Karma Yoga

BHAGAVAD GITA

 

DIALOG 3

KARMA YOGA : THE YOGA OF ACTION

 

 

 

3:38

dhumenavriyate vahnir yathadarso malena ca

yatholbenavrto garbhas tatha tenedam avrtam

"As fire is covered by smoke, mirror by dust, and embryo by the membrane, so is knowledge covered by kama, desire, passion or lust"

3:39 

Avrtam jnana etena jnanino nitya vairina

Kama rupena kaunteya duspurenanalena ca

"Indeed Arjuna, this enemi in the form of unappeasable  fire of excessive desire, passion or lust, covers the intelligence of even wisest ones"

 

Krishna uses the word kama for desire. Kama is also passion, the word so popular among motivators and advocates of law attraction.

Krishna has a different view on the subject. He sess kama, passion or desire not as the motivating force, but, as the self degrading force.

Desire is insatiable, unappeasable. One desire leads only to the next. Someone who thinks one million dollars is enough to live a hahppy life, then desires another million, onece he has hit his first million. Thus, it gooes, he becomes a slave to his kama, his desires, his passion and lust.

We see so many rich people, indeed, tycoons, who live their lives in misery. They are so busy chasing their dreams, desires, passions, lust, kama or whatever you wish to call it, that they forget to enjoy what they already possess. Such a pitiable state !

In the mad rush and race we forget that whatever we are chasing is meaningless if we lose ourselves in its pursuit -- if we lose the purpose of life that is Ananda, bliss.

One does need money to live a decent life. We do need some savings, but to make earning money your life pursuit is foolish. We make money to live, we don't live to make money.

We keep accumulating objects  for sensory enjoyment. We feel those objects will make us happy. What happens when we fall sick? With all  objects around us, we cannot enjoy any of them.

Why this mad rush?  it is because we have little or no self esteem. We don't value ourselves. We feel worthless without those possessions, or attaining the next shiny new thing.

Krishna is telling us to know ourselves, to know our value, our worth, to relize that we are not the body, not the senses, not the mind, not even the intelligence...let us listen to Him..

(page 102 -- 104)

Source :

Anand Krishna. Bhagavad Gita : Yesterday, Today and Tommorow. 2021. Centre for Vedic and Dharmic Studies.

 
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Proud of his Sindhi-Indian ancestry rooted in the Glorious Sindhu Civilization and Culture, also referred to as Shintu, Hindu, Indus, and Hindia - of which Nusantara or the Indonesian Archipelago has been a part since ancient times - Anand Krishna was born in Solo (Central Java), which, as predicted by the Shuka Nadi (thousands of years old oracle), is his Karma Bhumi, his workfield.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India remarked upon seeing the child Krishna, "7his is not ordinary boy". prediction has come true. Standing high as the legendary Mount Meru, Anand Krishna wavers not an inch from his course of action, inspite of all kinds of trials and turbulences.

Beside the mother Organization, Anand Ashram Foundation (affliated with UN), Anand Krishna has inspired several other social and educational institutions.

The 4th President of Indonesia, KH Abdurrahman Wahid recognized his contributions and said, "If we want to have peace, then we must hear what Anand Krishna is saying".

Before a large gathering at an event in Sarnath (India), the Venerable Dalai Lama referred to Anand Krishna as a "True

Friend of Humanity and Tibetan Culture, having close ties to Indonesian and Indian Culture as well."

And, Ida Pedanda Nabe Gde Putra Telabah, one of the Chief Priests in Bali, called him Maharshi or Great Seer, because of his clear vision, and dedication in preserving and promoting the ancient heritage of humankind.

University of Califonia Radio (Santa Barbara) introduced Anand Krishna as a Spiritual Activist/Humanist, an identity that so well describes his mission.