Srimadh Bagawatham - Karma Yoga Continued

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/05/srimadh-bagawatham-why-is-karma-yoga.html

The steps leading to liberation by attaining Purushartha:

The following slokam authored by Sri Yamunacharya also known as Alavandar gives the meaning of Karma Yoga.

Swadarma gnyana, vairahya, sadhya, bhakthiyeka gocharaha

Narayanaha Param Bhrama geetha shastra sameedhitaha..

The above slokam is the essence of Bhagawat Geetha. It means that, Sriman Narayana is the ultimate end. There are four human ends known as Dharma, artha, kama and moksha but these do not form the ultimate end. Only Sriman Narayana is the ultimate end to be attained by everyone. Sriman Narayana is known as Purushartha.

Now that we know that we have to attain Purushartha, which path should we follow? Bhagawan can only be reached through the path of Bakthi yoga but it is not easy to get on the path of Bakthi. The path of Bakthi Yoga can be entered either via Karma Yoga or Gnana Yoga. Lord Krishna in the Bhagawad Geetha shows us the way to reach Purushartha by leading us up to Him via the following staircase.

The first step on the staircase is reached when we know that we the “atmans” are different from our body. Untill we know this we will only wish for the lower human ends of artha and kama. From here, we reach the second step of Karma or Gnyana yoga.

Each of us has accumulated Karmas over the course of our many births. These karmas prevent us from reaching the path of Bakthi. Hence we perform Karma and Gnayana Yoga to free us from the effects of karmas inorder for us to proceed along the path of Bakthi yoga. Karma and Gnana Yoga leads us to Atma Sakshatkaram through which we attain “self realization”. We learn that we are subservient to Bhagawan and that we depend on Him. As we are subservient to Bhagawan, we are known as Paratantras. This realization takes us to the next step which is the path of Bakthi Yoga. Bakthi Yoga leads us to the divine feet of Paramatma or Paramatma sakshatkaram.

Comparison between Karma Yoga and Gnana Yoga:

Both Karma Yoga as well as Gnana Yoga helps us to proceed along the path of Bakthi Yoga by destroying our karmas. Out of Karma and Gnana Yoga, Karma Yoga is superior. The following table compares Karma with Gnana Yoga.

Karma Yoga	Gnana Yoga
Very simple and easy to follow.	Hard to practise.
Karma Yoga can be compared to the day to day activities like eating and sleeping. As a child, no one teaches us how to eat or sleep. These activities come naturally to us.	Gnana Yoga is like education. We have to learn how to read and write in order to get the proper education. It doesn’t come naturally to us. A child starts to crawl and walk without being taught but it cannot read or write unless it is taught to do so by someone. Gnana Yoga involves meditation and withdrawing ones senses and ones association from society. This is very difficult to follow.
Vasanas are called memory imprints. Whatever actions we did in our previous births continue in this birth. Our actions from this birth will continue in our next birth. All living beings eat and sleep. Hence, even a new born baby starts to eat and sleep without being taught by someone. Actions like eating and sleeping are one of the vasanas that are imprinted in our memory. If we follow the actions prescribed in Karma Yoga, these actions will also get imprinted as “vasanas” and even if we die, the actions can be easily continued in our next birth. We do not have to start from scratch in our next birth.	Gnana Yoga does not get imprinted in our memory. As a result if we die while following the path of Gnana Yoga in this birth, we cannot continue from where we left off in our next birth. We have to start Gnana Yoga from the beginning in our next birth.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/05/srimadh-bagawatham-karma-yoga-continued_6.html