11/12/2013 Karma yoga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_Yoga 1/4
Bronzestatuerepresentingthediscourseof
KrishnaandArjuna,inKurukshetra
Karmayoga
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(RedirectedfromKarmaYoga)
Karmayoga(Sanskrit: ),orthe"disciplineof
action"isaformofyogabasedontheteachingsofthe
BhagavadGita,asacredSanskritscriptureofHinduism.
Ofthefourpathstorealization,karmayogaisthe
processofachievingperfectioninaction.Karmayogais
anintrinsicpartofmanyderivativetypesofyoga,such
asNatyaYoga.Karmayogaisoftenunderstoodasa
yogaofselfless(altruistic)service.
Contents
1Background
2Concept
2.1QuotationsfromtheGita
2.2Surrenderingaction:sattvikavstamasikatyaga
2.2.1Sattvikatyagaritual
2.2.2Othermantras
3Karma
4Schoolsofthought
5AlternativeinterpretationofKarma(Karm)
6Seealso
7References
8Externallinks
Background
TheBhagavadGitagivesasummaryofthekarmayogaprocess.
[1]
TheGitaitselfisachapterfromthe
epicknownasMahabharata,whereinadialoguetakesplacebetweentheprinceArjuna,andhisfriendand
chariotdriver,LordKrishna,onthebrinkofagreatdynasticwar.Theirconversationispromptedby
Arjunaasheisengulfedbysorrowandmisgivingsregardingtheoncomingbattleinwhichhehasfriends
andrelativesonbothsides.Inreply,Krishnathenelucidatesuponanumberofphilosophicalyogasystems
andpractices(includingkarmayoga)by/throughwhichheshouldindeedcontinuewiththefighton
righteousprinciples.
Concept
ThewordkarmaisderivedfromtheSanskritkri,meaning'todo'.Initsmostbasicsensekarmasimply
meansaction,andyogatranslatestounion.Thuskarmayogaliterallytranslatestothepathofunion
throughaction.However,inVedanticphilosophythewordkarmameansbothactionandtheeffectsof
suchaction.Karmayogaisdescribedasawayofacting,thinkingandwillingbywhichoneorientsoneself
towardrealizationbyactinginaccordancewithone'sduty(dharma)withoutconsiderationofpersonalself
centereddesires,likesordislikes.Oneactswithoutbeingattachedtothefruitsofone'sdeeds.
11/12/2013 Karma yoga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_Yoga 2/4
Krishnaexplainsthatworkdonewithoutselfishexpectationspurifiesone'smindandgraduallymakesan
individualfittoseethevalueofreason.Hestatesthatitisnotnecessarytoremaininexternalsolitude,or
remainactionless,inordertopracticeaspirituallife,sincethestateofactionorinactionisprimarily
determinedinthemind.
QuotationsfromtheGita
IntheBhagavadGita,Krishnasays:
"tasmadasaktahsatatamkaryamkarmasamacaraasaktohyacarankarma
paramapnotipurushah"
Therefore,withoutbeingattachedtothefruitsofactivities,oneshouldactasamatterofduty,
forbyworkingwithoutattachmentoneattainstheSupreme.
[2]
KrishnathengoesontodescribehowArjunashouldsurrenderthefruitsofhisactions(goodorbad)to
him,Krishna,(astheSupremePersonoravatar):
Therefore,OArjuna,surrenderingallyourworksuntoMe,withfullknowledgeofMe,
withoutdesiresforprofit,withnoclaimstoproprietorship,andfreefromlethargy,fight.
[3]
AnotherimportantquotationsfromtheBhagavadGitawhichelucidateskarmayogais" "
(yogaisskillinkarma.).
Surrenderingaction:sattvikavstamasikatyaga
Anyconsciousactionismotivatedbysomeexpectationabouttheoutcome,yetoneistobecarefultonot
letthisexpectationbeselfishinacertainsense.Thisisaccomplishedbysurrenderingownershipofaction
toKrishna.ThissurrenderiscalledsAttvikatyAga(tocontrastitwithtAmasikatyAgaorabandoning
actionitselfasArjunawasaboutto).
Sattvikatyagaritual
TheShrivaishnavatraditionformalizesthisbyrecommendingthechantingofashlOkaprior(alsocalled
Sattvikatyaga)totheperformanceofanysuchsignificantkarma.Thisshloka(usingITRANS),withits
meaningisgivenbelow:
bhagavAnevasvaniyAmyasvasheShabhUtenamayA
svaArAdhanaekaprayojanAyaidam<nameofthekarma>
svasmaisvaprItyaisvayamevakArayati.
Thistranslatesto:
Theauspiciousdeity,exertingcontrolonhimself,usingme(hisotherpart)asaninstrument,
himselfeffects<nameofthekarma>,withhispleasure/worshipbeingtheonlypurpose.
Thesameshlokamayberepeatedaftertheperformanceoftheaction,exceptonereplaceskArayatito
kArayitavAntoindicatepasttense.
11/12/2013 Karma yoga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Othermantras
Thecommonrefrain"

"isusedforthesameeffect.Thereisalsothefollowingshloka:

j
0

whichtranslatesto:
WhateverIperformwithmybody,speech,mind,limbs,intellectormyinnerself,either
intentionallyorunintentionally,IdedicateittothatSupremeLordNarayana.
Karma
Mainarticle:Karma
AswithanumberofotherphilosophiesinHinduism,karmayogaisbasedonageneralunderstandingof
karmaandreincarnation(sanskara).Itisbelievedthatamanisbornwithcertaintendencies(Sanskaras),
bothpositiveandnegative,fromhispreviouslives,whichpushhimtowardperformingcertainactionsin
hispresentone.Thisprocesscontinuesuntiltheindividualattainsazerobalance(nokarmaremaining),
whereinoneachievesliberation.
Schoolsofthought
Shankaracharyasaysbypracticingkarmayoga,one'smindgetspurified.
[4][citationneeded]
AlternativeinterpretationofKarma(Karm)
DharmofeachhumanbeingistoattainMoksh(realizethetruenatureofAatmawhichisParmaatma).
MokshfreesAatmafromcycleofbeingborninvariouslifeforms(Eachlifeformhastogothrougha
cycleofbirtholdagedeath).RefertoShrimadBhagwadGeetaChapter240,1846to1847,241,4
27.ThetrueKarmistoimplementtheprocessofYagnya.RefertoShrimadBhagwadGeetaChapter38
to39.AnythingotherthanYagnyarthKarmisbondageofthisworldSansarBandhan(Anyatra
LokoyamKarmBandhanah).TheKarmistheonethatfreesusfromAshubh(thatisSansarBandhan)
MokshaseAshubhaatRefertoShrimadBhagwadGeeta,Chapter416.TheprocessofYagnyaisYog
Sadhana.RefertoShrimadBhagwadGeeta,Chapter5and6.Thus,onlyYogSadhanafreesusfrom
SansarBandhanandhelpsustoachieveMoksh.Anythingelsethatwedointheworldisduetoourinner
naturebasedonTamoGoon,RajoGoonandSattvaGoon.AnythingotherthanYogSadhanagenerates
Kaam(desires),Krodh(anger),Lobh(greed),Mad(Pride),Moh(attachment)andMatsar(jealousy).The
goalofYogSadhanaKarmistoconquerKaam(desires),Krodh(anger),Lobh(greed),Mad(Pride),Moh
(attachment)andMatsar(jealousy)enemiesofhumanbeing.Yogalsomeansrealizationoftruenatureof
AatmathatisParmaatma.
[5]
Seealso
11/12/2013 Karma yoga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_Yoga 4/4
Flow(psychology)
Japa
Trulkhor
References
1. ^MaharishiMaheshYogiontheBhagavadGita,aNewTranslationandCommentary,Chapter16.Penguin
Books,1969,p131(v45),p144(v.51),p149150(v.54)
2. ^Chapter3,Text19(http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/3/19/en1),BhagavadGita
3. ^Chapter3,Text30(http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/3/30/en1),BhagavadGita
4. ^http://www.yoginirmalendu.com/Types_Of_Yoga/Karma_Yoga/Karma_Yoga.html
5. ^http://yatharthgeeta.com/download/pdf/english_geeta/
Externallinks
KarmaYogaChapterinBhagavadGita(http://bhagavadgitaasitis.com/3/en1)
KarmaYogaandMind(http://www.amazon.com/KarmaYogaMindSeries
ebook/dp/B00DU2ESHQ)
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