karma yoga v Bhakti yoga

[Guest guest]

what is the actual difference between bhakti yoga and karma yoga?

 

Prabhupada advised us to work for Krishna - but is that still not Karma yoga?

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

Bhakti-yoga.

 

To get to the point of Bhakti-yoga you work. {karma-yoga} then later {much later} Karma is washed away. This path is recommended to all who work. Work without devotion is nothing. A person in factory working for his family, and another person doing same but also for satisfaction of Vishnu. Prabhupada mentions that this art must be learned.

 

From your Gurudeva. Laskmi is Lord Vishnu consort. Using this for Vishnu {the laskmi} pleases Vishnu. A normal family man may not do this.

 

Bg.2.39 Purport {extract}

 

There is much difference between work in Kåñëa consciousness and work for fruitive results, especially in the matter of sense gratification for achieving results in terms of family or material happiness. Buddhi-yoga is therefore the transcendental quality of the work that we perform.

--

 

Read the full purport again to that verse. From www.vedabase.net

 

It says Buddhi yoga or Karma-yoga is same as Bhakti-yoga. Work in devotion. Hope that helps.

 

jai sri NITAI jai prabhupada

[Guest guest]

so there is no difference between karma yoga and bhakti yoga?

 

that makes no sense...

 

according to you,

 

karma yoga is working but for the pleasure of Vishnu

 

then bhakti yoga's definition?

 

- not working? just preaching?

 

please explain...

[Pankaja_Dasa]

 

Yes, indeed it leads to Bhakti-yoga {buddhi-yoga}

 

Grihastas preach as well.

 

Hare Krishna

[Guest guest]

Karma yoga means doing the varnashrama dharma without expecting the results and dedicating the results to the antharyami.It has bhakthi underneath it.An example is king janak.

 

In Bhakthiyoga Krishna advises you to "Leave all your dharmas and surrender to me.I will save you"

 

Here you leave everything and have only him in your heart.This probably is the most painful of all paths.YOur family will call you a coward,your wife wont understand you.Swami dhukaram is an example.

 

Both karmayoga and bhakthi yoga need the same iron will to follow.Both need bhakthi.One cannot be said to be better over the other.One doesnt ask "which god is powerful,one in tirupathi or one in panderpur".

 

[Guest guest]

...does that mean that according to one's nature one can follow either karma yoga or bhakti yoga...

 

...the key is just to make sure you apply the principle of bhakti to it...

 

if someone is doing karma yoga ritualistically...i.e. offring it all to God...but is deep down enjoying all the results, is that still a legitimate for of karma yoga?

 

Or is karma yoga and bhakti inseparable?

[Guest guest]

Yes.One can follow any yoga according to his nature or choice or by following his guru's instructions or anything,reason is unimportant.

 

If one enjoys results of karma yoga,then its not karma yoga.It's like asking "If i secretly eat am i fasting?".It's plain hypocrisy.

 

Karma yoga and Bakthi are legally inseperable.Without dedicating the results to lord you dont do karmayoga.But there are interesting cases,which look like exceptions,which in fact arent.If I talk about them I will be creating another advaitha-vishistathvadiha duel,which I am trying to avoid nowadays.