Niyata Karmani –an analysis

 

(adapted from Swami Paramarthananda’s talk)

In Bhagavad Gita, which we shall refer to as Gita, Lord Krishna prescribes a set of regular practices to be followed by the entire humanity.   Lord Krishna calls them Niyata karmani.  The word ‘Niyatam’ has 2 meanings.  One meaning is ‘prescribed by the Vedas’ and the other ‘obligatory’ or ‘compulsory’.  So we can take it as instituted by Vedas, to be treated by human beings as obligatory.  This has also been translated popularly as ‘Nishkama karmani’, desireless actions which concept is not acceptable to many as the very fuel behind any action is result or benefit of action.  Let us stick to the term ‘Niyata karmani’ only in this blog.  Practice of the ‘Niyata karmani’ contributes to the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual well-being at the invidual level and also to the family and environmental well-being. Lord Krishna in Gita (3-31) declares that not only they will contribute to material prosperity, it will also help in spiritual goal of enlightenment and liberation ultimately:

Ye me matham idam nityam anuthishthanti maanavah;

Shraddhaavanto’nasooyanto muchyante te’pi karmabhih. II31II

Those men who constantly practise this teaching of Mine with faith and without cavilling, they too are freed from actions.

Here Lord uses the word “manava” meaning this is meant for entire humanity.  And also in the next sloka, He condemns those who disregard them.

Ye twetad abhyasooyanto naanutishthanti me matham;

Sarvajnanavimoodaam staan viddhi nashtan achetasah. II32II

But those who carp at My teaching and do not practise it, deluded in all knowledge and devoid of discrimination, know them to be doomed to destruction.

Lord Krishna defines those activities later in Gita (18-5):

Yajnadaanatapah karma na tyaajyam kaaryameva tat;

Yajno daanam tapashchaiva paavanaani maneeshinaam. II5II

Acts of Yajna, Dhanam and Tapas should not be abandoned, but should be performed; Yajna, Dhanam and also Tapas are the purifiers according to the wise people. 

The above three disciplines Yajna, Dhanam and Tapas constitute the Niyata karmani.  Yajna means reverential service, humble service.  In the Upanishads this Yajna is sub-divided into Pancha Maha Yajnas, five-fold reverential services.  Dhanam means charity i.e. sharing one’s resources, avoiding greed.  Tapas is the discipline of austerity and includes three fold disciplines; at physical, verbal and mental level.  Thus five-fold reverential services towards five-fold infra-structre, charity and austerity at three levels; in all, nine disciplines constitute ‘Niyata karmani’.   Now let us see the five disciplines of Pancha Maha Yajna individually.

Pitru Yajna is the reverential service to preserve the family infra structure that includes one’s fore-fathers as well.  This includes all kinds of practices meant for the preservation of one’s family, both ritualistic and non-ritualistic. Ritualistic practices consist of performing tarpana, libations offered regularly in respect and gratitude to all Pitrs and Pitr Devathas, and performing Srartha ceremonies where three generations like father, grandfather and the great grandfather etc., are remembered with offerings of pindas, cooked rice balls.  Non-ritualistic practice is doing everything for the harmonious survival of the family including the growth of chidren with dharmic values.

Manushya Yajna is reverential service to the societal infrastructure to promote and preserve societal harmony.  We have to do everything for the harmonious existence of different social groups, communal, religious and racial.  Any social service done for the harmony and well-being of society including caring for, looking after and feeding fellow humans, comes under Manushya Yajna.

Bhutha Yajna is the reverential service to sentient environment consisting of animals, birds and plants. Veda divides environment into two types; one, sentient consisting of animals, birds and plants and the other the insentient environment consisting of five elements. Our prayer verses addressed to animals like cow, and plants like Tulasi etc., are the prayers of a society which is aware of the mutual symbiotic connection. Therefore, every animal, plant and bird should be respected, revered and protected.  And whatever we do in that direction, either directly or indirectly, or even creating awareness is Bhutha Yajna.

Deva Yajna is the reverential care of the insentient environment consisting of five elements; space, air, fire, water and earth. In Hinduism they are taken as symbols of Iswara and worshipped as Akasa linga, Vayu linga, Agni linga, Jala linga and Prithvi linga.  Besides reverential worship this should also lead to the awareness of their importance for the survival of human race and taken care of without polluting.

        Brahma Yajna is the reverential service to the scriptures which means preserving and promoting the scriptures through study, sharing the knowledge and satsang and also remembering reverentially the rishis who preserved and passed on the scriptures for the benefit of succeeding generations.  Creating an awareness of the Vedic culture, which values this way of life also comes under Brahma Yajna.

Dhanam, charity, the sixth discipline is an important practice.   For, if the humanity doesn’t practice charity and only amasses wealth without sharing, it keeps one set of disadvantaged people poor and poverty is the root cause of many crimes.  Taittriya Upanishad contains guidelines on Dhanam in a passage where Guru addresses the students on the occasion of their leaving gurukula after Vedic studies to start life in the outer world.  It runs as follows:

Sraddhaya deyam – Whatever you give, give it with faith i.e. gladly and willingly

Asraddhaya adheyam -  Don’t give without faith i.e. unwillingly

Sriya dheyam – Give with a sense of plenty i.e. to your capacity

Hriya dheyam – Give with humility

Bhiya dheyam – Give with sympathy

Samvida dheyam – Give with knowledge i.e. understanding of cause

And it should always be accompanied with the gift of love.  The best expression of love is giving one’s time and attention to the other person, to share their stories and their feelings.  Dhanam made without the gift of love is only mechanical and the gift of love regularly and continually made makes one’s scriptural studies also meaningful.

The three-fold divisions of Tapas, physical, verbal and mental constitutes the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th disciplines. Let us see them individually starting with Sareeram Tapas.

        Sareeram Tapas is Tapas at physical level.  Lord Krishna explains it in Gita (17-14) as:

Devadwijagurupraajna poojanam sauchamaarjavam;

Brahmacharyamahimsa cha saareeram tapa uchyate. II14II

Worship of the gods, the twice-born, the teachers (one’s elders) and the wise, purity, straightforwardness, celibacy and non-injury—these are called the austerities of the body.

Worship of an idol or a symbol like flame represents only worship of Viswa rupa Iswara and Viswa rupa Iswara Bhakthi stands for awareness of the totality.   Maintenance of sexual morality and avoidance of physical violence also come under Sareeram Tapas besides the virtues of purity, straightforwardness and veneration of wise, elderly and the brahmins representing Vedas.

Tapas at verbal level, verbal discipline is called Vak Tapas and is explained by Lord Krishna in Gita (17-15) as follows:

Anudwegakaram vaakyam satyam priyahitam cha yat;

Swaadhyaayaabhyasanam chaiva vaangmayam tapa uchyate. II15II

Speech which causes no pain to others and is truthful, pleasant and beneficial, the practice of the study of the scriptures, are called austerity of speech.

 Verbal discipline involves applying filters to words before uttering in public.  They should be non-hurtful and truthful, pleasant and agreeable, adopting silence where truth may hurt the other person.  Avoiding loose talk and gossip and regular study of the scriptures and chanting of Divine names and sthuthis also come under Vak Tapas.

Manasam Tapas, austerity at mind level, is the 9^th discipline.  Lord Krishna explains this as well in Gita (17-16):

Manahprasadah saumyatwam maunamatmavinigrahah;

Bhavasamsuddhirityetat tapo manasamuchyate. II16II

Tranquility of mind, good-heartedness, silence, self-control and purity of heart—all this is called austerity of mind.

Tranquility of mind is necessary to avoid physical or verbal violence at any time. Purity of heart ensures purity of motive in all one’s actions.  Both mental silence and mind-control are necessary for practicing Meditation and contemplation of the Divine.

The above nine-fold disciplines are important for the entire humanity as it ensures harmonious living with other humans as well as nature.  It is much more important for a spiritual seeker whose goal is Moksha.   In respect of them these can be called Nishkama Karmani as well, in the sense these are actions by desireless people for people with spiritual goals treat material benefits as incidental only.

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