Discover the essence of Karm Yog from the Bhagavad Gita. Learn how to apply this spiritual practice in daily life for inner peace and divine connection.

Spiritual aspirants aspire to practice karm yog but often struggle with its practical application in daily life. Why is karm yog difficult to practice? How can we perform actions so they become spiritual? How can we truly unite our minds with God through our actions?

Let us seek answers to these profound questions from valid sources – Vedic scriptures and Swami Mukundananda, the Founder of JKYog.

Karm Vs. Karm Yog: The Path of Action to Selfless Action

The term “karm” in its essence, refers to the worldly duties or bodily dharmas prescribed by the Vedas. These encompass a wide range of responsibilities including taking care of one's family, fulfilling professional obligations, following social and ethical codes of conduct, and performing actions for personal health and well-being. Shree Krishna explains to Arjun that all material souls are bound by the nature of the three gunas (i.e., modes), and therefore, cannot remain without action, even for a moment.

न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् |

कार्यते ह्यवश: कर्म सर्व: प्रकृतिजैर्गुणै: || 5||

na hi kashchit kshanam api jatu tishthatyakarma-krit

karyate hyavashah karma sarvah prakriti-jair gunaih [BG 3.5].

In his commentary on Chapter 3 of the Bhagavad Gita, Swamiji elucidates that all living beings are an integral part of God’s creation and have roles and responsibilities to fulfill. He says that the Vedas prescribe cyclical action, for example, performing yajna or sacrifice to please the celestial gods, who in return bestow material gains in the form of rain, which then enhances the production of food grains, which ultimately sustains life on earth.

In contrast, the term “karm yog” refers to the practice of converting daily mundane activities through conscious practice. When we perform our prescribed duties as a loving service to God, these very actions (or karm) become a means of union with the Divine (i.e., Yog). In this state, our actions take on the form of yajna.

The True Karm Yogi: Embodying Divine Consciousness

A genuine practitioner of Karm Yog fulfills their duties with the spirit of seva or service, solely for the pleasure of God. This elevated state of consciousness transforms every action into a divine offering. As stated in the Bhagavad Gita (Verse 3.7), real sacrifice occurs when one offers oneself to God through seva.

Shree Krishna, in His divine wisdom, declared that a householder practicing true Karm Yog is far superior to a renunciant who may have externally abandoned material pleasures but internally remains attached to sensory gratification. Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj beautifully contrasts these two situations in the Bhakti Shatak (Verse 84):

"When one works in the world with the body, but keeps the mind attached to God, know it to be karm yog. When one engages in spirituality with the body, but keeps the mind attached to the world, know it to be hypocrisy."

Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar: A Shining Example of Karm Yog

To truly grasp the essence of Karm Yog, let us look at the inspiring life of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar. Born in 1725, she became the queen of the Malwa kingdom in India and ruled from 1767 until she died in 1795. During the peak of the Maratha Empire, she ruled the vast Malwa Province, inheriting her position amidst political turmoil and personal tragedy. She was indeed an extraordinary ruler.

Maharani Ahilyabai embraced her duties and despite the challenges, she ruled not for personal gain, but as a divine obligation. Her 30-year reign brought unprecedented peace and prosperity to Malwa. She promoted art, culture, and trade, strengthening both the economy and military might of her province.

What set her apart as a true karm yogini was her detachment from personal glory. While her contemporaries built grand palaces, Maharani Ahilyabai lived in the modest Ahilya Wada. She channeled a significant portion of the kingdom's wealth into public welfare, embodying the spirit of selfless service that defines Karm Yog.

Known for her wisdom, piety, and sense of justice, she devoted her life to serving her people. Her subjects deeply admired her for her generosity, devotion to justice, and ability to rule with both strength and compassion. Even today, Ahilyabai is celebrated as a model of good governance and compassion.

Swami Mukundananda beautifully explains, "Such a karm yogi, who performs worldly duties while keeping the mind attached to God, is not bound by karm even while performing all kinds of works. This is because what binds one to the law of karm is not actions, but the attachment to the fruits of those actions. And a karm yogi has no attachment to the fruits of action."