BHAGAVAD GEETA: 64 - Swami Advayananda.
Chinmaya Mission:
BHAGAVAD GEETA
Chapter - 2
Discourse – 2 (72 Slogas)
“Yoga of the SUPREME SELF”
Sri Veda Vyasaji
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Wednesday 27, Mar 2024 06:40.
2.8 THE SCIENCE OF KARMA YOGA
(Slogas 39-41, 3 No.)
Post - 64.
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Slogam - 41: The Mental State in Karma Yoga:
1
Vyavasaayaatmikaa buddh = There is but a one-pointed determination
2
ekaa iha, Kurunandana; = here that is singular, O Son of the Kuru race.
3
bahushaakhaa hi anantaah cha = Alas! Many-branched and endless
4
buddhayah avyavasaayinaam. = are the thoughts of the irresolute.
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1-2
One-pointedness and single-mindedness: In the verse, these two words are
separated by the word Buddhi. This is another brilliant stroke of Vyasaji’s pen: By such
positioning of the words, the suggestion is to indicate the flow of the logic from the cause to
the effect. The first word is the cause; the second is the effect. Once the intellect is made
one-pointed, then it naturally becomes firm, integrated and single.
An example was given by Acharyaji to illustrate this. In the sentence “Ever-eating he
is fat” we have the same relation set up between ‘ever-eating’ and ‘fat’ – the former is the
cause for the latter.
Vyavasaayaatmikaa Buddhih:
One who practices the above dedication of all actions to the Lord is said to have the
Vyavasaayaatmikaa Buddhi. This is a key term in Karma Yoga as it refers to one of two key
principles of the Yoga. This mental state while performing any action is what makes it Karma
Yoga. The intellect is kept calm and one-pointed. The result is that it is not buffeted or
scattered. It has only one focus and that is dedication to God.
Although outwardly, a Karma Yogi may appear to be extremely busy, have a tightly
scheduled day, see to many activities and supervise many people, yet all this is done with a
mind that is laid at the feet of the Lord. That frees him from all anxieties and stress.
3-4
The purpose of the verse is to bring out the stark contrast between the Karma
Yogi and the Kamya Karmi. In this line we have the opposite characteristic of the many
branched, irresolute mind of one whose mind is dissipated by desires.
ANALYSIS OF KARMA YOGA (KY):
Karma Yoga has six distinct qualities. These are all mentioned in Verse 40:
1a i) Quality 1: No Loss of Effort: The actual activity in KY is not the physical
action, but the clinging to or remembrance of God, and making it into a continuous offering
dedicated to God. That is the definition of KY. If this be the case, then how can there be any
loss in KY? The ‘loss’, if any, is in the hands of the Karma Yogi.
1b ii) Quality 2: Results are Immediate: Since KY is not the external action but
an internal action, it is independent of what happens outside to the activity itself. The
internal action in KY cannot be affected by any external factor, so its result is guaranteed as
well as immediate. It does not require patience to wait for it. The immediate result comes in
the form of increasing love for God and increasing purity (reduction of desire). There is no
doubt about this. It is certain, minute by minute! No one can be denied their rightful claim
to the result because it comes as they do the KY. There is no time delay for the fruit.
2a iii) Quality 3: No Contrary Results: There can be no Pratyavayah or contrary
results in KY. The hand stretched out to God can bring only His Love. The danger hand is the
one stretched out to the world; and if that is well-gloved, there can be no contrary result
there either. By ‘well-gloved’ it is meant that one follows certain strict codes of conduct in
mixing with people, speaking, behaving, etc. If all such rules are followed nothing can harm
a Karma Yogi. There can be no contrary result, externally or internally.
2b iv) Quality 4: Mistakes Do Not Matter: In KK (or DPA) even if all the actions
are perfect, there could still be a negative result – as the dispensation depends on so many
unknown factors, including the Karma of the doer. In KY it is virtually the opposite. Even if
there are mistakes in the actions, the result will always be good because it is done with a
love for God, and love is the sole objective of the Karma Yogi. The action is only a means of
channeling one’s love to God. For example, offerings made in a Havan are measured by the
love put into it, not by the quantity or quality of the ghee offered!
3 v) Quality 5: Completion Not Essential: In KY even if the work happens to
remain incomplete, it is not a problem. If the attitude is right, the result comes then and
there! Thus the true Karma Yogi does not feel disappointed, does not demand perfection
even though he will always try to give God his best. He does not get angry if the work turns
out to go different from what was planned. None of these stress-producing factors enter
into KY when truly done as KY.
As Acharyaji put it, “Just the scent of KY in a person is enough to start the chain of
transformation in his life!
4 vi) Quality 6: Problemless: True KY protects one from the fear of sin or
demerit. Problems in KY arise only when it is actually ‘pseudo-Karma Yoga’, i.e. the work has
only the label of KY on it, but in fact it is through and through KK. Naturally, KK done in the
name of KY will not bear any spiritual fruit. Goods acts done pompously, to make an
impression, to obtain name and fame, etc, fall into this category. They are not KY at all.
Lord Krishna does wonders in pin-pointing what Karma Yoga really is.
FACTORS ENCOURAGING UNITY & DISUNITY:
Acharyaji took us deeper into the details of the mental state of Karma Yoga:
People can be united at the mental level by many factors. Language is one of them.
In a country like India, there is a different language spoken in each state. When two Indians
meet in their own country, the first thing they try to establish is which language is spoken by
the other person. If the language is common, a unity is at once already established. The two
persons at once ‘open up’ to each other as they have something in common.
Then there is the unity at national level. When two Indians meet in a foreign country,
the fact that they are both Indian brings them together easily. Then language is not a
consideration. State barriers are brought down, as it were, simply because of their common
nationality.
In the same way, when people see each other as children of God, many other
barriers are brought down. God is the ultimate uniting factor. God unites all beings together
into one family. This is the factor which the Karma Yogi utilizes to unify his intellect and see
all persons with equality.
If God is the uniting factor, then the Ego is the divisive factor. The Karma Yogi strives
to avoid letting the Ego divide him into fragments, separating him from others. He aims to
see others as his own by giving the least importance to his Ego. Ego constricts our thinking,
narrows it down. Many things we do in the name of our ego appear very foolish when we
see it from a higher perspective.
Acharyaji pin-pointed this problem in the words: “We are not at peace when we are
in pieces.”
Thus we should strive to move away from ego if we wish to integrate our intellect
and make it unified, one, single and one-pointed. An integrated intellect is the perfect
instrument to perform Karma Yoga.
*****
Next
2.9 THE PATH OF KAMYA KARMA
(Slogas: 42-44, 3 No.)
Continued
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