Karma Yoga according to Bhagavad Gita - Pravrajika Divyanandaprana
Summary
TLDRIn this insightful discussion, the concept of karma and karma yoga is explored, emphasizing the importance of intention behind actions. Karma yoga is defined as performing actions with a selfless attitude, leading to spiritual progress. The video explains the three effects of karma: physical, mental (sanskar), and cosmic (karma shay). It outlines key principles of karma yoga, including detachment from personal gains, performing actions with a calm mind, offering actions as a divine service, and viewing individual work as part of a cosmic yagna. The ultimate goal is to perform actions from a place of self-realization, leading to equanimity and spiritual growth.
Takeaways
- 🧘♂️ Karma and Karma Yoga: Karma refers to actions and their consequences, while Karma Yoga is the practice of performing actions without attachment to the results, aiming to be in a state of yoga or spiritual alignment.
- 🌟 The Mind and Intention: The state of mind and intention behind an action are crucial; they determine the purity of the action and its spiritual impact, regardless of the action's nature.
- 🍂 Three Effects of Karma: Every action has a physical effect (visible outcome), a mental effect (formation of sanskar or impressions), and a cosmic effect (karma shay, the unseen return of the action's energy).
- 🔄 Newton's Third Law in Karma: The cosmic effect of karma aligns with Newton's third law, suggesting that every action will have an equal and opposite reaction, influencing one's future experiences.
- 🌱 Detachment in Karma Yoga: In Karma Yoga, detachment is from personal gains rather than from action itself. One performs actions but remains unattached to the outcomes or rewards.
- 🌌 Impassioned Action: Karma Yogis perform actions with a calm and composed mind, not driven by passion or excitement, which is a state cultivated through the practice of yoga.
- 🛐 Offering Actions: A Karma Yogi views their actions as an offering to the divine, recognizing that it is the universal principle (prakriti) working through them, not their individual ego.
- 🌀 Individual Work as Cosmic Yagna: Each person's work is part of a larger cosmic process. Understanding this interconnectedness can elevate one's actions to the level of Karma Yoga.
- 🌟 The Broader Perspective: The Bhagavad Gita encourages seeing the bigger picture of life's interconnectedness, which helps in performing actions with a sense of unity and equality.
- 🕊 Equanimity in Action: True Karma Yoga is achieved when one remains equanimous, or balanced, regardless of the action's outcome, focusing on the performance of duty rather than the results.
Q & A
What is the difference between Karma and Karma Yoga?
-Karma refers to any action or deed, while Karma Yoga is the practice of performing actions in a state of yoga, meaning with awareness, detachment from personal gain, and a focus on spiritual progress. In Karma Yoga, actions themselves become a means of spiritual growth.
How does intention influence the outcome of karma according to the script?
-The intention behind an action is crucial in determining the fruit of karma. A pure and selfless intention leads to positive outcomes and spiritual progress, whereas actions performed with selfish or negative intentions can lead to unrest and negative consequences.
What are the three effects of karma mentioned in the script?
-The three effects of karma are: 1) The physical effect, which is the visible result of the action in the outer world; 2) The mental effect, which is the generation of sanskaras (mental impressions) based on the attitude with which the action was performed; and 3) The cosmic effect, or Karma Shay, which is the unseen force set into motion by the action that eventually returns to the doer.
What is meant by 'detachment is of the will and not of action' in the context of Karma Yoga?
-This principle means that in Karma Yoga, one should detach from personal gains and selfish desires while still actively performing their duties. The focus should be on the intention behind the action, not the action itself or its outcomes.
Why is calmness important in performing Karma Yoga?
-Calmness is important in Karma Yoga because it allows a person to work effectively and productively without being influenced by passion or excitement. This calm and composed mindset comes from the power of yoga and is essential for achieving the desired spiritual progress.
How can one mentally approach their work as part of Karma Yoga?
-One can mentally approach their work as part of Karma Yoga by acknowledging that all actions are carried out by Prakriti (nature) through their body and mind, and that they are merely instruments of the divine. By maintaining this mindset, egoism and arrogance are reduced, making the work a form of spiritual offering.
What does it mean that individual work is part of the cosmic yagna?
-This means that all individual actions are part of a larger, interconnected cosmic process. Each person’s work contributes to the overall cosmic order, and recognizing this helps one perform their duties with a sense of unity and purpose, rather than focusing solely on personal outcomes.
How does identification with a higher self influence Karma Yoga?
-Identification with the higher self shifts a person’s focus from body-based and ego-driven actions to actions that are aligned with spiritual values. This change in identity leads to actions that are more selfless and spiritually beneficial, transforming ordinary work into Karma Yoga.
What is the significance of the phrase 'yogastha kuru karmani' in the Bhagavad Gita?
-'Yogastha kuru karmani' means 'established in yoga, perform action.' It emphasizes the importance of being in a state of union with the higher self before performing any action, ensuring that the actions are guided by wisdom and detachment rather than by ego and desire.
How does the concept of service as worship relate to Karma Yoga?
-In Karma Yoga, service to others is seen as worship of the imminent God within all beings. By serving others selflessly, one is not just performing an act of kindness but is also engaging in a spiritual practice that honors the divine presence in all life forms.
Outlines
🧘♂️ Understanding Karma and Karma Yoga
The video script begins by introducing the concept of karma and karma yoga. It explains that karma yoga is not just about performing actions, but doing so in a state of yoga, which implies a spiritual context. The discussion highlights the importance of the intention behind an action and how it can lead to different outcomes, such as clearing the mind or causing restlessness. The script also touches on the three effects of karma: physical, mental (sanskar), and cosmic (karma phal). The physical effect is the tangible result of an action, while the mental effect is the sanskar or imprint it leaves on the mind. The cosmic effect refers to the karmic force that will eventually return to the individual, reflecting the nature of their actions.
🌟 Principles of Karma Yoga
This section delves into the principles of karma yoga as outlined in the Bhagavad Gita. It emphasizes detachment from personal gains while performing actions, which is key to achieving spiritual progress. The script explains that actions should be performed without attachment to the outcomes, and with a selfless attitude, which purifies the mind and leads to positive karma. The concept of 'seeing action in inaction and inaction in action' is introduced, suggesting that a wise person understands the true nature of action beyond its physical performance. The principles discussed include the importance of performing actions with a detached will, the calm and composed state of a karma yogi, and the idea of actions being offerings to the divine.
🌈 Karma Yoga and Cosmic Interconnectedness
The third paragraph explores the interconnectedness of all life and how individual actions are part of a larger cosmic process. It uses the metaphor of a young monk embroidering a piece of cloth, unaware that his work contributes to a grand depiction of Buddha, to illustrate how our individual efforts fit into a larger whole. The script encourages viewers to see their work as part of a cosmic yagna, or sacrifice, and to perform their duties with the understanding that they are contributing to the whole. It also discusses the importance of recognizing the unity in all beings and the role of service as a form of worship, aligning with the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita.
🕉 Achieving Equanimity through Karma Yoga
The final paragraph focuses on the idea of performing actions while remaining detached from the results, which is central to karma yoga. It discusses the importance of establishing oneself in the state of yoga, which involves deep union with one's higher self. The script explains that when one is established in the self, actions become pure and lead to equanimity, regardless of the outcomes. It also touches on the concept of identifying with a higher identity beyond the individual self, which expands one's sense of being and allows for a more spiritual outlook on life. The video concludes by emphasizing the importance of service as worship and the philosophy of seeing all beings as manifestations of the divine.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Karma
💡Karma Yoga
💡Yoga
💡Sanskars
💡Karma Phal
💡Detachment
💡Impersonal Action
💡Cosmic Yagna
💡Equanimity
💡Selfless Service
Highlights
Karma and Karma Yoga are revisited to understand their principles and differences.
Karma Yoga is defined as performing actions in a state of yoga, aligning with spiritual progress.
The Bhagavad-Gita's perspective on seeing action in inaction and vice versa is discussed.
The importance of intention behind actions and its impact on the mind is emphasized.
Three effects of karma are outlined: physical, mental (sanskar), and cosmic (karma shay).
The concept of karma shay, or cosmic effect, is explained as the return of energy put into motion by actions.
Karma Yoga's benefits are described, including positive physical, mental, and cosmic effects.
The first principle of Karma Yoga is detachment of will, not of action.
The power of yoga is said to enable impassioned action without excitement or frenzy.
Performing actions as an offering to the divine is a key aspect of Karma Yoga.
The idea that individual work is part of the cosmic yagna is introduced.
A Buddhist story illustrates the interconnectedness of all actions in the cosmic yagna.
The Gita encourages seeing the whole picture of life's interconnectedness.
The concept of performing action with the understanding that one is part of a larger whole is discussed.
The final principle of Karma Yoga is performing actions while established in the true self.
The message of Indian cultural paradigm on expanding one's sense of identity is highlighted.
Vivekananda's philosophy and the principles of Karma Yoga in the Ramakrishna Order are mentioned.
The concept of all service being worship of the imminent God is discussed.
The importance of identifying oneself rightly to perform action as a Karma Yogi is emphasized.
Transcripts
namaste
today we are going to revisit karma
and try to understand more about it and
about the principles of karma yogg
what is the difference between karma and
karma yoga everybody does work
but
karma yoga means
doing karma being in the state of yoga
it can also mean doing karma in such a
way that itself is yoga
so karma yoga is the way
to
move forward in spiritual life
so every action can it be done in that
way what exactly should be the mindset
of a person who's doing the action then
why karma nevada
see the ways of karma are
quite difficult
the bhagavad-gita itself says this and
you know it says
so one who sees action in inaction and
inaction in action
so he is the wise man what do such
statements mean
it means
see the
fruit generated by karma is entirely
under the intention behind the karma
a person may be doing some very menial
task
but
that task itself may be clearing his
mind completely leading him into the
state of yoga
one may be a ceo of a huge company but
so taken up by arrogance and pride and
more achievement more
ambition that he may simply clutter his
mind unnecessarily and lead a very
restless peaceless life
so what is it that
matters finally it is the state of your
mind
and the intention behind the action if
the intention behind the action is
something very pure
then the action will naturally purify
the mind
and the karma fall is actually generated
by
the
attitude the intention behind the action
so there are three effects of karma
which we have discussed earlier also i
will just mention them here
before we go into the actual principles
of karma yoga the first effect of action
is any action will have a physical
effect
isn't it in which you can see in the
outer world well you taught a kid and
the kid did very well in his exams so
the result shows the physical effect of
the work
but the attitude with which you perform
the action
that generates a sanskar in your mind
this sanskar is your gain through that
action suppose you did it with a very
selfless attitude of service
then that that sanskar grit gets created
in your mind the sanskar of selflessness
it will purify the mind suppose you did
it for money
then that particular sanskar
got created in your mind suppose you did
it because somebody asked you to do it
your teacher told you to help that kid
so then that particular sanskar of
obedience will become ingrained in your
mind so your the attitude with which the
intention with which you perform the
action creates generates the sanskar in
your mind
then there is another effect of karma
to the extent you have helped help will
come to you
whenever you require it at any point of
time this it is called actually karma
shy it is the cosmic effect of karma
not just the physical or mental effect
the physical effect was the actual
result of the action which you you can
see the mental effect is the generation
of sanskar in your mind which you may
not see but which you can feel
but karma say the cosmic effect of the
same action karma is something you
cannot see at all
but whatever it's a force you have put
into motion as a result of your work it
will come back to you at some point of
time
so this is like newton's third law of
motion for every action there is equal
and opposite reaction
so this is what is generally called
karma karmaphal or bhagya all this that
people talk of it is this karma shay it
comes back to you in the same
not maybe in the same form but with the
same power
at some if it's a good action good will
come to you if it's a bad action bad
will come to you up as you saw you will
reap like that so this is the third
effect of action which is called
uh the cosmic effect or karma shay
now when you perform karma yoga
not karma merely but karma yoga you see
naturally your physical effect will be
good
but your mental effect also the sanska
generated is that of selflessness as a
result it will take you forward
spiritually and the
uh karma say the the final fruit of the
action
that itself will be only beneficial only
positive
isn't it
you will not generate any negative
effect through that work you may be
doing something very menial but still
because the intention was so pure
because the motive was so pure the
action was selfless so it will generate
only good for you
and this may not be so when you are well
performing a big action but not with the
purest of intentions
so this is how
karma works and that is why one who sees
action and inaction that is why this
kind of a sloka is there in the
bhagavad-gita and one who sees action in
inaction and inaction in action
he is the wise person
you must understand a few principles of
karma yoga because now we have decided
to dive into it so let's do it
step wise
one of the first principles of karma
yogas
detachment is of the will and not of
action
not from action
when gita is speaking of ana detachment
it is of your will
detachment from personal gains
but action has to be performed
action does not bind i told you the
intention behind the action can bind
so that if you are detached in your will
you don't have to be detached from the
action you perform the action it will
not bind you
it will only
affect you positively it will only bring
good into your life because you have
withdrawn your will from selfish gains
like the example of the soldier which i
gave you
an ordinary man attacking another person
he will be arrested or
for whatever for murder or whatever
reasons
but if a soldier attacks the enemy
soldier
he is awarded
why
it is not for personal gain it is to
maintain
to defend the borders to maintain peace
in the country
so you see when action
is performed with a detached will
detached from selfish gains the effect
of that action is something completely
different
so this is the first law
which we have to understand detachment
is of the will
and not of action
the second uh
principle of karma yoga's
impassioned action
comes through the power of yoga
usually by action we
take it to be action plus passion and a
lot of excitement about it no no no
actually those who are great karma yogis
are very calm
and composed people
continuously they can keep working
effectively productively with a very
calm mind
this comes by the power of yoga
it is not about the excitement and
frenzy of action
with a well-controlled apparatus when
you steadily keep working
productively
then that results naturally in karma
yoga
so this kind of an impersonal attitude
and impassioned action comes through the
power of yoga
the third
while performing the action how exactly
do we make it a
an offering at the feet of the lord a
karma yogg is while you perform the
action you can use a background track
like for example prakriti is doing the
work
isn't it actually prakriti alone is
doing the work through your
instrumentation since you identify with
that instrumentation you feel you are
doing the work you are the agent
but no no no actually it is prakriti
working everything other than the
purusha other than the soul is prakriti
it includes the mind all its different
faculties your thinking feeling willing
the
the body everything is prakriti
this entire world is prakriti
so actually prakriti alone is working
but you attribute that action to
yourself although you are the purusa you
attribute the workings of prakriti to
yourself
so that is why
mentally run this track
like we run three four tracks isn't it
many times when we are doing any work so
you must run this track that prakriti is
working
through this instrumentation
i am the self ever abiding in the source
some such track you can use so that this
egoism and arrogance does not come in
the work
really we are the instruments in the
hands of the divine whether we realize
this or not whether we want this or not
this is the fact of life
so if you have this as a background idea
it will help in your performance of
karma yoga
the fourth principle of karma yoga is
individual work is part of the cosmic
yagna
this also whether you like it or not
this is a fact
because
you are part and parcel of cosmic life
so there is nothing called individual
work
so work with this attitude
that
your job is to renew replenish
rejuvenate life
because you are part and parcel of
cosmic life
see the whole picture
don't see your individual little self
there
there is a very beautiful story you know
based on this
uh it's a buddhist story there was this
young monk
a novice who had just entered a
monastery so he was very young a
teenager
and he he was very dedicated he wanted
to perform a lot of meditative practices
and attain the highest heights of
meditation very sincere little monk
and initially the older monks they gave
him a big job they gave him such a huge
piece of cloth
and they asked him to
put a put a
red
actually he had to thread it embroider a
red patch there
a nice pink colored patch he had to put
but that itself took so many days
so while he was doing that
he was thinking oh i wish i could
meditate why why have i been given this
job
and what does it amount to
and i oh i wish i was in my meditation i
wish i was in my prayer he kept doing
the job thinking of that
and it was such a huge piece of cloth
folded into in so many ways that he
couldn't open and see what exactly was
he was actually threading
embroidering
so after the
piece was done
it took him a few days and then after
those five six days uh he handed it over
to his uh
the older monk and then the older monk
said
my son do you know what you did
and then the entire piece of cloth was
opened up for him it was unfolded uh it
ran to maybe a mile so it was so huge it
was actually
a huge
uh embroidered face
and figure of lord buddha in meditation
and this young monk had made those
perfect lips of buddha
in that pink color thread
he had been asked to actually fill the
thread with
stitches and that was the beautiful
perfectly calm compost
lips of the buddha
so as soon as he saw this he saw the
whole picture he was simply delighted
that
my action was towards this i did not
know it
so also we do not know the whole picture
this cosmic yagna is taking place in
this world we are all
part and parcel of this yet doing our
own little duties
it is all you see the final
yagna the the offering is going to go in
the final oven
it will be the purna there
so we but we don't know it
and we see only our little individual
duties our individual stance so the gita
encourages us to see the whole picture
everything about you
is a result of the activities of others
please check this out and see in your
life
the food you eat the water you drink the
air we breathe
and
the the kind of lifestyle we have the
relationships we have
it is all
it only shows the interconnectedness of
all life
life is interconnected
and
at its foundation it's a unitary whole
our individual distinctions and
differentiations are mind made
and to the extent we identify only with
the body and mind complex we will appear
more and more differentiated in
individuals
but the more spiritual we become in our
outlook
we will see the unity and we will see
the equality in everything
and that is when your karma becomes
karma yoga
so you see these are some of the
principles of karma yoga the bhagavad
gita is insistent on this
perform yoga perform action
completely based upon
yoga
in the state of yoga see this is the
meaning yoga's third guru karmani
getting yourself established in the stem
of in the state of yoga in the state of
deep union with your higher self
then you perform action
yogas
remain detached from merely body based
intentions body based activities body
based relationships
because that actually does not define
you
okay for a certain need it was done it
was made but your duty consciousness
should
rise far above your individual
consciousness
then
siddhi siddhi or bhuta that is when
whether you achieve
the
result of your action or not you will
remain the same
because to action alone you have the
right and not to the fruit thereof
so
then you will remain equanimous
no matter what the result of your action
samathwam yoguchi this samatham this
equanimity is what is called yoga
so you see this is only possible when
we are well established in the self
and not merely our
thought based emotion based
perverse will based
activities
body-based
identities when we are above all this
when we are well established in the self
then only action actually becomes karma
yoga
you become yogastha this word is used
again and again
that establish yourself in the yoga
in yoga first
this is used again and again the yukta
one who has established himself in the
knowledge of the self again and again it
is referred to in the bhagavad gita for
this very reason
that your very paradigm of thinking
feeling and willing will change once you
are established in the true self
otherwise you will be functioning based
on your false identity
isn't it isn't this natural in everyday
life
please tell me once you are identified
with some particular thing
your intellect and your will will only
hover around protecting that thing
and you will leave aside everything else
this is the power of identification
so that is why before you identify with
something
first
get knowledge of your true being you
must know where to identify
and then your very think thought and
decision will be different
this is the huge message being given to
us and that is why you know the general
philosophy of the
indian cultural paradigm was always
you move from the individual to
a higher identity a wider identity say
family based from there you move to a
even bigger identity a national identity
to that you move to a global identity
which means your your sense of being has
expanded
when you touch consciousness this
happens naturally because it is only one
consciousness that is expressing itself
through so many bodies and minds
through so many nationalities so through
so many ideologies it is only one being
expressing himself through all these 7.5
billion people on the planet
and through everything all living forms
actually
so to be become spiritual means this to
enter the heart of reality and function
in this world as a karma yogi
not to give up action and run away
somewhere that will lead to nothing
and action will happen
physical or mental action will
continuously go on the only choice you
have is to identify yourself rightly or
wrongly
and accordingly perform action
so vivekananda gave out this philosophy
in a huge form that is why this is the
basis of the ramakrishna order
the great prince principles of karma
yoga
and all service that is why to
whomsoever in whatever form it is
nothing but worship of the imminent god
god is not just transcendent
he is imminent in his creation
he is the self in all beings so you are
only worshiping god when you serve
another
so all service is worship of the
imminent god this is the great
philosophy of the bhagavad-gita itself
so we will end this
discussion here and proceed further in
the next video om shanti shanti shanti
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