Category Archives: kaaryam

Bhagavad Gita Verse 31, Chapter 18

19 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by in 18.31, adharmam, akaaryam, ayathaavat, buddhihi, chapter 18 verse 31, dharmam, kaaryam, paartha, prajaanaati, raajasee, yayaa

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 31, Chapter 18

yayaa dharmamadharmam cha kaaryam chaakaaryameva cha |
ayathaavatprajaanaati buddhihi saa paartha raajasee || 31 ||
 
That by which one improperly understands the difference between dharma and adharma, what should be done and what should not be done, O Paartha, that intellect is raajasic.
 
yayaa : by which
dharmam : dharma
adharmam : adharma
cha : and
kaaryam : what should be done
cha : and
akaaryam : what should not be done
eva : also
cha : and
ayathaavat : improperly
prajaanaati : one understands
buddhihi : intellect
saa : that
paartha : O Paartha
raajasee : raajasic
 
A soldier goes through weeks of bootcamp training. A chef takes decades to hone her craft. Surgeons are in their thirties before they perform their first official operation. A musician can take a lifetime, and still have room to grow. In all these cases, we see that it takes years to fully understand what and how to perform actions in one’s career. Unless such knowledge is gained through a competent teacher, and years of one’s life are put in, the quality of our work output will never reach perfection.
 
Shri Krishna says that the science of action, the karma yoga, needs to be studied with similar dedication and guidance. Unless we learn what is our dharma, what is our duty towards this world, we will be swimming in an ocean of ignorance. Are our actions ethical? Are they carried out for selfish ends or are they performed selflessly? Are they entangling us further in worldly affairs, or are they taking us closer to liberation? We need to understand karma yoga, the science of action, to clearly understand all this.
 
Therefore, one who has not received this knowledge will always be unclear about what is dharma and what is not. Consequently, they will always be confused whether to act or not. Confusion will creep in if we forget our dharma and get swayed by egoism and attachment. Arjuna’s attachment to his family members, the Kauravas, triggered this confusion with regards to his duty as a warrior. Shri Krishna had to teach him the science of karma yoga to remove this confusion. So then, whenever our intellect gets confused about whether to act or not, we can assume that it is raajasic, tinged with selfishness.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 18

28 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by in 18.9, arjuna, chapter 18 verse 9, kaaryam, karma, kriyate, mataha, niyatam, phalam, saattvikaha, sangam, tyaagaha, tyaktvaa

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 9, Chapter 18

kaaryamityeva yatkarma niyatam kriyaterjuna |
sangam tyaktvaa phalam chaiva sa tyaagaha saattviko mataha || 9 ||
 
Whatever action is done, should be performed only as an obligatory duty. In this manner, giving up attachment and also the reward, that giving up is saattvic, in my opinion.
 
kaaryam : action
iti : in this manner
eva : only
yat : whatever
karma : actions
niyatam : obligatory
kriyate : is performed
arjuna : O Arjuna
sangam : attachment
tyaktvaa : giving up
phalam : reward
cha : and
eva : also
saha : that
tyaagaha : giving up
saattvikaha : saattvic
mataha : opinion
 
Shri Krishna explains the correct way, the saattvic method, of performing actions. Let us look at this step by step. The first step is to only perform actions that are within the realm of our state in life, our aashrama, and our career, our varna. Actions that are prohibited or actions that are purely out of selfishness should not be performed. These actions are termed as niyatam karma in the shloka. A high degree of awareness is required to first ensure that we are not stepping into any prohibited actions.
 
The second step is to give up attachment to the reward, the phala, the fruit, of the action. Attachment to the reward need not be something tangible and physical. It could be subtle things like praise and adoration received from others on successful completion of the action. It could be a subtle thought such as “I have helped that person, so nice of me to do so”. The goal is to slowly wean the mind away from its natural tendency to expect rewards for every action. We can do so my substituting our personal motive with a motive for selfless service.
 
The third step is to give up attachment to the action itself. We saw the types of attachment to action in the previous shloka, including attachment to the completion of action and attachment to one particular way of performing the action. The key is to realize that at every moment, we are giving it the best of our ability and attention. The rest is upto Ishvara, since there are several other factors at play in the outcome of an action. But in no circumstance should our energy level go down. We have to combine energy in our work with indifference to the reward of the work.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 18

25 Saturday May 2013

Posted by in 18.5, chapter 18 verse 5, daanam, kaaryam, maneeshinaam, paavanaani, tapas, tat, tyaajyam, yajnaha, yajnyadaanatapahkarma :

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 5, Chapter 18

yajnyadaanatapahkarma na tyaajyam kaaryam eva tat |
yajno daanam tapas chaiva paavanaani maneeshinaam || 5 ||
 
Actions of sacrifice, charity and penance should not be given up, they should certainly be performed. Sacrifice, charity and penance are purifiers of wise people.
 
yajnyadaanatapahkarma : actions of sacrifice, charity and penance
na : not
tyaajyam : given up
kaaryam : have to be performed
eva : certainly
tat : that
yajnaha : sacrifice
daanam : charity
tapas : penance
cha: and
eva : also
paavanaani : purifiers
maneeshinaam : of wise people
 
Shri Krishna begins to describe his criteria for actions that should be performed for karma yoga. Instead of creating the criteria from scratch, he uses a viewpoint mentioned earlier as the basis. He says that nitya karmas, the obligatory duties towards society, Ishvara and oneself should be performed. They should never be given up. Only nishiddha karmas or prohibited actions, and kaamya karmas or selfish actions should be given up.
 
This criteria is to be followed by those who are maneeshi, who are wise, who have understood that blind pursuit of material gain is not for them. Such people are interested in liberation only. When these wise people perform their obligatory duties, the performance of those actions acts as a cleanser, a purifier. All traces of raaga and dvesha, likes and dislikes, are slowly cleared out by the performance of obligatory duties. Their actions are propelled out of an attitude of seva or service, not out of personal and selfish likes and dislikes.
 
So then, if this is the case, how should one treat actions performed for one’s career? If we love our career, and it gives us a personal reward in the form of salary, should we give up that as well? We need to resolve this issue by converting our reward oriented actions into selfless actions. Only then will we be able to weaken the samskaaraas or mental impressions that impel us to perform our career oriented actions every day. What is the technique by which we can convert our selfish actions into selfless actions? This is taken up next.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 6

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in 6.1, akriyaha, anaashritaha, cha, chapter 6 verse 1, ha, kaaryam, karma, karmaphalam, karoti, na, niragnirana, saha, sannyaasi, yaha, yogi

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 1, Chapter 6

Shree Bhagavaan uvaacha:
anaashritaha karmaphalam kaaryam karma karoti yaha |
sa sannyaasi cha yogi cha na niragnirana chaakriyaha || 1 ||

One who performs obligatory action, without reliance upon results of action, that person is a monk as well as a yogi; not one who has renounced fire or action.

anaashritaha : without reliance upon
karmaphalam : results of action
kaaryam : obligatory
karma : actions
karoti : performing
yaha : one who
saha : that person
sannyaasi : is a monk
cha : and
yogi : is a yogi
cha : also
na : not
niragnirana : one who has renounced fire
cha : and
akriyaha : one who has renounced action

Shri Krishna begins the sixth chapter titled “Dhyaana Yoga” or yoga of meditation by redefining what is meant by a monk and a dhyaana yogi or meditator. He says that one who performs actions in the spirit of karmayoga, per his definition, is both a monk and a meditator. The meditator is not one who has given up his duties or actions, who has run away from the world.

Meditation is a topic that fascinates everyone. We like the idea of going to a retreat, away from all our troubles, and sit in a tranquil place to meditate. But as we shall see in the rest of this chapter, Shri Krishna has a unique viewpoint about the process of meditation, and of who is qualified to become a meditator. He first says that only one who is engaged in the expression of his desires through karmayoga, through the performance of svadharma, is a good meditator.

As long as our vaasanaas or our impressions exist, they will continue to generate desires that will propel us away from the inner self and out into the world. They will make us restless and agitated. So the karmayogi intelligently channels these desires and expresses these desires. The key point is that the results of actions generated by these desires are submitted to a higher ideal, so that the results lose their power to create further selfish desires. As our attachment to results drops, the mental restlessness and agitations diminish, making us fit to pursue meditation.

Shri Krishna drives home the point with two examples. First, he says that one does not have to renounce fire in order to perform meditation. In the olden days, householders would maintain a sacrificial fire in their homes. Absence of the fire indicated renouncing the duties of a householder. In other words, Shri Krishna says that one does not have to give up their household duties for pursuing meditation. Second, one does not have to physically renounce action and retire to a monastery to meditate. The culmination of karmayoga is the loss of sense of doership. This is the qualification of a meditator.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 3

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in 3.19, aacharan, aapnoti, asakthah, Chapter 3 Verse 19, hi, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, kaaryam, karma, param, purushaha, satatam, tasmaat

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 19, Chapter 3

tasmaadasaktah satatam kaaryam karma samaachara |
asakto hyaacharan karma paramaapnoti purushaha || 19 ||

Therefore, always perform prescribed actions diligently without attachment; for, by performing action without attachment, an individual attains the supreme.

tasmaat : therefore
asaktah : without attachment
satatam : always
kaaryam : prescribed
karma : actions
samaachara : diligently
asaktah : without attachment
hi : because
aacharan : perform
karma : action
param : highest
aapnoti : attain
purushaha : an individual

In this shloka, Shri Krishna concludes his answer to Arjuna’s question from the first verse in this chapter. Arjuna had asked Shri Krishna as to why he should commit the act of war, which in his opinion was a ghastly act. Let us recap Shri Krishna’s answer.

Shri Krishna replied by explaining that no one can flee from action, that one should perform selfless rather than selfish actions, that selfless actions in the service of a higher ideal do not create bondage, and that performance of selfless action or yajna is the key to participating in the evolution of oneself and of the universe.

Another point emphasized in this shloka is that karmayoga should not be something that is restricted to only a few aspects of life. The karmayoga mindset should eventually become second nature, in other words, it should be embedded in each and every action that we perform. So therefore, in each and every action that we perform, from writing an email to eating our meals, we should remember to derive joy from the action itself rather than in the result. Only then will we begin to drop attachment to the action and to the result.

Bhagavad Gita Verse 17, Chapter 3

26 Monday Dec 2011

Posted by in 3.17, aatma, aatmani, cha, chapter 3 verse 17, eva, kaaryam, maanavaha, na vidyate, ratih, santushtah, syaat, tasya, truptah, tu, yah

≈ Comments Off on Bhagavad Gita Verse 17, Chapter 3

yastvaatmaratireva syaadaatmatruptashcya maanavaha |
aatmanyeva cha santushtastasya kaaryam na vidyate || 17 ||

But, one who revels only in the eternal essence, and is content and satisfied in the eternal essence, no duty exists for him.

yah : one who
tu : but
aatma-ratih : revels in the eternal essence
eva : only
syaat : remains
aatma-truptah : content in the eternal essence
cha : and
maanavaha : individual
aatmani : in the eternal essence
eva cha : and
santushtah : satisfied
tasya : for him
kaaryam :duty
na vidyate : do not exist

While hearing Shri Krishna extol the need to act in this world, many of us – whether we admit it or not – may want to know whether there is an exception to this instruction. In other words, are there any circumstances where do not need to perform actions anymore? Shri Krishna gives the answer in this shloka and the next.

If we examine ourselves, we realize that we derive pleasure and satisfaction from external sources: material objects, people, relationships and so on. Pleasant memories, which can be considered internal to us, do give us joy but were generated from some external source in the past. But, in reality, the source of happiness is the absence of desires experienced when we finally attain a material object.

For instance, if we want to buy a new shirt, a desire is created in the mind. Till such time that we get the shirt, we will be unhappy because of that desire. But once the desire is fulfilled, we experience happiness for a brief period of time. Is that happiness caused by the shirt, or by the temporary absence of desires? The wise person knows that it is the latter.

So in this shloka Shri Krishna makes a bold statement. He says that till we derive pleasure and satisfaction from things external to us, we have to act in this world. Conversely, one who no longer derives pleasure and satisfaction from external sources does not need to act in this world. He “revels” in the eternal essence which he has learned to recognize within himself. He no longer has to look outside for happiness.

Is there a contradiction here? Earlier it was mentioned that if one is human, one has to act. But here, it is mentioned that the realized individual does not need to act? The answer is that once that individual has understood the true source of happiness, he loses the sense of doership. In other words, the notion that “I am doing this action” goes away, and all his actions become natural and spontaneous.

As an example, if you truly love painting, and have mastered all the skills, then your painting becomes effortless and spontaneous. You experience a feeling that some people call “being in the zone”. In fact, there may come a stage where you will feel that the hand is moving by itself, and the painting is happening on its own.

Similarly, all the actions of this wise individual become like that spontaneous painting.