Arjun is still not clear about the concepts of renouncing Karma and performing Karma. He asks,
"You appear to hold renunciation of Karma as more worthy of acclaim than the engagement in the performance of Karma. Tell me without ambiguity what you consider as of greater relevance to my predicament, between the two.
The Lord said, " Both are the ways that lead to the liberation of the soul. But nevertheless, following the path of performance is better than the renunciation of Karma. The one who is engaged in the performance of Karma without aversion or longing, is truly a renunciate, a Sanyasi at all times. He is never caught in a dilemma and he can break away from bondage easily.
There is no real difference between the discipline of Yoga ( Karma yoga) and the austerity of the monastery. Both lead to freedom. Follow either of them with faith and devotion and you will attain freedom from the binding of karma. The path of renunciation and the path of engagement (in karma ) are the same. Whoever has the capacity to see will see it.
But the discipline of Yoga is essential on the path of sanyasa also. A recluse ascetic living in a forest needs to observe the discipline of Yoga. With the practice of the discipline of Yoga the ascetic will attain the state of oneness with Brahma in no time. The practice of the discipline gives mastery over sense-experiences, over one's Self, and purifies the soul.The one who follows this discipline becomes the spirit of all living beings. He remains unaffected by the consequences of karma.
The one who is deep into the discipline of Yoga lives his life like a lotus leaf floating on the surface of water, unaffected by the experiences of life. The feeling that says "I am the agent of action" : has dropped out of his mind completely. Every moment of his life is being witnessed by him as if he does not belong to it. When it comes to sensory experiences he knows that the senses do what they are supposed to do and nothing more. (He does not interfere with their working with excessive anxiety. He is at ease with his body.) He treats his karma as part of the larger, vaster design of the universe which, for the purpose of communication, we call Brahma. He drops all attachment to karma. He does not perceive his karma as something which is caused by him or as something that defines him.
A Yogi performs action through the body, the mind, the discriminating intellect (Buddhi) and also, exclusively, through the sense-organs. He performs karma all the time for the purification of the Self. Never for a moment does he lose connection with the Inner Spirit (Atman) which is unaffected.
The Yogi attains serenity because his role is limited to the performance of the karma, and not beyond that. But the one who is anxious about the result of his action is constantly tied up to the chain of action and reaction endlessly.
The Almighty does not create, nor is He the cause of the karma of the living beings. The human mind , out of ignorance, under the predominance of the ego, with the excessive identification with the ego, mind and heart, sees itself as the self who feels happiness or sorrow and falls into the endless cycle of attachment, aversion, longing and hatred. The Almighty is neither eager for our good deeds nor averse to our wrongs. We are wrapped in the cloak of ignorance and our awareness of the Higher Self dwelling inside us is hidden behind the mist. We are driven on and on by the impetus of our ignorance.
Those in whom the true knowledge arises, there is awareness of the Higher Self. The awareness of the Higher Self shines in them like the light of the sun.
Those self-realized Yogis place their faith in their intellect because it is through the discriminating intellect that they finally, decisively, find the Higher Self. They remain true to their Higher Self and obey its command. This supreme knowledge of the Higher Self purifies their life and they do not return to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The one who attains this state of realization is filled with compassion for all beings. Those who remain stable in this state of equanimity have already won mastery over the earthly dimension of existence, and this equanimity is Brahma. It is a pure vibration of Life, and these self-realized souls can be said to have found their abode in Brahma.
"You appear to hold renunciation of Karma as more worthy of acclaim than the engagement in the performance of Karma. Tell me without ambiguity what you consider as of greater relevance to my predicament, between the two.
The Lord said, " Both are the ways that lead to the liberation of the soul. But nevertheless, following the path of performance is better than the renunciation of Karma. The one who is engaged in the performance of Karma without aversion or longing, is truly a renunciate, a Sanyasi at all times. He is never caught in a dilemma and he can break away from bondage easily.
There is no real difference between the discipline of Yoga ( Karma yoga) and the austerity of the monastery. Both lead to freedom. Follow either of them with faith and devotion and you will attain freedom from the binding of karma. The path of renunciation and the path of engagement (in karma ) are the same. Whoever has the capacity to see will see it.
But the discipline of Yoga is essential on the path of sanyasa also. A recluse ascetic living in a forest needs to observe the discipline of Yoga. With the practice of the discipline of Yoga the ascetic will attain the state of oneness with Brahma in no time. The practice of the discipline gives mastery over sense-experiences, over one's Self, and purifies the soul.The one who follows this discipline becomes the spirit of all living beings. He remains unaffected by the consequences of karma.
The one who is deep into the discipline of Yoga lives his life like a lotus leaf floating on the surface of water, unaffected by the experiences of life. The feeling that says "I am the agent of action" : has dropped out of his mind completely. Every moment of his life is being witnessed by him as if he does not belong to it. When it comes to sensory experiences he knows that the senses do what they are supposed to do and nothing more. (He does not interfere with their working with excessive anxiety. He is at ease with his body.) He treats his karma as part of the larger, vaster design of the universe which, for the purpose of communication, we call Brahma. He drops all attachment to karma. He does not perceive his karma as something which is caused by him or as something that defines him.
A Yogi performs action through the body, the mind, the discriminating intellect (Buddhi) and also, exclusively, through the sense-organs. He performs karma all the time for the purification of the Self. Never for a moment does he lose connection with the Inner Spirit (Atman) which is unaffected.
The Yogi attains serenity because his role is limited to the performance of the karma, and not beyond that. But the one who is anxious about the result of his action is constantly tied up to the chain of action and reaction endlessly.
The Almighty does not create, nor is He the cause of the karma of the living beings. The human mind , out of ignorance, under the predominance of the ego, with the excessive identification with the ego, mind and heart, sees itself as the self who feels happiness or sorrow and falls into the endless cycle of attachment, aversion, longing and hatred. The Almighty is neither eager for our good deeds nor averse to our wrongs. We are wrapped in the cloak of ignorance and our awareness of the Higher Self dwelling inside us is hidden behind the mist. We are driven on and on by the impetus of our ignorance.
Those in whom the true knowledge arises, there is awareness of the Higher Self. The awareness of the Higher Self shines in them like the light of the sun.
Those self-realized Yogis place their faith in their intellect because it is through the discriminating intellect that they finally, decisively, find the Higher Self. They remain true to their Higher Self and obey its command. This supreme knowledge of the Higher Self purifies their life and they do not return to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The one who attains this state of realization is filled with compassion for all beings. Those who remain stable in this state of equanimity have already won mastery over the earthly dimension of existence, and this equanimity is Brahma. It is a pure vibration of Life, and these self-realized souls can be said to have found their abode in Brahma.
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