Choices in Karma yOga

1
Choices in Karma yOga

• Karma yOga is prescribed by Sri Krshna in Gita as
  a must for all. Let us practice it
• What is karma yOga ?
• Svadharma gnAna vairAgya sAdhya bhakti Eka
  gOcara narAyaNa param brahma gItA sAstrE
  samIrita (yAmuna)
• The essence of Gita is Practice of ones
  prescribed karma yOga with detachment, realising
  the atmans essential nature leads us to bhakti
  NarAyaNa the supreme is attained only through
  that bhakti.
• The ladder is 1. Realise that Atma is different
  from the body and eternal, it is subservient and
  dependent on paramAtma . 2. With this, practice
  once prescribed varna asrama dharma with a.
  kartrtva buddhi tyAga b. mamatA tyAga and c.
  phala tyAga. 3. We reach Atma sakshAtkAra
  (complete realisation and vision of the atman) 4.
  Then practice bhakti yOga (without giving up
  karma yOga) 5. When all our prArabdha karmas are
  destroyed (may take many births) we attain
  mOksham.

2
The indispensable karma yOga

• Krshna is the counsel for karma yOga who preached
  that it is must to all even to a gnAna yOgi and
  bhakti yOgi . Why ?
• Purpose of karma yOga
• 1. For a gnAna of bhakti yOgi, he has to sustain
  his body first to practice anything he has to
  eat and sleep for which he has to earn, cook and
  do many more and all these are part of karma
  yOga
• 2. While we are progressing in the path of
  bhakti, we also need to remove our anAdi kAla
  pApa (which are obstacles). This auxiliary job is
  done by karma yOga. Without this we cannot
  succeed in bhakti yOga.
• (compared with gnAna yOga, karma yOga merits in
  the following aspects 1. It is simpler 2. We are
  used to it from birth 3. Probability of failure
  is lesser 4. In succeeding births, one can
  continue from where we left in the previous
  birth)

3
Quotes from gItA

• karmaNaiva hi samsiddhim AstithA janakAdaya
• Niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyAyO hi akarmaNa
• karmaNyEva adhikAra tE mA phalEshu kadAcana mA
  karma phala hEtu bhU mA tE sanga astu akarmaNi
• Imam vivasvatE yOgam proktavAn aham avyayam
  vivasvAn manavE prAha manu ikshvAkavE abravIt.
• So we conclude that karma yOga (and detachment)
  is indispensable to all.

4
Who should practice - ALL

• To facilitate everyone to attain mOksham Sri
  Krshna categorised them into four varNas based on
  their quality and occupation cAtur varNyam mayA
  srshtam
• Then He prescribed specific daily duties for each
  of them. Whatever be the level of ones
  awakening, these are mandatory. It is a myth to
  conclude that it is needless for gnAnis to
  perform karma. This includes pitr karmas.
• Analogy A goods carrier vehicles primary
  purpose is to carry goods.(bhakti is the vehicle
  to moksha) When snow obstructs a snow mover
  showel is attached to remove (karma yOga removes
  the prArabdha karma which obstructs progress)

5
Routine and special

• Routine sadhyAvandana, panca mahA yagna, pitr
  karma etc. Krshna lists some special performances
  from which we can choose and practice any (4th
  chapter verse 25 30)
• daivamEvAparE yagnam yOgina paryupAsatE
  brahmAgnou aparE yagnam yagnEnaiva upajuhvati.
  (25)
• 1. Some karma yogis focus on deva pooja as their
  yajna.
• 2. Some are interested in offering sacrificial
  materials to Brahmam (in the form of fire)
  through the tools of yajna.
• Is about deva pooja with 3 faculties body
  speech and mind. Yagna yaja deva pUjAyAm .
  Agnou tishthati viprANAm hrdi tishthati yOginAm
  pratimAsu aprabuddhAnAm sarvatra samadarsinAm.
  Deity worship is the simplest method.

6
Methods in Karma Yoga..contd

• srOtrAdIn IndriyANyanyE samyamAgnishu juhvati
• sabdAdIn vishayAnanye indriyAgnishu juhvati (26)
• 3. Some oblate their sensual organs like ears and
  eyes to the fire of sensual control.
• 4. Some oblate the objects of pleasure like sound
  and taste to the Fire of five senses.
• Sensual control acts as a Fire in destroying the
  ill effects of senses. (asamsayam mahAbAhO,
  garudAs plight)
• Distance the objects of pleasure (condemned by
  the sastras) from the senses. This reduces the
  risk. Redirect the senses towards the divine form
  of Bhagavan.
• sarvANIndriyakarmANi prANakarmANi cAparE
• Atmasamyama yOgAgnou juhvati jnAnadIpitE (27)
• The earlier sloka was about control of 10
  senses. Now it is the control of the 11th- Manas
  (mind).
• 5. Some offer all the activities of sensual
  organs and prAna vayu, in the pyre of CONTROL OF
  MANAS which is the means to Yoga, lit by the lamp
  of WISDOM.
• Meditating on the supremacy of the atman compared
  with body, detaches our mind from material
  pleasures and refixes on the atman. Manas
  discards material pleasures, exhaling and
  inhaling as mundane. indriyEbhya parA hi arthA
  arthEbhyasca param mana. The lamp atma gnAna
  ignites the fire indriya jayam which destroys
  material pleasure.

7
Methods in Karma Yoga..contd

• Dedicated karma yOgis.
• dravyayajnA tapOyajnA yOgayajnA tathAparE
• svAdhyAya jnAnayajnAsca yataya samshitavratA
  (28)
• 6. Perform Devarchana, Yaga, Homa and Dana with
  wealth earned in the right way.
• 7. Some perform penance by subjecting pain their
  body (kAyaklEsam, fasting )
• 8. Some perform yajna in the form of pilgrimage
  to Holy Shrines and rivers.
• 9. Some perform the yajna chanting Vedas
• 10. Some enjoy their esoteric meanings.
• These are simple practices possible to all and
  in vogue too. Earning for Devarchana is also a
  Yajna- if it does not violate sAstra.

8
Methods in Karma Yoga..contd

• Practice of prAnAyAma
• apAnE juhvati prANam prANE apAnam tathAparE
• prANApAnagatI ruddhvA praNAyAmaparAyaNA (29)
• aparE niyatAhArA prANAn prANEshu juhvati (30)
• 11. Some who are inclined to pranayama, control
  food habits, synchronise apana vayu with prana
  vayu- Puraka (deep inhaling)
• 12. Some, synchronise Prana vayu with apana-
  Rechaka (exhaling)
• 13. Some control the pranavayu from going upwards
  and apana downwards, and synchronise all their
  pranas in them- Kumbhaka. (holding the breath)
• Inhaling air through your nostrils is Puraka,
  holding it inside is kumbhaka and releasing it
  out is rechaka. All the three must be in equal
  timing.
• Puraka- Offers Pranavayu as sacrificial material
  to Fire in the form of apana. By nature, prana
  vayu moves upwards. This is controlled and sent
  downwards from its seat, Hrdaya. It becomes one
  with apana in Guda.
• Rechaka- The reverse happens.
• Kumbhaka- Control both, and offer all 5 pranas to
  them. The lesser the frequency of respiration,
  better the health.
• Out of these 13 choices, one can choose any one
  or more and follow regularly for purity of mind
  and removal of papams. The awakening that all
  these are done as service to bhagavan is vital.