Karma Yoga

I listen to Gita By Swami Paramarthananda through audio recordings, which are available at this link. He teaches Gita classes in Chennai for free. It is a great pleasure in learning Gita through Swamiji as he does in a very detailed manner. He teaches about 2 -3 slokas in a class of one hour duration, his teachings are in English, and in between he uses Tamil also.

I have heard so far 3 chapters of Gita. Every chapter I hear at least two times to assimilate & I feel like hearing again & again. As there are 18 chapters & I have to progress, I stop at two times since this itself will take more than a year to complete. His teachings are very practical & I am very much benefited by listening to him. I follow what he teaches almost 95%. I know that I am slipping by that 5%. Mere awareness pulls me back by cautioning me from doing things which I am not supposed to do.

One of the rules in Gnana yoga is to learn scriptures by following methods:
1. Sravanam, listening from a learned teacher.
2. Mananam, Dwell upon the teachings.
3. Nidhidyasanam, sharing with others by discussion, writing etc. Hence, what I am trying to do now is Nidhidyasanam by writing this blog.

I have just completed 3rd chapter of Gita, ie Karma Yoga. I am trying to write the essence of what is taught in this chapter:

Karma Yoga (KY) is the route to Moksha, by performing KY, one gets purified, becomes qualified for Gnana Yoga (GY), learn Gnana & attain Moksha.

There is no choice between KY & GY, one has to go through both Yoga.

But there is a choice in Ashrama one can follow in achieving Liberation ie, Grahasthashrama (GA) & Sanyasahrama (SA). In both ashramas, one has to follow KY & GY. According Lord Krishna, GA is better as HE himself is a Maha Grahastha (16008 wives).

KY consists of Proper action with Proper attitude.

Proper action consists of 3 divisions:

Sathvic – all the actions are performed for the benefit of others with little for self, Beneficiaries are more, and spiritual growth is maximum.

Rajasic – Actions are oriented towards self alone, Spiritual growth is less compared to Sathvic.

Tamasic – Individual benefits are at the cost of others who are harmed, No spiritual growth, away from spirituality.

Sathvic Karma includes Pancha Maha Yagna, if not performed lead to Prathyavaya papam, act of omission.

Pancha Maha Yagna:
1. Deva Yagna - Worship of GOD.
2. Pithru Yagna – Worship of fore fathers.
3. Rishi/ Brahma Yagna – Worship of Scriptures / propagate.
4. Manushya Yagna – Social service, Anna Danam.
5. Bootha Yagna – Environmental protection.

Proper attitude: In our lives all our duties will not be to our liking, hence one should perform duties assigned for, however menial it might be as Easwaraarpanam, since once it is meant for Easwara we will do it with full pleasure. So as a kartha (doer) one should develop Easwararpana Budhdhi.

As a Boktha (enjoying the fruits of action), one should accept all results of action whether it is pleasant or not as Easwara prasadam. One should note that the results we face today are the combined effect of present acts as well as past acts. The best examples are Dharma & Nala who suffered in spite of their best actions.

Easwararpana Budhdhi + Easwararpana Prasadam = Samatvam ( Equanimity)

Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna KY as four ways of life:

1. It is a commandment from GOD to follow KY otherwise it will attract Prathyavaya Papam. GOD instills fear into human mind. (Aagnya)
2. KY should be a sense of Gratitude, so offer it to GOD as worship. (Yagna)
3. KY is meant for purifying of your mind (Shodakam)
4. KY is meant for Dharma such as Cosmic Harmony such as Social & Environmental.

Duties of Gnani:
Gnani does not need any Sadhana ( Kriya such as poojas etc), as he has accomplished his end, hence means has no meaning now, but to maintain social order among the society, he has to perform Sadhanas as a model. According to our scriptures, mother, father, Guru & King are the model for the society.

5 point programme for KY:

1. Let spirituality be primary goal of life, all other goals be subservient (Goal)
2. Perform all duties as Easwararpana Budhdhi. ( Work into worship)
3. Be prepared to accept all types of future situations. You are only one factor in the whole process. Future is unpredictable. Easwara Prasada Budhdhi (Accept failure)
4. Don't claim total credit for success, you are not only one responsible for success. Remember GOD's Grace. ( Humility in Success)
5. Maintain mental balance, Samatvam, equanimity.

Benefit of KY is mind is getting purified; it becomes purer & purer in course of time.

He who does not follow KY is lost in the spiritual field.

Kama (Desire) & Krodha (Anger) are the obstacles of not following KY.
Materialistic attraction takes away spiritual life.
How to handle them?
Kama is the cause of Krodha, as obstructed desire is the cause of anger.
So if you tackle Kama, Krodha will be taken care of.

3 fold discipline:

Relative solution:

1. Mastery over sense organs: Use restraint in using the sense organs, do not allow any garbage to enter, be on guard. This will give rise to thoughts. Enjoy worldly pleasures with limits, excessive enjoyments lead to desires. Restraint is key. (Dhamaha)
2. Discipline of mind or thought pattern: Thoughts will come to our mind, may be good or bad, on which we have no control as it is based on our vasanas (Past tendencies), but you have the control on nurturing such thoughts or ignoring them. ( Shamaha)
3. Discrimination: One should know to discriminate what is good, what is bad. Human beings being finite, seeking finite pleasures & wealth will end up only in finite, which will render only unhappiness. World is neither a source of joy or sorrow, I am the source of either, for which I have to change to suit the worldly conditions. ( Vivekaha)

Spirituality starts when you begin to change.

Absolute solution:
Seek self knowledge.
Once I am full & complete, I am an embodiment of love, which I can give without any condition.