Karma Yoga 01

Karma Yoga

Karma Yoga is defined as proper action with proper attitude. Actions - karma are categorized into three types based on the spiritual progress each type accommodates.

1. uttama karmāṇi – Superior actions through which the person advances spiritually.

2. madhyama karmāṇi- limited or no spiritual influence. Can have a lot of material benefit.

3. adhama karmāṇi - negative spiritual contribution - spiritual retrogression.

Uttama karmāṇi is also called as sattva karmāṇi or para upakāra karmāṇi - actions which will benefit maximum number of people. Helping others is paropakara karmāṇi.

Karma yoga is where your contribution is greater than the consumption. Give more and take less.

Taittriya Aranyaka Mantra 2.10.1
पञ्च वा एते महायज्ञास्सतति
प्रतायन्ते सतति सतिष्टन्ते
देवयज्ञ पितृयज्ञो भूतयज्ञो
मौश्य यज्ञो ब्रह्मयज्ञ इति
pañca vā ete mahāyajñāssatati
pratāyante satati satiṣṭante
devayajña pitṛyajño bhūtayajño
mauśya yajño brahmayajña iti

Swami Paramarthananda presents karma yoga as performing pañca mahā yajña – five great deeds. You can listen to his talk on pancha maha yagna in the link below.

Panca maha yajnas - Five fold yajnas are

1. deva yajñaḥ - देव यज्ञः

2. pitṛ yajñaḥ - पितृ यज्ञः

3. brahma yajñaḥ - ब्रह्म यज्ञः

4. manuśya yajñaḥ - मनुश्य यज्ञः

5. bhūta yajñaḥ - भूत यज्ञः

Reference to panca mahā yajña appears in the Gita Bhashyam by Madhusūdana Saraswati.

smārto deva-yajñaḥ pitṛ-yajño bhūta-yajño manuṣya-yajña iti caturvidhaḥ | - madhusūdanaḥ

Refer to the following link for a colorful brouchure for a dance program based on pancha maha yajna.
http://www.arangham.com/new/PanchaMahaYagnya.pdf