate and whatever austerities you perform, offer all that

to me. Of course, He will not accept anything even if your offer unless

it is done with full devotion – ‘yo me bhaktyaa prayacchati’.

 

Devotion to the Lord becomes a glue in converting karma to karma yoga. I

cannot offer all my actions to the Lord, unless I am a full-time

devotee. This we will discuss in the next part.