Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga is the path of action. It is a means of preparing oneself for the attainment of

moska, self-realization, which is the final goal of life in Hindu tradition (Rao 45). The

concept of Karma Yoga has long been acknowledged in Hinduism, but it was not until

the emergence of the Bhagavad Gita, a text dealing with the concepts of religion within

one’s daily life, that it was viewed as a path toward self-realization. The Bhagavad Gita

is based upon a scene in the epic Mahabharata, in which Arjuna is faced with the

dilemma of obeying his dharmic duty to fight his cousins, the Kauravas, for rulership of

the kingdom, or to ignore dharma, and renounce into a peaceful life, in which he may

strive for moksa. Krsna, who identifies himself as the manifestation of god, advises

Arjuna to enter battle (see Rodrigues 227-236). Traditionally, moksa was cultivated in

the final stages of life, in which one renounces their life within society, to live as a

forrest-dweller and samnyasin (see Rodrigues 148-159). This conflict, to choose between

a life within a society or a life in which one may become liberated, is resolved in the

Gita. The Gita teaches of there being more than one path to reaching the Absolute, the

God-head, to attaining moksa (Sivaraman 188). Krsna teaches Arjuna of three paths to

liberation: Jnana Yoga, the path of trancedental knowledge, Bhakti Yoga, the path of

loving devotion, and Karma Yoga, the path of action. These paths may be undertaken by

a person at any stage in life; therefore the Gita teaches of cultivating a renouncer attitude,

without being a renouncer. Transforming the notions of karma and yoga, the Bhagavad

Gita presents the notion of niskama karma, acting without interest or desire in the results

of one’s actions, and applies it to yoga as a path of spiritual development, preparing an

individual for pursuing moksa (Rao 48). The teachings of Karma Yoga are inspirational

to ways of life. One exemplifier of such inspiration is Mahatma Gandhi, a political

activist responsible for transforming both Indian and African societies (see Rodrigues

252-253). Karma Yoga is more than a path preparing one for moksa, it is a way of life

both for individuals, as well as society.

Karma, in its original sense, is the “law” of cause and effect (Sivaraman 181). It

is the notion that every action that one takes in the world, both of physical (act) or mental

(thoughts, feelings) nature, leaves an impression on both the cosmic and human realms of

the world and thus bears a consequence or result (Sivaraman 181). Karmic consequences,

good or bad, are attached to the individual, and therefore determine their current, and

future conditions (Sivaraman 181). Therefore, karma refers to the performance of deeds,

which include specific caste duties, sacrifices and rituals that maintain the order of the

world. The Hindu concept of spiritual re-birth lies within karma, as those who possess

good karma may be subjected to a better rebirth, which includes being re-born into a

higher caste (Sivaraman 181). Therefore, the original concept of karma suggests that

human beings are attached to life in the world, and so, should act in a manner reflective

of their desire to live a content life, and improve their place of re-birth (Sivaraman 181).

The notion of karma was reformed through the Bhagavad Gita. Karma refers to

the performance of actions as a result of a motive, which is either egoistic or nonegoistic.

Such actions do not bear consequences on the individual, as the result of any action is

determined, and produced by god, and thus should be attributed to god (Singr 56).

According to the Gita, it matters not what results come of any action, what matters is the

motive behind each action (Sighr 71). Niskama karma, acting in the world disinterested

in the results of such actions, and without desire for certain outcomes, is the reformed

karma of the Bhagavad Gita (Rao 48). Embracing niskama karma in life while

examining the motives behind each action one takes constitutes Karma Yoga (Singr 71).

Hindu philosohpy, specifically Sankhya philosphy, speaks of the dualistic nature

of reality. Reality is composed of two entities: Purusa (the self) and Prakrti (the non-self)

(see Rodrigues). Purusa is the soul within beings, and represents truth. Prakrti, on the

other hand, is a force, it is our nature. Prakrti manifests as the buddhi (intellect),

ahankara (ego) and manas (inner feelings of the heart and mind) of a being. According

to the Gita, Prakrti is responsible for all action, while Purusa is unaffected by all that

takes place (Singr 46). Ignorance is said to be the cause of all sorrow, and its force is

bestowed upon a being when they identify themselves as the doer of action. Attaching

actions, and results to the self feeds the ego self, motivating future actions and causes

suffering when results of an action are un-agreeable (Edgerton 165). Ignorance binds the

soul to the physical being, and blinds a person from seeing truth, from discriminating

between Prakrti and Purusa. Moksa is thus, unattainable while in a state of ignorance

(Singr 118). Karma Yoga allows a person to overcome ignorance through the

purification of the mind (Rao 46).

Karma Yoga is the “discipline of detached activity” (Singr 71). Action is seen as

inescapable, it is in the nature (prakrti) of beings to act helplessly, but it is in their power

to control such actions (Deutsch 39). Prakrti is composed of three gunas (elements):

rajas (passion), sattva (illuminous) and tammas (obstruction). The gunas are the

controlling force over all action. Rajas, as the Gita teaches, is the “enemy”, as passion is

thought to masque knowledge. Manas and buddhi, the mind and the understanding of a

being, are impacted by rajas, as passion becomes internalized and seen as stemming from

the self (Deutsch 39). In the epic, Mahabharata, Krsna teaches Arjuna that the mind is

greater than the senses, reason is greater than the mind, and it is the being himself who is

greater than reason (Deutsch 39). Through the practice of Karma Yoga, a person

becomes able to examine and conceptualize the nature of action, non-action and wrong

action, beginning to work at understanding the “way of action” (Deutsch 39). A being is

seen as detached when they are able to truly discriminate the soul from the gunas of

prakrti, understanding its separation from action (Singr 66).

The path of Karma Yoga is followed physically through detached action within

the world, and mentally through the conditioning of the mind, appreciating the nature of

action and the power within oneself to control the forces of prakrti. Yajna (sacrifice), is

the technique used within Karma Yoga to lead one towards self-realization (Deutsch

163). The followers of Karma Yoga give up their lower self, their ego self containing

desires and attachments, in light of their higher, spiritual self, their soul (Deutsch 164).

The being is sacrificed for the soul. When a person chooses to follow the path of action

they must concentrate their attention on the divine, their actions are expressions of the

divine power that lies within their being. The actions a person takes should be selfless,

having no underlying desire, not even the desire to achieve moska (Singr 103). Yajna is

performed by taking selfless actions within the world, sacrificing the ego-self, as a being

redirects involvement in its actions away from the results and toward their spirit (Singr

103).

The path of Karma Yoga leads a being through four stages of karma. Initially,

karma influences the actions one takes for selfish reasons, such as desires and

attachments. The actions begin to be motivated from the being’s enlightened desire to

know their true self. Next, as one discovers the power of their own being, actions are

determined by their personal dharmic law. Finally, actions are taken for the goodness of

the action, they are disinterested and are the essence of a being’s true self (Singr 74). The

stages of karma are steps in cultivating the essence of Karma Yoga. Through Karma

Yoga, a being purifies their mind, and prepares itself to enter the path of knowledge (Rao

50).

Acting for the social good is an essential characteristic of Karma Yoga. The

emergence of the path of action has led to the development of many social programs such

as Rama krishna mission hospitals, as well revolutions within society (see Rodrigues

251-252). Mahatma Gandhi was a political activist who encompassed the essence of

Karma Yoga. Gandhi’s life was characterized by detached action, for the benefit of

others and for society. As the reality of social injustice came to his awareness, Gandhi

set out on a journey to evoke change. Basing his life on the notion of niskama karma,

and karma yoga, Gandhi created the concept of satyagraha (holding fast to the truth), and

applied this to political activism (Cherian 86). Mahatma Gandhi reformed societies of

South Africa and India through the concept of Karma Yoga, taking action for just causes

without being concerned of the consequences such action might relay on an individual. It

is through Gandhi’s active, non-violent resistance to social injustice that such societies

began to change (Cherian 86).

The path of action purifies the mind of a being, and in so prepares it for attaining

the transcendental knowledge characteristic of moksa (Rao 50). Karma Yoga can be

adopted at any stage in life, and with so, can be viewed as a lifelong journey toward

spiritual development, and ultimately the journey toward moksa. To embrace the path of

Karma Yoga, one must take actions in the world, despite their results, and examine these

actions with respect to their underlying motive and their nature, attributing the results of

such actions as determined by god (Singr 63). To practice this path of action, one must

sacrifice their ego-self, and focus their involvement in action on their true-self (Singr 73).

Complete detachment from the results of action is the goal of Karma Yoga (Rao 49).

References and Further Recommended Readings

______ (1944) The Bhagavad Gita. Trans. Franklin Edgerton. Ed. Walter E. Clark. New York: Harvard UP. ______ (1968) The Bhagavad Gita. Trans. Elliot Deutsch. Canada: Holt, Rinehart and Winston of Canada Limited. _______ (2003) Hindu Spirituality: Volume Two. Ed. K.R. Sundararajan and Brithika Mukerji. India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Ltd. Cherian, Kenneth M (1984) The Life of Mahatma Gandhi: Book Review. Journal of Religious Thought 40.2: 86-90. Rao, P (1992) The place of Morality in Karma Yoga. Darshana International 32.4: 45-50. Rodriques, Hillary (2006) Hinduism: The e-Book. Journal of Buddhist Ethics Online Books Ltd. Singh, Balbir (1981) Karma-Yoga. New Jersey: Humanities Press Inc. Sivaraman, Krishna (1989) Hindu Spirituality. New York: Crossroad Publishing Company.

Related Research Topics Karma Yoga Bhakti Yoga Jnana Yoga Mahatma Gandhi Dharma, Dharmic Duties The Bhagavad Gita The Mahabharata Yajna Rituals Sankya Philosophy The Stages and Goals of Life in Hinduism Moksa Krsna

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