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Karma-yoga Part 5
Last time we discussed the Vedic concept of sacrifice as offering the results of one's work to the Lord. Advanced transcendentalists practice karma-yoga to become free from the karmic reactions of work. We cannot stop work, therefore by giving up the result of our work to a transcendental cause instead of hoarding it for ourselves, we become free from the reactions. This magnanimous liberality is the key to attaining liberation from material existence.
In material existence, we must perform actions in the modes of goodness, passion and ignorance just to maintain the body. Actions in the material modes create reactions in the same modes, and we must accept material bodies in the future to receive these reactions. Just as the body and circumstances we have now are reactions to our actions in previous lives, we will get future bodies as reactions to the actions we perform in this life.
The process of sacrifice in karma-yoga is the only escape from the vicious cycle of karma. This process of sacrifice comes from the Lord Himself:
purovāca prajāpatiḥ
anena prasaviṣyadhvam
eṣa vo 'stv iṣṭa-kāma-dhuk
"In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying, "Be thou happy by this yajña [sacrifice] because its performance will bestow upon you all desirable things." [Bhagavad-gita 3.10]
The original four Vedas are liturgical works giving the elaborate ceremonies of ritualistic sacrifices to be performed by great kings during the Dvapara- and Treta-yugas. In this age of Kali-yuga, such sacrificial performances are impossible to perform because of a lack of qualified brahmana priests. The Vedas prescribe a different form of sacrifice for Kali-yuga: Saṅkīrtana-yajña (congregational chanting of the names of God), and this transcendental system was introduced by Lord Caitanya for the deliverance of all men in this age.
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
"In this age of Kali, people who are endowed with sufficient intelligence will worship the Lord, who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña." [Srimad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.32]
Saṅkīrtana-yajña helps us to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lord Kṛṣṇa in His devotional form as Lord Caitanya is mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with special reference to the saṅkīrtana-yajña. Other yajñas prescribed in the Vedic literatures are impossible to perform in this age of Kali, but the saṅkīrtana-yajña is easy and sublime for all purposes. Therefore all men should liberally support the saṅkīrtana-yajña movement of Lord Caitanya, for this is the key to material and spiritual success in this age.
te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ
śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
"The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you; thus nourishing one another, there will reign general prosperity for all." [Bhagavad-gita 3.11]
Sacrifices to the demigods such as Indra and Varuna are recommended in the karma-kanda section of the Vedas. This exchange of services is the basic principle of economic prosperity. Therefore we generally find that wherever regular religious ceremonies are performed, people have sufficient material prosperity. However, Krsna says later on in Bhagavad-gita that they are for less-intelligent people.
tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām
devān deva-yajo yānti
mad-bhaktā yānti mām api
"Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet." [Bhagavad-gita 7.23]
Instead, Krsna also describes the chanting process in devotional service to the Supreme Lord:
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate
"Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion." [Bhagavad-gita 9.14]
So constant chanting the Holy Name, qualities and pastimes of the Supreme Lord is the key to eternal freedom from material existence and suffering. For the good of human society, everyone should be given the chance to perform this easy process for the eternal benefits it provides. This is the highest welfare work, and the best charity to all sections of humanity. This chanting process is also recommended by Bhisma in Sri Visnusahasranama:
dharmo ’dhikatamo mataḥ
yad bhaktyā puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ
stavair arcen naraḥ sadā
“In my opinion, the best of all spiritual activities is to continuously and devotedly worship lotus-eyed Lord Kṛṣṇa by reciting prayers glorifying Him and describing His Holy Names." [Sri Visnusahasranama, 8]
Therefore we request intelligent people to support this saṅkīrtana-yajña movement of Lord Caitanya, and help to promote it very broadly for the spiritual well-being of everyone.
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