Karm Yog – Science of Work

What is Karm Yog? 

The word karm refers to the worldly duties or bodily dharmas that one performs in accordance with the prescribed rules of the Vedas. It includes responsibilities like taking care of one’s family, fulfilling professional obligations and following the social and ethical codes of conduct. It also includes actions we perform to take care of our own body (e.g., eating, sleeping, waking up, bathing, thinking, etc.). Shree Krishna explains to Arjun that that all material souls are bound by the nature of the three gunas (i.e., modes), and therefore, cannot remain without action, even for a moment (BG 3.5).

न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् |
कार्यते ह्यवश: कर्म सर्व: प्रकृतिजैर्गुणै: || 5||

na hi kaśhchit kṣhaṇam api jātu tiṣhṭhatyakarma-kṛit
kāryate hyavaśhaḥ karma sarvaḥ prakṛiti-jair guṇaiḥ [BG 3.5].

In his commentary on Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita, Swamiji elucidates that all living beings are an integral part of God’s creation and have roles and responsibilities to fulfill. He says that the Vedas prescribe cyclical action, for example, performing yajna to please the celestial gods, who in-return bestow material gains in the form of rain, which then enhances production of food grains, which ultimately sustains life on earth. 

When these prescribed duties are performed as a loving service or an obligation to God, then the same actions (i.e., karm) constitute a state of union with God (i.e., yog). The actions then take on the form of yajna or sacrifice. Thus, Karm Yog is the path of attaining God while doing one’s karm. In other words, worldly duties are performed with the body, but the mind is attached to God. This level of devotion is considered to be superior because the sadhak (i.e., spiritual aspirant) develops the spirit of service. In contrast, karm kand is the mere adherence to ritualistic actions in the practice of religion. Souls can only receive the fruit of karm kand if the actions are in perfect (100%) alignment with six Vedic principles related to the perfect place, time, materials used for rituals, the Brahmin performing the yajna, mantras recited in seven scales, and the ritualistic procedure per se. If there is a slight blunder in following any of these aspects and the mind is not absorbed in loving and devotional service to God, the karm kand will bear no fruit. Besides, even if the yajna is performed with 100% accuracy, the results are temporary and will not lead to God-realization. Thus, karm yog is definitely the superior goal to pursue.

Who is a True Karm Yogi?

As stated above, a karm yogi is one who fulfills the bodily dharmas or duties but does with the spirit of seva or service for the pleasure of God. Swamiji beautifully explains, “Such a karm yogi, who performs worldly duties while keeping the mind attached to God, is not bound by karm even while performing all kinds of works. This is because what binds one to the law of karm is not actions, but the attachment to the fruits of those actions. And a karm yogi has no attachment to the fruits of actions.”

The karm yogi who works in divine consciousness, offers the karm in sacrifice to God. When the consciousness is divine, everything that is offered in sacrifice, is divine. Yagya is not just the fire sacrifice but sacrifice of lower goals for higher goals. Human beings in ignorance do sacrifices for material gains and consequently, tend to veer toward celestial gods. Real sacrifice is when one offers oneself to God – through seva or service for His pleasure. As Shree Krishna told Arjun: 

यस्त्विन्द्रियाणि मनसा नियम्यारभतेऽर्जुन |
कर्मेन्द्रियै: कर्मयोगमसक्त: स विशिष्यते || 7||

yas tvindriyāṇi manasā niyamyārabhate ’rjuna
karmendriyaiḥ karma-yogam asaktaḥ sa viśhiṣhyate

But those karm yogis who control their knowledge senses with the mind, O Arjun, and engage the working senses in working without attachment, are certainly superior [BG 3.7]. 

Shree Krishna explained that a householder who practices true karm yog, is far superior to a renunciant who may have externally renounced all materialistic pleasures but internally continues to be attached to sensory objects of pleasure. Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj very beautifully contrasted these two situations:

mana hari meṅ tana jagat meṅ, karmayog tehi jāna
tana hari meṅ mana jagat meṅ, yaha mahāna ajñāna
(Bhakti Śhatak verse 84) [v3]

“When one works in the world with the body, but keeps the mind attached to God, know it to be karm yog. When one engages in spirituality with the body, but keeps the mind attached to the world, know it to be hypocrisy.”

A perfect example of a karm yogi is that of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar.

This was during the period when the Maratha Empire was at its peak of power. The biggest Malwa Province of the Empire was ruled by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar. She inherited the province after a very tumultuous period when her husband and father-in-law passed away and all kinds of conspiracies were being hatched against her. This was the era when women were considered to be politically weak and many citizens wanted to strip her of the position.

Maharani Ahilyabai knew that she needed to step up by putting aside her personal grief and taking care of Malwa. This was not a simple task in a dangerous situation. Nevertheless, she took on the task of administering Malwa out of obligation and to fulfill the duties bestowed upon her. She served as a great administrator to benefit all sections of society.

Very soon Maharani Ahilyabai became the ruler of largest and wealthiest province in the Empire. She promoted art, culture and trade which elevated Malwa’s prosperity as well as military might, keeping the adversaries at bay. While her contemporaries spent their wealth in building huge palaces and monuments for personal edification, Maharani Ahilyabai donated a huge chunk for the welfare of people in her kingdom. She reigned for 30 years and according to recorded history, these were the most peaceful and prosperous years of Malwa.

Ahilya Wada, the residence of the Maharani was a modest house that served as her home and seat of her government during her reign. She was a true karm yogini who lovingly served her people, was detached to her personal position, wealth, or losses to her family.

How can We Detach from the Outcome of Karm?

As stated earlier, to act (i.e., do karm) is integral to the human form. In society, all of us have various duties to perform as determined by the family situation, social position, occupation, etc. While performing these duties, it is important to remember that we are neither the doer of an action, nor the enjoyer of its outcome. There are two important reasons for not claiming proprietorship to actions and their results. 

First, we souls are tiny fragments of the all-powerful God and our constitutional position is to serve Him for His pleasure. An analogy is that the hand is a part of the body, and its fundamental duty is to serve the body. By serving the body, the hand receives nutrition from the body and its needs are automatically met. 

Second, God is the one who gives the soul the power to perform an action. Thus, our body, which is powered by the energy of the soul, is only an instrument and not the primary doer of an action. Therefore, the result of an action does not belong to the soul, and it is certainly not for the enjoyment of the body. Claiming ourselves to be the doer of an action or enjoyer of its result, is a self-serving attitude that does not proffer due credit to God. That said, it is important to clarify that the decision on how to perform an action (i.e., good or evil intention), rests solely upon souls and we bear the consequences of the karma. 

The challenge of detaching oneself from the karm or its outcome has to do with the type of consciousness we harbor. Material consciousness is characterized by thoughts like, “I am the proprietor of all that I possess. It is all meant for my enjoyment. I have the right to enhance my possessions and maximize my enjoyment.” The reverse of this is spiritual consciousness, which is characterized by thoughts such as, “God is the creator and enjoyer of this entire universe. My goal is to be His selfless servant. I must use all that I have in the loving service of God.”

Another important reason to dedicate all actions and corresponding results of good deeds to God (i.e., Karm Yog) is that it liberates the individual soul from subsequent karmic consequences of those actions. Thus, the individual soul does not incur any karm while performing activities in God-consciousness and becomes eligible for liberation from the endless cycle of birth and death.

In one of the most popular verses of the Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna goes beyond the reasons explained above and elegantly gives a third and practical reason why we should not claim proprietorship for our actions. 

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि || 47 ||

karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇi

You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction [BG 2.47].

Shree Krishna says that we have the right to do our duty, however, the results are not dependent only upon our efforts. Rather, the outcome is dependent upon the interaction of several factors such as the intensity of our effort, our past karmas (i.e., destiny), the effort and karmas of other individuals involved, the location of the activity, situation, time, and the will of God. Thus, while we have the choice to control an activity, we cannot control the consequences that flow from those choices. If we are attached to the outcome, and if the outcomes are not according to our expectation, it could lead to anxiety and/or depression. Thus, Shree Krishna says: (1) Do your duty, but do not concern yourself with the results; (2) the fruits of your actions are not for your enjoyment; (3) even while working, give up the pride of doership, and (4) do not be attached to inaction.

Detaching from results and dedicating them to God is a foundational principle of karm yog. So, how will detachment take place? Detachment occurs by having the right knowledge that I am neither the doer nor the enjoyer, and everything related to karm belongs to God. By utilizing this knowledge, the intellect can be enabled to control the mind and the senses to not attach to outcomes. An example of attachment to outcomes is evident in the story of Emperor Akbar and Tansen. 

Tansen was a singer in Emperor Akbar’s court. The quality of his singing was powerful enough to light unlit lamps and pour rain from the clouds. One day, Emperor Akbar expressed his desire to listen to Tansen’s Guru, Swami Haridas, who would be even more accomplished than Tansen in singing classical ragas (i.e., vocal music). Knowing that Guru Haridas would not accept his royal invitation, Tansen asked Akbar to go to his Guru’s ashram in disguise. When Akbar got there, Tansen started singing a bhajan (i.e., a devotional song), deliberately making mistakes. Then, Swami Haridas corrected him and demonstrated the right way of singing the particular raga. Listening to his divine voice, Akbar was drenched in a flood of emotions and later asked Tansen why he could not sing like his Guru. Tansen replied, “O Emperor, I am full of desires and attachments. I sing for the Emperor of this earth, in the desire for name, fame and his favors. However, Guru Haridas sings exclusively for the pleasure of Shree Radha-Krishna with no expectation for anything from anyone in this world.” The actions of Swami Haridas exemplify karm yog whereas those of Tansen signify karm. 

Karm yog does not mean giving up the work, rather, it means to do the work with the internal attitude or consciousness that all actions are for the pleasure of God alone. 

बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते |
तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योग: कर्मसु कौशलम् || 50||

buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛita-duṣhkṛite
tasmād yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśhalam

One who prudently practices the science of work without attachment can get rid of both good and bad reactions in this life itself. Therefore, strive for Yog, which is the art of working skillfully (in proper consciousness) [BG 2.50].