Swami Sivananda Vani

[Guest guest]

What Is Karma Yoga?

 

" Karma Yoga is consecration of all actions and their fruits unto the

Lord. Karma Yoga is performance of actions dwelling in union with the

Divine, removing attachment and remaining balanced ever in success and

failure.

 

Karma Yoga is selfless service unto humanity. Karma Yoga is the Yoga

of action which purifies the heart and prepares the Antahkarana (the

heart and the mind) for the reception of Divine Light or attainment of

Knowledge of the Self. The important point is that you will have to

serve humanity without any attachment or egoism.

 

Action of some kind or the other is unavoidable. You cannot keep quiet

without doing anything. What binds you to phenomenal existence or

Samsara is not the action but the idea of doership and enjoyership.

Karma binds when it is done with a selfish motive, with the

expectation of fruits. But when action is done without the expectation

of fruits, it is liberating. If you act as an instrument in the hands

of the Lord, as a participant in the cosmic activity of Nature,

without expectation of fruits, that Karma will not bind you. Karma,

then becomes Karma Yoga. Work unselfishly. Feel that you are only an

instrument and that the Lord is working through you. Surrender the

actions and their fruits to the Lord. You will be freed from the bonds

of Karma and enjoy peace. "

 

- Swami Sivananda