Saturday, March 30, 2024

IMPORTANCE OF KARMA (ACTION)

 श्री  गणेश  मंदिर   -  शिक्षा वाणी

Sri Ganesh mandir - Serene Sunday Reflections

18th August 2019: 

IMPORTANCE OF KARMA (ACTION)

KEYWORDS :: Karma, Yogam, Margam, Action, Intention, Timeline, Meditative Action

 

Having reflected on Jnana-Margam (path of Knowledge), now we shall discuss Karma Yogam - Importance of Action. Karma Yogam is to purify the thoughts/mind. Karma Yogam prescribes dharma in work as a Godly action with Awareness, Detachment, Joy, Compassion, and Love; benefit for the self is unimportant in comparison to the larger good.

The word Karma is derived from the Sanskrit word “Kri” meaning to do. Any action that we do and its aftereffects are called Karma. Our Karma determines what we deserve and what we can assimilate. With regard to Karma-Yoga, the Gita mentions it as the science of doing work with cleverness. According to Gita when one knows how to work, he/she can obtain the greatest results. A man works with various motives - people work for fame, money, power, satisfaction, etc. [KARMA YOGA by Swamy Vivekananda].

Action is done with two intentions - Sakama and Nishkama. Sakama Karma is done with a selfish motive. There is no yogam for sakama karma as it is a bondage and creates egoism, hatred and jealousy. Nishkama Karma breaks the bondage of karma and hence is a selfless action. Forgiveness, helping, compassionate behaviour of humanity are the examples of selfless action leading to renunciation, which further purifies the mind.

Based on the timeline, Karma is categorized into Sanchita - Prarabdha - Agami Karmas; which are based on the actions we had performed in the past, performing now & the result of the actions we will perform in the future. Sanchita karma is an accumulated work of the past. Prarabdha is the karma (performed action) is responsible for the present condition of a person, as a debt of our past karma. Agami means forthcoming, which can be modified according to the actions that we are into at this moment. The Law of Karma states that what we do in the past defines our present and our present will govern the future.

It is not what we do that matters, but how we do is important too which is explained through this famous Story of the Three Brick Masons. When the masons were asked what they were doing - the first one answered, “I’m building a wall”, the second one replied, “I’m working in order to earn money for my family”. But, the third man enthusiastically said, “I’m building a cathedral!”

There is a joy in acting (serving) naturally out of enthusiasm and generosity without anxieties, fears, and expectations. None in this world, when they are in jagrath (not in sleep) can avoid Karma; wanted or not, consciously or unconsciously all of us are into action.

When we add the word Yogam, it means an action performed with meditative awareness. So, Karma Yogam is actually the yoga of Dynamic Meditation or Meditation in Action. Next week we shall reflect on this Meditation in Action.

----- Next Week 25th August 2019 – Meditation in Action ------

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