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Yogah karmasu kaushalam

¤ÉÖÊrùªÉÖC÷÷iÉÉä VɽþÉiÉÒ½þ =¦Éä ºÉÖEÞòiÉnÖù¹EÞòiÉä* iɺ¨ÉÉtÉäMÉÉªÉ ªÉÖVªÉº´É ªÉÉäMÉ& Eò¨ÉǺÉÖ EòÉè¶É±É¨É **2. 50** Listen to the result that one possessed of the wisdom of equanimity attains by performing one's own duties: Buddhiyuktah, possessed of wisdom, possessed of the wisdom of equanimity; since one jahati, rejects; iha, here, in this world; ubhe, both; sukrta-duskrte, virtue and vice (righteousness and unrighteousness), through the purification of the mind acquisition of Knowledge; tasmat, therefore; yujyasva, devote yourself; yogaya, to (Karma-) yoga, the wisdom of equanimity. For Yoga is kausalam, skilfulness; karmasu, in action. Skilfulness means the attitude of the skilful, the wisdom of equanimity with regard to one's success and failure while engaged in actions (karma) -- called one's own duties (sva-dharma) -- with the mind dedicated to God. Therefore, be you devoted to the wisdom of equanimity.

Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam � This is the cardinal (most original and authentic) statement made by Lord Krushna in Bhagawad Gita (B. G. 2 -50). � It has three elements namely Yoga, Karma and Kaushal to be understood individually and collectively.

Yoga means Union � � Yoga means “union”. Union with what? It is union with God, the cosmic super consciousness. Brahman (God) desired to manifest (एक ह बहसय म ) and HE created the universe. To make this game (ल ल ) more interesting, complex and perpetual, HE created life element (परतयग तम ) as HIS tiny reflection.

Yoga means Union � This Pratyagatma was made to acquire a body (made of five elements – पचमह भत. ( � When Pratyagatma attained a state of ego (अहक र ) of misconstruing the body as himself, it became a Jivatma = Pratyagatma + Ego God set up a Karmic cycle of reunion of the Jivatma with Godhead by elevating and subliming acts. �

Water cycle � � Let us understand this process with example of water cycle. Lord Krushna says, “यझ दभवत परजनय यजञ : करमसमदभव : ” (B. G. 3 -14 ( meaning Rainfall (परजनय : )happens due to Yagna and Yagna is outcome of Karma. The water cycle starts with rains that fall on earth, flows as rivulets )various creatures) becoming rivers (human) that flow into the Ocean (a vast collection of human race). Sublimation of some of the water from ocean by Sunlight form clouds culminating into rain. Pure water (Pratyagatma) in the form of rain falls onto the earth (सषट -universe) and acquires shape and momentum of a river (Body). The river does various acts (Karma) of irrigating fields, generating power, quenching thirst, providing transportation means etc. , collects lot of impurities during the journey and culminates into ocean. Water in ocean (Jivatma) under influence of Sunlight (जञ न – ध य य न: परच दय त ) sublimes and elevates itself to merge with cloud (Godhead) and the cycle starts again. This sublimation occurs with small quantity of water as compared to vast ocean. मनषय ण यतत मप � सहसतरष कशच दयतत स दध न कशच नम तततवत : |)B. G. 7 -3). स दधय वतत , Amongst thousands of men, hardly one endeavors for the perfection of self realization, of these hardly one knows me truly.

Yoga � This will continue till God desires to pursue HIS game (ल ल ). � This process of union of Jivatma with Paramatma (Godhead) is Yoga which is the process of purification and sublimation. There are various paths (Ashtanga Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Swara Yoga, Tantra and like) of practicing Yoga, all leading to the Union. �

Karma � � � Karma is action but a mere act is Kriya and not Karma. When mind gets associated with a Kriya, it becomes Karma = Kriya + Mind The mind is under control of six enemies (षड र प – क म , कर ध , ल भ , म ह , मद, मतसर )desire, anger, greed, attachment, ego and jealousy respectively.

Karma � � � So when an action is performed in association with any of these, the Kriya becomes Karma, it bears fruits and one has to face consequences of such fruit bearing acts. Lord Krushna tells to get involved in actions while practicing science of Yoga giving up attachments and become equipoised in success and failure. य गसथ कर करम ण सग तयकतव धनजय स दधय : सम भतव समतव य ग उचयत। (B. G. 2 -48) Be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna. Perform your duty and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga.

Karma is Selfless Act � � It has to be a selfless act. Rationally speaking, asking for a reward of Karma is like writing an examination and assessing your own paper! In the example cited earlier, the river just flows, it does not discriminate while quenching thirst of an animal, bird or human; it does not discriminate the field it irrigates. So would a human perform the selfless Karma which is a yajya (यजञ ) and such a Karma is known as य जञ य करम.

Doing Karma � � � It requires continuous ceaseless efforts to condition the mind with Yogic practices. For conquering a marathon an athlete has to practice ceaselessly though the final run is only for a short time. As per Patanjali Yogasutra य गशच ततवतत न र ध : Yoga is bringing into captive, the fluctuations of mind. मन मधकर मघ म न न मदन मरत म मद मरकट मतसय मक र दश चचल : । Mind, wasp, cloud, female, lust, wind, goddess Lakshmi, ego, monkey and fish – all these ten words starting with a म are of flickering nature. Mind is always flickering. In the quoted saying, mind comes first! A person in control of his mind would be content with just required amount of diet, sleep, speech, sex; is clean, humble, having clear vision. An act performed with selfless mind is the Karma Lord Krushna has talked about. यकत ह र यकतन दर म तव ङम तमथन : सवचछ नमर : शच रदकष यकत : सय त सरवकरमस ।

Kaushalam - Excellence � � Such selfless acts have to be performed with one’s best of abilities – क शलम. The great painters, musicians, architects have extraordinary capacities is because of their desire to excel. Excellence is a journey and not a destination. In science it implies perpetual efforts to advance the frontiers of knowledge. . In Search of Excellence is an international bestselling book written by Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman, Jr. . First published in 1982, it is one of the biggest selling and most widely read business books ever, selling 3 million copies in its first four years, and being the most widely held library book in the United States from 1989 to 2006

� � � "Strive for excellence. Ignore success. "— Professional driver Bill Young "Excellence can be obtained if you: ". . . care more than others think is wise; ". . . risk more than others think is safe; ". . . dream more than others think is practical; ". . . expect more than others think is possible. "

� � A selfless Karma performed with total devotion and without any expectations would turn out to be exemplary. This is contrary to western philosophy that says motivate and reward whereas here one is incited to excel without expectation of fruits, do the act as worship.

Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam � � � In summing up, let us put all the three together and collectively a picture emerges wherein a Yogi who is on the spiritual path of enlightenment, has not only to perform his selfless Karmas but the performance should always be at it’s peak. One should strive to excel. Missing a target is pardonable but not having a lower target. One should aim high and aim to excel and that is the sure path to union. Hence य ग : करमस क शलम । हर : ॐ