[Advaita-l] Question about karma yoga

[Ravi Kiran]

Namaste

Even though the feeling that "I am the doer"  is experienced as real, it is
known through the study of scriptures ( shravanAdi advaita sAdhana) that
the feeling of  karta or bhokta is because of adhyAsa (on nirguna niShkriya
ekam eva advayam Atma) and is not ultimately real (paramArthika).

It is told in Bhagavad Gita, that actions are done by the gunas .. (3.27)

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः।

Hence, to attain this Atmaikatva or samyak jnAna, one resorts to study of
scriptures along with other preparatory ( sAdhana catushtaya sampatti) as
outlined in detail by Sujal Ji.

ps: just sharing some thoughts ( not a scholar)..


On Thu, Aug 4, 2016 at 8:13 PM, Shashi via Advaita-l <
advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> wrote:

> Namaskara to all the learned people on this list. This is my first post
> here. I would appreciate it if someone would eliminate a doubt I have about
> karma yoga. I am new to the intricacies of advaita, so I appreciate
> anyone's willingness to answer and their patience as well.
>
> My question is about the state of mind of the yogi. From what I
> understand, Karma yoga is  (1) the performance of ordained duties (2) with
> no regard for the fruits and (3) without feeling that "I am the doer."
>
> I understand the first two elements atleast at a theoretical level.  The
> third is what I have difficulty understanding. What does it feel like when
> one feels he is not the doer of the action? For example, during
> sandhyavandana, when one offers Arghya, one can say "I am doing this
> because Shastra says so, to please Bhagavan, and I leave all results to
> him." But it's my mind with the intention, my mouth with the Gayatri, and
> my hands with the water that cause the action to be done right? How can I
> relinquish ownership?
>
> If the answer is that the mind and hands are ultimately maya and
> ultimately its Brahman who causes these actions, I get that, but that still
> confuses me. To realize that fact completely and through anubhava itself
> Brahmajnana right? Then if one has not like realized Brahman like me. how
> is karma yoga possible?
>
>
> Thank you,
>  Shashi
>
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