Sharing Sanjivani (Sanjivani - Life Saving Herb)

Chapter (160)What should a karma yogi do to achieve accomplishment ?

(160)

What should a Karma Yogi do to achieve accomplishment on the path of Salvation?

BRAHMAGYANAM GAYA SHRADDHAM GOGRUHE MARANAM TATHA I
VASA: PUNSAM KURUKSHETRE MUKTIRESHA CHATURVIDYA II
Our Subhasitani says that there are four instruments for salvation. The first is to get knowledge of Brahm, the second is to perform Shraddha at Gaya, the holy place of pilgrims, the third is the death in cow's house and the fourth is to live in Kurukshetra . A Peron has given his body and senses, mind and intellect by God to serve others for the sake of the humanity. He should utilize this instrument in quest of Almighty. When a person does karma Sadhana ,his karma becomes yagna and he does not have to face success or failure , pain or gain because he becomes steady. He thinks that he has given everything to serve human beings and he remains steady in will or woe, joy or sorrow and he enjoys steadiness. This is known as Yoga. His relation to things and persons come to the end and this Sadhak is known as YOGASANNSASTA KARMA

CHATUSHPADA HI DHARMASYA GYANAM DHYANAM SHAMODAM: I
Dharma have four legs as knowledge, meditation, Sham and Dam. When a karmyogi see karma in Akarma and Akartma in karma , means even if he performs his karma or avoids karma in both the situations ,he remains detached from them .Generally it is difficult to remain detached when we do karma. A person thinks that if he does not do any karma, how could he achieve the welfare? But when he understands well the real substance of karma, he becomes doubt free with the help of knowledge. He now knows that every karma has a beginning and end but his own soul remains same forever. Karma is related to Sansar i.e. PAR and they are not related to self soul i.e. SWA Swaroop. Hence he could do karma selflessly without expecting anything in return as a fruit of them. He understands that when he does karma for others, he could remain detached from them but if he tries to do karma for self entertainment or prosperity, he could remain attached to Sansar and the cycle of birth and death.

A real karmayogi who is the messenger of God who remains busy in karma i.e. providing services to others as :

AASTIKO NI: SPRUHO: YOGI PRABHUKARYE SADA RAT: I
DAKSHO SHANTASHCHA TEJASWI PRABHUPRACHARAKO BHAVET II

A Sadhak has faith in God and in Vedas. He remains detached from the sansar. He is a real Yogi who remains busy in providing services to others. He is expert in his work and has bright lit character; he remains cool and full of peace because he is free from all the complexity of life and free from all the negativity as greed, anger, jealousy and envy, revenge and fear, hatred and complaints. All his karma is to know his original form. His body and senses, strength and power are for the services of others. His all karma as eating, drinking, sleeping and sitting are also for others because all kriyas are related to Sansar and not with the self or soul, a part of Paramatma.

When a Sadhak does not do any karma for himself, he remains free from Sansar and gets Salvation as he becomes free from the cycle of birth and death. Actually speaking Karma in his real form never binds us but the desires, attachment and pride of karma and ego as doer drag us into the cycle of rebirth.

Our body is Shudra, Mind is Vaishya, Soul is Kshyatriya and Paramatma is Brahmin. Hence we know Brahma as Paramatma. When we think about entertaining our body and senses ,we are Shudra.Hence it is said JANMANA JAYATE SHUDRA .When we have passion and desires ,we become Vaishya. A nice example of HENRY FORD can be given here .Someone has asked him when he was too old and about to die, "You have too much prosperity, Why are you opening a new business? Henry Ford replied," I don't know when and where to stop? I know I am going to die leaving all these here but I can't stop myself." This is known as Vaishyatva. Our soul is Kshyatriya. Kshyatriya is known by determination. When a person wants to know 'Who am I?" and when he starts searching for his real self or self realization, his inward journey starts and he becomes Kshatriya.Every Sadhak should be a Kshatriya before being a Brahmin and when a Sadhak does meditation and abandons everything belongs to him for others , he becomes Brahmin. Brahmin means abandoning everything for the welfare of others. Hence when a karmayogi determines that he is going to abandon everything his body and senses, his power and strength, his sources and knowledge in the services of others, he becomes Brahmin.

JAGRASTVAPNAYORMANA: SVATANTTRYAMANUBHAVADHARAH: SUSHUPTAM VA PRATIPADHYATE I
(Prashnopanishad/4th Question/5)

Aadi Shankaracharyaji says when a Sadhak sleeps and wakes up in the morning all the time he experiences the fruits of his karma yagna .His sleep is not like a sleep of ignorant person. His senses and body seems us as 'Sleeping' but his SOUL PRANAGNI remains awaken. His mind experiences independence from the position of sleeping or awakening. He does feel awakening, dreaming and sleeping as common people feel because he experiences his Paramatma in sleep. He listens to verse and sayings of Vedas repeatedly in his sleep. He experiences everything as witness of whatever he has seen or unseen, heard or not heard, experienced or not experienced, felt his existence, or no existence as a dream. In this position his body and senses remains detached from his soul and the bright light of Sun, the knowledge make him feel oneness with Almighty. Hence it is said that a body sleeps not a soul. A body awakens , a soul is already awakened. Hence all the kriyas as sleeping, dreaming and awakening is related to body not to the Soul. When a Karmyogi becomes steady in his form , original Swaroop, he becomes detached to all his karma. His karma turns to others and hence creates any bondage to him. Hence Lord Shri Krishna advices Arjun to do that types of karma yagna when Arjun was full of doubt. He was not able to understand the real substance of Paramatma. Arjun asked Lord Shri Krishna in the beginning doubtfully as; how could my welfare be done by this notorious war? What should I do for my welfare? Whether I have to follow karma yoga or Gyan yoga? All the kriyas are perishable but soul is immortal. Lord Shri Krishna explains Arjun to do karma yoga after knowing the real substance of Paramatma because with the knowledge of Brahma, no karma could be done perfectly. Hence when a person knows how to do karma to be free from doubts and when he knows that he should not have to do anything for himself but serve others. A real Scholar has following Characteristics:

NISHEVATE PRASHASTANI NINDITANI NA SEVATE I
ANASTIK: SHRADDHAN: ATATAPANDITAM LAXANAM II
A real knowledgeable person has four characteristics as services to good persons, abandoning the company of evil, having faith in good and GOD and having faith in words of Vedas and Shastras. Hence Lord Shri Krishna tells Arjun to clear his doubt that is raised because of ignorance. Lord Krishna tells Arjun to cut his doubt with the sword of knowledge and to be steady in his karma yoga with steadiness and get ready for war as his destined kartavya karma as a Kshatriya king. He has to protect his subjects from the unjust rule of Duryodhan .When Arjun enters war affairs for the sake of his population, his karma of killing Aatatayi would not affect him and his karma would not bind him. Here God has discussed brahma Vidhya and Gyan Karma SANYAS yoga to clear the doubt of Sin or no Sin. Again Arjun is confused what should be followed , Gyan Yoga or Karma Yoga as Lord Krishna equally appreciated both the ways .

Let's clear our doubt too. What would be better to follow Gyan or Karma Yoga?