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Nithin Sridhar
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“Karma”
or “Action” is the very foundation of our existence. A second does not go by
without anybody performing any action. People are continuously involved in
performing one or the other tasks- eating, drinking, talking, driving etc. But
action does not refer to physical activity alone. Every word, every thought
that arise in the mind represents an action being performed. The whole universe
works on the principle action and reaction.
The Hindu
Shastras/Scriptures call this phenomenon which forms the very basic functioning
principle of the cosmos as “Karma”. Every situation, good or bad a person faces
in his life is the fruits of his past actions (Karma Phala). Every person or
animal, a person encounters or comes in contact with, is result of some Karmic
bond (called in scriptures as “Rina Bandha”) present between them. Many people
often understand this negatively to mean “Destiny” or “No-free Will”. But, that
is only a misconception. On the other hand, Karmic Law is based on complete
Free-Will a person has to make choices, to take decisions in every situation he
faces. The Karma Phala (Fruits of action) one gets is entirely depended on the
Karmas one performs. As the saying goes, “As you sow, so you reap” the whole
Universe is based on this Karmic law of action and its fruits.
The
Shastras speak of the two ways a person can perform the Karmas- Sakaama and
Nishkaama. “Sakaama” refers to performing an action with an eye towards the
fruits that action will bore. Such action may lead a person to temporary
happiness/Sukha or to temporary sorrow/dukka depending upon whether the Karmic
fruit was as per the expectation of the person or not. On the other hand, the
Karmas performed in Nishkaama way, i.e performing an action with the sense of
duty without expecting any result, such a person will find inner contentment
irrespective of the Karmic fruits.
“Sakaama
Karmas” increases attachment to the sensory world. As there is no end to the
desires of the person, he will be eternally pursuing one desire after another
performing countless number of Karmas. He will be ever-struck in this Karmic
cycle of Sukha-Dukka. Brahmavaivartha Purana (1) says thus-
Avashyam
eva bhoktavyam krutakarma shubha ashubam |
Naa
bhuktam kshiyate karma kalpa-koti-shaitairapi ||
A
person will definitely enjoy the fruits of his action; it may be good or bad;
for without giving the results, an action does not die out even after billions
of years.
Hence, these karmas
are also called as “Bandhaka Karmas”, actions that increases the bondage to the
sensory world. If the same Karmas that cause Bandhana/Bondage are performed in
Nishkama way, surrendering the fruits of action to God, giving up one’s sense
of doership of action, such Karmas will become “Mochaka”-a way to Liberation
from this karmic cycle of birth and death. Shastras say-
Krutena
Karmana | Akrutena Mokshaha ||
Performing
action leads to Karma, Performing Actionless action leads to Moksha.
“Krutena” means
“performing action”. Any activity performed with the sense of identification
with doing it, will invariably lead to the bondage of Karmic cycle. Even though
literally “Akrutena” means “Not performing Action”, the real meaning is not
“Inaction” but what can be described as “action-less action”, i.e performing an
action without Ahamkara-sense of I-ness of performing it. In other words,
surrendering to God the Action, its fruits and the sense of doership of it.
In Bhagvad Gita,
Sri Krishna describes this Nishkaama Karma as “Yogah karmasu kausalam(2)”- Yoga is the action perfected. Further
he explains what he means by Yoga as thus-
yoga-sthah
kuru karmani sangam tyaktva dhananjaya |
siddhy-asiddhyoh
samo bhutva samatvam yoga ucyate ||(3)
O
Arjuna, abandon all attachment to success or failure and perform your duty by
being steadfast in yoga. Such evenness of mind is called yoga.
“Samatvam Yoga Uchyate” means
“performing action in a detached manner”. Krishna is asking Arjuna to become a
“Stitahprajna”- one who is not affected by external factors. This yoga is
called as “Nishkaama Karma” or “Actionless action”. No spiritual progress is
possible for a person without him giving up his Ahamkara(I-ness) and Mamahkaara
(mine-ness) and learning to perform Nishkaama karma with the sense of Dharma
(Duty) and Tyaga (sacrifice).
“Moksha”or Final Liberation is
not possible without attaining “Atma Sakshatkara”. But this cannot be attained
without the Karmas. Sage Agastya in “YogaVashishta” lucidly explains this thus-
ubhabhyam eva paksabhyam yatah
khe paksinam gatih |
tathai va jnana karmabhyam jayate
paramam padam ||(4)
Just
as a bird flies with its two wings, so also an enquirer flies to goal of
Self-Realization through the co-ordination of two wings of Jnana and Karma.
Whatever may be the path, a
spiritual seeker takes but he must develop Samabhavatva (treating everything in
same manner without likes and dislikes) and perform Nishkaama Karmas. Only when
a person performs the Karmas prescribed in Shastras (vihita karmas) in such a
Nishkaama way, will he achieve Chitta Shuddhi-purification of mind and be able
to develop the competencies necessary for Jnana Sadhana.
Shastras classify Karmas into
four categories- Nithya, Naimitta, Kamya and Nishiddha. Nithya Karmas refer to
daily activities that a person is supposed to follow like Sandhyavandana.
Naimmitta refers to Karmas performed on specific occasions. Kamya refers to
Karmas done to fulfill specific desires. Nishiddha refers to Karmas that are
prohibited like Killing etc. A person must first practice Apara/Bhedha bhakti (5)
by implementing the Karmas prescribed in the Shastras in a Nishkaama way and by
avoiding the Karmas prohibited by the Shastras. Only such a practice will make
him develop the surrendering required to be able to give up his Ahamkara and
Mamah-Kaara. This results in Chitta-Shuddhi. Without performing Nishkaama
Karma, Chitta Shuddhi is not possible.
A person who has thus purified
his mind will develop qualities like Viveka(spiritual discrimination), Vairagya(dispassion),
Titaksha(forbearance)(6) etc. Only such a person is eligible for practicing
Jnana Sadhana. He should then approach a Sadguru and practice the Sravana
Chatushtaya (the four fold spiritual practice)- Sravana ,Manana , Nidhidhyasa and Atma-Sakshatkara.
Sravana and Manana refers to listening
and internalizing the teachings imparted by one’s Guru. A shishya is expected
to do further reading of the Shastras on the said subject and get cleared of
the doubts that arises in his mind. The Guru will guide the disciple slowly
towards Jnana by clearing one by one all the doubts that arise inside the
disciple. After intellectually understanding the Guru’s words the shishya must
practice Nidhidhyasa- Meditation and Contemplation as instructed by his Guru. By
sincerely practicing the Sadhana’s instructed by the Guru, the Shishya will
attain Atma-Shakshatkara.
Many people have
this misconception that performing rituals alone (Karma Anushtana) can lead a
seeker to Moksha and practice of Jnana Sadhana is not needed. But it is not so.
In Vivekachudamni, Adi Shankara clears this doubt thus (7)-
Cittasya
shuddhaye karma na tu vastupalabdhaye |
vastusiddhirvicharena
na kincit-karma-kotibihi ||
Actions
cause purification of the mind but they do not, by themselves, cause the
attainment of Reality. The Self-Realization is brought about only by Self-Enquiry/Jnana
Sadhana and not in the least by even ten million acts (alone).
Hence the Karma Anushtana of the
rituals and practices done in a Sakaama way does not lead to Moksha but instead
it will increase the bondage to the material world. But if these Karmas are
done in Nishkaama way, it will lead to the purification of the mind of the sadhaka
who will attain the qualities like Viveka etc. And these competencies will
enable him to perform Jnana Sadhana Anushtana and achieve Atma Sakshatkara and
hence Moksha.
Footnotes-
1. Brahmavaivartha Purana 1.44.74
2. Bhagvad Gita 2.50
3. Bhagvad Gita 2.48
4. Yoga Vashista 1.1.7.8
5. For more information about classification of Bhakti, refer the article “The Two Stages of Devotion”.
6. For more information on Sadhana Chatushtaya-Four Competencies, refer the article “The Two Paths of Life”.
7. Vivekachoodamani, Verse 11
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