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In Bhagwat Gita, Shri Krishna said,
Do your duty without regard for the outcome.
It means you should not think about the outcome of a work that you are doing.
Some individuals mistake Karma Yoga for volunteer work or social service. Karma Yoga is the Yoga of Activity or Duty, since the term “Karma” implies “action.” The following is the best definition of Karma Yoga:
Performing your duties to the best of your ability without regard for ego or attachment.
There are four key terms in this description of Karma Yoga: obligation, ego, attachment, and anticipation of reward. These four elements are critical to comprehending the ideas of Karma Yoga.
Karma yoga is also known as Karma marga. It is one of Hinduism’s four fundamental spiritual pathways. The others are Jnana yoga (path of knowledge), Raja yoga (path of meditation), and Bhakti yoga (path of devotion) (path of loving devotion to a personal god). Right action is a type of prayer for a karma yogi. In Hinduism, the three pathways are not mutually incompatible, but the relative importance of Karma yoga, Jnana yoga, and Bhakti yoga vary depending on the individual.
Karma yoga, one of Hinduism’s traditional pathways to spiritual liberation, is the path of selfless behaviour. It teaches that a spiritual seeker should conduct in accordance with dharma, regardless of the benefits or personal repercussions. According to the Bhagavad Gita, Karma Yoga cleanses the mind. It causes one to regard the dharma of labour, as well as work done in accordance with one’s dharma, as doing god’s work, and therefore becoming and being “like unto god Krishna” in every minute of each person’s life.
Concept of Karma Yoga
Karma yoga is the spiritual discipline of “selfless deed undertaken for the benefit of others,” as described by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. Karma yoga is a way of working one’s way to moksha. It is righteous conduct without attachment to the fruits or manipulation by the consequences, a commitment to one’s duty, and doing one’s best while remaining agnostic to rewards or outcomes such as success or failure.
It is normal for a human person to seek the benefits of his or her activities, according to Hindu literature, but a single commitment to fruits and favorable immediate consequences may jeopardise dharma (ethical, rightful action). According to Bilimoria, karma yoga is “ethically fine-tuned action.” “Only dharmic action” is permissible in karma yoga, according to Stephen Phillips, a philosophy and Asian studies professor, in which one downplays one’s own unique position or interests. Instead, before acting, the karma yogi impartially considers the interests of all parties, all creatures, and all elements of Prakti. Other writers, according to Phillips, disagree, arguing that “any action can be done as karma yoga” and that it does not have to follow dharma.
Selfless devotion to the proper purpose and like-minded individuals, with the ideal feeling and attitude, is a sort of worship and spirituality, in step with the Bhagavad Gita.
In Bhagavad Gita verse 3.4, it’s far stated that averting labour or now no longer starting off employment isn’t always the street to turning into freed from bondage, simply as renunciation of the sector and sporting monk’s clothing isn’t always the course to turning into spiritual. According to verse 3.5, now no longer appearing is a kind of motion with repercussions and karmic influence, and the character of existence is such that humans are continually appearing of their surroundings, whether or not in frame or mind.
The Bhagavad Gita verses 3.6 to 3.eight state that the movement can be inspired or managed by applying external factors. It is also possible to be motivated by utilising one’s internal reflected image and real self (soul, Atman, Brahman). The former binds people together, while the latter liberates them. The non secular path to the liberated kingdom of happiness is to do the best one can while being unconcerned about the results, fruits, success, or failure. According to Bhawuk, a karma yogi who practises such nishkama karma (niskamakarma) is on a “inward path that is intrinsically pleasurable and rewarding.”
In response, Krishna elucidates several intellectual yoga structures and practises, through/via which Arjuna should undoubtedly continue fighting on the basis of virtuous beliefs.
Krishna states in the Bhagavad Gita:
tasmad asaktah satatam karyam karma samacara asakto hy acaran karma param apnoti purushah
As a result, rather than becoming connected to the outcomes of one’s actions, one should operate as a matter of duty, because working without attachment leads to the Supreme.
The 4 principles of Karma Yoga
Everyone has responsibilities in life. Some responsibilities are imposed on you without your consent, such as your responsibilities as a citizen, a member of society, a son/daughter, a brother/sister, and so on. Other responsibilities you pick for yourself, such as your role as an employer, a husband/wife, a friend, and so on. It is critical in Karma Yoga to prioritise your responsibilities; to understand what is most essential and which obligations you should prioritise over others.
It is critical to understand that the highest obligation you can have is to yourself. This indicates that you should take care of yourself first, doing what is beneficial for you, and only then can you help others. Let’s consider you are ill and restricted in your bed. You need to relaxation so that you can also additionally get better quickly, however past due at night, you obtain a name from a friend who says he’s lonely and would love your company. Even if it’s far your duty as a chum to guide your friend who’s lonely, it’s far extra essential at that point to appearance after your self and experience higher earlier than you may help your friend.
It is likewise crucial to do your obligations to the first-class of your ability. For example, in case you are given a room to smooth, you can now no longer smooth it very well due to the fact no person is asking or due to the fact you accept as true with you may be underpaid.
Ego
All of your ideas about yourself or others are referred to as ego. It comprises of our preferences, dislikes, and wants, among other things. With each move, we tend to think about the implications for ourselves: how does it affect us, our image, etc. Karma Yoga is all about carrying out your responsibilities without thinking about oneself. The primary goal of Karma Yoga is to control and then let your ego to cross.
It is critical that you do not restrain your ego when doing Karma yoga since this is the greatest way to perform it without attachment and desire. Sometimes someone believes he needs a few egos in order to perform better and grow. But ego is like most cancers which usually continues growing. It makes us see what we need to peer and prevents us from seeing reality. It controls our notion and understanding.
Attachment
Karma Yoga entails performing your duties without attachment. Whether you enjoy your job or not, you give it your all. You perform your duties without attachment; for example, if you are a teacher, you do not teach one student better than another just because you like him more. You always do your job without being attached to the process or the outcome.
Expectation of reward
As said by Lord Krishna, You should do your work without worrying about getting in return something. You should do your work with expecting anything in return. As an example you can think of, at work, we complete our jobs because we get paid at the end of the month or because we are praised or have a good position. We look after our partner or child, but we also demand love and gratitude. When you do something without expecting a reward, the consequence of your activity has no bearing on whether or not you perform your duties. You do it because it is your responsibility, not because you benefit from it.
Karma yoga is not:
There are so many misconception about Karma Yoga. It is not:
- An exchange: Many individuals believe that karma yoga occurs when they provide their time and services in return for something else, such as a course or a stay. It is not Karma Yoga if the activity is performed with the purpose of exchanging something.
- Working for free is not Karma Yoga, even if it is done in the name of spirituality or humanity.
- Working for a low wage in the name of Karma yoga is not Karma Yoga.
- Karma Yoga is not synonymous with social service.
Remember that Karma Yoga is “performing YOUR job without ego or attachment.” It is not Karma Yoga if your aim is anything other than doing a responsibility (natural or forced) without ego.
Benefits of Karma Yoga
Karma yoga offers several advantages. Some of these are instantly apparent, while others require some time of consistent practise.
- The biggest advantage is that it reduces ego. You execute your task without ego when you practise Karma Yoga. You do what you’re supposed to do, not what you want to do. When you quit incorporating ego in your regular actions, your agony gradually fades away.
- Your priorities become more obvious. You begin to comprehend your responsibilities and obligations. You complete things without attachment or personal motivation.
- You balance your karma without creating new karma by performing your obligations without ego or attachment.
The main point of the article is to concentrate on Karma Yoga in order to better ourselves and our work in daily activities to the maximum degree possible. By following this road, we may be able to relieve tension while also assisting others in overcoming their difficulties.
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