Hinduism 30

Transcript (Not Corrected)

ॐ सह नाववतु ।

सह नौ भुनक्तु ।

सह वीर्यं करवावहै ।

तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु ।

मा विद्विषावहै ।

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ।

हरिः ॐ ।

Transliteration (IAST):

Om Saha Nāvavatu

Saha Nau Bhunaktu

Saha Vīryaṃ Karavāvahai

Tejasvi Nāvadhītamastu

Mā Vidviṣāvahai

Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ

Hariḥ Om

Translation:

Om, may Brahman protect us both.

May Brahman bestow upon us both the fruit of knowledge.

May we both obtain the energy to acquire knowledge.

May what we both study reveal the truth.

May we cherish no ill feeling toward each other.

Om, peace, peace, peace be unto all.

Karma Yoga: The Path of Selfless Action

Introduction to Karma Yoga

In the context of the law of karma, last week we discussed how to avoid suffering. This week, we will explore not only how to avoid suffering, but how we can acquire unbroken eternal happiness. After all, that is the main purpose of any true religion. So, Karma Yoga—that's what we are going to discuss.

Fundamental Principles

The Purpose of Karma

Before we actually go into the subject, we have to understand certain fundamentals. First of all, what is the purpose of karma? To get rid of karma. It is called naiṣkarma.

Now, why do we do work? Because we want certain things. Work is there only so that we can get certain things. If we do not have any desire, then there is no need for doing any work.

So, what is it that really we are seeking? Happiness. In other words, sat, cit, and ānanda. But these have nothing to do with work. They are not something which we are going to acquire from outside. We are already that. Then what is the function of the work? That's one of the things we will have to discuss.

Work as the Nature of Life

One of the curious facts about this work is, 100% of our life is nothing but work. A dead man doesn't do any work. But from birth to death, we go on doing work. Just imagine, 100%. Whether we are in the waking state or whether we are in a dream state or whether we are in a deep sleep state, constantly work is going on. We may be aware, we may not be aware.

If we are sleeping, is our heart functioning or stopping? As I said, until death we go on working. Most important question is: is work a goal or is work an instrument? It is only an instrument, because the fundamental principle of Vedanta is that the Self is sat-cit-ānanda: infinite existence, absolute existence, absolute knowledge, and absolute bliss.

Work as an Instrument

Then what for are we working? There is no need for us to work at all. It can be only an instrument. And an instrument is really necessary when we need it. We are though ātman—that's what the scriptures teach us—that's not our experience. So we need work as an instrument. Work is not the goal. Work is only an instrument. What is the goal? To manifest sat, cit, and ānanda.

The Relationship Between Work and Self

So I mentioned, from birth to death, work is the only thing that is going on. Activity is going on constantly, whether we are aware of it or not aware of it. Work is going on constantly, whether we are aware of it or not aware of it. That means there is a division.

Whether we are aware of it or not aware of it, work goes on in its own way. Awareness goes on in its own way. What does that indicate? Awareness belongs to whom? To the Self. Work belongs to whom? To the non-self, māyā. Therefore work and Self, both are completely opposite to each other. What is the purpose of work then in this example? Somehow to separate the Self from the non-self.

If we are not the body and mind, then who is there to work? Just think a little bit. So you work through the body. What purpose? For fulfilling the functions, certain desires of the body. You work through the mind. For what purpose? For the sake of the Self. For the sake of fulfilling certain things of the mind.

If we are not body and mind, where is the need for us to work at all? There is no need. Important thing to understand is work is only an instrument. It is not a goal.

Work and Happiness

So what is the goal? Let us say the goal is happiness. Tentatively the goal is happiness—though really it is not. Tentatively it is happiness. 100% of our life is nothing but work. If work is equated to happiness, we should be happy.

Does work produce happiness? Work cannot produce happiness. It has nothing to do with happiness. Its function is negative. Negative means, you know, as one author who had written a very famous book, dedicated to his wife: "I am so grateful to my wife, but for whose absence this book could not have been." So what was her function? Negative, completely negative. That means she is not putting any obstacles.

The purpose of work is to remove the obstacles. That point also will very shortly come back. But what is important is, 100% of the time we are working, and the goal of work is happiness, and we are not getting happiness.

Making Work Joyful

So one function of Karma Yoga is how to make every work a work of joy. Is it possible? Yes, it is possible. How is it possible? If we love something, then work will not become a burden.

You see, man hurries to the office early in the morning, whatever time the office dictates. Do you think he is in love with his work? He is running. And in the evening, what does he do? He hurries back. In the morning, he is hurrying to the office. In the evening, he is hurrying back. What a difference! When he is hurrying to work in the morning, he is cursing the whole world. When he is coming back from his office, he is blessing the whole world. Why? Because work is not joy.

One of the functions of Karma Yoga is how to transmute this joyless work into a joyful work. And who can do that? Who can do something joyfully? You know, if I put a gun behind you and say, donate so much money to Vedanta Centre, do you feel joy? No. But if I don't ask, nobody forces you, you come, even if I refuse you want to give—it's a joy for you. That means only a free agent can do anything joyfully.

You may do, you may not do. You have the freedom, you have the choice. And under those circumstances, if you are doing, then definitely you are getting some happiness out of it. Otherwise, it is our natural tendency: whatever produces unhappiness, we will never do it. Point clear?

Work as Bondage

Work is only an instrument for a goal, but work has become a terrible bondage. For 99% of us, work has become a terrible bondage, especially these days. Why? Because life is very limited. Life means time. Time is very limited.

When a man hurries to the office at 7 o'clock in the morning, comes back practically at 8, 9, 10 o'clock, where is the time for him to enjoy the fruits of labour? He may earn money, he may have a first-class building. To enjoy, leisure also is necessary. There must be time, there must be leisure, there must be worry-less conditions. Only then life becomes a matter of joy.

The Laws of Happiness

Again coming back to the point: what is the goal of activity or work? Three: to manifest sat, cit, and ānanda. Or to put it even more briefly in one word, we are all seeking one thing only. What is it? Happiness. We are seeking happiness. Think of it.

Now, there are certain laws of happiness. L.A.W.S.—laws. Just as there is a law for motorway, there is a law of health, there is a law of life, there is a law of happiness. There are laws of happiness. Very briefly, I will explain to you.

First Law: Happiness is the Intrinsic Nature of Consciousness

Happiness is the intrinsic nature of consciousness. Happiness is not the intrinsic nature of work. Happiness is the intrinsic nature of consciousness.

There are different levels of consciousness. Though from the ultimate point of view, consciousness means ātman, Brahman, God is only one. From our point of view, the way we manifest or live at different levels of happiness, there are different levels of consciousness.

Levels of Consciousness

Different levels of consciousness. These levels of consciousness are fixed in different ways as four, as five, or as seven.

If you take Upaniṣadic views, one of the Upaniṣads called Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad, there are four states: the waking state, the dreaming state, the deep sleep state, and the state called turīya, which is beyond these three—four levels.

If you take Taittirīya Upaniṣad, there are five levels called kośas: pañca kośa—annamaya kośa, prāṇamaya kośa, manomaya kośa, vijñānamaya kośa, and ānandamaya kośa.

If we take Yoga Vāsiṣṭha or Vedanta, there are seven levels of consciousness, also popularly called as cakras. You know we call cakras: mūlādhāra cakra, etc. So consciousness is divided into seven levels.

Not that it could be divided, but depending upon at what level of consciousness we are living at this particular moment. Since we are also saying that there are seven levels of consciousness, it is taken as an axiomatic truth that one can attain to the other levels of happiness. If there are seven-storied buildings, that means automatically it means that you have a chance to go from lower floor to the upper floor.

Second Law: Happiness at Each Level is Fixed

The happiness of each level of consciousness is absolute and fixed. Very important. If you are at a particular level of consciousness, the happiness belonging to that level of consciousness is absolutely fixed. You cannot lessen it, you cannot increase it, but you can pile more obstacles or you can remove the obstacles. It is a very important law.

Because we are so ignorant and foolish, we want to be here and yet we want to have a higher state of happiness. It is not possible. Let me give a small illustration to make this point clear.

Suppose there is a small cup which can hold some ounces of liquid. How much liquid will it hold? Will it hold even one drop more than what it can hold? So if anybody is foolish enough to say, if I go on pouring, then I can have more amount of happiness—do you think it can only hold that much? And that too has many holes. So you see what a wonderful truth this is.

We all want higher type of happiness. But unless we go to the higher level, we cannot attain that experience.

Illustrations

To give another illustration: suppose there are seven stories and there is a beautiful view outside and you are at the ground floor. How much can you see? But if you go to the second floor, you can see much more. If you go to the seventh floor, you can see everything that can be seen.

Another illustration. This is Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's illustration. There is a huge maidan, beautiful open space outside. There is a curtain. You are on this side of the curtain. But there is a small hole. You look through that hole. How much of the maidan could you view? The more it is enlarged, the more you are able to enjoy. So where is the problem? Problem is not outside. Problem is us, inside.

Third Law: Higher Level Brings Higher Happiness

This is the fundamental law of happiness: the happiness of each level of consciousness is absolute and fixed. No way you can change it. The higher the level, the more is the happiness. The highest level—absolute, what you call ānanda.

Living at a lower level of consciousness, one cannot have higher happiness. Impossible. Every being lives at a particular state of consciousness and therefore happiness.

A worldly person: one type of happiness. A sādhaka: one type of happiness. A perfected man: another type of happiness.

Rāmakṛṣṇa divided this happiness into three categories. You know that. What is it? Viṣayānanda, bhajanānanda, brahmānanda.

A worldly person, he gets some happiness mixed with unhappiness. But that is lowest level. A sādhaka, a spiritual aspirant, sincerely striving, he gets much higher happiness. But a realized soul gets all the happiness.

Living at a lower level of consciousness, one cannot have higher happiness. Every being, all of us, live at a particular level of consciousness. Even a cockroach, an amoeba, lives at its own particular level of consciousness. So its happiness is limited, not by the happiness of the ātman, but by its inability to experience because of its instrument.

The Role of Karma

Karma Removes Obstacles

Karma's role is to remove the obstacles. It is like digging a well. This is another beautiful example. See, if you want water, you dig a well. Are you producing water by digging the well? What are you doing? You are only removing the obstacles.

Patañjali—there is a better word—says kṣetrikavat, a farmer. He had fields and he wants to irrigate. There is a river also, but there is no canal. So what does he do? He digs. By digging, what is he doing? He is not freshly producing water. Already there is water. He is only removing the obstacles until his field, by digging, is removing the obstacles. This is a beautiful example. That is called Yoga.

What is Yoga? By removing the obstacles, we are connecting ourselves with the Divine. So work is a means of attaining to higher states of happiness.

The Quest for Higher Happiness

So why do we work? Because we want higher and higher states of happiness. All beings seek higher and higher states of happiness. There is no being who says, this much happiness if I get, I will be happy. No. Until we reach the next higher state, we say, if I reach that one, I will be very thankful to God, live peacefully. But once I reach that one, I say, no, the next one, the next one, the next one. Because happiness, it doesn't give us any choice.

You don't have a choice. "Okay, this much happiness I have, and I will be happy." No. The happiness is, it possesses us. Three things possess us. You know, sat, cit, and ānanda possess us. So they won't leave us until we have attained to their highest expression.

To attain to higher states of happiness, one has to rise to a higher state of consciousness. There is no other way. Karma Yoga is the technique of merely removing the obstacles. Karma Yoga is the technique of taking us by controlling the mind from a lower state of consciousness to a higher state of consciousness.

Understanding Karma Yoga

Now you understand: what is Karma Yoga? What is karma? Karma is activity. Why is it activity? It is to remove the obstacles. Then what is Yoga? That is an interesting question. You are still talking about karma. You are also talking about Karma Yoga. So what is the difference?

The difference is: karma is an unintelligent, unskillful way of performing actions. What is Karma Yoga? Doing the same action consciously, concentratedly in an intelligent way so that we can attain three states.

Definitions of Yoga in the Bhagavad Gītā

Bhagavad Gītā is most beautiful scripture. So it gives three beautiful definitions of Yoga.

The first definition is:

'Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam

योगः कर्मसु कौशलम्'

Yoga is skillfulness in activity. What is skillfulness? An intelligent fellow works in such a way, very quick, very fast, he will save time, he will save energy. That is dexterity. There is more meaning, but that is the basic meaning of skillfulness.

Second meaning is called samatvaṃ. The mind becomes calm and quiet. That is a great benefit. Peace of mind will come.

Samatvam Yoga Ucyate

समत्वं योग उच्यते (“Equanimity is yoga”)

The third definition of Yoga in Bhagavad Gītā is:

दु:खसंयोगवियोगं

duḥkha-sanyoga-viyogaṁ yogasaṅjñitam

Even under the most suffering conditions, not only the mind doesn't suffer, but it experiences the highest bliss. That is called Yoga.

Karma is Inherent in All Paths

And that can be done only through, when karma is done in a particular way. And incidentally, when I am talking about karma, the doubt may arise in you: you are only talking about karma. What about bhakti? What about jñāna? What about meditation?

For yogas, tell me, what is Bhakti Yoga? Is it without karma? You don't do anything as a Bhakti Yoga? Twenty-four hours you do only, with a particular attitude. That is called Bhakti Yoga.

Jñāna Yoga, what do you do? Do you simply fold your hands and sit? By the way, if you fold your hands, is it work or not work? If you are lying down, is it work or not? If you are meditating on Brahman, is it work or not? If you are studying scriptures, is it work or not? If you are carrying Bhagavad Gītā from one room to the other room, is it work or not? When you are turning the pages of the scripture, is it work or not? It is all nothing but work.

But that is one way of, intellectually, through the knowledge, that is one way of doing work. That is also work.

Meditation—what is meditation? Is it work or not? Very hard work. It is much easier to do some work than to sit and meditate. See how much response is there. All of you understand very quickly this. It is true. It is very difficult. Every Yoga is difficult.

So, karma is inherent in all the sādhana. As long as we have a body and mind, there is karma. Whether you are a devotee, or a jñānī, or a yogī, it does not matter.

Karma Yoga is the technique of removing the obstacles. Karma Yoga is the technique of controlling the mind. That is the definition of Karma Yoga.

Fundamentals of Work and Yoga

These are the fundamentals of what is called work and how we can turn them into Yoga. We are all working. Whether you are a yogī or not, you are all working. I am also working. Everyone in this whole world is working. The sun, the moon, everything. Ceaselessly working. Three hundred sixty-five days. Yes, no holiday for the Lord.

But a skillful way of doing, that is called Karma Yoga.

Five Necessary Elements for Yogic Action

And to do any action in the yogic way, five things are necessary. According to Bhagavad Gītā, five things are necessary. What are they?

1. The Doer

Firstly, doer. If I am doing work, then I must feel I am doing the work. We are not enlightened people. So, you may say, "Why Thakur is making you so unhappy?" When you are unhappy, why do you complain then? Why don't you say, "Thakur is making me unhappy. I am so happy. Thakur is making me so unhappy." You don't say that. So, doer.

Doer means what? I must take responsibility. One fellow, he applied for a job. And the interviewer asked him, "Are you a responsible person?" Immediately he said, "I am a very responsible person, sir. I worked at ten other places before coming here. Whenever anything had gone wrong, they all told me, 'You are responsible.'" Responsibility. We want to take responsibility consciously and say, "I am doing it."

2. Awareness

Second, awareness. Any work done without awareness, it is a donkey's work. It is not part of Karma Yoga.

3. Proper Instruments

Third, proper instruments are necessary. For every work to be done skillfully, instruments are necessary. What are the instruments? My body and my sense organs. These are the instruments. There are other instruments. What is called? Extension of these instruments.

For example, a microscope. Tell me, what is a microscope? Extension of the eye. What is a telescope? What is a telephone? Extension of the ear. Similarly, if you are digging a garden, then that digger, what is it? It is an extension of the hand. See, a tractor is an extension of our legs. Car is an extension of our legs. Aeroplane is an extension of our legs. Movement. So, everything in this universe is nothing but an extension of these instruments.

The body is an instrument. The mind also is an instrument. So, doer first of all, then awareness.

4. Right Way of Doing

Awareness means, there must be a fixed purpose. If we do anything without a fixed purpose, what would we be called? Mad people. You know one drunkard, a madcap, he used to go behind a liquor factory. And you know, in India, they used to put liquor in pots. And all the broken, leaky pots, they used to throw out in backside. This fellow would go in the morning, take a stick, go on breaking. And in the evening, "Bahut Pachchina. I cannot do anymore. I am tired."

That is called mad work. Madness. Because there is no purpose. There is no profit there. And he is just doing it as though somebody is asking him to do it. And he genuinely feels, "I am so tired. I can't go on with this like this." Saṃsāra is also like that.

Then, there are three. Doer, instruments, and right way of doing. There is a right way of doing. There is a wrong way of doing. If you want to travel, nowadays, most of the people keep what is called GPS. It's the right way. You don't need to ask hundred people. It will more or less guide you properly. There is, guidance is necessary. Maps are there, so that we can reach a place particularly.

So also, in every field of work, there is a right way of doing it, a wrong way of doing it.

5. Divine Grace

Ultimately, the flow of the grace of God.

Adhiṣṭhānam tathā kartā, Karaṇaṃ ca pṛthak vidam, Vividhāś ca pṛthak ceṣṭāḥ, Daivaṃ caivātra pañcamam.

These are the five elements. In the discharge of any activity, right or wrong, not only right job, wrong job also.

Suppose a thief. What is the difference between an intelligent thief and an unintelligent thief? Wonderful answer. An unintelligent thief, first of all, will go only for a few pennies. Secondly, he will do it in such a way, definitely, he will be caught and thrashed. An intelligent thief will become an emperor. Yeah, all politicians, so intelligent, you know, they thought, now they are catching one by one. All of them will catch.

These are the five things necessary for the completion of any work. What is that? A doer, awareness, there must be a motivation, a proper way of doing it and what is the last one? Flow of the grace of God. Keep this, whatever actions we do.

Fundamental Principles of Karma Yoga

Now we come back: fundamental principles of Karma Yoga. We have to understand properly certain principles are there. Without understanding them, simply one cannot go on doing Karma Yoga.

Karma Yoga is a spiritual discipline and is based on certain eternal principles which are universally valid. First of all, they are eternal principles. Therefore, they will never change. Secondly, they are universal. That means, Indian does it, American does it, UK person does it. It was done 50 billion years back or 50 billion years afterwards. These principles are eternal principles.

Principle 1: The Naturalness of Selfless Work

What are they? The first principle is the naturalness of selfless work. What does it mean? It means, whether we like it or not, want it or not, we are made to be unselfish. What a wonderful thing to understand.

A mother, she does everything very naturally or unnaturally. To give birth to a child, is it natural or is it unnatural thing? That is part of the principle of life. A woman's body, very body is made for the birth of a child. If she doesn't do it, she will be blamed. She will be faulty. Faulty goods. Barren woman, they call it. It is a very natural thing.

We are forced to do it because it is not forced really. Our mind says we are forced to do it. But it is a universal law. The whole universe is doing. For example, the sun is rising. For whose sake? For whose sake? So we are born. For whose sake? Ignorantly we are thinking, for my happiness I am living. But nature will rest with force and make us do.

How much after all are you enjoying? Just in a small funny way I am telling you. You go to 7 o'clock to work. Come back at 10 o'clock. Who is getting the benefit? You get a little bit of that benefit. But most of the benefit goes to whom? We think to the bosses. But the right answer is no. It is not the boss. Boss also is part of this one peg or one part of this universal machine called this jagat.

The Holistic View

Each one of us are working for each one of us. To give this illustration so that the point becomes clear. My eyes are looking. My ears are hearing. My mouth is eating. My stomach is digesting. Tell me which part is doing for purely selfish purposes? All the parts are doing for the sake of the entire body.

So this whole universe, when we look at the universe in a narrow way, we call it jīva, bondage. When we look at the universe in a holistic way, we call it what? God, Brahman, Ātman. So we are all part of God. So we are all, consciously or unconsciously, we are working only for the good of the whole, which is God. Because we are also included.

When the eyes see something, it is for the good of the whole world. If the eyes say, "No, I will be selfish. I will be only looking." And if the stomach says, "I will only digest for myself." What would be the result? Instantaneous death. Because if the stomach doesn't have the eyes and the mouth and other things, that also will go. This idea is called holistic idea. Now scientists are realizing how the whole universe is interrelated, interconnected.

So what is the first principle of Karma Yoga? The naturalness of selfless work. What is our idea? We are all very selfish people. Everyone is selfish. No. Ignorance makes us think we are selfish. One percent of the work we are doing for ourselves. Just like you water the root of a tree, the whole tree gets the benefit, including the roots themselves. You cut off the trunk and everything. Then what happens? The roots also will very soon die off. This is the truth.

Principle 2: All Work is Part of the Universal Stream

Second, though we think we are doing our work by our own free will, all work is a part of the universal stream of life.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa declares in the Gītā: "O Arjuna, the Lord seated in the hearts of all beings whirls them around as if they were mounted on a machine." And he teaches Arjuna to practice self-surrender to that prime mover.

What is he telling?

Īśvaraḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ hṛddeśe'rjuna tiṣṭhati Bhrāmayan sarvabhūtāni yantra rūḍhāni māyayā

Because of our ignorance, we are thinking, "I am so and so, I am doing this for my own purpose, in my own way. It is a secret. I will not tell anybody." But the Lord has installed the CCTV inside. And he is watching everyone. Not only watching, he instructs: "You fellow, you get up, fellow, you go, eat breakfast, you fellow, rush to the train." And we do all those things. "I am doing for myself. Nobody knows the secret. Only I know the secret." But the Lord knows.

Who is the thief? It is the Lord. Who is the victim? It is also the Lord. Everything is done by the Lord only, really speaking. But we, because, are ignorant. We don't realize that we are merely pigs.

This whole earthquake came. Now tell me, by whose will the earthquake has come? Did anyone of them who died wish it? It just came. So just as earthquake came and killed the people, the people birthed also. Now tell me, single, simple truth. Are you born out of your own free will? As though somebody pushed you, put it into this mother's womb, and as though somebody has pushed you out of the mother's womb, and our birth and our death, by our will, we are born. By our will, we are dying. So beginning and end, not our will. In the middle, whose will is it? We are thinking it is our will. No, that is the second universal principle of Karma Yoga is that all this action is going on by the will of the Divine Lord.

Principle 3: The Universe is in a Dynamic State

Third, the whole universe is in a dynamic state. It is the third principle of Karma Yoga. We think, "Now I will take rest, and after that, if I feel like, I will go and do some work." No, sir. The whole universe is in a state of dynamic action.

Supposing you are lying down, and if you are asked, "What are you doing?" "I am not doing anything. I am just lying down." Suppose a physicist comes with a powerful electronic microscope and looks at you. What is your whole body doing? Whirling at mind-boggling speed. Is it not the truth? Or is it just imagination or śraddhā? You need to have śraddhā to understand this point. This is what, you know, physicists, physics, have conclusively proved. Nothing is in a static state. Everything is in a most dynamic state.

Therefore, selfless action is spontaneous, natural, relaxing, and peaceful. You say, "No, I will decide whether I will work or not." No. Whether you decide or not, you will be made to work. And what choice do you have? The choice is, if you cooperate, then the work becomes peaceful.

You know, somebody has forced you that you come to this place and you don't want to go. So, if you don't want to go, he will catch hold of your hair and pulls you. Right? Supposing he says, "Come," then you say, "Okay, I have no choice. I have to go." So, you get up and go. Which action is better?

So, when you are walking by yourself, somebody has commanded you to come. When somebody is pulling you by your hair, then also somebody is pulling both actions. You are doing only because of somebody's will.

So, prakṛti is doing all actions. Prakṛti means, this body, mind is part of the nature. Prakṛti. It is doing its work. Then what is your participation? Willingly participate. Happily participate. Any way you have to do.

Just to make this point clear. Suppose, you have a slave and your master asks you, "You husk this paddy from morning till evening." There is no way you can escape it. But, if you accept, "I am a slave, I have to do it. And why not let me do it happily?" If you decide to do it happily, then it will be most peaceful, most relaxing, most wonderful. Isn't it?

What is Karma Yoga now? Karma Yoga is: anyway I have to do this selfless action. So, let me do it happily, willingly, with complete awareness. You have only two choices. Work or not to work is not a choice. But to work, willingly or unwillingly, happily or unhappily, that is a choice. Now it is your choice. What do you want to choose?

Principle 4: The Law of Yajña (Sacrifice)

Another fundamental principle of Karma Yoga is the law of yajña, sacrifice. This word, is very interesting word, yajña. In the Vedic times, many of our ṛṣis used to do yajñas, yāgas.

Yajña, this word sacrifice, has two implications. First, all beings form the body of God and life energy is flowing in a circuit in it. Second, every being must refund to the common stream what it takes from it. Energy. Energy is coming from where? Ultimately from the Sun. Since it is not your energy, you are borrowing it from the Sun. If you don't give it to the Sun, then you will suffer. Suffering means disease.

Just imagine, that you go on eating food, but never give out anything. First, in two ways. One is, there is no toilet function. Second is, you just lie down on the bed. Go on eating. How long do you think you can eat? Do you see the point? If you don't give, you cannot receive.

After one or two days, you will not be able to eat. Not only that, if you don't give out, whatever you have already received will turn into poison. This is the fundamental law of yajña that we are all receiving, we must freely give.

Then what remains to us? Whatever you need, that will be given to you. You receive it. You have it. You enjoy it. But beyond that, if you want to keep, really it is a big subject. I don't want to go into the details.

Suppose a man has a billion pounds. Let us imagine, billion pounds. He works very hard and earned billion pounds. How much can he eat? Even though he has, how much can he eat? And how many cars he can sleep? And how many cloths he can put on? Especially in summer. See, there is a limit. Nobody is saying, for that type of limit, how much money is really needed? Just as a question you know. Is billion pounds necessary? Even a little bit of money is more than adequate and even that has nothing to do with the state of the mind.

I am only talking about the physical body. A man can put on the costliest dress and be profoundly unhappy. A man can have very simple dress, simple food and can be profoundly happy.

Anyway, the point is, since we are receiving, if we don't give, then we will be defaulters. What happens? Economic crisis. What do you know? Why this economic crisis happened? Two years back. What is the simple principle? People are only taking but not giving. See, what is the result? This is what our scriptures are telling.

Principle 5: The Effect of Karma Depends on Consciousness

Another fundamental principle is that the effect of karma depends on the state of the consciousness of the doer. It is not what we do, that is important, but how we do it.

You can kill a person. That is what you did. But if it is done with a particular state of motive, consciousness, then it could be sin or it could be—for example, you go and kill somebody and you hear the word. Somebody hears the word. You killed somebody. Then, what would be the result? You cannot give the answer because if that person is a good person, innocent person and you went and unnecessarily killed him, you will be punished.

If that person happened to be a madcap, he is killing other people left and right. You know these incidents? A man took a gun in America and went on killing and here also that, what is that school? Dunblane school or something like that. So, if you happen to be there and if you can take a gun and kill that fellow, then what do you think will be the result of it? Your name will come out as a great hero in all the newspapers. You will go to the queen and you will bow down and she might make you also a knight or something like that.

Is it not right? So, it is not the result of what we do. It does not depend upon what we do but how, with what motive, what state of consciousness we do, that is what happens. That is the most important.

Two Types of Karma Yoga

With this background, let us come back to our real topic. There are two types of Karma Yoga. I will only briefly deal in this class as the last class on Hinduism but I will come back to these subjects later on in much more elaborate way. I am only very briefly stating them here.

Two classes of Karma Yoga. Have you heard about it? You only know one class of Karma Yoga. Sakāma Karma Yoga, niṣkāma Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga done with a special motive, desire, goal. And niṣkāma means without any desire.

But we have to elaborate a little bit this concept.

Sakāma Karma Yoga (Karma Yoga with Desire)

The immediate doubt that comes to you is we never heard. "You are the first person, Swami, who is talking about sakāma Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga with a desire." What is the meaning of Yoga? Tell me. Yoga means what? That which joins is called Yoga. Now Karma Yoga means what? If karma joins us with God, that is called Karma Yoga. What is wrong with it?

Suppose I have a desire and I am a believer in God and I am only praying to God. In fact, our whole Purāṇas are full of this Rāvaṇa Surāṇa. Was it sakāma Karma Yoga or niṣkāma Karma Yoga? What did he do? He went on repeating the name of God. In fact, all the demons, these asuras, what did they do? They did austerity. But they are not wanting liberation or anything. They are wanting worldly happiness. But they did not go here and there to do something. They only took refuge in God, received the power, the capacity to enjoy from God. But of course they misused it later. There is a different issue. But that is sakāma Karma Yoga. And we all fall under that category.

Now sakāma means with a desire. Karma Yoga done with a desire. For three purposes we do. What is that? A person who is in distress: ārta. A person who is not satisfied with what he has: arthārthī. A person who wants to acquire knowledge: jijñāsu. Ārta, jijñāsu, arthārthī. These three, they are all turning towards God.

You know, various examples. Draupadī prayed to God. For what? For mokṣa. She prayed so that she could be saved from this shame. And Sudāmā, he went to Śrī Kṛṣṇa. What for? To get a little bit of money. And Dhruva went and did austerities. For what purpose? See, it's all for the sake of sakāma.

But, first of all, they will not do anything wrong. Mind you. That is the meaning of praying to God. Praying to God means not merely repeating God's name. It means he will never do anything which displeases God. He will do only what pleases God. Then he prays to God. "Lord, I have done all my best to please you. Not to tread the wrong path, adharma. I only followed dharma. Now, I take refuge in you. Please fulfill my desire." That is called sakāma karma.

In other words, there are two types of happiness. Short-term happiness and eternal happiness. Short-term happiness falls into two categories. Happiness in this world, happiness after death. Svarga loka, sukha. So, this is called in Sanskrit or Vedanta, pravṛtti mārga. The path of sakāma karma. Short-term happiness. Whatever, even if you go to heaven, it is only a short time compared to the eternity. It is called pravṛtti.

The other is called nivṛtti. Nivṛtti means eternal happiness. You won't have any body. You won't have any mind. Eternally, you remain in your own true nature, which is the Self. That is another type of Karma Yoga.

Steps to Practice Sakāma Karma Yoga

There are certain steps even to practice sakāma Karma Yoga. Karma Yoga with a desire. It is not haphazardly, "I pray to God and I do whatever I like." God is not such foolish. The law of karma is absolute, relentless, inevitable. If you do something wrong, who will suffer?

The purpose of Karma Yoga is to attain certain things. There are certain steps by which we can fulfill our desires in a most legitimate way by praying to God. What are the first disciplines?

1. Discipline If you want to do sakāma Karma Yoga, you must be well disciplined.

2. Character Formation Second, you must have a fine character. Character formation. How to be unselfish. How to be truthful, etc.

3. Proper Discharge of Duties And third, proper discharge of duties. Whatever duties we are put in at any given time, we must discharge them properly.

You see, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was scolding Hazra. What was Hazra doing? It was doing japa. It succeeded to some extent. But what is the point? Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa scolded him, "You rogue. You have got your wife, your children. You left them with your father-in-law. You beget the children and your father-in-law will look after them. This is most improper. Get out."

And he was doing japa. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa also told, if you are devotees of Rāmakṛṣṇa, readers of gospel, you should remember that. "This fellow is a hypocrite. He wants 1000 rupees. That's why he is doing japa." Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was very observant, very compassionate. But he told him, "You go and discharge your duties."

4. Religious Practice Combined with Service Then, after these three—discipline, character formation, proper discharge of duties—religious practice, combined with service to the world. What is religious practice? Then you do japa, pūjā, pilgrimage, study of holy scriptures. That is called religious practice.

At the same time, if you want happiness in this world, you must get some credit. You must acquire a credit card. How do you acquire a credit card? This is called puṇya. This is the obtainment of merit. Puṇya it is called. How do you get? Only by serving the world. Not otherwise.

Conditions for Converting Work into Karma Yoga

There are certain conditions for the conversion of work into Karma Yoga. Even sakāma Karma Yoga, with all these steps, these are only preliminary steps. There are certain ways of doing it. What is it?

1. Based on Dharma (Morality) First of all, a Karma Yogī must be, his detachment must be based on dharma or morality, as we discussed.

2. Based on Love Secondly, the detachment of Karma Yogī is based on love. If we don't have love, there is no joy. This is a fundamental psychological law. If you want to be happy, what is the basis of happiness? Love.

If you don't love sweet, then however best the sweet is, you won't really enjoy it. Supposing you don't love sweet. You are very hungry. You will eat the sweet. It will satisfy you, but it won't give you so much joy. But if you love the sweet, if you are hungry, then you see, you will enjoy to the utmost. So love, and that is unselfish love. That is called puṇya.

Puṇya means if you just go, "It is my duty to give some money to the beggar." That won't give you much merit. It will give you something, but not much. But if you love, "God has given me, let me share it with somebody." Then there will be a lot of merit will be there.

3. Based on Acceptance and Awareness of Larger Existence Then thirdly, a Karma Yogin's detachment is based on an attitude of acceptance, which comes from the awareness of a larger existence.

Rāmakṛṣṇa tells you, if you have a pot full of water and you put it in the sun, then very soon it will become dried. But if you put that pot in the middle of a pond, then what happens? Even if the sun is shining 24 hours a day, the water will not become dry. Why? Because constantly something is replenishing it.

So a Karma Yogī knows, even when I am doing something, first of all it is because I am only giving what I am receiving. Secondly, I have no fear because I am part of a larger existence. That's a wonderful thing. Then the man will never fear death or shortage of anything. It's wonderful.

Practice of Sakāma Karma Yoga

Now practice of Karma Yoga. We will discuss very briefly. If we have to practice Karma Yoga, then we have to first of all practice sacrifice, charity, self-control, purity of the mind.

Secondly, one must study scriptures. Because if we don't study scriptures, we don't get inspiration and right guidance. Svādhyāya, it is called svādhyāya. Svādhyāya also means study of one's own mind. Constantly we have to be aware. "Am I being selfish? Am I doing it properly? Is my motive ulterior motive?" Etc., etc. We must have constant self-observation.

Charity. Most important thing is charity. If anybody says, "I am a spiritual person," but never gives in anything in charity. Charity doesn't mean only giving material things, money and other things. Charity means, most important charity means a sympathetic loving attitude towards all beings.

These are the certain fundamental principles how we can practice Karma Yoga.

Niṣkāma Karma Yoga (Karma Yoga Without Desire)

Now coming back to niṣkāma Karma Yoga. There is a wrong notion among us. Niṣkāma means what? Motiveless. It is impossible to have a motiveless type of Karma Yoga.

Even there are two types of Karma Yoga it is said in that sense. One type of Karma Yoga is before God Realization. Another type of Karma Yoga is after God Realization.

True Karma Yoga: After God Realization

True Karma Yoga can be performed only by a person who has realized God. Two reasons why he alone could do it.

Reason 1: No Want, No Motive One reason is, the first reason is that he has no want, no motive. Because he is fearless, he doesn't fear death. He knows everything and he is full of bliss, unbroken bliss. So why should he want anything? He is already full of bliss. As you say, when a pot is full, if you add a few more drops, will it make any difference to it? So you cannot add anything to it. Such a person has no motive. Therefore, whatever he does is complete Karma Yoga, niṣkāma Karma Yoga.

Reason 2: No Separation Between Self and Others Second, he is not really doing Karma Yoga. What is Karma Yoga? "I am doing something to others." A realized soul, besides him, what is there? Besides God, is there another God? God or non-God? There is nobody. If your right hand scratches your left hand, is your right hand doing some niṣkāma Karma Yoga? Because a man knows, "I am everything." So he will not even think, "Shall I do good to myself or not?" It is so natural that comes.

The Path to Niṣkāma Karma Yoga

Now, niṣkāma Karma Yoga comes only after a long fulfillment of sakāma Karma Yoga. When a man enjoys this world, the other world, thoroughly and he is tired, "I don't want this coming and going, earning and enjoying. I want to completely become one with the ocean. I don't even want a pot to be kept in a pond. I want to be completely identified with the ocean."

For such a person, but he has not reached that state, then certain disciplines have to be done. What are those disciplines?

1. Upāsana (Meditation) First of all, this type of person, he should do what is called upāsana. Upāsana means his main duty in life is meditation. It is called śravaṇa and manana and nidhidhyāsana in Vedantic way: hearing the scriptures, thinking deeply all the time about the scriptures, meditate, especially meditation, upāsana. This is called upāsana.

2. Svarūpadhyāna (Meditation on the Nature of Self) Secondly, this person will meditate on the nature of the self. First he will meditate on the nature of God. Then he will meditate on the nature of his own self. This is called svarūpadhyāna.

For such a person, he doesn't have any motive except in realizing God. As I said, such a person has a motive. What is that motive? "I want only God, nothing else. I don't want anything of these temporary things, these earthly things, these limited things. I want only God."

For such a person, when a person reaches that state, Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa tells, he should immediately retire from the world and devote all the time only for that purpose, God realization.

Even Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa's teaching, most of his teachings are sakāma karma Yoga. Only after that, for a few people, he will teach niṣkāma Karma Yoga. Or if you want even direct and simple way of his teachings, he divided his devotees into two categories: householders and monks. Householders are sakāma karma yogīs. Monks are niṣkāma karma yogīs.

How a Niṣkāma Karma Yogī Lives

So, how does he lead his life? Very briefly, it is like this.

1. Discharge Duties as Aid to Self-Realization First of all, whatever a person does, such a niṣkāma karma yogī, whatever duties are there, those duties he discharges, because "I have to discharge my duties." Why is he doing? Not because the society forces him. He does it because it is an aid for self-realization.

2. Attitude of Witness Second, he always has the attitude of a witness. Means, his hand is working. Who is working? When we are asked, "Who is digging the garden?" You say, "I am digging." When you ask this kind of person, "Who is digging?" What does he say? "This hand is digging."

Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa, whole life he maintained this attitude. "I am only an instrument. It is mother who is doing. Who was talking? Mother was talking. Who is enjoying? Mother was enjoying. Who was being appreciated? Mother was being appreciated." That was his attitude, whole life.

3. Doing as Yajña (Sacrifice) Thirdly, he does it as a yajña, sacrifice. But in our sacrifice, we do yajña to receive. We give because we have to receive. You clear the channel so that all the old things go, new things go. You open the windows. Why do you open the windows? So that the stale air will go out, the fresh air will come.

Whereas this person, when he does yajña, says, "I am part of this mechanism and I am doing this yajña only so that I can realize my true nature. It is not for the sake of receiving or giving." He doesn't say, "I am giving." He doesn't say, "I am receiving." What does he say? "It is the nature which is receiving, nature which is giving. The whole life is going on as a cosmic sacrifice." And that is one of the things he does.

4. Bhagavat Prīti Karma (Work to Please God) Then, what does he do? Bhagavat prīti karma. Whatever he does, he does only to please the Divine Lord.

Once, Swami Vivekānanda visited Pavari Baba, Ghazipur. And Pavari Baba was a great yogī, realized the soul. So, what he was doing, he had a swing. And there were the images of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. He was swinging, decoration and all that.

Swami Vivekānanda was surprised. He said, "Sir, you also need to do this thing?" Then Pavari Baba smiled and said, "Do you think whatever I do needs to be done only for my own sake?" Indirectly what he is telling is, "It is not for my sake. It is part of what is called pleasing the Lord. When devotees come, see, they are very happy. We can do for our own pleasure. We can do also for the pleasure of other people." That's what.

5. Work as Participation in Divine Līlā Work as a participation in Divine līlā. Participation in the Divine play. God is playing. So, when I am doing something, I am also an actor. And I am doing it because God wants me. If my role is buffoon, let me be the best buffoon in the world. I don't care because I am trying to please the Lord. This is called līlā. The whole world is a līlā.

This is something wonderful. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa was mortally ill, lying down. Then people, devotees felt very bad. One day, Swami Turiyananda came, Hari Mahārāj. Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said, "See how much I am suffering." He said, "No, Sir, I don't see you suffering. You are swimming in the ocean of saccidānanda." Immediately Śrī Rāmakṛṣṇa said, "Rascal had found me out."

That is līlā. Mother's work. It is Mother's līlā. Līlā means what? It is no work. It is just joy. A buffoon also is a joyous person. That is called the best way of play. Man is happy, unhappy, healthy, unhealthy, suffering from cancer or in the pink of health. Doesn't matter. Whatever circumstances, this is Mother's līlā. It is not reality. What is it? It is a play. Play means what? Joyous thing. Play means it is a very joyous thing. That is another way of doing niṣkāma Karma Yoga.

6. Understanding True Desirelessness Another thing we have to understand about niṣkāma Karma Yoga is it means not desiring anything we usually say. No. It means I do everything to please God. I have a desire. But I want to get that desire fulfilled through the grace of God. That is one element.

The second element is whatever work or activity we do, it always yields results. But what we usually expect is "I must get this result at this time in this way." A karma yogī, what he does is "I leave it to God. Let him give me at what time he thinks to be right, in what way he thinks right, in what circumstances he thinks right." This complete acceptance of God's will after one does discharges one's duties properly is part of the niṣkāma Karma Yoga.

Conclusion

So this is how we can turn our activity into niṣkāma karma. As I mentioned in the beginning, what is the goal? So that we become divine. We manifest our divinity completely. Then we become free through the practice of sakāma Karma Yoga. Then through practice of niṣkāma Karma Yoga, ultimately when we attain to that God-realization or self-knowledge, after that whatever happens is only līlā, divine play, and body is ill or well, whatever the circumstances, he is immersed in the bliss of God.

This is the only way we can live life, turn suffering into joy and without going through these means, sometimes we are happy, sometimes we are unhappy, until wisdom teeth come out and we realize that we have to get out of this rigmarole, this Brahma Cakra, and there is a way to do it. Anyway we have to do it, but why not do it in a systematic way right from the beginning.

So this is the answer given by our scriptures, how we can turn our activity into Karma Yoga so that from a lower step to a higher step we attain to the highest level of consciousness and remain ever afterwards in that blissful state, saccidānanda.

Closing Prayer

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः

Om Śānti, Śānti, Śāntih.

Om, peace, peace, peace be unto all.