Selfless Duty : Karma

In continuation of previous post – A Balanced Mind

This is getting interesting day by day to improve one self, step by step using the guidelines given in the Bhagwat Gita.

In previous post, we discovered that a balanced mind needs to be achieved to attain peace, however this needs to be done with selflessness deeds (Nishkaam Karma Yoga).

Many questions arises here –

What is Selflessness?

How can we achieve selflessness deeds (Nishkaam Karma Yoga)?

I could only understand that when a person offers deeds with a feeling of selflessness to Lord to merge with Lord. This state is called Selflessness Deed (Nishkaam Karma Yoga)

Let us take an example of real world, we work hard with a desire to attain success or business goals. This results in excess work pressure, stress and physical problems.Hence desire is directly proportional to destruction of self. This is called Sakam Karma (Attachment involved in deeds). I can imagine huge business house or any corporate firm or celebrity of unethical business practice leading to greater loss with temporary fame.

The opposite is Nishkaam Karma (Non-attached deeds) where work and personal life is balanced. Where approach of work is towards excellence which leads to personal satisfaction, expecting no rewards. Less desire is directly proportional to Peace. I could only imagine people like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa whose Nishkaam Karma made them great leaders and have set real life examples for us to follow.

Sri Krishna says every person who has taken birth should perform some deeds/duty (karma). However, they should perform daily duties like performing a Yagya or sacrifice/offering. It is performed for good of people or for Almighty.

Hence, our duty/deeds should be for the people (for their help) or for the God.

I heard that many people do Yagya (Sacrifice) to please Gods. But I did not understand what could those possibly be. Why would people do that?

Sri Krishna says Yagya means “Anything that is dear to you, your wealth or any special thinking or great desire if its offered to Almighty or for welfare of people is called Yagya ” This is similar to Charity.

Yagya could be the like

• Sacrificial holy fire done for worshiping of God (Havan/Homa)
• Wealthy donating to poor or Charity
• Providing knowledge/wisdom to people like teaching profession or advising of good.
• Performing Ashtang Yoga which involves improvement in body/mind using Pranayama (breathing), Yogic postures(Asanas), Deep meditation (Dhyana) etc. The result is destroying all the body illness.

In real world we do these Yagyas however we do not follow these consistently. The consistency would only come if we have a firm mind, acquire knowledge from a good source and set of our own principles to follow rather than follow age old manipulated philosophies!