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Karma
and Character
Oct.
19,
2008
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Swami Tyagananda,
Ramakrishna Vedanta Society, Boston
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Summary of this Lecture:
Based on Swami Vivekananda's book 'Karma Yoga', Swami delivered this first
lecture of the series that will continue for next few Sundays. Karma means
work and Karma Yoga means doing work as a spiritual discipline that joins
the individual self with the Supreme Self. Every thought as well action
makes an impression (Samskara) on mind and sum-total of these impressions
determine our character. Every Samskara is like a seed that influences
our future actions. Thus by leading a conscious life we can accumulate more
and more good impressions and mould our character.
All knowledge is in human mind and remains covered in most
cases. What we 'learn' is really what we 'discover'. Every mental and physical
blow that helps us discover the power and knowledge hidden within us is
Karma. Every action produces a result (Karma-phala). At experiential
level, there are basically two kinds of results – either joyful or
sorrowful. Law of Karma is the basic universal law which affirms that nothing
in this world comes to us undeserved. It gives us control over our life.
If what we are today is the result of our past actions then we can shape
our future through our present actions. Bhagwad Gita says - Yoga means doing
work with cleverness and as a science. Such a work not only removes our
stress but takes us towards liberation. People work with various motives
such as to get money, fame, power, haven etc. A Karma Yogi's motive is work
for work's sake. Manifestation of the highest power comes through the work
done with love and unselfishness. Karma Yoga removes the distinction between
work and rest. The ideal of Karma yoga is intense activity in the midst
of perfect silence and peace.
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