Talk:Transcending Karm through Mokṣa:YJnāna Yog and Karm

By Vishal Agarwal

The path of jñāna-yog teaches that our soul (ātmā) is the real ‘us’ and it is different from the body. Therefore, we should not crave for things pertaining to the body, which itself dies and perishes when we die. The ātmā survives our death and moves from one body to another till we achieve mokṣa. When we understand our nature as the ātmā and not as the body, we will start focusing more on the really important and spiritual things, and will desist from focusing our efforts and attention towards the things of this physical world. This knowledge and understanding leads us to mokṣa.

So this leads us to the conundrum – If we focus on jñāna-yog, we cannot remain engaged in the world, and will have to desist from all karm. And yet, if we perform karm, then we will get entangled in the web of its good and bad results (puṇya and pāpa). Kṛṣṇa suggests a way out of this problem.

But, mighty-armed, they who know the truth about the divisions of guṇas and karmas believe that it is guṇas acting on guṇas. Therefore, they do not get attached. Gītā 3.28

He reminds Arjuna that in the Sāṃkhya Darśana, the ātmā is said to be merely sākṣī or witness/intelligent knower, and not a doer. All activity or karm is said to be in the domain of the three guṇas. This insight means that one must engage in his karm with the sākṣī-bhāva (state of being a witness), by considering the three guṇas as the real actor, and the puruṣa merely as the witness, remaining unattached to the material world around us.

“The student of Vedanta or the Jnāna Mārga develops Sākshi Bhāva through discrimination and self-analysis….All actions are done by the qualities of Nature only. Prakriti works. Prakriti acts. I am the pure Ātman, the eternal self, Asanga, Akarta and Abhokta. I am the silent witness. Seeing, hearing, talking, acting, etc., all belong to the senses. They are Dharmas of the senses. I have nothing to do with them. I am Nirlipta. I am distinct from the mind and the senses, I am eternally pure, perfect, immortal Ātman. This is the Sākshi Bhāva…” ^[1]

References[edit]

↑ Swami Sivananda (1999), p. 105. The follower of Bhakti Yoga adopts the ‘Nimitta Bhāva’ (becoming the instrument of the Lord). The follower of Karma Yoga adopts the Nārāyaṇa Bhāva (all actions are a service to the Lord, an offering to him). The Dhyāna Yogīs adopt the Ātma Bhāva (‘all are in Me, I am in all, and we all are in the Paramātman due to which we are all interconnected’). There is not much difference between the latter two and they are interchangeable because the Gita indicates a very strong connection between the paths of Karma Yoga and Dhyāna Yoga, with the latter typically being the sequel of the former.

[1] Swami Sivananda (1999), p. 105. The follower of Bhakti Yoga adopts the ‘Nimitta Bhāva’ (becoming the instrument of the Lord). The follower of Karma Yoga adopts the Nārāyaṇa Bhāva (all actions are a service to the Lord, an offering to him). The Dhyāna Yogīs adopt the Ātma Bhāva (‘all are in Me, I am in all, and we all are in the Paramātman due to which we are all interconnected’). There is not much difference between the latter two and they are interchangeable because the Gita indicates a very strong connection between the paths of Karma Yoga and Dhyāna Yoga, with the latter typically being the sequel of the former.

[1]