Odyssey of Life

The very nature of karma is binding, as it creates more vāsana and saṃskāra. Then how can the same karma be used to release us? The answer lies in the shift of attitude while performing such karma – i.e. Karma yoga. In the few verses from 3.9 to 3.13, lord Krishna defines yajñabhāvanā as a secret of karma yoga.

Per Vedic terminology, the word “yajña” typically means a ritualistic action involving fire. However, Shri Krishna redefines the concept of yajña as, any action done in the form of a worship, without attachment with results and with the best of one’s abilities. Pujya Gurudev Shri Chinmaya swami in his commentary, interprets “yajña” in a very modern way as – a focused, continuous and a collective effort to achieve desired outcome(s) for the welfare of the entire society / nation / humanity. Thus, yajña is the sacrifice and worship in action for the larger good.

Having defined yajña, yajñabhāvanā is nothing but a collective vision of life. It is an attitude where actions are performed selflessly, for a larger benefit, without ego, with best of one’s abilities, and surrendering them at a higher altar and taking results as prasad, with calm and contented mind. Such an attitude has a potential to free us. Thus, yajñabhāvanā is a mental attitude of cooperation, coexistence and service with detachment and compassion. It is an attitude of create / produce, distribute and enjoy. Such attitude when employed, converts the same karma liberating that would otherwise will bind us.

Shri Krishna goes further to tell us that such attitude is nothing new to us. Entire universe operates due to yajñabhāvanā. Sun shines to enliven our world. Trees produce ample fruits to feed others. Earth produces grains not for her but for other beings. Rains rejuvenate spirit of life in all beings. We Humans too, are created with such yajñabhāvanā. Think of a moment in your life when you instinctively helped someone else and felt good about it. That is yajñabhāvanā. Creator created all human beings with yajñabhāvanā. He blessed us prosperity and expansion through this bhāvanā. (Ref V3.10)

Different ways of living

In a fairly over simplified model, a society can have three ways of living.

1. Capitalism – This is a bhoga-pradhāna  society where the attitude is “I produce, I enjoy”. This is modern day materialism or materialistic culture. Here the focus is on producing more with intent to consume / accumulate more. Society rewards such people, organization and behaviors. While this is very fulfilling in the short term but in the long term it makes society addicted on sensual pleasures and dilutes values in favor of enjoyment.
2. Communism – This is a tyāga-pradhāna  society where the attitude is “I produce and give it up”. This is modern day socialism, where the focus is on producing more but give up the rights of enjoyment. Production is to be given away for the benefit of the community. Similar to capitalism, this may appear compassionate in a way but eventually leads to self-preservation issues. Over time society suffers with laziness and inaction as production is not incentivized.
3. Spiritualism – This is bhoga-tyāga-pradhāna  society where the attitude is “I produce, share and enjoy”. This is yajñabhāvanā, where focus is on producing more with intent to share more after necessary minimalistic consumption for self-preservation and comfort. This way of living is balanced and incentivize higher production and enjoyment while sharing the excess. Here resources are used judiciously without harming their source. This not only ensures prosperity but also purity. Through such yajñabhāvanā, one can elevate beyond lowly instincts of sensual desires through control, anger through compassion, and greed through charity (Ref – The Magic of 3 Cs – Control, Compassion & Charity).

Vedic scriptures prescribe five types of yajña for a householder. They are viewed as five types of debt one must pay during his life. Repaying these debts as prescribed enables him to enjoy life free from all impurities, and secure better future (here and hereafter).

1. Brahma-yajña/ ṛṣi-yajña: Debts to seers. One must study and teach scriptures daily.
2. Pitṛ-yajña: Debts to elders / seniors / forefathers. Make elders and seniors of society happy, make ancestors happy. They guide us in culture, values and principals of life.
3. Nṛ-yajña: Debts to fellow human beings and progeny. Serve other humans, treat them as guests.
4. Deva-yajña: Debts to nature. Take care of mother nature. Preserve, worship and nourish environment. Nature becomes stronger and rewards us with better air, water, rain etc.
5. Bhūta-yajña: Debts to all other beings. Strength of all beings maintains ecological balance and harmony in the entire creation.

Together these five yajña takes care of all aspects of creation. Values of serving the collective are embedded in rituals of these yajnyas – like taking care of nature, respecting elders, serving society and other beings, nurturing progeny etc.

Verse V3.11 specifically describes deva-yajña in detail. In a literal sense, it indicates “Worship gods with this (yajñabhāvanā) and those gods will nourish you (in return). Such mutual worship brings great goodness / prosperity (to the universe at large).” However, there are various different ways to interpret this verse.

In Vedic era, forces of nature (wind, fire, water etc.) were worshiped as gods. This is evident in any ancient culture. Thus “gods” in this verse can be interpreted as forces of nature, or the nature itself. Verse indicates that if we were to respect the nature – i.e. to use its resources judiciously, nature will reward us back with her grace – like fresh air, fresh water, ample food etc. Respecting nature is an act of paying out debts to nature, with attitude of love, respect and service. That is why Sanatana dharma gives stature of mother to nature. Thus, this verse suggests creating a symbiotic and harmonious relationship between human race and nature.

In creation theories mentioned in Upanishads, the same Vedic gods are presiding gods of our senses (i.e. they empower those senses) – i.e. Sun is a god for eyes, Fire for speech etc. Worshiping these gods indicate worshiping our senses – i.e. use them judiciously and feed them sātvika inputs (i.e. eyes see good, ears hear good etc.). In this process, we are sacrificing of our “lowly desires” – i.e. tendency to get carried away in overusing our senses for pleasures. Such worship (judicious use with sacrifice) of these “gods”, rewards us with purified senses, mind and intellect. Such purification triggers spiritual evolution and urge, to know the supreme and become one with him.

Lastly, Pujya Gurudev Shri Chinmaya Swami in his commentary about this verse gives a very beautiful and modern interpretation of this verse. He defines “gods” as our inherent potential to carry out any action. Worshiping such potential is using it in the best possible way for a higher purpose (than our selfish interests). Such worship (correct use of our potential) is rewarded with overall prosperity of mankind.

Thus, “gods” can be interpreted as any/all positive and nourishing powers of the world (or an individual). Worshiping these gods means feeding, helping, supporting such powers with the attitude of service, love and cooperation (yajñabhāvanā), results in the betterment of individual and universe at large. On the contrary, the one who exploits these nourishing universal forces (without giving back, without protecting it, misusing it) for selfish interests and pleasures of their own, is indeed a thief (stealing from mother nature) (Ref V3.12). Shri Krishna strongly condemns selfish attitude of consumption / enjoyment without giving back to nature / society. Such selfish attitude only leads to agitated mind and makes one fall in spiritual ladder. He suggests developing an attitude of enjoying the leftovers as prasad after sharing. Such attitude is a true yajñabhāvanā, leading to purification of one’s mind (Ref V3.13).

Yajñabhāvanā is a connection of individuality with totality. Individual is not isolated, but a part of the whole. What individual thinks, does, consumes or produces effects the entire totality. Through yajñabhāvanā, lord not only teaches us karma yoga, but also about the wheel of love / compassion / sharing and a way to coexist with fellow creatures while making the optimum use resources given by mother nature. (Ref: Kindness Doesn’t End….)

श्रीकृष्णार्पणम् अस्तु ।