Friday, February 12, 2010

KARMA YOGA - THE SCIENCE OF ACTION ( POST - 2)



We have seen in the previous Post, what Sankhya Yoga (Ch.2 of Bhagavad Gita) says about the Science of Action.

We will now examine the Science of Action from Chapter-3 . Karma Yoga of the Bhagatad Gita in this Post :

It says, INACTION does not lead us to any great result( Vs.4). 

In fact, no human being can remain without action for even for one moment.We are bound by the Sathvic, Rajasic and Tamasic Gunas in our nature and they continuously propel us into action(Vs.5). 

Some people try to control their five senses away from action and sense objects externally but  their mind and intellect are always on sense objects. This only wastes their time and they will only be deceiving themselves by this.(Vs.6).

But, a person who performs his actions with full control on his five senses, mind and Intellect will not only do the work excellently, but will also ensure that his work does not create bondages to itself, for the doer.(Vs.7). He thus becomes a great Karma Yogi.

We must do our work with all devotion and skill.(Vs.8). Any work performed without SELFISH MOTIVES for the general good is called YAGNA. We must do all work as YAGNA. Then, the work does not bind you. Such karma becomes KARMA YOGA. But, any work done with selfish motives binds you in unpredictable ways to itself and is not good. Societies can prosper more and derive great happiness for their people, when more and more of their people perform YAGNA. Krishna commends Yagna for every Individual.(Vs.9).

Actually, the Yagna type of actions happen because of the total support of the Universal Powers around us. Our duty is to remain supportive of these Powers (we may call them as Devas or Angels) and prosper through mutual help between us and them.(Vs.10 and 11).

If any one becomes selfish and does not give what is due to these Universal powers, he becomes a great thief.(Vs.12). The universal powers will give you what you need and seek only if you give them what is their due.

Whatever you take from the Universe, you must take only after giving what is due to the universe from you. As a corollary, only if you give what is due to nature, Nature in return, gives you what is your due. (v.12).

This a great economic truth as well. We are destroying forests which can give us rains and grains. Consequently, Nature is forced to create unlivable conditions for us. We build big dams etc and create adverse conditions for rivers to flow. We kill all animals and birds. The consequences of such actions get reflected on us in many ways. More diseases, more scarcities and more unhappiness result in human society because we perform our actions in total selfishness and not as YAGNA.

Take any thing, eat anything, only after giving what is due from you,i.e., after performing YAGNA. Such food does not create any problems for you. (vs.12). You will only eat sin, when you cook for yourself and eat alone without giving anything to others. (Vs.12).

We need to look at the economic and social truths that Krishna is expounding in Gita.There is no society - if every one lives for himself. There is no happiness when we eat alone. There is no fun in cooking for ourselves and eating it ourselves. When the attitude of every one in the Society is one of giving to others, will there be any scarcity or unhappiness in it. If I eat in my neighbours' house, it is not because I do not have any thing to eat in my house, but, it is because, my neighbour has invited me to share his life and his food with me.

Likewise, I invite other people to my house, as ATHITHIs (Guests) and take much happiness in feeding them, talking to them, and treating them well - before I and my family members eat. This culture was widely prevalent in India till one generation ago and we need to preserve it for its obvious benefits to all of us.

Likewise, we will feed and treat any one well - when they come unexpected - to our house (as ABHYAGATHI). This reflects a mindset of abundance in our culture as opposed to the mindset of Scarcity which is slowly taking us over. An abundance mindset is a pre-condition for creating ABUNDANCE. Karma Yoga emphasizes this in many ways.

we will continue the discussion in the next post further.


= Yours


v.vijayamohan





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