Karma Yoga in Daily Life
He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction,
he is wise among men; he is a Yogi and performer of all actions.
-Gita, Ch. 4, Verse 18.
For, verily the true nature of action (enjoined by the scriptures) should be known, also (that) of forbidden
(or unlawful) action, and of inaction; hard to understand is the nature (path) of action.
-Gita, Ch.4, Verse 17.
He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and (selfish) purposes, and whose actions have been burnt
by the fire of knowledge, -him the wise call a sage.
–Gita, Ch.3, Verse 19.
Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of actions,
ever content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything though engaged in activity.
-Gita, Ch.4, Verse 20
To one who is devoid of attachment, who is liberated,
whose mind is established in knowledge, who works for the sake of sacrifice
(for the sake of God), the whole action is dissolved.
-Gita, Ch.4, Verse 23.
Questioner: The Gita seems to emphasize Karma Yoga, for Arjuna is persuaded to fight. Sri Krishna himself set the example by an active life of great exploits.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The Gita starts by saying that you are not the body and that you are not therefore the Karta (the doer).
Question: What is the significance?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: It means that one should act without thinking that oneself is the actor. Actions will go on even in the egoless state. Each person has come into manifestation for a certain purpose and that purpose will be accomplished whether he considers himself to be the actor or not.
Question: What is Karma Yoga? Is it non-attachment to Karma (action) or its fruit?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Karma Yoga is that Yoga in which the person does not arrogate to himself the function of being the actor. All actions go on automatically.
Question: Is it non-attachment to the fruits of actions?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The question arises only if there is the actor. It is said in all the scriptures that you should not consider yourself to be the actor.
Questioner: So Karma Yoga is ‘Kartritva Buddhi Rahita Karma’ – action without the sense of doership.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes. Quite so.
Questioner: The Gita teaches that one should have an active life from beginning to end.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes, the actorless action.
Question: If one remains quiet how is action to go on? Where is the place for Karma Yoga?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Let us first understand what Karma is, whose Karma it is and who is the doer. Analyzing them and enquiring into their truth, one is obliged to remain as the Self in peace. Nevertheless even in that state the actions will go on.
Question: How will the actions go on if I do not act?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Who asks the question? Is it the Self or another? Is the Self concerned with actions?
Questioner: No, not the Self. It is another, different from the Self.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: So it is plain that the Self is not concerned with actions and so the question does not arise.
Question: I see you doing things. How can you say that you never perform actions?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The radio sings and speaks, but if you open it you will find no one inside. Similarly, my experience is like the space; though this body speaks like the radio, there is no one inside as a doer.
Question: I find this hard to understand. Could you please elaborate on this?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Various illustrations are given in books to enable us to understand how the jnani can live and act without the mind, although living and acting require the use of the mind. The potter’s wheel goes on turning round even after the potter has ceased to turn it because the pot is finished. In the same way, the electric fan goes on revolving for some minutes after we switch off the current. Prarabdha (predestined Karma) which created the body will make it go through whatever activities it was meant for. But the jnani goes through all these activities without the notion that he is the doer of them.
It is hard to understand how this is possible. The illustration generally given is that the jnani performs actions in some such way as a child that is roused from sleep to eat eats but does not remember next morning that it ate. It has to be remembered that all these explanations are not for the jnani. He knows and has no doubts. He knows that he is not the body and he knows that he is not doing anything even though his body may be engaged in some activity. These explanations are for the onlookers who think of the jnani as one with a body and cannot help identifying him with his body.
Question: I want to do Karma Yoga. How can I help others?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Who is there for you to help? Who is that "I" that is going to help others? First clear up that point and then everything will settle itself.
Question: That means ‘realise the Self.’ Does my realisation help others?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes, and it is the best help that you can possibly render to others. But really there are no others to be helped. For the realised being sees only the Self, just as the goldsmith sees only the gold while valuing it in various jewels made of gold. When you identify yourself with the body, name and form are there. But when you transcend the body-consciousness, the others also disappear. The realised one does not see the world as different from himself.
Question: Would it not be better if saints mixed with other people in order to help them?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: There are no others to mix with. The Self is the only reality. The sage helps the world merely by being the real Self. The best way for one to serve the world is to win the egoless state. If you are anxious to help the world, but think that you cannot do so by attaining the egoless state, then surrender to God all the world’s problems, along with your own.
Question: Should I not try to help the suffering world?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The power that created you has created the world as well. If it can take care of you, it can similarly take care of the world also. If God has created the world it is His business to look after it, not yours.
Question: Is the desire for Swaraj (political independence) right?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Such desire no doubt begins with self-interest. Yet practical work for the goal gradually widens the outlook so that the individual becomes merged in the country. Such merging of the individuality is desirable and the related Karma is Nishkama (unselfish).
Question: If Swaraj is gained after a long struggle and terrible sacrifices, is not the person justified in being pleased with the result and elated by it?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: He must have in the course of his work surrendered himself to the higher power whose might must be kept in mind and never lost sight of. How then can he be elated? He should not even care for the result of his actions. Then alone the Karma becomes unselfish.
He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction,
he is wise among men; he is a Yogi and performer of all actions.
-Gita, Ch. 4, Verse 18.
For, verily the true nature of action (enjoined by the scriptures) should be known, also (that) of forbidden
(or unlawful) action, and of inaction; hard to understand is the nature (path) of action.
-Gita, Ch.4, Verse 17.
He whose undertakings are all devoid of desires and (selfish) purposes, and whose actions have been burnt
by the fire of knowledge, -him the wise call a sage.
–Gita, Ch.3, Verse 19.
Having abandoned attachment to the fruits of actions,
ever content, depending on nothing, he does not do anything though engaged in activity.
-Gita, Ch.4, Verse 20
To one who is devoid of attachment, who is liberated,
whose mind is established in knowledge, who works for the sake of sacrifice
(for the sake of God), the whole action is dissolved.
-Gita, Ch.4, Verse 23.
Questioner: The Gita seems to emphasize Karma Yoga, for Arjuna is persuaded to fight. Sri Krishna himself set the example by an active life of great exploits.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The Gita starts by saying that you are not the body and that you are not therefore the Karta (the doer).
Question: What is the significance?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: It means that one should act without thinking that oneself is the actor. Actions will go on even in the egoless state. Each person has come into manifestation for a certain purpose and that purpose will be accomplished whether he considers himself to be the actor or not.
Question: What is Karma Yoga? Is it non-attachment to Karma (action) or its fruit?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Karma Yoga is that Yoga in which the person does not arrogate to himself the function of being the actor. All actions go on automatically.
Question: Is it non-attachment to the fruits of actions?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The question arises only if there is the actor. It is said in all the scriptures that you should not consider yourself to be the actor.
Questioner: So Karma Yoga is ‘Kartritva Buddhi Rahita Karma’ – action without the sense of doership.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes. Quite so.
Questioner: The Gita teaches that one should have an active life from beginning to end.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes, the actorless action.
Question: If one remains quiet how is action to go on? Where is the place for Karma Yoga?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Let us first understand what Karma is, whose Karma it is and who is the doer. Analyzing them and enquiring into their truth, one is obliged to remain as the Self in peace. Nevertheless even in that state the actions will go on.
Question: How will the actions go on if I do not act?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Who asks the question? Is it the Self or another? Is the Self concerned with actions?
Questioner: No, not the Self. It is another, different from the Self.
Sri Ramana Maharshi: So it is plain that the Self is not concerned with actions and so the question does not arise.
Question: I see you doing things. How can you say that you never perform actions?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The radio sings and speaks, but if you open it you will find no one inside. Similarly, my experience is like the space; though this body speaks like the radio, there is no one inside as a doer.
Question: I find this hard to understand. Could you please elaborate on this?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Various illustrations are given in books to enable us to understand how the jnani can live and act without the mind, although living and acting require the use of the mind. The potter’s wheel goes on turning round even after the potter has ceased to turn it because the pot is finished. In the same way, the electric fan goes on revolving for some minutes after we switch off the current. Prarabdha (predestined Karma) which created the body will make it go through whatever activities it was meant for. But the jnani goes through all these activities without the notion that he is the doer of them.
It is hard to understand how this is possible. The illustration generally given is that the jnani performs actions in some such way as a child that is roused from sleep to eat eats but does not remember next morning that it ate. It has to be remembered that all these explanations are not for the jnani. He knows and has no doubts. He knows that he is not the body and he knows that he is not doing anything even though his body may be engaged in some activity. These explanations are for the onlookers who think of the jnani as one with a body and cannot help identifying him with his body.
Question: I want to do Karma Yoga. How can I help others?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Who is there for you to help? Who is that "I" that is going to help others? First clear up that point and then everything will settle itself.
Question: That means ‘realise the Self.’ Does my realisation help others?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Yes, and it is the best help that you can possibly render to others. But really there are no others to be helped. For the realised being sees only the Self, just as the goldsmith sees only the gold while valuing it in various jewels made of gold. When you identify yourself with the body, name and form are there. But when you transcend the body-consciousness, the others also disappear. The realised one does not see the world as different from himself.
Question: Would it not be better if saints mixed with other people in order to help them?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: There are no others to mix with. The Self is the only reality. The sage helps the world merely by being the real Self. The best way for one to serve the world is to win the egoless state. If you are anxious to help the world, but think that you cannot do so by attaining the egoless state, then surrender to God all the world’s problems, along with your own.
Question: Should I not try to help the suffering world?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: The power that created you has created the world as well. If it can take care of you, it can similarly take care of the world also. If God has created the world it is His business to look after it, not yours.
Question: Is the desire for Swaraj (political independence) right?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: Such desire no doubt begins with self-interest. Yet practical work for the goal gradually widens the outlook so that the individual becomes merged in the country. Such merging of the individuality is desirable and the related Karma is Nishkama (unselfish).
Question: If Swaraj is gained after a long struggle and terrible sacrifices, is not the person justified in being pleased with the result and elated by it?
Sri Ramana Maharshi: He must have in the course of his work surrendered himself to the higher power whose might must be kept in mind and never lost sight of. How then can he be elated? He should not even care for the result of his actions. Then alone the Karma becomes unselfish.
