BEST YOGA FOR MODERN MAN

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Namaskar,

Want to share a discourse by Swami Sivanand with all.

 

 

BEST YOGA FOR MODERN MAN

By

 

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

It is my firm belief that disinterested service is the greatest

force to inspire and elevate man to high levels of evolution. It

brings about an all-round development of man's character, makes him

manly and effects a spontaneous spiritual awakening. Selfless

service is, indeed, most essential for the physical, moral and

spiritual regeneration of the youth of the world.

 

The practice of Karma Yoga is very necessary for developing

important virtues. Virtues can be developed by service alone.

Without possessing the basic virtues, one cannot dream of attaining

God-realization, in spite of the understanding of the Vedantic

oneness, tolerance, equanimity, kindness, mercy, fellowship,

adaptability, humility, goodness of heart and broad-mindedness can

be cultivated only through the practice of Karma Yoga. The raw

diamond requires cutting and polishing before it gives its brilliant

colour and lustre. Even so, the raw aspirant requires constant

rubbing and polishing through service and contact with people of

different temperament. If he can truly serve and please others even

under trying circumstances, if he can keep up a cheerful countenance

in spite of difficulties, if he can maintain equanimity in the

bustle of a city and can acquire concentration of mind there, it

clearly proves that he has outgrown his external environments and is

ready for spiritual enlightenment.

 

Willing Helpfulness: Sitting with closed eyes in a room bolted from

within is no true Sadhana, if the people around happen to be in

agony or in trouble. Selfishness and Sadhana can never go together.

The aspirant must subordinate his own interests to those of others.

He who attends on a helpless man when he is in great distress does

more Sadhana than a man who practices meditation, Asana and

Pranayama. If one does service to the needy for one hour, it is

equal to meditation for six hours. There is no dearth of

opportunities for service. A merciful doctor who attends on a

helpless, poor, patient at midnight, without any fees, is a better

Yogi than the Dhyana Yogi who passes along the road silently when he

sees a poor man in a famished, dying condition, without even

speaking to him an encouraging word, without even asking, "Brother,

What do you want ? Can I be of help to you in any way ?"

 

To a real Karma Yogi meditation comes automatically and the

knowledge of the Upanishads dawns on him easily. He gets all

knowledge from the Book of Knowledge Within through the grace of

God. Mere service alone is not enough either. In the early morning

the Karma Yogi should spend some time in Japa, Kirtan, meditation,

study of religious books and a little of Asanas and Pranayama.

During work also he may repeat the Name of God, silently. He may

have another sitting for meditation before retiring to bed at night.

 

The Sadhaka engaged in selfless service may at times, encounter

vexation and disappointment. But let him proceed undaunted. Let him

be staunch in his devotion to duty. His sincerity will turn all

obstacles into aid; for the Lord Himself will mysteriously help and

sustain him in his work. This has been invariably the experience of

all self-sacrificing Sadhakas. Therefore, let courage and trust in

God be your watchwords every moment.

 

Means to Realization : The practice of Karma Yoga is a sure means

for developing devotion to the Lord and attaining the Vedantic

realization of Oneness. Without its practice no one can even dream

of attaining either Bhakti or Jnana even through years of effort.

Service, it may be said, is Bhakti or Jnana expressed through

action. The true expression of love is not through words, but

through service. Jnana or the knowledge of oneness of life is

experienced through service of the one Self in all. In the plant of

Karma Yoga blossom the flowers of Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

 

Karma Yoga is the best Yoga for modern man. It enables you to attain

God-realization quickly. King Janaka was a dynamic Karma Yogi, and

yet, at the same time, he was a Jnani. Mahatma Gandhi had exalted

himself through Karma Yoga. There is in the daily routine of life a

vast field for everyone to purify and elevate oneself. Even in

family life, Karma Yoga is an essential requisite. If everybody were

selfish, there would be no peace in the home. Strong attachment

breeds possessiveness, which is a selfish trait and is a negation of

true love. Adaptability, amity and understanding, a little of self-

denial and co-operation, help much in the promotion of peace in the

house. All these can be effected through Karma Yoga. Duty for duty's

sake, without expectation of its fruits (which is the bane of

worldly life), without inordinate likes and dislikes, without

selfish attachment, offering all actions and fruits thereof to the

Lord (viz. as worship done as an instrument in His hands), should be

the ideal.

 

Glory be to the selfless workers! May you all rejoice in bliss

eternal by doing selfless service!