Karma Yoga- Part 1- Importance of Karma

Chapter 3 Part 1

Karma Yoga: Importance of Karma

Karma, Karma Vasana and Rebirths

There are two types of spiritual practices  had been propounded. Jnana Yoga is for those who are capable of contemplating on spiritual knowledge. And Karma yoga for those who aims at realization but engaged in worldly karmas.

Those who are born with less karma vasana become able to engage in spiritual practice through acquiring spiritual knowledge. They usually select sanyasa and spent most of their time for spiritual learning. They acquire balanced mind through knowledge and latter gradually realize the soul. This is the jnana marga or jnana yoga.

Karma Yoga: Those who are born with karma vasana do not become capable for jnana marga. Even if they listen spiritual lessons they cannot stay on spiritual thought and cannot experience the truth because of their powerful karma vasana. They, after listening spiritual knowledge and by considering self realization as goal of life, have to do their karma according  to their vasana and have to turn it as righteous karma. Without any attachment for the results of karma and without loosing balance of mind in profit and loss or in happiness and sorrow, they do the liable karma. In this way they can clear off karma vasana. As soon as all karma vasana are finished, the mind becomes suitable to think upon spiritual principles. Gradually they begin to experience the truth. This is Karma Yoga or karma marga.

A spiritual seeker cannot attain Brahma by renouncing liable karma. It is not possible to attain realization by merely accepting sanyasa. It is said that the state of Brahma at its peak is devoid of any karma. Even if it is so, it cannot be attained by merely renouncing karma. A man with karma vasana cannot leave karma all of a sudden and cannot choose jnana marga. He has to attain the state of no-karma (naishkarmiam) by, first finishing off karma vasana. Instead, one cannot reach there by merely refrain from doing karma. Sanyasa or renunciation is not for him with vasana.

Everybody always is doing their own karma. No one can remain by doing nothing. No one can refrain from their desired karma at any cost. Actually everyone becomes liable to do their duties. So they are bound to do that helplessly because of prakriti guna (qualities by nature). There are three gunas or qualities - satwa, rajas, thamo. These gunas by mixing in different proportions create character of a person. One behaves or acts according to his character. Thus a person becomes slave to prakriti gunas. If sathwa guna is more in a person, he happens to indulge in his self-practiced sathwik karmas or righteous karma. It is same in case of other gunas. So, it is to be understood that no one can change pattern of their karma without trying to change prakriti guna. By performing one's own karma as dharma, he can change his prakrti guna gradually.

Those who do not know this secret of karma may restrain organs of actions (karma indriyas) from indulging in sensual pleasures but always think about sense matters. It is of no use and  actually it is hypocrisy. Those who are with vasana cannot abstain from doing karma and so cannot focus upon spiritual matters.  If a person with vasana abstains from doing karma then vasana may sublimate within and happens to fall in life.

How to perform karma in Karma Yoga?
One has to practice yoga while performing karma as swadharma by leaving attachment to the results. For this one has to practice sense control by mind. The mind must be certain in the goal of soul realization. He has to leave all feelings of "I" and "My". Such a person attains naishkarmyam (state of no karma- the Brahma).

Senses happen to create 'likes' to something and 'dislikes' to something else. Vasana are created when likes and dislikes sublimate in subtle mind. While performing karma avoid likes and dislikes (raaga ans dwesha)and thus avoid new vasana. Control senses with mind, leave attachment to the results, practice mental balance, perform karma as swadharma. This is karmayoga.

There are two goals to achieve, in the journey of life. One is to finish off the existing karma vasana by doing the desired karma (prarabdha karma). By performing karma without any attachment to the result does not create new vasana (agaami karma). By attaining athma jana , on can become free of from all accumulated karma vasana (sanchitha karma) from previous births. The second goal of life is to attain sthitha prajna.