Karma Yoga
Yoga of Action
There is an immutable law of the multiverse: What goes around comes around; we reap what we sow. In Vedic terms, this is karma. The law of karma is more specific, however. In this chapter, Shri Krishna gives a more complete explanation. When there is balance, there is peace. When there is imbalance, peace is absent. In the Hopi language, this is Koyaanisqatsi, the chaos of life out of balance. The spiritual path ventures through much darkness and chaos, but its goal, its destination, is peace, Shanti. How can one attain balance amidst this duality? This is the goal of Karma Yoga. Doing one’s tasks without attachment to fruitive results. Achieving balance through actions. Karma holds us accountable, but it does not judge us. Through karma, the soul learns the futility of dualism and finally looks to Bhagavan, One God. This process takes a very long time and causes one to experience great suffering along the way, as taught by Gautama Buddha.
3:1: Arjuna said: O Krishna [Janardana], You who all men worship! O Krishna [Keshava], with the long hair, why do You want to engage me in ghastly warfare if You think that intelligence is better than fruitive action?
3:2: Because of Your apparently perplexing words, my intelligence is confused. Therefore, please tell me decisively how I may attain the highest.
3:3: The Glorious One [Shri Krishna] said: In this world, as I have previously explained to you, O sinless one [Arjuna], there are two kinds of determined yogis: the jnana-yogis who seek union through knowledge of the categories of existence and those who employ the yogic process of [linking through] action.
Those seeking to “yoke” or achieve harmony within themselves through God consciounsess are called yogis” because they seek to yoke.
Jnana-yogis seek this through acquiring knowledge or wisdom. They hope to realize the truth through the study of, and eventual transcendence of, duality.
Dhyana-yogis seek this by stilling the consciousness and “moving the mind” away from duality through single-minded focusing on a single point. There are several types of dhyana practices. One might focus on the Omkara mantra, on a point within a mandala (spiritual symbol), on the feet of a murti (worshipable image), on a sabd (or sound vibration, as in Sikhism) such as japa mala (chanting sacred words or names on prayer beads) or on nothingness (which is very difficult).
3:4, 5: Neither through action nor by abstinence from action does one achieve the state of ‘inaction-in-action’ [naiskarmyam], nor by renunciation alone can one attain perfection.
Not even for a moment does anyone exist without performing some action. All who are born of the qualities of material nature are helplessly forced to act.
3:6, 7: One who mentally controls the sense organs yet ponders sense objects is known as a fool and a hypocrite.
But one who, by virtue of the mind, regulates the senses through the sensory organs, O Arjuna, and the practice of karma yoga without attachment is superior.
3:8, 9 Therefore, perform your obligatory actions. Indeed, action is better than inaction because even your bodily maintenance would not be possible by inaction.
Because of this, this world is bound by its actions, but you, O Arjuna [son of Kunti], should perform your actions for the sake of sacrifice and thereby be liberated from attachment.
3:10, 11: In olden times, the demigod [deva] of progeny, upon creating the generations, said, “By sacrifice, you will propagate. This will be your ‘milk cow of plenty’” [or Kamadhenu].
This yoga method will support the demigods [devas], and they will support you. This mutual support is excellent. By using this method, you will achieve the highest.
3:12: The devas will give you all desired objects when your sacrifices nourish them, but one who enjoys without making offerings to them is considered a thief.
3:13: The righteous who eat the remnants of sacrifice [prasad] are freed from all kinds of sins, but those sinful people who cook for their own sake eat only sin.
When a righteous person prepares food, they first offer it to God. Ritually, God ‘eats’ the food, and then the devotee eats what remains. By putting God before oneself, one achieves humility, and the act of eating becomes a spiritual endeavor. The saying of grace before and/or after meals has the same aim.
3:14, 15: All material bodies are born from the foods they consume. Food grains are produced from the rain. Rain comes from performing sacrifices [yajna], and all sacrifices are born of action [i.e., through performing prescribed actions as taught in the sacred texts].
All actions arise from the Vedas. [i.e., are regulated as prescribed in the sacred scriptures]. Know that Lord Brahma [Aksharbrahma], who is directly manifested from the all-pervading, imperishable God, has eternally established the sacrifice of actions.
3:16: Thus, set in action, one who does not adapt to the scriptural regulations in this life, who lives in sin, satisfied only by the senses, such a person, O Arjuna [child of Partha], lives in vain.
3:17, 18: But one who delights in the Self, is satisfied in the Self and is satiated in the self-realization, such a person has no obligatory activities.
For such a person, it is as if no actions are performed because there is no purpose for actions being performed, nor does such a person seek meaning from the living entities.
3:19: Therefore, without attachment, always perform your obligatory actions, for by performing such activities without attachment, you will attain the Highest.
3:20: Through action, King Janaka and others attained perfection. Likewise, for the protection [or education] of the world, you ought to perform your requisite actions.
3:21: Whatever preeminent people do sets the standard that others emulate.
3:22 -24: O Arjuna [son of Partha], there are no requisite actions for Me in all the three worlds, nor do I desire to get anything from acting, yet even I engage in activities.
If at any time I ceased from engaging in actions, all people would follow My path, O Arjuna, [child of Partha].
If I did not act, all the worlds would be brought to ruin. There would be social chaos, and I, the Creator, would thereby destroy all these living entities.
3:25: Just as those without understanding act out of attachment to fruits of their actions, O Arjuna [descendent of Bharata], so too those who are knowledgeable should act, but without attachment, for the wellbeing of entities.
3:26: Those who are knowledgeable should not cause the intelligence of those without understanding to be disturbed because of their attachments to actions. Rather, they should encourage them to yoke their minds to Me [God] and thus favorably engage in all their activities.
3:27: All types of activities are being performed by the [three] gunas [qualities or aspects] of material nature, yet the living entity, who is deluded by false ego, thinks himself the doer.
3:28, 29: O Arjuna [Mighty-Armed one], those who know the truth understand the distribution of the qualities and actions, and hence, their senses are not attached to sense objects.
Those who are deluded by the qualities of material nature are attached to material activities. They are dull-witted, and their knowledge is incomplete. Do not be disturbed by those whose knowledge is incomplete.
3:30: Dedicate the fruits of all your activities to God. Maintaining God-consciousness, you will be free from desire and possessiveness. By being thus freed, do your duty without mental pain or anxiety.
3:31, 32: Those who practice My eternal doctrine with faith and who are devoid of envy are freed from all karmic reactions.
But those who are envious, who do not practice My doctrine of devotion, and whose knowledge is deluded, know them to be ruined and devoid of [spiritual] consciousness.
3:33: All living entities follow their natures, even those who have knowledge act according to material nature, so what can repression accomplish?
3:34: Attachment and detachment of the senses and their objects must be regulated. One should not come under the domination of either of these because they are both obstacles [to Self-realization].
3:35: Better is one’s own duty, though poorly exercised, than that of another, even if performed well. It is better to die performing one’s own duty because doing the duty of another is filled with dread.
3:36: Arjuna asked: By what is one impelled, even without desiring, to sin? O Krishna [O descendant of Vrishni]; it is as if one were impelled by some force.
3:37: Shri Krishna [the Blessed One] replied: It is desire and anger, which are born of all-devouring passion. Know this to be the very sinful enemy here in the material world.
3:38, 39: As fire is enveloped by smoke, as a mirror is covered by dust and the embryo is enveloped by the womb, likewise is the [conditioned] jivatman [or individualized soul] enveloped by its [desires].
[Being conditioned], the wisdom of the wise is enveloped by this constant enemy, the forms of desire, O Arjuna [son of Kunti], as by an insatiable fire.
3:40, 41: The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be the seat [of all de-sires]. By these, the knowledge of the embodied living entities becomes covered and deluded.
Therefore, begin by regulating your senses, Arjuna [O best of the Bharatas], and destroy this inauspiciousness, which is the slayer of knowledge and understanding.
3:42: It is said that the senses are great but superior to the senses is the mind, superior to the mind is the intellect and the living entity is superior even to the intellect.
Therefore, recognizing your intellectual superiority, control yourself and vanquish the powerful enemy of desire, Arjuna (O supremely armed one).
Here Ends Chapter Three
Go to: Chapter Four
Go to: Notes and References.
Go to: Cover Page.
Got Questions or Comments?
Let us know
AllFaith.com
LearnEmunah.com
BeitEmunah.org
Be the Blessing you were created to be
And
Don't let the perfect defeat the good
Want More Options?:
|