Karma Yoga : The Path of Love

Perfection Man is potentially divine. His perfection is disturbed by agitations caused by his settinginto motion the wheel of causation. This results in action and reaction, which produces karma. Until karma is effaced, man cannot be perfect or express his inner perfection. He cannot be free.

THIS is the theory, proposition, and goal of karma yoga. Karma yoga is the method of attaining perfection through action or work. Action is inherent in the nature of all living creatures. It cannot be avoided. Since it cannot be avoided, this inevitable factor of life can be utilized, through following the path of karma yoga, as a means of reach perfection, to express potential perfection. The impulse for expression, the struggle against obstacles that stand in the way of the expression of our inner divinity, is life. No living organism in this world can remain without activity even for a single moment. God Himself is working incessantly. If there is any entity that cannot look forward to a vacation, it is poorGod! He must be working every moment. Otherwise, the whole of creation would fall into chaos. It is God’s activity that holds this universe together, just as a thread holds the jewels of a beautiful necklace together and in place. Through every activity is woven God’s activity. Through His incessant work, which finds expression everywhere, this whole universe is kept in a wonderful order of love, beauty, and utility. The sun, the moon, the stars, the planets, our earth with all its mountains, oceans, seas, rivers, plains, trees and flowers, beasis and birds – in fact, every atom in the universe – are all constantly active. Nothing can remain inactive for a single moment.

Our nature is constantly urgint us to expand ourselves and to attain the state of perfection. It is this which compels us to go out into the field of action. So there can never be any question as to whether we should work or not, because it is our very nature that will send us out, in spite of our resistance, into the field of action.

The question is this: how can we work so that whatever we do brings the realization of that perfection within us? The urge for expression is a mighty force. If we follow it blindly it leads us into many difficulties. Desire is never satisfied. The more we get the more we want; it goes on and on. This urge must be controlled and regulated. Hindu philosophy teaches that this basic urge for expression can be converted into a method for attaining spiritual illumination. How can we be spiritual in the street as well as in retreat? Are we to be saints on Sundays and sinners on weekdays? In other words, in our daily life at war with our spiritual progress? If you are seeking a philosophy of life by which you may harmonize activity with spirituality, you will have to dig into Sanskrit literature to find it. I make bold to say that nowhere else in the world will you find that golden bridge except there. India lives in order to give this message to the world. Believe me if you will, or call me crazy if you wish, but the fact is this : it is the philosophy of India, especially her philosophy of karma, or work, that is going to be the future religion of the world.

The word karma is derived from Sanskrit root kri, “to do”. It literally means everything we do- all our actions,both physical and mental. Let us take a grammatical similie: every verb you use after the pronoun “I” is karmic. I see, I hear, I want, I think – the “I” is the subject of all these actions. The verb denotes action ( and implies a reaction). Technically, the word karma also means the subtle law of cause and effect, in which the results of one’s actions form the cause of future events. Anything that sets in motion a force of causation is karma.

Yoga means to yoke or join together. In the sense it is used here it means to “join” the lower self of man to the higher Self, or perfection, which is our real nature. Karma yoga, therefore, means the path of attainment to this union through karma of action. It is fully an independent method as good as devotion, meditation, or discrimination for the realization of the divine perfection inherent in man.

By following the path of karma yoga, we learn the secret of how to utilize our daily actions to achieve this great end. We learn how to cut the thread of cause and effect that binds us to the lower self. As long as the force of causation remains active in a human being, he is not perfect, he is not free. Freedom, for a karma yogin ( a follower of this path) lies in the total destruction, or neutralization, of his karma. The force of causation has two aspects: the link of causation and its expression. The yogi wants to cut the link of causation to free himself from the yoke of karma and its effects. He also wants to express himself in such a way that his work will cause no disturbance to his mind. The subjective aspect of karma yoga is the endeavour to cut short the chain of causation and be free. A karma yogin endeavours to rise above the law of cause and effect. T he right subjective attitude leads him to transcend this law. Read Next