I am greatly influenced by the Bhagwad Geeta’s declamation of the Karmayoga. This article is a humble attempt to put my understanding of the concept of Karmayoga in layman terms.
We aspire to acquire objects because we feel inadequate without the objects of our desire. When we feel inadequate, we seek freedom from this inadequacy. So, we direct our actions in pursuit of objects of desire and in avoidance of objects of distaste and fear. We feel we will be completely happy when we do this. Yet, at some point, we realize that no matter how much we act upon our motivations, we still do not attain bliss. We, then, feel further limited.
WHAT IS SELF-REALISATION?
Self-realisation is the liberation of the ego from the sense of limitation brought about by its identification with conditioned beliefs, opinions, fears, desires, and habits.
WHAT IS KARMAYOGA?
In Sanskrit, ‘karma’ means ‘action’ and ‘yoga’ means ‘union’. Karmayoga literally means ‘union through action’.
According to Karmayoga, the delusions in the path of self-realisation are:- To assume that action is the way and that renunciation must be avoided
- To assume that renunciation is the way and action is to be avoided
If we keep feeling limited, no matter how much we act in pursuit of objects of gratification and avoid objects of woe, we are disillusioned with life. Any action, then, seems pointless. We slip into inaction; that takes us deeper into the chasm of inadequacy.
Karmayoga states that it is not necessary to remain in external solitude, or remain action-less, in pursuit of self-realisation, since the state of action or renunciation is primarily determined in the mind.
Karmayoga is a path to self-realisation through action in accordance with one's duty, while renouncing the attachment to the fruits of one's deeds.
The message of Karmayoga is ‘Work is worship’.
HOW TO PRACTICE KARMAYOGA?
The following four principles of work will lead us to working on the path of Karmayoga:
It is our duty to fully utitise the mental and physical faculties that we were born with. That we were born must serve a purpose.
Since one has to work even for the simple maintenance of the body, one must act in accordance with one’s intelligence, knowledge and capabilities to maintain one’s mind.
2. Motive
All activity is always directed towards a goal. Reaching the goal of the activity must be placed above the achievement of reward for reaching the goal. The mind is so framed that it cannot think of any kind of work without remuneration or reward. The result of our work can suffer if we are bound by expectation of reward for our actions.
Hence, it is essential to free ourselves from desire for money, praise, power and fame.
3. Acceptance
- Self-acceptance is about believing in ourselves and being contented with our destiny and our capabilities. If we believe in ourselves, we will not try to convince others. If we are content, we will not need others' approval. So, self-acceptance will free us from the desire for approval, which is the first step to freeing ourselves from desire for other rewards.
- Acceptance of others, totally and unconditionally, will make us free of expectations. When we don’t expect, we are not disappointed. People are what they are because they have their own backgrounds, and they cannot be otherwise. No one is in a position to disqualify another’s way of life, belief, thinking, or ideas.
4. Attitude
It is not what job we do; it is how we do it. Whatever we have to do, we must do our best. We must not slack if someone is not watching us. We must not hold back because of fear of criticism. We must keep improvising to give the best outcome of our work.
It's the attitude while doing whatever we do that determines whether our work liberates us or binds us.
IN SUMMARY
No one can ever rest, if only to sustain the body. In fact, even we renounce physical action, and our minds dwell on the objects of desire, we will not achieve self-realization.
There is no point in renouncing action; that will only decay our minds and bodies, which, obviously, is not the purpose for which we were born.
Karmayoga asks us to embrace action while renouncing the attachment to the rewards of the action.
© Sujata Khanna. All rights reserved.
