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Bhagavad Gita - March 12, 2010 Chapter 6, Verses: 1-3 Swami Yogatmananda Vedanta Society of Providence     Please click the 'Play' button to start. It may take a minute.   Launch in external player   To download the lecture, please right-click here and then click "Save Target As..."     VI.1: He/She who performs an action which is his/her duty, without depending on the result of action, he/she is a monlk and a yogi; but not so is he who does not keep a fire and is actionless. VI.2: That which they call monasticism, know that to be Yoga, O Pandava. For, nobody who has not given up expectations can be a yogi. VI.3: For the sage who wishes to ascend to (Dhyana) yoga, action is said to be the means. For that person, when he/she has ascended to (Dhyana) yoga, inaction alone is said to be the means.   The above image is from Gita Darshan by courtesy of Sri Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad.   To Order Audio/ Video CDs : bookstore@vedantaprov.org   List of Audio/Video CDs, DVDs

Summary of this lecture: The sixth chapter of Bhagavad Gita illustrates for us the connection between Karma Yoga, explained in the earlier chapters, and spiritual practices and meditation. We cannot give up our work and don the clothes of a monastic and expect to get Liberation. We must work! Lord Krishna emphasizes that while work done in the spirit of desire creates bondage, work performed with detachment can liberate us from bondage. Sri Krishna assures us that Karma Yoga, the performance of work done with detachment, is the equivalent of monastic renunciation-both will lead us to our Goal. Ridding ourselves of desire for reward is a long, arduous process requiring great discipline. We should be careful not to choose work based on our likes and dislikes, and instead must perform every task that comes to us as duty with equanimity.   Work can be likened to a tool--when we use it properly, it calms the mind. After it has served its purpose, the tool can be set aside because we don't need it anymore. If we put in the effort to practice Karma Yoga, eventually our minds will become calm; only then will we truly be prepared to give up work and devote ourselves to meditation.