Karma Yoga - Theory and Practice
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Theory:
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Man operates in three basic realms. The gross, subtle
and causal. In the gross level, the physical body with
its sense organs and organs of action is the field of
operation. In the subtle level, the mind with its
organs like intellect, memory and the faculty of
emotion is the field of operation. The causal level
consists of the basic limitation, which makes a person
feel an individual existence in relation to the
environment.
Defects in these three realms of operation manifest as
lust (desire for sensual pleasure and comfort), greed
(desire for possessions and human relationship) and ego
(desire for fame) respectively. All other defects like
anger, jealousy and delusion result from these three
basic defects.
These realms can be related to the three Gunas
(qualities) of man. Tamas is when the goal of a person
is in the physical realm. Rajas is when the goal of a
person is in the mental realm. Sattva is when the goal
of a person is in the causal realm. When a person goes
beyond the three types of defects, he naturally goes
beyond the three Gunas. The aim of human life is to
overcome these three types of defects and transcend
the three Gunas.
Practice:
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Karma Yoga defines three practices to free ourselves from
these three defects. They are Yagna (activity), Daana
(charity) and Tapas (austerity). Yagna helps us to move
from Tamas to Rajas. Daana helps us to move from Rajas
to Sattva. Tapas helps us to transcend Sattva. Every
person has a mixture of all the three Gunas and so we
should follow all the three practices.
The desire for physical pleasure is the vestigial
remnant of animal nature in us. This has to be
countered by Yagna.
Yagna is activity. Whenever there is a choice between
action and inaction, we should choose to act. Action
is different from reaction. Reaction is blind retort
against a change in the environment. Action is a step
taken not merely in reply to an environmental change
but in view of positive development. Reaction should
be avoided. We should always be engaged in some
positive developmental activity. Activity is both
physical and mental. Activity will free us from desire
for physical pleasure. Activity results in wealth, which
forms the basis of the next practice - Daana.
Daana is charity. The fruits of action should be put
back into the environment (society). Nature follows
a strict causal law. We will get what we deserve -
nothing more, nothing less. But this is in the long
run. There can be apparent violations to this in
the short term, which is often misleading. If we take
more than what we deserve, later we will have to part
with something close to our heart. So, the best course
is to give back to Nature anything more than what is
barely necessary. This positive step to maintain the
balance will free us from unnecessary anxiety and
trouble. Charity leads to fame, which forms the basis
of the next practice - Tapas.
Tapas is austerity. The doership of Yagna and Daana
should be renounced. There is an underlying oneness in
Nature. We are all instruments in the hands of God. It
is God alone who has become everything and it is God
alone who acts through everyone. Man is absolutely
powerless before the Will of God. Man's capacity to help
is very limited compared to the amount of help needed in
the world. It is God who creates the seeds of activity
and charity in the minds of men. We are all mere
machines in the hands of the Operator. This renunciation
of doership takes us beyond the three Gunas, which is
the aim of human life.
Thus Karma Yoga takes us from wherever we are to the
highest goal.
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