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Gita Lesson - 0507: Definition of Karma Yoga

Bhagavad Gita
Unit - 05
Lesson - 0507: Definition of Karma Yoga
By Raja Subramaniyan

Karma Yoga involves our understanding of Action, Attitude with which the action is done and Results of the action.

Karma Yoga - Based on actions

It is not possible to do Karma Yoga without being involved in action. Therefore, it is not suitable for people who are old and have retired from active professional work.

Actions are always treated as either Karma or Karma Yoga. It is not possible to do some action, which can be treated as Karma and as Karma Yoga at the same time.

Knowledge on the destination and the path is essential for doing Karma Yoga. Since most people in the world do not have this knowledge, what they do is mere Karma and not Karma Yoga.

Karma Yoga - Based on the attitude with which action is done

The universe is designed in such a way that there is continuous action. Therefore, as a part of the world, we are also bound to action all the time. However, the attitude with which we do the actions determines whether we are doing mere Karma or Karma Yoga.

If we are focused on the immediate results of the action, we are doing Karma.

If we are focused on gaining mental maturity, to make it ready for receiving Self-Knowledge, then we are doing Karma Yoga.

Thus, doing any activity can be termed as either Karma or Karma Yoga depending on the attitude with which the action is done. It is not possible for an external observer to find out whether a person is doing Karma Yoga or not.

Example: Giving a donation for a good cause may be a Karma (and not Karma Yoga) if the attitude is to gain name and fame. Doing a business for profit could be Karma Yoga if there is no materialism in the attitude.

An outsider will not know the intention and therefore, cannot classify the action as Karma or Karma Yoga.

Karma will bring positive/negative visible/invisible results and not mental maturity.

Karma Yoga will bring mental maturity in addition to visible results.

Thus, Karma Yoga includes Karma and Karma does not include Karma Yoga.

How to develop the right attitude?

Attitude always depends on our knowledge. Our attitude towards a person or an object depends on our knowledge about that person or that object.

Example: A asks B to be friendly with C. The knowledge about C will determine the attitude. If B thinks C is a good, kindhearted person then B will have friendly attitude and not otherwise.

We do not have a choice with respect to the attitude. Suppose, B thinks C is a wicked person, it is not possible to develop a friendly attitude.

Similarly, we can develop the right attitude to do the work only if we have the right knowledge with respect to the link between action and results. Since we do not have the right knowledge, most of us are doing Karma and not Karma Yoga. As and when we learn the right knowledge, we will automatically have the right attitude while doing any action and it will become Karma Yoga.

Knowledge of the Twelve Laws of Karma and the Six Principles of Karma Yoga (discussed below) will give us the right attitude to do Karma as Karma yoga.

Two types of actions

We do actions to fulfill either our duties or our desires. Duty oriented actions are mandatory and desire oriented actions are optional.

We play many roles in our life, and each role comes with its own set of duties.

Example: It is the duty of a father to bring up the children well.

Everyone inherently knows his duties. If one does not do his duty, there will invariably be a guilty feeling and after completing the duty one feels relaxed. These feelings indicate that one is aware of his duties.

The quantum of activity, done out of desire can vary according to each person's desires. It is normal to have many desires in the initial stages and as a result do many activities in fulfilling those desires. As one progresses and becomes successful in material pursuit, generally around the age of 35, one will start seeing the limitation of material pursuit. As a result, the number of desires may come down. Until one reaches such mental maturity, it is not recommended to have lesser number of desires.

Duties may be imposed or voluntarily taken up. After completing the education, one generally takes up a job or starts a business venture. There may or may not be a necessity for earning money. One may be forced to take up a job due to the external circumstances or it is undertaken voluntarily to fulfill personal desires. In either case, it is called duty.

Just because there is no compulsion to earn money, it cannot be said that the job is not a duty. It is not a duty until one takes it up. After taking it up, it becomes a duty.

Converting the activities done to fulfill our duties as Karma Yoga

While working we have an option to do the activities as Karma or do them as Karma Yoga.

Teaching 21: Six Principles convert Karma into Karma Yoga

The very same activities are converted as Karma Yoga by ensuring that the following principles are fulfilled.

Principle 1: Removal of likes and dislikes while doing duties

Karma cannot be converted as Karma Yoga, if one does it with likes and dislikes.

Example: A programmer likes to do his work since he was assigned to work on a prestigious project. This will lead to attachment to the work and if he is transferred to a different project, he will be upset. It is his duty to do programming and it should not matter to him what project is allotted to him. His likes and dislikes should have no role to play while doing his duties.

One should have equanimity with respect to how the work is performed.

Principle 2: Doing work as worship

All the activities done to fulfill one's duty have to be dedicated to God. One should be aware that he is doing his duty because it is God's wish. As a result, one should do it with the best of his effort.

Principle 3: Acceptance of the result as a gift from God

It is essential to treat success and failure equally while performing one's duty. One should not be overwhelmed by success or affected by failure.

Example: On completion of the operation, whether the patient survives or dies on the operation table is decided by God, and the result should have no impact on the doctor. Of course, the doctor performs the operation for the patient to survive, and if he does survive, it is the will of God and not due to the efforts of the doctor.

Principle 4: Performance of duty with sincerity and dedication

Unless one does his duty to the best of his ability, it is not possible to meet the previous condition.

Example: A patient dies after an operation and the doctor is aware that there was negligence on his part. In this case, it is not possible for the doctor to feel that it was the will of God. He will have the guilty feeling of not doing his work properly.

Principle 5: Work should not be influenced by the result

One can take clues from the results for improving performance. Other than this, there should be no other impact. One should continue to do the work to the best of one's ability whether the result is a success or failure.

Example: While writing a program, the programmer gets the news that his previous program won the appreciation of the client or the client has rejected the program. This news should not affect the current work in any way.

One should have equanimity with respect to the acceptance of results.

Principle 6: Rights and Duties are not to be linked.

A right of one person is a duty of another, and mostly the reverse is true too.

Example: The duties of parents are the rights of children. The children also have a set of duties, which are the rights of parents.

Normally most people do their duties with the expectation that others will do their duties.

Example: I do not pay taxes to the government because it is corrupt.

We assume it is our right to expect the others to perform their return duties so that we are benefited. This attitude must go. It is the duty of the employee to do the work well as long one is in the job, whether or not the employer pays the salary.

It is the responsibility of God to ensure that appropriate results are given. It is wrong to expect fellow human beings to do their duties sincerely.

Example: If we find a wallet, it is our duty to return it to the owner. If on receiving it, the owner does not thank us, we get upset. We should not expect anything, including gratitude, in return for doing our duty.

It is not our duty to teach others to do their duties. God will take care of that. We should renounce all our rights and keep doing only the duties.
Converting activities done out of desire into Karma Yoga.

Not only duties, even activities can be converted into Karma Yoga. Activities that we undertake to fulfill our personal desires can be done as Karma Yoga.

Example: Prior to eating food, we should thank God for giving us the food.

It is very difficult to renounce the thought that we have a right to eat the food because we worked for it. Every morsel of food that we eat is given by God out of his mercy. It is not a reimbursement for doing our duty. We should maintain this attitude in all our activities.

Even when people take alcohol, they should first offer it to God and then consume it. This will slowly help them to come out of the bad habit.

Doing Karma Yoga

Thus, we can do all our actions as Karma Yoga if we change the attitude with which we do the work. A change in the attitude is possible only as the result of knowledge. Mere ritualistic behavior is not Karma Yoga although it may help us progress towards Karma Yoga.

One should gain proper knowledge about the link between action and results for converting Karma into Karma Yoga. If a person knows that the food on the dining table has not come out of the results of his actions, he is doing Karma Yoga.

Teaching 22: You do not have any choice on the results of your action

Chapter 2: Wisdom is the solution [Verse: 48]
2.48 Oh Arjuna! Abiding in yoga, perform your duty and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga.

Gita Lesson - 0506: Definition of Karma << Home >> Gita Lesson - 0508: Inferiority of Karma

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