Srimadh Bagawatham - Steps Leading To Paramatma Sakshatkaram

Continued From: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/05/srimadh-bagawatham-karma-yoga-continued_7574.html

In summary, the steps leading to Paramatma are as follows.

1.     Deha atma viveka gnanam is the knowledge that we are different from our body. This knowledge leads us to the higher step of Karma Yoga.

2.     By practicing Karma Yoga with detachment and the sacrifices mentioned above, we step onto the path of Bhakthi Yoga.

3.     After we reach the path of Bhakthi Yoga, we have to continue performing Karma Yoga. We cannot give up Karma Yoga just because we have stepped on to the higher step of Bhakthi yoga. Karma Yoga is required to clear obstacles in the path of Bakthi Yoga.

When we are unable to perform our prescribed karmas, then we perform Saranagathi so that Bhagawan can remove the obstacles we face in reaching Him. We also perform Saranagathi so that Bhagawan can free us from the Sanchita Karmas.

Karmas can be divided into two classes.

1.     Sanchita Karma

2.     Prarabhdha Karma

Sanchita Karma is like a bank account. It contains all the papams and punyams we have accumulated in our previous births.

Prarabhdha Karma is like the money we withdraw from a bank account. At each birth, Bhagawan assigns us a portion of karmas from the Sanchita Karma account. We enjoy both the good and bad fruits yielded by the prarabhdha karma.

We extinguish a portion of karmas in the form of Prarabhdha karmas at every birth. According to this eventually the sanchita and prarabhdha karma accounts should come to zero and we should be on our way to Moksham. But this is not the case.

As we are undergoind the effects of Prarabhdha karma, our actions also cause us to accumulate new karmas.

If we act according to the Vedas we accumulate punyas.

When we act against the Vedas we accumulate papams.

Thus due to the addition of new karmas it becomes almost impossible to extinguish Sanchita and Prarabhdha karmas.

Take the example of a frog living in a 30 ft well. The frog climbs 3 feet everyday but falls down by 4 feet. Will it ever come out of the well? Since it climbs only 3 feet but sinks by 4 feet it will never make it out. Our condition is similar to this frog.

By performing Saranagathi, Bhagawan frees us from all the Sanchita karmas. He tells us to extinguish only the Prarabhdha karmas after which we can reach Him.

By performing Karma Yoga with detachment and the three types of sacrifice (karthruthva, mamatha & phala thyaga), we will not accumulate any punyas whereas we will burn the papams. Thus eventually the Sanchita and the Prarabhdha Karmas will come to zero.

The puranams teach us the above steps by giving us examples from lives of the people who followed the above. For example we learn about Karma Yoga from the story of Ambarisha, Gnana Yoga from Jata Bharatar and bakthi Yoga from Prahalada Charitram.

When people are unable to practice Karma Yoga properly, it prevents them from following Bakthi/Gnana Yoga.

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/05/srimadh-bagawatham-lord-in-our-heart.html