Karma, Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga

90% of Veda describes the process of preparing food from materials and this is called as Dravya Yajna or karma Yajna. Only 10% involves the process of analysis of spiritual knowledge as Upanishads and this is called as Jnana Yajna. Veda gives importance to karma. But, in Gita Lord said that jnana is better than karma (Shreyaan…). How to resolve this contradiction?

First, you must differentiate karma and karma yoga. In both, the process of involvement of materials is one and the same. Preparation of food is common in both. But, in karma, the prepared food is eaten by yourself, your family members, relatives and friends. In karma yoga, the prepared food is practically sacrificed to God. I mention the word ‘practical sacrifice to God’ here because the intellectual people started sacrificing food theoretically to God by offering to God through the posture of moving the hand and then the practical sacrifice is done to themselves only. This is an intellectual interpretation to get the fruit without the actual action. The Advaita philosophers have gone to the climax and offer the food to themselves theoretically also since they themselves are assumed as God by themselves. The meaning of pancha ahutis (pranaya svaaha … etc.) before taking food is offering of food to themselves assuming themselves as God. Such actions fall under karma only and not under karma yoga. Karma yoga means sacrifice of materials like food etc., practically to God. The conversion of karma to karma yoga can be achieved only through jnana yoga, which is the analysis to find out the truth. Therefore, what Gita says is that jnana yoga is better than karma. What Veda says is that karma yoga is better than jnana yoga and hence gives more stress on karma yoga than jnana yoga. If you think that karma and karma yoga are one and the same, this contradiction will come. In karma yoga also, the karma, which is the processing of the materials is present and by this you should not mistake karma yoga as karma. Gita says that both scholar and ignorant person do the same karma. But, since the karma (action) of the scholars is not selfish, it becomes karmayoga, whereas the same karma of the ignorant person remains as karma only since it is selfish (saktaah….). In Veda the 90% description is about karma yoga and not about karma. Yajna or sacrifice involves the processing of materials for the sake of practical sacrifice to God. When God is unimaginable how practical sacrifice is possible?. Based on this point, intellectuals try to escape from the practical sacrifice to God. They say ‘Is God directly receiving the materials?.’ This is only an excuse to cover up their selfishness.

In fact, the basic point that God is unimaginable and hence does not receive your service and sacrifice directly is really serious. Based on this, people started criticizing the exploitation done in the name of God. But, the careful analysis shows that the tradition is not blind. There are two types of service to God. The first type is called as “ Prateeka Upasanam”, which means the service to a representative model for God. But the model should be alive and deserving. Hence, service to statues and photos is not wise since the materials are wasted. But, this becomes inevitable in the case of a beginner. The methods involve defects in the stage of beginners ( Sarvarambha hi…Gita). Hence, the model can be selected from living entities. If you select a devotee for this purpose, God is always pleased that His devotee is served. Even if you serve God directly, the ultimate is only pleasing the God. Hence, you need not differentiate a devotee from the Human incarnation in doing the service. According to sage Narada, God lives in devotees also apart from human incarnations (Tanmayah….). In such case, service to devotees also becomes direct service to God. The worship to Hanuman is as good as worship to Rama. Therefore, select the available best devotee for your service. The Human incarnation is always not available for every one. The second type of worship is called as “sakshat upasanam”, which means direct worship of God through contemporary human incarnation. Veda and Gita say that God enters the creation through human form       ( Tadevanu Pravishat, Manushim Tanum…). The advita philosophers gave a trickish interpretation that God enters the creation in every human form. In such case, he himself being one of the human beings is God. Hence, self eating also becomes offering to God. You can never fool God since He is omniscient. All this means that you can serve God directly through practical sacrifice. Such practical sacrifice to a deserving devotee or human incarnation is called as Yajna, which is the karma yoga. Hence, there is  no contradiction between Gita and Veda since both say that knowledge (Jnana) is better than selfish action (karma) and the action involving sacrifice to God (karma yoga) is better than knowledge.

If you are serving the needy without the involvement of God, it is social service which is also good. But, it gives only a temporary heaven and not the abode of God (ksheene punye… Gita). You can help the needy to bring peace in their lives by solving their problems like hunger etc. but subsequently impart divine knowledge on them and transform them into devotees. Such social service pleases God and is also called as Yajna.

(Taken from Discourses of Shri Dattaswami)

At the lotus feet of Shri Dattaswami

-Prasad