introspection

Having dealt with the "desires" by performing the karma yoga for sufficient amount of time an individual makes himself suitable for "introspection"

1. during the first phase of karma yoga, the seeker started giving the "fruits of action" to the LORD to adjust the worst debts first and consolidate the deposit accounts.

2. during the second phase of karma yoga, the seeker started leaving the "choice of action" also to the lord. By doing so, lord will keep putting the seeker in the environment best suitable to deal with his long pending debts which were ignored by the seeker due to his own choice of selecting the work.

By doing both the above steps, lord helps an individual to consolidate all the sub accounts into a single account.

Now, an individual has an account (the identification - "I" - ahamkara) and a balance in that account. (it could be credit balance or debit balance - it is not a problem this is called "MINE" - mamakara) If the balance is positive, the person has a deposit account, if the balance is negative the person is left with the loan account. But in any case the individual should deal with it to bring it to zero balance. i.e., the original state of the account.

One one side the karma yoga leads to this account consolidation, and on the other side the karma yogi becomes suitable to get this following knowledge: (the secret of external sensual enjoyments)

Instruction 10:

बाह्यस्पर्शेष्वसक्तात्मा विन्दत्यात्मनि यत्सुखम्।
स ब्रह्मयोगयुक्तात्मा सुखमक्षयमश्नुते।।5.21।।
bāhyasparśēṣvasaktātmā vindatyātmani yatsukham.
sa brahmayōgayuktātmā sukhamakṣayamaśnutē..5.21..

ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते।
आद्यन्तवन्तः कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुधः।।5.22।।
yē hi saṅsparśajā bhōgā duḥkhayōnaya ēva tē.
ādyantavantaḥ kauntēya na tēṣu ramatē budhaḥ..5.22..

All the "enjoyments" based on external object contact are "temporary in nature" and when the contact is finally lost, they cause "misery". Hence, a wise man will not really want to enjoy them (the BHOGAS).

The one who gets detached from the external objects will find the real infinite-bliss (sukham-akshayam) whose atma is absorbed in the BRAHMA. (Brahma means Greater than the Greatest)

So, The single account (after consolidation) represents the "single desire" for liberation and attaining the permanent un-decaying bliss of peace.

At this stage, a BOGHI is turned into a YOGI. As I mentioned earlier, it may take few moments or it may take few lifespans before this transformation happens. It is not wise to jump into "meditation" without winning the battle over the desires and bringing the "indriyas" (senses) under the control of "manas" (mind).

The key ingredient for success in Karma Yoga is "faith" on lord.

Let me explain the characteristics of "LORD" in following three statements:

a. "very existence" is LORD. If anything exists at all; then LORD exists! (One need not doubt the existence of LORD because he is the existence itself)

b. LORD clearly "knows" what is best for "each individual" (He knows it better than the individual knows about it)

c. LORD surely "gives" each individual what they best deserve. (He is not partial to one individual or gives more or less than what the individual deserves.) It may not match with what an individual "desires"!!! This rule is applicable for both "the enjoyments" and "the work assignment".

The above three statements, I have realized having performed the Karma Yoga for a good amount of time.

Lord explains the process of "Raja Yoga" or "Dhyana Yoga" in Chapter 6 (dealing with bringing the "manas" under the control of "buddhi" - the correct reasoning.) But, the preparation for the Dhyana Yoga is best explained by Rishi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras. We will deal with them in the future posts.

om tat sat