Rituals

[K. Sadananda]

Shree Bhardwaj

Karma performed for one's own selfishness - is a bondage.

Karma as yoga involves - iiswara arpita buddhi - that helps in the
purification of the mind since there is a kartR^itva bhaava.  Iswara
arpita buddhi - is an attitude in the mind and does not arise unless
I have devotion towards Iswara. - Hence karma as yoga involves
bhakti. Karma yoga is the most efficient method of purification of
the mind - more so in kaliyuga since we all want to work.  Karma as
interpreted by Bhagavaan KrishNa include all obligatory duties -
niyamita and naimittika karma.   Veda niyamita karma is only one
aspect of this.   Lord himself came down to explain that Karma does
not just mean the karma enjoined in Vedas or puurva kaaNDa only but
includes all obligatory duties which obviously depending on time and
place etc.   Even going to office, taking care of your family are all
obligatory duties as long as one feels that one is a kartaa.

Singing the glories of the God is only one aspect of bhakti at the
mental level.  Contemplation and meditation etc or dhyaana are all
manifestations of Bhakti only.  One can sit down and contemplate only
one has acquired the required frame of mind through Karma yoga.
KrishaNa did not advise Arjuana to go and sit down under some tree
and contemplate.  He was advised to go and fight the righteous war to
fight against injustice since that is his mental make up.  Hence what
best depends on the mental make up of the sadhak.  For mentally
mature sadhak, those who are yogaaruudhaH - those who have claimed
the horse and know how to control the horse (mind) then dhyaana is
more important than running around in performing actions at  physical
level.

There is no bhakti without j~naana - that is only fanaticism.

Your last statement - everything will be taken care of by Lord - is
actually knowledge.  Everything is actually being taken care of by
the Lord only even now, when one is not a Bhakta. prakR^iti eva ca
karmaaNi kriyamaaNaani sarvashaH| - all actions are done by prakR^iti
alone - says Giita.   A true bhakta recognizes this fact, that is
all. - yas pasyati tat aatmaanam akaartaaram sa pasyati|   That
understanding requires a 'true surrenderance' or sharaNaagati -
occurs when Ego is completely surrendered.  The problem then is
already solved.  Until then one is only trying to surrender - it is
like trying to sleep.  As long as one is trying one has not slept
yet!  - karma as yoga is important and when one is mature enough
dhyaana will help the mind - provided the dhyaana is supported by
proper inquiry.  Bhakti manifests as karma yoga at the physical level
and j~naana yoga at the mental level.  Hence Krishna's declaration -
There are two paths dictated by me from the beginning.  one is path
of action and the path of contemplation. lokesmin dwividhaa
nishhTa...  The first (in the sense of purified mind) is the
prerequisite for the second. For a very good reason Bhakti is not
mentioned by Lord - since it is the essential ingradient in both.

Hari OM!
Sadananda






>Hi Everyone,
>
>I don't know if this kind of question is appropriate for this list, but I'll
>ask anyway :)
>
>Is there any relevance or benefit in observing rituals such as Shraadh, or
>performing Yagnas in this age of Kali? I have heard from some followers of
>Bhakti Yoga that the age for which these were prescribed was a different one
>and the only way to salvation in the Kali Yuga is Bhakti. They say that
>there are so many things to be done if one follows the way of the Vedas (?
>I'm not sure if that's the right way to put it) that he is bound to get
>lost. If he undertakes Bhakti, everything is taken care of by the Lord.
>
>Thanks a lot,
>Sunny Bhardwaj
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp

--
K. Sadananda
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