Discovery of India

10:53 PM

KARMA YOGA - Part 1

Posted by John K

Half-hearted service is no service at all. Give your whole heart, mind and soul when you serve. This is very important when you practise Karma Yoga. Some people have their body in one place, mind in another place, and soul in another place. This is the reason why they do not realise any substantial progress in the path. Forget not the goal of life amidst selfish activities. The goal of life is Self-realisation. Are you attempting to reach the end and aim of life? Are you doing Japa, Pranayama and Meditation? Have you kept up the ideal before the mind’s eye? That day in which you do not practise any spiritual Sadhana is wasted.

Give the mind to God and the hand to work. You will have to analyse and scrutinise your motives. It is the selfish motive and not the work itself that binds a man to Samsara. Prepare the mind for Karma Yoga. Mere selfish work cannot be taken as Yogic activity. The mind is so framed that it always expects something for a small piece of work. When you smile you expect a return of smile from your friend.

When you raise your hand in salutation, you expect a salute from other people. Even when you give a cup of water to another man, you expect him to be grateful to you. When such is the case how can you perform Nishkama Karma Yoga? Life is very precious. Live in the spirit of the Gita’s teaching and work without expectation of fruits and egoism. Think you are Nimitta in the hands of Lord Narayana. If you work with this mental attitude you will become a Yogi soon. Work never degrades a man. Unselfish work is Puja of Narayana.

Work is worship. All works are sacred. There is no menial work from the highest view point, from the view point of the absolute, from the view point of Karma Yoga. Even scavenging when done with the right spirit and mental attitude is Yogic action. Even a scavenger can realise God in his own station of life by service. The famous butcher Dharma Vyadha of Mahabharata realised God in his meat shop (through serving his parents).

You all have got inside all materials for wisdom. There is a vast magazine of power and knowledge within you. It wants kindling. Now wake up, Oh Saumya! When you work disinterestedly without any agency and when you surrender the works and fruits as Ishvararpana, all Karmas are transformed into Yogic Kriyas. Walking, eating, sleeping, answering the calls of nature, talking, etc., become offering unto the Lord. Every bit of work is
. Think that Lord Siva is working through your hands, and is eating through your mouth. Think that your hands are the hands of Lord Siva.

In the beginning some of your actions may be selfish and some may be unselfish. In the long run you can do all actions in an unselfish manner. Scrutinise your motives always. This is the keynote for Nishkamya Karma Yoga. Every act can be spiritualised when the motive becomes pure. Work is meditation. Serve everyone with intense love without any idea of agency without expectation of fruits or reward. If you adopt the path of Jnana, feel you are a silent Sakshi and the Prakriti does everything.

From - Yoga in daily Life

1 comments:

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