03-karmayoga

7/28/2019 03-karmayoga

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Karma Yoga

Principles and Practices


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Different Kinds of People

TaamasicLazy, without motivation, complaining,escapist

RaajasicActive

AarthiA suffering person who wants to free himself from thesufferingafraid of stick, works to avoid punishment andinconvenience

ArthaarthiA person who is hankering after different thingswants carrots, works to achieve goals and ambitions

SaatvicThinking JijnaasuA person who is beyond sticks and carrots, looking for a

nobler reason to work

Guna-atitaWise JnaaniA person who attained the knowledge of the Truth of this

existence

Karma Yoga isfor these people.


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Karma to Karma Yoga

Results of work

Artharemoves wants,

gives security Kaamagives comfort

and luxuries

Dharmagives social

benefit, peace of mind Mokshagives inner

growth and emotional

freedom

Focus here.Work for these.

By products


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Overview

Karma Yoga

Right ActionAvoid harmful

Reduce selfish

Increase selfless

Right Attitude

General duties

Particular duties

(swadharma)

Yagna (give back)

Daana (give more)

Tapas (stretch yourself)

Iswara arpana

Iswara prasaada

Deva yagna

Bhuta yagna

Manushya yagna

Pitru yagna

Rishi yagna

Physical tapas

Verbal tapas

Mental tapas


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What is Karma Yoga?

Right action

What should I do?

What should I avoid?

Right attitude

How should I work?

How should I face the

results?


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Actions

Actions

Taamasicharmful

Raajasicselfish

Saatvicselfless

Saamaanya dharmageneral duties

Vishesha dharma (swadharma)particular duties

Avoid

ReduceIncrease


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What Should I Avoid?

Dont do anything that

you cannot proudly

tell to your mother. Dont do anything that

you will not want

others to do to you.

Dont do anything that

will increase your

identity with the body.


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What Should I Reduce?

Some selfish actions cannotbe avoided

Brushing teeth, bathing, eating,

etc Information update like

newspaper

Some selfish actions can bereduced

Some entertainment like cricketmatch

Some luxuries like ice cream

Dependence on servants


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What Should I Increase?

Saamaanya dharma (Generalduties)

Yagnarepaying our

obligations Daanacharity beyond

obligations

Tapasstretching our limits

Vishesha dharma (Particular

duties) Swadharmaduties based on

our position in life


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So Far

Karma Yoga

Right Action

Avoid harmful

Reduce selfish

Increase selfless

Right Attitude

General duties

Particular duties

(swadharma)

Yagna (give back)

Daana (give more)


Iswara arpana

Iswara prasaada

Deva yagna

Bhuta yagna

Manushya yagna

Pitru yagna

Rishi yagna

Physical tapas

Verbal tapas

Mental tapas


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YagnaPaying Back

We have already taken a

lot from environment,

parents, society, etc.

We are under a huge debt

already.

Nature will not let us go

free.

Give willingly instead of

being robbed forcibly.


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Five Kinds of Debts

1. Deva runaDebt to

inanimate nature. We

are made of the grossand subtle elements.

Earth gives food. Sun

gives heat and light.

We need air tobreathe, water to

drink, etc.

Preserve nature and

support people doing

it Plant trees

Avoid pollution

Conserve water,electricity, paper, etc


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Five Kinds of Debts

2. Bhuta runaDebt toother plants and

animals. Plants givefood, clothes, etc.Trees give so many

products. Animals areused in agriculture, formilk, honey, silk,wool, etc. Dogs, catsserve as pets.

Pay for services

Treat animals kindly

Give comfort to

animals

Plant trees


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Five Kinds of Debts

3. Pitru runaDebt toparents and ancestors.

We have got our bodyfrom our parents andancestors. They havefed us and taken careof us. They havespend so much energytowards what we aretoday.

Dont hurt the feelingsof parents

Take care of oldpeople and children

Dont scold themunnecessarily

Donate towards oldage homes,orphanages, etc


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Five Kinds of Debts

4. Manushya runaDebt

to the society. We

avail the services of somany people in the

society like farmers,

masons, weavers, shop

keepers, drivers,mechanics, police,

soldiers, etc

Pay for services

Treat other people

with due respect Help others

Donate towards reliefwork

Donate towards thedevelopment ofunderprivileged


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Five Kinds of Debts

5. Rishi runaDebt toteachers. Man is

different from ananimal because of thescientific and culturalheritage, which isinherited throughteachers, authors ofgood books, makers ofgood movies, etc.

Study well

Keep the scientific and

cultural heritage a partof your life

Learn music, art, etc

Buy good books Teach others

Donate to schools


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Five Kinds of Debts

Pancha runa

Deva runa

Bhuta runa

Pitru runa

Manushya runa

Rishi runa

Paying them back bringsour account back to

balance.

It is ok to overpay. It willbe credited back.


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So Far

Karma Yoga

Right Action

Avoid harmful

Reduce selfish

Increase selfless

Right Attitude

General duties

Particular duties

(swadharma)

Yagna (give back)

Daana (give more)


Iswara arpana

Iswara prasaada

Deva yagna

Bhuta yagna

Manushya yagna

Pitru yagna

Rishi yagna

Physical tapas

Verbal tapas

Mental tapas


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Daana - Charity

Contribute more than youconsume

Bhagavad Gita17:20 Give as duty and with humility,

not as a favor and witharrogance

Give to people who cannotgive back in any form to you

Give at a place where needed

Give in time when needed

Give to the deserving people


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TapasAusterity

Stretching ourselves

exposes our limitations to

our conscious view so thatwe can analyze them and

try to improve ourselves.

The world is a gymnasium

to develop ourselves.


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Physical Austerity

Bhagavad Gita17:14

Bow down to God, cultured people, teachers

and wise peopleMaintain everything neat and tidy

There should be perfect alignment betweenyour intention, knowledge, words and action

Maintain decent and appropriate attitudetowards the other gender

Do not cause injury to others


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Verbal Austerity

Bhagavad Gita17:15

Speak softly

Speak only that which passes the triple test

Truthful

Pleasant

UsefulMaintain a habit of studying good books

Discuss good thoughts with others


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Mental Austerity

Bhagavad Gita17:16

Be free from stress in the form of anxiety about

the future and brooding about the past

Be calm and cheerful

Have pleasant and gentle thoughts

Observe silence for sometime everydayDo not perpetuate unhealthy thoughts

Have noble intentions. Wish good to everyone.


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Yagna, Daana, Tapas

Bhagavad Gita18:5

These three:

yagna (fulfilling the five debts)

daana (contributing more than consuming)

and tapas (stretching the limits)

should always be performed

These are needed to purify the mind and

maintain purity in life


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Swadharma

It is God who has placed us in the position wherewe are

Doing full justice to the position by doing ourduties is His worship

Whatever comes our way and whatever isexpected of us in our current position is ournatural duty

Bhagavad Gita18:46 Him from whom the world has arisen,

Him who pervades everything here,By worshipping Him by doing ones duty,Man attains perfection.


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So Far

Karma Yoga

Right Action

Avoid harmful

Reduce selfish

Increase selfless

Right Attitude

General duties

Particular duties

(swadharma)

Yagna (give back)

Daana (give more)


Iswara arpana

Iswara prasaada

Deva yagna

Bhuta yagna

Manushya yagna

Pitru yagna

Rishi yagna

Physical tapas

Verbal tapas

Mental tapas


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How Should I Work?

Remember the purpose

To pay back

To improve ourselves

No shortcuts

Working hard and beingfair is more important thanachieving the immediate

target Introspection and

stretching our limits is theway to grow

Iswara arpanaDo everything as an offering to God (9:27).


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How Should I Face the Results?

Face the logical and

illogical consequences

Success or failure, learnthe lesson and go ahead

Face success with

humility and failure with

dignity

Remember the purpose

To pay back

To improve ourselves

Iswara prasaadaAccept everything as gift from God (9:28).


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Karma YogaSummary

Final GoalInner emotional perfection Security, Happiness and Peace

Fulfillment

Purposefulness

Intermediate Goal

Moral perfection Detachment

Means Avoid harmful and reduce selfish actions

Perform Yagna, Daana, Tapas Pay back the five debts

Give more than you take

Stretch limits to grow

Perform Swadharma

By product or side effect Prosperity

Achievement

Pursuit of artha and kaama should be subservient to

the pursuit of dharma and moksha


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What Should I Do?

Do my duty

Whatever comes my way and

whatever is expected of me in

my current position is mynatural duty

Clear the five debts

Make sure I give more than I

take Stretch myself by austerities


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What Should I Avoid?

Lethargy

Shortcuts

Self pity

Blaming others or the

environment

Over consumption Anxiety towards the

immediate target


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What Will I Get?

Peace of mind

Maturity to ask

further questions likeWhat is the ultimatepurpose of life?

Calmness to involvein meditation andscriptural study.


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Questions and Answers

[email protected]

http://gokulmuthu.wordpress.com

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