karma yoga - goal, principles and practices

Karma Yoga:

Karma Yoga Goal, Principles and Practices

Different Kinds of People:

Different Kinds of People Taamasic – Lazy, without motivation, complaining, escapist Raajasic – Active Aarthi – A suffering person who wants to free himself from the suffering – afraid of stick, works to avoid punishment and inconvenience Arthaarthi – A person who is hankering after different things – wants carrots, works to achieve goals and ambitions Saatvic – Thinking Jijnaasu – A person who is beyond sticks and carrots, looking for a nobler reason to work Guna-atita – Wise Jnaani – A person who attained the knowledge of the Truth of this existence Karma Yoga is for these people.

Goal of Life:

Goal of Life Inner Emotional Perfection Security Happiness Peace Fulfillment Purposefulness

Goal of Karma Yoga:

Goal of Karma Yoga The emotional perfection comes by a deep understanding of Reality. The understanding requires unbiased thinking and detachment. Detachment comes from moral perfection. Moral perfection is the goal of Karma Yoga, which will give immediate peace and purposefulness. No external Goal. External tasks are means to the internal Goal. Means are as important as the external targets.

Working Model:

Working Model Jiva - I Iswara - God Jagat - World Has free will Everything other than Jiva Subtratum and the laws governing the Jiva and Jagat

Who am I?:

Who am I? I am the entity endowed with free-will. I am responsible for my decisions. Body, intellect and memory are my instruments. I am not a part, product or property of the body. I continue to exist after the death of the body.

Principle of Cause and Effect:

Principle of Cause and Effect As I sow, so shall I reap. I only get what I deserve. Nothing comes for free. I am the maker of my own destiny. What I am now and what I face now are the results of my own past actions. What I will be and what I will face in future will the results of my present and past actions.

Karma to Karma Yoga:

Karma to Karma Yoga Results of work Artha – removes wants, gives security Kaama – gives comfort and luxuries Dharma – gives social benefit, peace of mind Moksha – gives inner development and emotional freedom Focus here. Work for these. By products

Overview:

Overview Karma Yoga Right Action Avoid harmful Reduce selfish Increase selfless Right Attitude General duties Particular duties (swadharma) Yagna (give back) Daana (give more) Tapas (stretch yourself) Iswara arpana Iswara prasaada Deva yagna Bhuta yagna Manushya yagna Pitru yagna Rishi yagna Physical tapas Verbal tapas Mental tapas

What is Karma Yoga?:

What is Karma Yoga? Right action What should I do? What should I avoid? Right attitude How should I work? How should I face the results?

Actions:

Actions Actions Taamasic – harmful Raajasic – selfish Saatvic – selfless Saamaanya dharma – general duties Vishesha dharma (swadharma) – particular duties Avoid Reduce Increase

What Should I Avoid?:

What Should I Avoid? Don’t do anything that you cannot proudly tell to your mother. Don’t do anything that you will not want others to do to you. Don’t do anything that will increase your identity with the body.

What Should I Reduce?:

What Should I Reduce? Some selfish actions cannot be avoided Brushing teeth, bathing, eating, etc Information update like newspaper Some selfish actions can be reduced Some entertainment like cricket match Some luxuries like ice cream Dependence on servants

What Should I Increase?:

What Should I Increase? Saamaanya dharma (General duties) Yagna – repaying our obligations Daana – charity beyond obligations Tapas – stretching our limits Vishesha dharma (Particular duties) Swadharma – duties based on our position in life

So Far …:

So Far … Karma Yoga Right Action Avoid harmful Reduce selfish Increase selfless Right Attitude General duties Particular duties (swadharma) Yagna (give back) Daana (give more) Tapas (stretch yourself) Iswara arpana Iswara prasaada Deva yagna Bhuta yagna Manushya yagna Pitru yagna Rishi yagna Physical tapas Verbal tapas Mental tapas

Yagna – Paying Back:

Yagna – Paying Back We have already taken a lot from environment, parents, society, etc. We are under a huge debt already. Nature will not let us go free. Give willingly instead of being robbed forcibly.

Five Kinds of Debts:

Five Kinds of Debts 1. Deva runa – Debt to inanimate nature. We are made of the gross and subtle elements. Earth gives food. Sun gives heat and light. We need air to breathe, water to drink, etc. Preserve nature and support people doing it Plant trees Avoid pollution Conserve water, electricity, paper, etc

Five Kinds of Debts:

Five Kinds of Debts 2. Bhuta runa– Debt to other plants and animals. Plants give food, clothes, etc. Trees give so many products. Animals are used in agriculture, for milk, honey, silk, wool, etc. Dogs, cats serve as pets. Pay for services Treat animals kindly Give comfort to animals Plant trees

Five Kinds of Debts:

Five Kinds of Debts 3. Pitru runa – Debt to parents and ancestors. We have got our body from our parents and ancestors. They have fed us and taken care of us. They have spend so much energy towards what we are today. Don’t hurt the feelings of parents Take care of old people and children Don’t scold them unnecessarily Donate towards old age homes, orphanages, etc

Five Kinds of Debts:

Five Kinds of Debts 4. Manushya runa – Debt to the society. We avail the services of so many people in the society like farmers, masons, weavers, shop keepers, drivers, mechanics, police, soldiers, etc Pay for services Treat other people with due respect Help others Donate towards relief work Donate towards the development of underprivileged

Five Kinds of Debts:

Five Kinds of Debts 5. Rishi runa – Debt to teachers. Man is different from an animal because of the scientific and cultural heritage, which is inherited through teachers, authors of good books, makers of good movies, etc. Study well Keep the scientific and cultural heritage a part of your life Learn music, art, etc Buy good books Teach others Donate to schools

Five Kinds of Debts:

Five Kinds of Debts Pancha runa Deva runa Bhuta runa Pitru runa Manushya runa Rishi runa Paying them back brings our account back to balance. It is ok to overpay. It will be credited back.

So Far …:

So Far … Karma Yoga Right Action Avoid harmful Reduce selfish Increase selfless Right Attitude General duties Particular duties (swadharma) Yagna (give back) Daana (give more) Tapas (stretch yourself) Iswara arpana Iswara prasaada Deva yagna Bhuta yagna Manushya yagna Pitru yagna Rishi yagna Physical tapas Verbal tapas Mental tapas

Daana - Charity:

Daana - Charity Contribute more than you consume Bhagavad Gita – 17:20 Give as duty and with humility, not as a favor and with arrogance Give to people who cannot give back in any form to you Give at a place where needed Give in time when needed Give to the deserving people

Tapas – Austerity:

Tapas – Austerity Stretching ourselves exposes our limitations to our conscious view so that we can analyze them and try to improve ourselves. The world is a gymnasium to develop ourselves.

Physical Austerity:

Physical Austerity Bhagavad Gita – 17:14 Bow down to God, cultured people, teachers and wise people Maintain everything neat and tidy There should be perfect alignment between your intention, knowledge, words and action Maintain decent and appropriate attitude towards the other gender Do not cause injury to others

Verbal Austerity:

Verbal Austerity Bhagavad Gita – 17:15 Speak softly Speak only that which passes the triple test Truthful Pleasant Useful Maintain a habit of studying good books Discuss good thoughts with others

Mental Austerity:

Mental Austerity Bhagavad Gita – 17:16 Be free from stress in the form of anxiety about the future and brooding about the past Be calm and cheerful Have pleasant and gentle thoughts Observe silence for sometime everyday Do not perpetuate unhealthy thoughts Have noble intentions. Wish good to everyone.

Yagna, Daana, Tapas:

Yagna, Daana, Tapas Bhagavad Gita – 18:5 These three: yagna (fulfilling the five debts) daana (contributing more than consuming) and tapas (stretching the limits) should always be performed These are needed to purify the mind and maintain purity in life

Swadharma:

Swadharma It is God who has placed us in the position where we are Doing full justice to the position by doing our duties is His worship Whatever comes our way and whatever is expected of us in our current position is our natural duty Bhagavad Gita – 18:46 Him from whom the world has arisen, Him who pervades everything here, By worshipping Him by doing one’s duty, Man attains perfection.

So Far …:

So Far … Karma Yoga Right Action Avoid harmful Reduce selfish Increase selfless Right Attitude General duties Particular duties (swadharma) Yagna (give back) Daana (give more) Tapas (stretch yourself) Iswara arpana Iswara prasaada Deva yagna Bhuta yagna Manushya yagna Pitru yagna Rishi yagna Physical tapas Verbal tapas Mental tapas

How Should I Work?:

How Should I Work? Remember the purpose To pay back To improve ourselves No shortcuts Working hard and being fair is more important than achieving the immediate target Introspection and stretching our limits is the way to grow Iswara arpana – Do everything as an offering to God.

How Should I Face the Results?:

How Should I Face the Results? Face the logical and illogical consequences Success or failure, learn the lesson and go ahead Face success with humility and failure with dignity Remember the purpose To pay back To improve ourselves Iswara prasaada – Accept everything as gift from God.

Karma Yoga – Summary:

Karma Yoga – Summary Final Goal – Inner emotional perfection Security, Happiness and Peace Fulfillment Purposefulness Intermediate Goal Moral perfection Detachment Means Avoid harmful and reduce selfish actions Perform Yagna, Daana, Tapas Pay back the five debts Give more than you take Stretch limits to grow Perform Swadharma By product or side effect Prosperity Achievement Pursuit of artha and kaama should be subservient to the pursuit of dharma and moksha

What Should I Do?:

What Should I Do? Do my duty Whatever comes my way and whatever is expected of me in my current position is my natural duty Clear the five debts Make sure I give more than I take Stretch myself by austerities

What Should I Avoid?:

What Should I Avoid? Lethargy Shortcuts Self pity Blaming others or the environment Over consumption Anxiety towards the immediate target

What Will I Get?:

What Will I Get? Peace of mind Maturity to ask further questions like “What is the ultimate purpose of life?” Calmness to involve in meditation and scriptural study.

Questions and Answers:

Questions and Answers