Srimadh Bagawatham - Karma Yoga Continued

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

Duties prescribed by Karma Yoga:

The duties prescribed in Karma Yoga are specific to a person’s caste. The Karma Yoga is duties prescribed for each caste are as shown below.

1.     The duty of a Kshatriya is to protect his nation and people

2.     The duty of a Brahmana is to learn and teach the Vedas, do pithru karyam, perform SandhyaVandhanam etc.

3.     The duties of a Vaishya are trade, farming and animal husbandary

4.     The duty of the Shudra is to take care of the needs of all the above three castes.

The duties prescribed according to one’s cast are known as Swadharma. A person has to perform these duties with Vairaghya detachment) and thyaga (sacrifice).

Virodhi Swaroopam

Ego, the feeling that we are the owner of certain things; that is when we use the word “mine” and our past karmas are our enemies which prevent us from attaining the Lord’s divine feet. These enemies could be defeated by performing the following thyaga (sacrifice).

There are three types of thyagas.

1.     Karthruthva Thyaga

2.     Mamatha Thyaga

3.     Phala Thyaga

Karthruthva Thyaga is abandoning the thought that “I am” the doer. It is the knowledge that we are tools in the hands of Bhagawan. In Chapter 11 of the Bhagawata Geetha, after witnessing the Viswaroopa Dharshanam, Arjuna asked Bhagaman who he is.

Bhagawan replied that He is “kala” and that He has come to bring death to the warriors.

Arjuna immediately asked, ‘then why do you need me?’

Bhagawan answered that just like the Sudarsana Chakra and Bhagawan’s other weapons, Arjuna is an instrument used by Bhagawan. For example, we say that Lord Rama killed Ravana; we do not say that an arrow killed Ravana.

We say that Lord Krishna killed Shishupala; we do not say that Sudarasana Chakra killed Shishupala. Similarly we acknowledge Bhagawan to be the performer of our actions. 

Continued On: http://thoughtsonsanathanadharma.blogspot.ca/2013/05/srimadh-bagawatham-karma-yoga-continued_8.html