Essence of Karma Yoga

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Karma Yoga is selfless service unto humanity. " Your duty is to work

incessantly but not to expect the fruits thereof. " This is the

central teaching of the Gita.

 

Repeat your Ishtamantra mentally even when you work in office. God is

the Inner Ruler. He directs the body, mind and senses to work. Become

an instrument in the hands of the Lord. Do not expect thanks or

appreciation for your work. Do actions as your duty and offer them

and their fruits to the Lord. You will be freed from the bonds of

Karma. It is not the Karma but the selfish motive that binds the man.

 

Never, never say, " I have helped that man. " Feel and think, " That man

gave me an opportunity to serve. This piece of service has helped me

to purify my mind. I am extremely grateful to him. " If you see a poor

man clad in rags standing in front of your door, feel that the Lord

is before you in the form of a poor man. Serve him with Narayana

Bhava.

 

Never grumble when you do service to others. Take delight in service.

Watch for opportunities, to serve. Never miss even a single

opportunity. Work is worship of the Lord.

 

A Karma Yogi should have an amiable, loving, social nature. He should

have sympathy, adaptability, self-restraint, tolerance, love and

mercy. He should adjust himself to the ways and habits of others. He

should be able to bear insult, harsh words, criticism, pleasure and

pain, heat and cold.

 

You can do selfless service according to your ability and station in

life. An advocate can plead for poor people without accepting fees. A

doctor can treat the poor free of charge. A teacher or professor can

give free tution to poor boys. He can supply them books for study.

 

Have a medicine-chest of 12 tissue remedies or some allopathic

medicines or homoeopathic medicines. Serve the poor and sick with

Atma Bhava. Give one-tenth of your income in charity. This is the

highest Yoga.

 

Do not make any difference between menial and respectable work. If

any one is suffering from acute-pain in any part of the body, at once

shampoo the affected part very gently. Feel that you are serving the

Lord in the body of the patient. Repeat your Ishtamantra also. If you

see a man or animal bleeding on the roadside, never hesitate to tear

your upper cloth or shirt and use it for bandaging, in the absence of

any other means of bandage. Do not bargain with the poor porters at

the railway station. Be liberal and generous. Keep always some small

coins in your pocket and distribute them to the poor and the

decrepit.

 

Karma Yoga prepares the mind for the reception of light and

knowledge. It expands the heart and breaks all barriers that stand in

the way of oneness or unity. Karma Yoga is an effective Sadhana for

Chitta Suddhi or purity of heart. Therefore, do selfless service

constantly.

 

(Source: Essence of Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda)