"Karma Yoga 01 / 07" Talk in English by Swami Aparajitananda, Chinmaya Mission Mangaluru.

Hari Om! This discourse gives us great opportunity to listen to Swāmī Aparājitānanda jī on Karma Yoga (the most practical Yoga prescribed by Lord Krishna to Arjuna) and his excellent observations of the practical clues in this chapter in tune with the central message of Gītā. Clues: • How to prepare, purify, handle, control and master the mind • How to live successfully in the world and peacefully in family • On parenting, meditation and liberation Verses 1 & 2: Message of Gītā and gist of Chp. 2 is glory of Self Knowledge - to know oneself as the Supreme Self. But now, Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to do "ghora karma". Arjuna is confused between means and end and asks Krishna for Shreya. Swāmījī extensively clarifies with beautiful logic. Verse 3: Lord's address to Arjuna as Anagha leads Swāmījī to explain to us the glory of Guruparamparā where disciple with noble intent can ask freely any doubt in an atmosphere of dialogue. Krishna compassionately emphasises two paths always prescribed by Him. Swāmījī explains how problem is one's own wrong notion and when a Sādhaka is born. Verses 4 & 5: Actionlessness (Nature of Consciousness) cannot be understood by identification with body, etc. or by being actionless. Perfection can be achieved by action only. It is advised to do action with right attitude, excel and evolve. Prakriti gunas, states of laya and vikshepa and test to know one's Sādhaka category is discussed in detail. Verse 6: Vimūddhātmā and mithyāchāra is described. Verse 7: Control over jñānedriyas and karmendriyas and stages of inaction, action and action with Karma Yoga attitude are discussed. Verse 8: By example of sharira-yātrā, superiority of doing duties is emphasised. (Next: Core of Karma Yoga) (Bhagavad Gītā, Chp 3: Talk 1 of 7 - Verses 1 to 8)