KARMA YOGA THE YOGA OF ACTION. By Yogacharya R. Maythili Sharan

Transcription

1 KARMA YOGA THE YOGA OF ACTION By Yogacharya R. Maythili Sharan Graduate Thirty-Fifth International Yoga Teachers Training Course: International Centre For Yoga Education and Research, Kottakuppam, Tamilnadu, India. Question: What is Karma Yoga? Answer: The Sanskrit word Karma is translated as follows: 1. Work or deed. 2. Effect of a deed. 3. Law of causation governing action and its effects in the physical and psychological plane. The Sanskrit word Yoga is translated as Union of the Individual consciousness (Jivatman) with the Supreme consciousness (Paramatman or God). Yoga is a prescribed path of spiritual life. The various Yogas are, therefore, different paths to union with God. Karma Yoga is the path of selfless, God-dedicated action. I looked up the thesaurus in the computer for synonyms of the word selfless and the references that came up are as follows: unselfish, desireless, self-satisfying, altruistic, noble, gallant, dignified, humane, philanthropic, self-denying, gracious, decent, righteous, fine and good. The antonym of the word selfless is selfish and some of the synonyms that came up with reference to this word are as follows: self-centred, self-seeking, self-interested, egotistical, egotistic, egocentric, insensitive, inconsiderate, careless of the feelings of others, thoughtless, uncharitable, unkind, uncaring and careless. Karma Yoga, therefore, can also be defined as a path of action that is righteous, desireless, unselfish, non-egocentric, sensitive, caring, kind, charitable, altruistic, dignified, humane and noble. Srila Sri Dr.Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj (Swamiji) says, Karma Yoga is action done without the desire for reward of the action. Swamiji also says that acting is the key to being. Swamiji discusses the concept of Karma as follows:

2 Understanding the Universal Principle of Karma: The Law of Life Action/reaction is seen everywhere about us. Science accepts cause/effect in all things. Indeed, the Law of Cause and Effect is the basis upon which the Universe has its existence. The Law of Cause and Effect is known in Sanskrit as Karman or Karma. The term arises from the Sanskrit verb to do, or to make but the Law itself is not easy to understand and requires Yoga Drishti (Yogic Vision) to more fully understand its far-reaching implications. The Karmic Law Any thought or action is Karma. Conscious Karma is one where intention to act is present in the mind. We should obey any law which is not unjust or against the dictates of Inner Life. As for God s Law, the Karmic Law, we have no other choice but to obey it. We cannot break Higher Law. If we try to break a natural law, a Cosmic Law or Law of Life, we will find that it is not possible to do so. Rather, we will break ourselves over that Law, or at least, be badly bent in trying to do so. Bending is sickness of all types; breaking is death. Karma can be seen in everyday life where good is returned for good and evil returned for evil. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is an explanation of the way this Law works. Kindness is repaid by affection, love is repaid by love. If we give of our thoughts, we will be repaid by knowledge. If we give of our labour, we will be repaid by goods. Everything we are now receiving is as a result of some prior thought or action. It may be difficult to see this at the time some calamity is taking place, but it is nonetheless true. If we could only see behind the veil of our memory into the actions of this life and perhaps, even lives before this one, then we would understand why things happen to us as they do. There is a logical continuity to the Law of Cause and Effect. It is possible to see how a specific action, going through a chain of cause and effect, molds our lives. An old Hindu rhyme runs like this: Sow a thought, Reap and action. Sow an action, Reap a habit. Sow a habit, Reap a characteristic. Sow a characteristic, Reap a destiny! Taking Responsibility for Our Actions Maturely, we can accept that as we sow, so also shall we reap. We are the product of our actions. Our actions are not different from us. The

3 undeveloped, the immature, and the fool can claim they are not responsible for what they do. For those practicing integration of personality and action, no such claim can be made Karma is not only Acts of Commission, but also Errors of Omission. The things we should have done but didn t do have much more Karma attached to them, than the things we have done. Get busy with the things that need to be done. Live the Yoga Life. Our Thoughts and Karma Our thoughts are also real. They are as much a part of the Karmic activity as are our actions. Thoughts set in motion gigantic chainwaves of mental activity. This activity may have much more effect upon us than our actions. Actions are usually limited to a specific period of time. It is said that a man s act die with him. But our thoughts are eternal! Once released into time and space, our thoughts continue forever. It is in this knowledge that our ancient Yoga Rishis taught us to control emotions and mind, particularly the subconscious mind called Chitta. Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha (Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, Pada 1, vs.2). Yoga is the control of the sub-conscious undulations of the mind: hence, we have arisen the many Yoga activities to bring about this control in a most positive sense. Control of mind is a must in the practice of Yoga. If you do not control your thoughts, your thoughts will soon control you. Thoughtlessness Much of what we do is thoughtless. We either do not think out what we are to say or do or oftentimes, do not care to do so. Thoughtlessness in word and deed is most difficult to control and usually results in a near-endless chain of hurts and repercussions. We must carefully guard ourselves against thoughtlessness. That we do many things knowing that we will be harmed by what we do must also be faced. We seem to spite the Self when angry or upset. We do not care for the consequences of our words and deeds, and act rashly, often to suffer consequences in silence and despair at a later date. Awareness and Karma To control one s personal Karma requires total awareness an awareness that most human beings lack, and that many do not even want. For many it is easier to turn a blind eye to actions of others so that no one will criticize wrong actions on their part. There is no chance for Karmic evolution in that attitude. Awake! Be Aware! Mature! Grow!

4 Taking Our Destiny In Our Own Hands Our destiny, our fate, then, lies in our own hands. The cause is in thought, or thinking more correctly, worked out in words and actions into the plane of our phenomenal existence. We are the masters of our lives, if we only knew it by a full observance of Karmic Law. Everything that happens in this Universe, happens under Divine Law. The Cosmos is orderly. Only man seems to be disorderly and chaotic. To a chaotic mind, no doubt, life appears to be governed by fate and blind chance. But to the student of Yoga, the Adhikarin, an observance of the Law of Karma is necessary for true inner spiritual development. When one accepts the overall concept of a Universe governed by Law, or oneself in this Universe, yea, even as an integral part of this Universe, an important part of this Universe, then the observance of this Law becomes a paramount aspect of the way in which one lives. A brief Introduction to Srimad Bhagavad Gita The Great Indian Textbook of Yoga. Swamiji says that Srimad Bhagavad Gita is the greatest Indian textbook of Yoga. In Swamiji s own words, In this Cosmic Anthem, the SONG CELESTIAL, we have the Yogic version of the BOOK OF REVELATIONS. In Swamiji s words, The Gita, as it is most commonly termed is a section of the Maha Bharata, one of the classical epics of Hinduism. The story is a dialogue between Sri Krishna, who represents the super-conscious mind of each of us and the hero, Arjuna, who represents the consciousness of the human mind. The scene of this epic is on a battlefield, Kurukshetra. This battlefield is the plane of human existence and the war between sanity and insanity. A battle ensues in which Krishna tells Arjuna that he cannot win by himself, that he must use super-conscious intelligence and power for his survival. The Gita is in eighteen chapters, each one entitled a specific Yoga. Its teachings are most practical, in that it says, that which cannot be followed in day-to-day living should not rightly be called religion. Life is to be practical, simple, uncluttered, efficient, rewarding and enlightening. Anything in one s life which tends to confuse, distort, derange, should be shunned as one s mental and moral enemy.

5 The whole story of the Gita is of the triumphant life which grows out of disciplining oneself as though a warrior preparing for battle, but under the guidance of the Supreme Mind. Action: Act! Act! Act! Krishna teaches that the thinker is also the doer. Krishna tells Arjuna that he is a warrior so he must fight. This means we are thinkers, so we must think. We are actors, so we must act. Thinking and doing must be harmoniously blended together for an efficient life. Krishna tells Arjuna that Yoga is skill in action. Service: Learn to serve yourself in the purest sense then serve others, but without any desire for service in return. You have a right to your livelihood, your salary and your wages, but, always give more than is given to you. Shine like the sun, which shines upon all. Perform selfless action, which will engulf you in Compassion and love. Fearlessness: Fear not are the first words of the Guru when he gives initiation. When you truly find your Guru, whether he is embodied as a physical teacher or you find that truest Guru within, he will command you to be fearless. Anxiety, worry, cares and woes fall away. Even death is conquered. Right Views: The world is a sensory phenomenon, Maya. Maya does not mean an illusion produced by trickery, but rather a veil hiding the real and the permanent. Krishna tells Arjuna that his error is in thinking in terms of I, Me, and Mine-ness. Krishna says All this (the universe) is mine (Maya). When you think it is yours, you are in error. Self-realisation: The Supreme Nature lies hidden behind phenomenal reality. The ego masks our realization of the Supreme Nature within us. When this ego is brought under control, the Face of the Beloved shineth in the heart. Realisation of the Supreme within is achieved by Right- Use-Ness of life. A Summary of Karma Yoga as discussed in the book Bhagavad Gita - The Song of God Before the Battle of Kurukshetra begins, Arjuna asks Krishna to drive their chariot into the open space between the two armies, so that he may see the men he must fight with. When Krishna does this, Arjuna recognizes many of his kinsmen and old friends among the ranks of the enemy. He is appalled by the realisation that he is about to kill those

6 whom he loves better than his life itself. In his despair he exclaims: I will not fight! Krishna s reply to Arjuna occupies the rest of the book. It deals not only with Arjuna s immediate personal problem, but with the whole nature of action, the meaning of life and the aims for which man must struggle, here on earth. At the end of their conversation Arjuna has changed his mind. He is ready to fight. And the battle begins. Arjuna is bound to act, but he is still free to make a choice between two different ways of performing the action. In general mankind almost always starts with attachment; that is to say, with fear and desire. Desire for a certain result and fear that this result will not be obtained. Attached action binds us to the world of appearances; to the continual chain of more action. But there is another way of performing action, and this is without fear and without desire. Freed from fear and desire, a man offers everything he does as a sacrament of devotion to his duty. It is only toward the results of work success or failure, praise or blame that he remains indifferent. When action is done in this spirit, Krishna teaches, it will lead us to knowledge of what is behind action, behind all life: the ultimate Reality. And, with the growth of this knowledge, the need for further action will gradually fall away from us. We shall realize our true nature, which is God. It follows, therefore, that every action, under certain circumstances and for certain people, may be a stepping stone to spiritual growth if it is done in the spirit of non-attachment. At any given moment in life, we are what we are; and we have to accept the consequences of being ourselves. Only through this acceptance can we begin to evolve further. We may select the battleground. We cannot avoid the battle. Mahatma Gandhi on Karma Yoga or Selfless action Mahatma Gandhi summarized Karma Yoga in one word: Desirelessness. He contended that to act while renouncing interest in the fruit of action as the best road to success. Gandhiji wrote, He who is brooding over result often loses nerve on the performance of duty. He becomes impatient and gives vent to anger and begins to do unworthy things; he jumps from action to action, never remaining faithful to any. He who broods over results is like a man given to the objects of the senses; he is ever-distracted, says good bye to all scruples, everything is right in his estimation and he therefore resorts to means fair and foul to attain his end.

7 Excerpts from Amma s discourse on Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga is Conscious Action Amma Yogamani Yogacharini Puduvai Kalaimamani Shrimati Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani says that Karma Yoga is Conscious Action, in other words; to Know what we Do. According to Amma, Karma Yoga is also doing the right thing in the right way at the right time and being totally conscious of one s actions. Karma Yoga is knowing what we are doing, how we are doing and when we are doing it. Karma Yoga is acting without desire for the fruits of our action. Karma Yoga is skill in action. Dharma and Karma Amma says that we create Karma through thoughts, words and deeds. Therefore, she emphasizes on the need to be totally watchful and aware of everything that one thinks, does and says. The cultivation of witness-consciousness, Sakshi Bhava, discrimination, Viveka and detachment Vairagya are given primary importance in the quest to toward understanding conscious action. Quoting J.Krishnamurthy, Amma says that we must watch ourself without condemnation, justification, rationalization and identification. This type of conscious awareness and conscious action, Amma says, will lead to freedom from creating new Karmic impressions. Doing one s duty or Dharma through detached action or Karma Yoga is the key. Discussing the relationship between evolutionary change and Dharma, Amma says that Lord Shiva represents evolutionary change or growth and his vehicle Nandi, the bull, represents Dharma or righteous duty; and that without Dharma, evolutionary change cannot happen. According to Amma, if we do our Dharma perfectly, we ll be performing perfect Karma Yoga. The value of being born as human beings Amma stresses on the need to realize that we have received something very precious in the form of a human birth, because human incarnation is the first to have Manas or conscious mind. According to Amma, as humans we have the opportunity to evolve consciously. Quoting the Garuda Purana, Amma says that we have had to go through 84 lac (84,00,000) bodies before being born as humans, that is, we have spent innumerable number of lifetimes as lower life forms before being born as humans. Hence the need to value human birth and making the right use of it.

8 The relationship between Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga Bhakti Yoga, the Yoga of Devotion, is based on the principle that everything is a manifestation of the Divine; the emphasis is to see God in everything. Amma says that in very high states of Bhakti one sees God in everything. Discussing the relationship between Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga, Amma comments that we express our devotion to the Creator through selfless service or Seva. Devotion is linked to gratitude and this in turn is expressed as a natural desire to serve mankind. Seva or the desire to serve, therefore, is an expression of devotion or gratitude for all that we have received. Amma terms Seva as motiveless action. In this way, one expresses devotion through selfless service. Amma sums up her discussion by saying that our Dharma is to take care of the moments and live our lives with awareness and attention. We must use our human birth in the right way and whatever we do, we must be watchful of our inner state. Karma Yoga is: - To be conscious, watchful and aware of our actions; whatever we think, say and do; constantly watchful of our inner state. - To know what we are doing, why we are doing, how we are doing and when we are doing whatever we choose to do. - To act with detachment (Vairagya), discrimination (Viveka) and practising witness-consciousness (Sakshi Bhava). - To live and act righteously by obeying the Cosmic Laws which govern our existence on earth. - To take responsibility for one s actions and being detached from the fruits of action. - To act without desire, fear and anger. - To act and serve selflessly - To act skillfully. - To be equal-minded toward the pairs of opposites (pleasurepain, victory-defeat, life-death etc.,) or contradictions in life. - To be grateful for being born as human beings and to appreciate, safeguard and nourish our human birth. - Conscious evolution. - To see everything as the manifestation of the divine. - To see oneself as an instrument of the divine. - To realize one s own true nature and making the right useness of our life. - To live a Yoga Life.

9 Selflessness A Poem by Dr.Swami Gitananda Giri Gain follows Loss, He is indifferent. Why should He feel Triumph? Of whom Is He envious? He acts But is not Bound by his Action, For the whole action is dissolved. When the Shackles of action-reaction are broken, His illumined Heart Beats in the Core of Brahman. His every act is high worship of Brahman, Can such acts bring ill? Brahman is the Rite. Brahman is the Ritual. Brahman is the Offering. He is the Brahman who offers him the fire of experience, The Brahman. When a man Sees Brahman in every action, He is Brahman.