Karma Yoga?

[Tirisilex]

I haven't got a clue as to what Karma Yoga is.. Can someone help?

[ScottMalaysia]

From what I understand, it's performing your duty without being attached to the results (i.e. money).

[Krsna Das]

From what I understand, it's performing your duty without being attached to the results (i.e. money).

It is Nishkama karma not Nishkama karma yoga.

Yoga only happens when you ALSO offer the results of the dharmik-activities to your Lord.

But that is again in the mode of goodness.

[devotee]

Namaste Trisilex and Scott,


From what I understand, it's performing your duty without being attached to the results (i.e. money).

I would like to correct your statement a little :

"Karma Yoga is performing your duties without any attachment to results".

Money may not be the result in all cases.

OM

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~


namasté


Namaste Trisilex and Scott,
I would like to correct your statement a little :
"Karma Yoga is performing your duties without any attachment to results".
Money may not be the result in all cases.
OM

And this is done perfectly, without error when one lives , breathes and experiences the Self ( ātman आत्मन् ) as one's normal state of being.

praṇām

[Ekanta]

So why is karma yoga important?
As I have understood, and would like to point out:

1.Our destiny is decided by karma (we all know that).
2.But also this: our actions form habits which hardens into character and vasanas (mental traits). Wrong actions (or for the fruit) become impurities in mind/chitta. With those impurities we cant see/understand clearly. So karma-yoga is actually the basic spiritual practice on which others rest. Without a pure mind we cant concentrate or develop bhakti and without concentration we cant achieve deeper wisdom etc.

If karma-yoga is done, the rest will come rather easy (due to pure mind). Later karma-yoga can be done (is automatically done) with bhakti and jnana also. As I understand it they are all inseparable in reality.

Well, that's at least a short hint to the Hugh importance of karma-yoga (which is often neglected).

[smaranam]

Namaste

I just want to point out we have a very wise young sAdhak here on HDF - ShunyatA , whose signature read :

Watch your thoughts they become words
Watch your words they become actions
Watch your actions they become habits
Watch your habits they become who you are

or something on those lines. I don't know why i cannot see the signature anymore.

What a nice summation of Karma Yoga that is a built-in process to purify the mind.

Which also happens to be what Ekantaji is saying here

2.But also this: our actions form habits which hardens into character and vasanas (mental traits). Wrong actions (or for the fruit) become impurities in mind/chitta. With those impurities we cant see/understand clearly. So karma-yoga is actually the basic spiritual practice on which others rest. Without a pure mind we cant concentrate or develop bhakti and without concentration we cant achieve deeper wisdom etc.

Jai Shri KRSNa

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam:

Besides defining it, what are some specific examples in life? Here are some ideas. Tell me if you think they are karma yoga or not.

Men supporting their families by earning a livelihood.
Supporting the poor and religious institutions by giving.
Helping out physically with neighbours, or feeding of the poor.
obeying the laws of the country you live in.
Being reliable, not breaking promises.

Aum Namasivaya

[Krsna Das]

Radhe...

My understanding is this:

Men supporting their families by earning a livelihood. - NO
Supporting the poor and religious institutions by giving. MAY BE
Helping out physically with neighbours, or feeding of the poor. NO
obeying the laws of the country you live in. NO
Being reliable, not breaking promises. NO

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam Krsna Das:

So then could you give some examples of some specific actions that ARE karma yoga.

Aum Namasivaya

[Ekanta]

Hi Eastern... I will post a bit freely here, take it as such:

Overall what you mentioned are usually good actions.
Dharma and karma are inseparable, since dharma is the divine will and what breaks that is bad karma and what follows that is good karma.
Doing my dharma is good karma.
Not doing it is bad karma.
Doing it for myself (lower self) creates attachment.
Doing it as divine service (preferably by actually seeing divinity in your fellow men/animals), creates no attachment and is the highest worship. (divinity dwells in the heart of every creature)

Now the question arises, what is dharma? It has been defined according to varna and other categories. That definition is OK and is a help to those who need it. But there is a higher one which is more flexible. That action which gives shanti in mind is dharma, since it has the blessing of the highest divinity. So to follow this atma-dharma or sva-dharma is the essence of karma-yoga. If we follow it we will get very much shanti (peace) of mind.
Or to keep it short: If we follow conscience we are prefect karma-yogis, directly verified by the highest divinity (which is very hard to do completely). If we cant do that, we do it according to scriptures and add in not desiring the fruit. If we cant do that we should at least avoid harming others etc.

Personally I find it hard to define a number of situations as good or bad. But we know that truthfulness, helpfulness etc are classified as eternal values. The goal of karma-yoga is the realization of the universal divinity and acting according to that realization. It might take time to get there, and it might be in steps. But the path and goal will then be the same. When we are perfectly in tune with karma-yoga, we are perfect yogis (one with atmic will). Hence there is no end to karma-yoga. That which is not karma-yoga is ego-yoga. Karma-yoga will result in both bhakti and jnana. Bhakti & Jnana will express itself as karma-yoga. Karma-yoga cant be avoided.

[Krsna Das]

Vannakkam Krsna Das:

So then could you give some examples of some specific actions that ARE karma yoga.

Aum Namasivaya

All those actions, which are in line with Sastra (like varnasrama dharma), and the doer does not desire the result of these actions, but also does this for the pleasure of Lord viz, I am earning money, Am I using it for the pleasure of Lord? Lord says in Geeta, the one who preaches my message is my favourite amongst the devotees, So If I am organizing a religious program in my home every week and inviting people for discourses in Geeta with free lunch or dinner (sumptous prasadam) then the money used for this activity will be for the pleasure of Lord - This is Niskama Karma Yoga. Another example, I am purchasing Geeta and donating to people, who are interested in reading it. Or donating Krsna Prasadam to the needy ones.

If I am simply donating food (not prasadam) to a begger, it is not Niskama Karma Yoga it is just a Punya-Karma which may or may not be a Niskama Karma. But this is definately not Niskama Karma Yoga.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam Ekanta and Krsna:

I guess I'm just a down to earth bloke and need down to earth examples instead of high falutin' philosophy.

Ekanta: Personally, I don't classify karma as good or bad, just karma. Perhaps I could say 'that which leads one closer to God', and 'that which leads one further away'.

I know a fellow who does a lot of Seva who has a particularly cute way of not taking credit. He'll go about something sort of secretively like washing a floor. Then someone else comes along and exclaims "My goodness, someone washed the floor. I wonder who it was." Then my friend just says, "Hmmm, yes, someone must have."

I kind of sneak around like that too. Praise promotes pride, so if I can do things without the people around, it works better for me. Funny thing is almost everyone agrees when you say 'Its God's work"

Even this place is all His dance.

Aum Namasivaya

[Ekanta]

I agree with what you say Eastern. Here's a quote I saved for an occasion like this (from Sathya Sai Baba):

"I often tell the students that the one truth proclaimed by all the 18 puranas (epics) is: "Paropakarah Punyaya; Paapaya parapeedanam" (It is meritorious to help others; it is sinful to harm other's). The term paropakara should be properly understood. It is not merely rendering help to others in one form of other. The term para-upa-kara means:


Bringing (Kara) to the
Proximity (Upa) of
God (Para).

Purely mundane forms of help cannot be described as paropakara. They are gross, external and worldly.

True paropakara consists in bringing your life close to the divine. That is punya (merit). Punya does not mean going on pilgrimage or giving gifts. Punya means taking your life close to God. This calls for Ekathmabhava (the recognition of the Divine in all beings).
Para-peedanam means failing to see the Divine in all beings. That is Papa (sinful)." (sss 28-9)

[Tirisilex]

So.. I like to play and run Roleplaying games. When I design adventures and stuff.. I should look at this as if the adventures I'm creating are not for my players but as if Krishna is my players?

[Ekanta]

Logic of sense control:

nāsti buddhir ayuktasya | na cāyuktasya bhāvanā |
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir | aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham || BG 2.66 ||
2.66 There is no knowledge of the Self [buddhiḥ] to the unsteady [ayuktasya], and to the unsteady [ayuktasya] no meditation [bhāvanā] is possible; and to the un-meditative [abhāvayataḥ] there can be no peace [śāntiḥ]; and to the man who has no peace [aśāntasya], how can there be happiness [sukham]?

indriyāṇāṃ hi caratāṃ | yan mano 'nuvidhīyate |
tad asya harati prajñāṃ | vāyur nāvam ivāmbhasi || BG 2.67 ||
2.67 For the mind [manaḥ] which follows in the wake of the wandering senses [indriyāṇām], carries away his discrimination [prajñām] as the wind (carries away) a boat on the waters.

tasmād yasya mahā-bāho | nigṛhītāni sarvaśaḥ |
indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas | tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā || BG 2.68 ||
2.68 Therefore, O mighty-armed Arjuna, his knowledge [prajñā] is steady [pratiṣṭhitā] whose senses [indriyāṇi] are completely restrained from sense-objects [indriya-arthebhyaḥ]!

[TatTvamAsi]

So.. I like to play and run Roleplaying games. When I design adventures and stuff.. I should look at this as if the adventures I'm creating are not for my players but as if Krishna is my players?

What games do you play? WoW? DA: Origins? FF XIII? GoW III? etc.?

Anyway, first and foremost, don't trivialize Karma Yoga as such.

Secondly, Karma Yoga, or 'Yoga of Action' is not necessarily outward action; meaning, it does not always mean going "out there" and giving alms, building a hut for the homeless etc. If one perfects himself, the ripple effect it has, as we are all a fundamental part of nature, is profound. Many think action is only about "helping others by going somewhere and doing something".

A sage can help many by just remaining in his place in silence. This is what Ramana Maharishi did among scores of other sages in India.

Read the abridged version of the GItA and the chapter on Karma Yoga especially.

[Tirisilex]

I don't play Video Games.. I play Table Top Roleplaying Games.. It's like a story telling game. Like Dungeons and Dragons