On 18th July, Swami Swatmananda ji addressed around 55 Devi group members from the classes of Sevikas Smt. Vinita Asrani, Smt. Sheila Chitnis, Smt. Aditi Agarwalla, Dr. Abha Shroff and Smt. Geeta Kothari, at Chinmaya Sagar, Churchgate.
KARMA TO KARMA YOGA
In a talk peppered with humour and wit, Swami ji explained that while KARMA is action (speech or thought) performed with a sense of doership, KARMA YOGA is selfless and dedicated action. Karma binds and Karma Yoga purifies the mind. But ONLY KNOWLEDGE can liberate us.
In order to make the journey from Karma to Karma yoga, one has to address 2 aspects of Action:
1. Purify the intention behind it
2. Drop the doership of it.
To help us work on the above, Swami ji shared 11 Principles of Karma Yoga
Through a video clip of Gurudev's talk on the GITA Ch 3, Swami ji highlighted the importance of developing the YAGNA SPIRIT in performing action. As such he said work should be done as a co-operative endeavour, without attachment (Mukta Sangha) and performed with excellence (Samaachaar).
Quoting from the UPADESH SAAR verse 3,*Ishwararpitam Nechaya kritam
Chitta Shodhakam Mukti Sadhakam*, Swamiji expounded that action dedicated to the Lord
(lshwara arpan buddhi) and with complete acceptance of the results as HIS prasaad (lshwar prasad buddhi), will help purify the mind, reduce identity with the ego, and finally help us reach the SELF in deeper contemplation.
Inspired and ready to 'Walk the Talk', the group then dispersed after meeting Swami ji and receiving their prasaad pustikas (Karma yoga matters).
