Karma Yoga

Karma-Yoga is the Yoga of action.  The teaching was given for the first time by Krishna to Arjuna.  In Bhagvad Gita one full chapter is devoted to Karma Yoga.

 

Bhagvad Gita, Krishna says; “Do your rightful duty but never aspect anything in return.  By doing rightful duty with full faith and devotion without expecting any return, one attains Moktsa.  It is the path of non-attachment to the fruits of one’s action.

Expecting the fruit of action is the cause of suffering therefore one should renounce the fruit of the action -the cause of suffering. 

Separate action from its result.  Do the rightful duty selflessly.  Renounce the result of action and become free from causes of suffering. 

Do the rightful duty having firmly fixed the thoughts on Param Atma –the Supreme Self.  Relinquish selfish desire and fruit of action.  Do not see oneself as doer of the action.

 

Perform action with mind concentrated on the Divine.  Renounce all forms of attachments.  Look upon success and failure with the same sense of feeling.

 

Take refuge in Supreme Consciousness, and perform action with self-control.  Do not do anything for the sake of benefit it brings.

One who performs action as if obligated without being attached to fruit of action is in renounced order of life.  Such person is self aware and enlightened.  

If one is unable to practice Bhakti Yoga -Yoga of Devotion, engage in Jnana Yoga -Yoga of Knowledge.  Better than Jnana Yoga is Dhyana Yoga -Yoga of Meditative Absorption cultivating awareness and mindfulness, and better than Dhyana Yoga is Karma Yoga -doing rightful duty with no attachment to its result.  The simplest of all is Karma Yoga, selflessly engaging in rightful duty, whatsoever that may be, without expecting any result out of it."

In Karma Yoga, the judgement, as what one should be doing must be made with conscience and do it selflessly.  The Ego-led motivation should be primarily renounced in undertaking every action.