The answer is I think "Karma Yoga"
Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana,
Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani
Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana – You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of actions
Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani – Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.
In simple terms it means: Keep on performing your duties without expecting for any reward in return, leading a selfless life – this it what it is all about.
This is a simple yet profound sentence.. and yet it is so difficult to follow..
Today I also remember a teacher of mine who once told me.. remembering your sorrows/ your past is like swimming in a strong current of water with large logs tied to your legs.. you will never get past anything.. (even though you are the best swimmer)..
So.. for me the only mental exercise is to walk the walk and talk the talk... (ok saying that made my head spin.. ) :P
So.. I am just goin to shutup.. and be "Karma Yogi" for a while... :)
More Later!
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ReplyDeleteKrishna is not preaching to Arjuna. This sloka is actually state of fact with an implication.
ReplyDeleteThe sankrit word 'adhikarah' is different from hindi word 'adhikar'. In hindi 'mera adhikar' means my rights whereas in sanskrit 'adhikarah' means choice. Once this difference is understood then the meaning of this sloka becomes clear.
"You can exercise choice only in your action(karma), not in the results(karma phala). Do not try to be the author of the results. Neither be attached to inaction"
The implication is : give your best at any situtation and expect the best. But don't blame yourself for the failures.
Nobody does anything without expecting a result. Infact Krishna did all kinds of tricks to make sure that Pandavas win the war. That the results are not under our control is a fact known to all of us. So the best we can do is to try our best and hope for the best.
If I am not the author of karma-phala, Who then is the author ?
In a later chapter, Krishna tells Arjuna that He(Ishvara, Lord) himself is the author of the results. The results follow certain order and He himself set this order. Thus the results are from the Lord. Recognizing this fact and accepting the result as "prasada" is karma-yoga. Karma is action and Karma-yoga is action with a right attitude towards the results.
Thanks rmk.. very succintly explained!
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