Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga consists of an appropriate attitude towards action (karma) and its results (phalum). We are always facing action or the results of our actions at any moment. The karma yoga attitude towards the action is as an offering to the field, to the Lord. Although there is likely a result in mind, the primary attitude in doing is as an offering. The karma yoga attitude towards results is that favorable, unfavorable or indifferent, they are viewed as a gift from the field itself, from the Lord.
Sometimes referred to as skill-in-action, karma yoga doesn’t mean expertise in the performance of action. Rather it means, if proper attitude towards action itself is present, the action will not lead to stress, strain, and further binding karma. The karma yogi not only has the ability to use action to attain liberation but also to convert binding action into liberating action. This conversion takes place not by changing the action but by changing the attitude. This is appropriately using and handling action. A karma yogi uses karma yoga to produce purity in attention and a free mind. That karma yogi is indeed skillful.
The Bhagavad Gita consisting of 18 chapters can be broadly classified into three sections: the first section of the first six chapters, the second section of six chapters from the seventh to the 12th, and the third section of the last six chapters from the 13th to the 18th. Each section is known as satkam; satkam meaning a group or part consisting of six members. So the Bhagavad Gita has a satka-trayam; three satkam's - Prathama-satkam, madhyama-satkam, and carama-satkam. Prathama meaning the first one; madhyama meaning the middle; and the carama meaning the final one. Certain prominent topics are highlighted in each satkam.
Karma-yoga as a key spiritual sadhana, or key spiritual practice, is an important topic of the prathama satkam, the first six chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. Karma yoga is defined as proper-action plus proper-attitude. The main feature is not in the action itself but in one’s attitude, values, and focus. That’s why it’s alternatively referred to as buddhi-yoga. Action (karma) by itself neither binds nor liberates, it depends on how one handles the action. Proper attitude, samatvam yoga ucyate, a balanced mind amidst action, requires an undisturbed mind. A strained, stressed mind is not a karma yogi mind.
Action minus devotion is bondage. Action plus devotion is a liberator. This is the basic principle of karma yoga. This is where the yogi’s very living itself and day-to-day life become an offering. The karma yogi says, ‘my work is my worship.’ The action itself is the offering and, thus, the intellect will eventually go beyond the mists of delusion. That yogi lives a life of karma yoga and the management of his likes and dislikes is the accomplishment. Thus, the mind becomes more refined and less disturbed allowing interest in self knowledge to develop or increase.
He performs activities designed for inner growth, selfless activities where the benefit is subtle and invisible. These are the activities we usually drop while maintaining our materialistic karma where the benefits are tangible and concrete. The benefits of inner growth are purely intangible: change of perspective, how you look at the world, how you look at God, how you look at yourselves. There is a subtle benefit to karma yoga and it is guaranteed.
The karma yogi is considered as good as a renunciate though he hasn’t formally renounced anything. What he is actually renouncing is the concern for material benefit, for the result. Thus, failure does not matter because whether you succeed or fail, inner growth is guaranteed. In failure there’s actually greater inner growth. The karma yogi says - whatever be the external outcome of the action I am willing to accept it as Isvara-pradada, God’s will. Therefore there’s no anxiety or much less anxiety regarding failure as the yogi is growing inwardly. For the karma yoga practitioner each experience is a lesson and a field for learning.
The first stage of Karma Yoga is called buddhiyukta. This means the yogi has already developed a proper attitude towards life and life’s various experiences. This itself is a result of proper discrimination. The proper discrimination being that he essentially values spiritual or inner growth (dharma and moksa) as much as, or more than, material growth and accomplishments (artha and kama). As he fully understands the limitations inherent in material ambitions, desires, and security, he has a proper attitude towards life. This does not mean material pursuits are not pursued, they just take a backseat to the inner growth.
The second stage is karmajam phalam tyaktva - the material results of karma he gives up or is no longer overly concerned about. Once the yogi has developed the healthy values, he’s no longer overly concerned with the material benefits of action. Rather, he considers those as a secondary benefit. He focuses on the primary benefit, which is the inner growth. Amidst the action, he is free from those actions because those actions are no longer a burden. Having realized he is already growing through the action itself with an attitude of offering up that action, it does not produce tension, does not prodcuce anxiety. It is so light.
The third stage is manisinah bhutva where the karma yogi comes to jnana yoga (knowledge yoga) discovering the true goal of life.
Since jnana yoga necessarily requires a qualified mind in order to receive and assimilate knowledge, karma yoga is seriously helpful as it creates a more refined mind, balanced emotionally and spiritually. The karma yogi’s main sanyasa is sanyasa of the concerns and worries over the future which is an obstacle and disturbance of the mind. So karma yoga is an intermediary spiritual practice by which the yogi can attain jnana-yogyatha praptih or catustaya sampattih, a prepared, chastened, sharp mind. It can purify the mind. Indeed, Patanjali’s yama niyama, the do’s and don’ts regarding transactions in life is basically karma yoga only. The karma yogi will eventually become a jnana yogi who becomes muktha. Ups and downs do not affect him. He has inner freedom, mental freedom while living. His mind becomes a light and enjoyable instrument. This is jivan-mukti.
The immediate benefits of karma yoga are peace of mind, relaxation, stress reduction and improved relationships because the stress in one area usually overflows into all relationships, so they will improve. The ultimate benefit of karma yoga is interest in self knowledge or philosophy. That interest naturally increases because the mind becomes more and more pure. This yogi will eventually level up from karma yoga to jnana yoga, from religion to philosophy. Once he discovers the true self the ultimate benefit is liberation i.e. freedom from all bondage.
