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Does karma-yoga mean to follow exactly the sastras?

Expressions researched:
"Does karma-yoga mean to follow exactly the sastras"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Karma-yoga means yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi kuruṣva tat mad-arpaṇam.

Morning Walk -- April 1, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Karma-yogī means one who does everything for Kṛṣṇa. He's karma-yogī.

Guest (1): One who does everything for...?

Prabhupāda: For Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (1): For Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Just like you are doing, doing some work. For whom you are doing?

Guest (1): For my own benefit.

Prabhupāda: That's all. So that is karma. But when you do the same thing for Kṛṣṇa, that is karma-yoga.

Guest (1): But (Hindi), if you do it for others, for Kṛṣṇa, for Kṛṣṇa's...

Prabhupāda: Others... Others means... That is also a humbug. You cannot do anything for others. You do everything for yourself. That is a false propaganda. You see? That is humbugism. So either you can do for yourself or for Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Guest (1): I see. (Gujarati)

Prabhupāda: (break) ...become a slogan nowadays. Nobody does for others. "For others," "For the poor," these are all humbug.

Guest (1): You think people are doing something hospitals, that is for others?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is also puṇya-karma.

Guest (1): (Hindi) Helping these temples, hospitals...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Temple construction is different from hospital construction. That is for Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (1): But suppose somebody's doing hospitals. Is it not for others?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But how many you can give shelter? A few. There are so many suffering people. You cannot provide hospitals for all of them. The hospitals are increasing, and the disease also increasing.

Guest (1): No, as you say that doing for others is humbug.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Humbug means he cannot do it.

Guest (1): Ācchā.

Prabhupāda: He cannot do it. He can do to his satisfaction only. That is... That is also for his satisfaction.

Guest (1): I see.

Prabhupāda: Because by opening hospital, you cannot stop disease. That is not possible. Then what you are doing for the others? That is for your satisfaction. Try to understand. Because you cannot do anything, but still, you are wasting your time. That is for your satisfaction.

Guest (1): Naturally for myself.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa. You cannot do anything. The hospitals are increasing, beds are increasing, and the diseases are increasing. Then what can you do?

Guest (1): We can do our own satisfaction.

Prabhupāda: That's all. (break) ...done not meant for Kṛṣṇa, that is for his own satisfaction. Just like Arjuna wanted to become nonviolent: "No, no, Kṛṣṇa. I cannot kill my kinsmen." That is a good proposal. But that was his satisfaction.

Guest (1): That is very correct.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That was his satisfaction. But Kṛṣṇa wanted that "You must fight." And when he agreed to that, that is his perfection. Before that, he was trying to satisfy he.

Guest (1): Yes. When he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, that was his...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the only purpose of life. Anything that is done, that is useless waste of time. Therefore Kṛṣṇa particularly said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vra... (BG 18.66). That is ekam. You try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa only. That will give you perfection. Otherwise your own satisfaction, that's all.

Guest (1): Yes, very correct, very correct.

Prabhupāda: Whatever you do, that is your satisfaction. That is karma.

Guest (1): But not yogi.

Prabhupāda: No, karma. (break) ...for your own sense satisfaction, that is karma. And if you do it for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, that is karma-yoga.

Makhanlal: Pure bhakti and karma-yoga considered to be exactly the same?

Prabhupāda: Exactly the same.

Prabhupāda: Pure bhakti is above karma-yoga. Pure bhakti is above karma-yoga.

Bhāgavata: That is the difference between the Chapter Karma-yoga and Karma-yoga in Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Pure, pure devotion means Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam.

Guest (1): I read fifteen percent power cut from today in the state. They have not able to do the service in electric. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...cut, cent percent. (break)

Makhanlal: ...you're performing, is the vaidhī-bhakti stage of...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Makhanlal: ...of the sādhana-bhakti, the regulative principles.

Prabhupāda: Yes, vaidhī-bhakti means regulative principles, and when you are accustomed, automatically you perform, that is rāga-bhakti.

Makhanlal: So vaidhī-bhakti is considered superior to karma-yoga then.

Prabhupāda: No. Karma-yoga is better.

Makhanlal: Karma-yoga is better?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Indian man: Pure bhakti is superior.

Prabhupāda: Pure bhakti is ṣravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇu-smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, that is pure bhakti. (break)

Yaśomatīnandana: ...formed by anybody.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Yaśomatīnandana: Karma-yoga.

Prabhupāda: Unless one is inclined to take to devotion, it is not possible to take to karma-yoga. Who can sacrifice the profit?

Yaśomatīnandana: Does karma-yoga mean to follow exactly the śāstras?

Prabhupāda: Karma-yoga means yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi kuruṣva tat mad-arpaṇam.

Yaśomatīnandana: Doing only for Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is karma-yoga.

Devotee: Which means?

Prabhupāda: "Whatever you do, the result give Me."

Devotee: To Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Yaśomatīnandana: So we are also, those who are on the vaidhi-bhakti (indistinct) on karma-yoga path because we are...

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are acting under the order of the spiritual master. That is bhakti-yoga.

Bhāgavata: So when one follows the nine activities of devotion purely, that is pure bhakti.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhāgavata: Then when he's following those nine activities, then he's superior.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Bhāgavata: Then that's superior to karma-yoga, to follow those nine principles purely.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Makhanlal: Rāgānugā-bhakti is also superior to karma-yoga then?

Prabhupāda: Bhakti is perfect stage. That is not for ordinary man.

Yaśomatīnandana: What is the difference between karma-yoga and... or bhakti because they also (indistinct) Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Now go on doing your duty, you'll understand (indistinct). Don't try to understand in one day.

Bhāgavata: It will be revealed to us as we act.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the more you become in service attitude, things will be revealed to you. (Sanskrit) prakaśante. Becomes, it becomes manifest. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau sam eva sphuraty adhaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). (break) ...answers.

Dr. Patel: What I will say now... I will make one man sit between the two, Vaiṣṇavas.

Prabhupāda: You know what the paramahaṁsas do?

Guests: It is mixed up.

Dr. Patel: It is what I give to that man. Mix up, then it is far better.

Prabhupāda: So they are all paramahaṁsas.

Dr. Patel: Then let them miss. We don't mind. But they don't miss that door(?).

Guest (2): (Gujarati)

Dr. Patel: (Gujarati conversation) (break)

Devotee: Till the sun goes down.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Dr. Patel: Not the sun. Whole day (indistinct) morning. That is how you are passing? If the sun goes down in the night..., day time? (break)

Prabhupāda: ...but if one can continue, that's all right. (end)

Page Title:Does karma-yoga mean to follow exactly the sastras?
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas, Rishab
Created:16 of Jun, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1