Karma Yoga: Action as the Essence of Every Yoga

by Sri Ajit Halder

The first verse of the Bhagabad Gita reads as:

“Dharmakhetre Kurukhetre samavetaa yuyutsava /

Maamakaa Pandavaashchaiva kim akurbata Sanjaya “//.

The verse quoted above is a query made by king Dhritarashtra about the activities of the soldiers, his sons and the Pandavas who have assembled in the holy field of action and are very keen to engage in the ensuing battle. We notice that the Gita text opens with a clear reference to ‘action’, which is the essence of Karma Yoga.  We also note that Sri Krishna after giving Arjuna a long spell of advice, tells him in verse sixty-three of the last chapter of the Gita: ‘Jathechhasi Tathaa Kuru’.  Here the word Kuru implies ‘intended action’.  This article stresses that Karma – action - is pertinent to all Yoga practices as shown in the opening verse of the Gita.  In fact, this emphasis on Karma continues throughout the text of the Gita, right unto verse sixty-three in the last chapter.

The Gita consists of eighteen Yoga chapters and the title of each chapter is a compound of two words; for example, the title of chapter eighteen is Moksha Yoga.  The front word ‘Moksha’ in the title is a noun word which signifies the principle of the type of Yoga under consideration. The second word ‘Yoga’ is a verb which is the word signifying the Karma needed for God realization. This article endeavours to emphasize that Karma is the main ingredient in the performance of every Yoga.

In the Gita, Yogeswara Krishna explains the various Yogas to Arjuna and through him, the entire humankind is benefited by receiving Jagatguru Krishna’s divine message that guides us to realize our link with God through spiritual activities.  The master teacher elaborates on a range of Yogas in the Gita but recommends the active form of Yoga, which He calls Karma Yoga.  He attaches importance to Karma in the practice of Yoga as illustrated in the verses of Karma Yoga in the third chapter of the Gita and continues on the role of Karma in Yoga practice in succeeding chapters.  To explore on the theme of this article, we have selected, in addition to Karma Yoga, three more Yogas namely, Gnana Yoga in the fourth chapter, Dhyana Yoga in the eighth chapter and Bhakti Yoga in the twelfth chapter for a careful introspection. . The discussion that follows covers this chosen set of four main Yogas.  In passing, mention may be made of the Hatha Yoga practice which is based on various bodily postures involving physical activities and so resonates with the theme of this article.

It is interesting to note that Sri Krishna gives prominence to Karma Yoga in chapter three and explains its principle in detail prior to elucidating the features of other Yogas appearing in subsequent chapters.  So the reader of the Gita is given an opportunity to acquaint him or herself first with the doctrines of Karma Yoga before he or she becomes familiar with the teaching of other Yogas.  By drawing attention of the reader to the role of Karma in different Yogas, Sri Krishna makes the argument that the path of action is integral to God realization and can, therefore, be found in all the various yoga practices.  It will be useful to study a set of verses from the four Yogas referred to above as a preparation to appreciate the role of Karma in the practice of Yogas. We begin with Karma Yoga; the yoga of action in the performance of one’s duty.

Karma Yoga

 In the first verse of chapter 3 titled Karma Yoga, Arjuna puts the following question to Sri Krishna: ‘O Janaardana, if knowledge is superior to action, then why do you ask me to engage in this terrible action to fight?’   To this Sri Krishna answers: ‘The two-fold path was given to the world in the beginning; the path of knowledge to the discerning and the path of work to the active person (Ch. 3, verse 2)’. 

The verse 4 in the same chapter reads as:

“Na karmanaam anaarambhaan naisakarmyaam puruso snute,/          
Na ca bamnyasanaad eva siddhim samadhigacchati”//           meaning

‘Not by abstention from work does a human attain freedom from action, nor by mere renunciation from action does that person attain perfection’.

In verse 8 the Lord advises Arjuna -

”Niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyaayo hy akarmanah/
Sharirrayatraa ‘pi ca te na prasidhyed akarmanah”//. 

Sri Krishna tells Arjuna: ‘Do thou allotted work, for action is better than inaction; even the maintenance of thy physical life cannot be effected without action.’

In verse 9, the Lord comments –

”Yajnaarthaar karmano’nyatra loka’yam karrmabandhanah/
Tadartham karma  Kaunteya  muktasangah samaachara”//.

The verse states: ‘The world is bound by actions; O son of Kunti (Arjuna), perform action for Yagna alone, devoid of attachment’.

We finally quote verse19 that clearly stresses the importance of action:

“Tasmaad asaktah satatam kaaryam karma samaachara/
Asakto hy aacharan karma param aapnoti purusah”// .               It means-

‘Without attachment, perform always the work that has to be done’ for humans attain to the highest by doing work without attachment’.

The verses quoted above establish that Karma Yoga teaches one to act selflessly, without thought of gain or reward as a spiritual practice where all fruits of actions are given to God.  One can summarise the teaching of Karma Yoga as: Acting or doing one’s duties in life as per his or her dharma or duty without concern or craving for rewards but rather performing the act as a sort of constant sacrifice to the Supreme Lord. 

Gnana Yoga

The fourth chapter on Jnana Yoga contains verses glorifying Karma in Yoga practice; here we quote two verses in support of this view.  In verse 12 we read:

‘”Kaanksantah karmanaam siddhim yajanta iha devataah/
Ksipram hi maanuse loke siddhir bhavati karmajaa/”//.

This verse states: ’those who desire success of their works offer sacrifices to the gods for the fruition of their works in this world is quickly obtained’.  

Verse 16 compares action to inaction;

”Kim karma kim akarme’ti kavayo’py atra mohitaah/
Tat te karma pravaksyaami yaj jnaatvaa moksyase’subhaat”//.

The verse means – ‘Even sages are bewildered as to what is action and what is inaction.  I (Sri Krishna) shall tell you (Arjuna) what action is, by knowing which you will be freed from evil’.

Dhyana Yoga

Most people would think if anyone wants to attain realization of God, then it would be better to sit and meditate on Him.  Even the act of meditation needs controlling the action of one’s sense organs, especially that of the fickle mind.  All of these operations require some concerted work.

Verse 1 of Dhyana Yoga chapter goes like this:

“Anaasritagh karmaphlam kaaryam karma karoti ya.
Sa samnyaaysi  ca yogi ca na niragnir na ca kriyah”//.

Through this verse the blessed Lord asserts: ‘He who does the work without leaning to its fruit (reward of the action), is a sannyaasi (ascetic), he is a true yogi’.

The last verse 47 of Dhyana Yoga  reads

“Yoginaam api sarvesaam madgatenaan antaraatmanoa /
Shraddhaavaan bhajate yo maam sa me yuktatamo matah”//,

In this verse, Sri Krishna defines who the true yogi is and says: ‘of all yogis, the person who full of faith worships Me (meaning the person. who is engaged in the act of worshipping the Lord), I hold that steadfast person to be a true yogi.’  After giving Arjuna a long account of yoga discipline in this chapter, Sri Krishna concludes that His great devotee (bhakta) is also the great yogi.

Bhakti Yoga

In this Yoga, Sri Krishna is emphasizing the person of action, living in the world filled with Bhakti, gives himself or herself a spiritual status and that this concept is a break from the previous emphasis given on austere living to gain spirituality in this worldly life.

Verse 2 reads like this –

“Mayy aaveshya mano ye maam nityayuktaa upaasate/
Shraddhayaa parayo’petaas te me yuktatamaa matahsa”//.

This verse means; ’Those who engage in the action of fixing their mind on Me, worship Me, ever steadfast, endowed with Shraddhaa (devotion with respect), they are best Yogis (engaged in Yoga activity).

Verses 6 and 7 state:

“Ye tu  sarvani karmaani mayi samnyasya matparaah/
Ananyenai’va yogena maam dhyaanta upaasate//’
Tesam aaham sasmuddhartaa:mrirtyu samsaarasaagaraat
Bhavani nachiraat Paartha mayy aavesitacetasaam”//.

In these two verses the Lord declares: ’Those who lay all their actions on Me, worship Me, meditate on Me, with single-minded devotion and those whose thoughts are set on Me I straightaway deliver  them,  O son of Pritha (Arjuna), out of the ocean of mortal samsara.’

Some of the verses selected from Karma, Gnana, Dhyana and Bhakti Yogas and discussed in the preceding paragraphs contain the word ’karma’ while others display words which in English, mean, devotion (bhajate), worship (upaasate), and meditation (dhyaantaa) - all indicating some form of action (Karma).  It is obvious, therefore, that these words clearly support our proposition that Karma is integral to the practice of Yogas

Conclusion:
The four Yogas covered in this article namely, Karma, Gnana, Dhyana and Bhakti Yogas may look all different in their names and some reader may consider them as being distinct from one another.  Although the word Yoga appearing in respective chapter heading connects all four of them, there is a deeper connection that has every Yoga having Karma Yoga implied in its conception and practice.  To do justice to this concept and make it more explicit, the Yogas will glow with the descriptive word ‘Karma’ added to the title to read as: Gnana (Karma) Yoga which calls for engaging in the perfect action for gaining useful and applicable knowledge; Dhyana (Karma) Yoga which points to the perfect action of meditating; and Bhakti (Karma) Yoga which emphasizes the perfect action for offering devotion to God.