Thought 57: Religious Karmas in Hinduism (Continued)

There is nothing wrong in worshipping Devataas or gods in whatever manner that is conceived by these devotees. In fact, those who do these Karmas and Upaasanas are better persons than those who do not do any religious Karma or Upaasana. The former recognize that there is a higher authority ruling over the destiny of all human beings.

Vedaanta advises such devotees to convert their Karma into Karma-Yoga and their Upaasana into Bhakti-Yoga. These devotees have to recognize that there is a Divya Sakti in the universe, called Isvara, who created this universe, who sustains this universe and who also annihilates this universe. Having recognized the existence of this Divya Sakti, which is known as Isvara, they must remember him in everything they do at every moment of each day – like the musician who conscious of the Sruti while rendering his music.

To gain some knowledge and interest in Moksha and in the Isvara, these devotees have to first see and appreciate the limitations of their desires for worldly or heavenly enjoyment. Such worldly or heavenly desires always put them back in in Samsaara and its sorrows – after leaving their bodies in the current birth. Even those who go to Pitru Loka or heaven have to be reborn in Samsaara after their soujourn in those Lokas comes to an end; and their soujourn in those Lokas lasts only as long as their Punyam merits their stay in those Lokas. Thus, in this kind of worship, people limit their interests to Dharma (religion), Artha (wealth) and Kaama (desire). Therefore, Vedaanta says that one should not do these Karmas or Upaasanas mechanically with the desire for better life or with the desire to go to Pitru Loka or to heaven.

These devotees must recognize that everything in the world is Isvara; here, there is nothing other than Isvara. Their Karma is Isvara too; they should see Isvara in everything they do - including in their Sahaja Karmas (eating, sleeping etc) and Laukika Karmas (whatever they do to earn a living, what ever they do for the family or for the society). They must begin to appreciate and believe that it is not just Karma – but it is Isvara appearing in the form of Karma. Thus, they want to reach Isvara though their Karma. This is called Isvaraarpana Buddhi – which is the Karma Yoga. Bhagavad Gita (4.24), conceptualizes this principle saying, “Brahmaarpanam Brahmahavir Brahmagnau Brahmanaa Hutam Brahmaiva Tena Gantavyam Brahma-karma-samaadhinaa = The ladle and other implements used for offerings are Brahman; the oblation is Brahman; the sacred fire is Brahman; the person by whom the oblations are offered is Brahman; Brahman indeed is to be reached by that person, who sees everything as Brahman”. In this Karma-Yoga, the Yogi does everything for the sake of Isvara – and thus, tries to remember Isvara all the time. In this way, they get rid of their Kartrittva (ego), which is caused by Rajas.

When you do the religious Karma with Isvaraarpana Buddhi – it signifies “I am doing this because my Isvara, who is everything to me, asked me to do it and therefore, I dedicate this Karma totally to him”. A devotee with such a faith in Isvara will never do bad Karmas. This Karma-Yoga attitude leads to the purification of the mind; all the Maalinyam (impurities) in the mind gets liquidated and the Yogi attains “Chitta Suddhi” (purification of the mind). This is precisely what the ancient Maharshis had in mind when they recommended religious Karmas in the Vedas; they wanted people to do Karma only to puify the mind – and not for enjoyment.