Class Summary for Mar 4, 2025 - Chapter-5 - Slokas 13-15

Summarized by: Neelima Turga

The class started with opening prayers, pranayama and meditation.

We did a brief recap of last week's class and continued with today's class.

Karma sanyasa yoga is where we are internally detached, Externally we are living in this material world and interacting with it all the time. In Karma yoga a person is wilfully trying to detach mentally and rise above raaga and dvesha. But once gyana is attained, the process of detachment is automatic.The higher purpose is found and nothing else ties one down. Karma yoga is the path that purifies one's mind and helps you to continue on the path of gyana. 

We watched a couple of Gurudev's videos. 

A realized person knows that actions are coming from me, but "I " am not doing them. 

Just like a person in a moving car or an airplane reaches the destination along with the car or airplane, without actually doing anything, He moved only because the car moved. Or like a person watching a dance recital, is just seeing it but not actually getting tired. Similarly, a person with knowledge knows that actions are being performed by the BMI and not the self. Hence there is no doership for any of the actions. A realized person knows that the self is permanent and is surrounded by all impermanent things.

When a person acts without an attachment, and as an offering to God, he is free from any impurity that may be attached to the result. He is just like a lotus leaf, that is untouched by water or any other impurity. This happens when actions are performed without ego or egocentric desires.

Subjective analysis - " Develop appreciation for the Oneness"

Trying to develop this over time is important when transacting with the outside world as this can help reduce mental agitation. It is difficult to overcome raaga or dvesha and see Brahman in everyone. But can be done with constant effort to raise ourselves from "i" to "I" and realize the oneness.

A Karma yogi is ready to give up enjoyership - "my"-ness

Whereas, a Karma sanyasi is ready to give up doership -"I" ness

This is a gradual process where one progresses from giving up the attachment to result,  to giving up attachment to the action itself. 

We then chanted shlokas 13, 14 and 15 and saw the translation.

 The beings who are self controlled and detached live happily in the city of nine gates, free from thinking they are the doers or the cause of anything. 

One should live life with an understanding that you are a temporary resident in this body (with 9 gates). The attitude should be like a person living in a rented house, who does not become overly involved or attached to home improvements, as  he knows he has to vacate the house at some point. 

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Scenario 1 - Renting a place initially. Have a particular attitude and attachment based on the temporary nature of the arrangement. If by some reason, you get to buy the very home, notice how the attitude changes towards the home. You become more attached. Start investing more as you consider it permanent. 

Scenario 2 - You own a house, which you are selling. After the sale agreement and before you vacate, see how  the attitude changes. You become detached. This is the attitude we should live with, understanding the temporary nature of this body. 

As much as a renter does not have attachment to the house, he still needs to maintain the house in a reasonably good condition all the time. Similarly the body should also be taken care of.. It is our duty to maintain the body and mind in a healthy manner. 

A tip to reduce desire based actions - Whenever you have a desire based action (whether positive or negative)- postpone it. The strength of the vasanas may diminish in that time.

Always perform the right action with the sense that you are just an instrument acting as per the will of God. However, we also need to remember we have free will, and we need to exercise it in the right way.. We should not perform wrong actions and take shelter behind being an instrument of God, and he made us do it. He is just the power behind your actions, you are acting based on your own free will and vasanas. 

For example, the electricity does not make the fan blow air. It just gives energy to it. It's the nature of the fan to rotate and hence blow air. 

We then watched two more videos of Gurudev and then did the closing prayers.