Summary:

Chapter 2, Verse 50 (revision): Karma-yoga requires discrimination (kaushalam) in action through three aspects of dharma: ahimsa (minimizing harm), bharana (sustaining wellbeing), and prabhava (creating growth and harmony).

Chapter 2, Verse 51: Karma-yoga comprises two essential attitudes: Ishvara Arpana Buddhi (aligning actions with dharma, while recognizing the very dharma is Ishvara) and Ishvara Prasada Buddhi (treating results as learning opportunities from Ishvara, they're ultimately in the best interest of everyone in the big picture).

Chapter 2, Verse 52: Through karma-yoga practice, the intellect overcomes moha (delusion) and gains clarity about permanent fulfillment. One realizes the Self (atman) alone is perfect – unborn (ajah), timeless (nityah), unchanging (śāśvatah), ever-new (puranah), and limitless (Ananta). This understanding naturally develops dispassion (nirvedam) towards both known and unknown worldly pursuits.

Revision:

VERSE 49:

How is normal karma different from karma-yoga?

Normal person:

Dissatisfied based on 2 observations: (a) I’m good, but not compensated enough. (b) Others aren’t good, but compensated.

Karma-Yogi:

Results are always coming from infallible laws. It’s a fair system. Laws will eventually catchup to the sinner and the good guy. Thus anxiety/impatience goes down. You're less bothered or disturbed by others' inappropriateness. It’s one of reasons why Krishna was cheerful despite dealing with challenges.

VERSE 50:

How are actions to be performed?

Yoga karmasu kaushalam: Discrimination/discretion in action. Meaning:

1. Using your talents/skills to fullest, because the more you use them, the more they bless you.
2. Actions are done within confines of samanya-dharma (universal ethical values).

Source of dharma:

Not societal norms, it’s not externally imposed. Inbuilt program (understanding what is right/wrong).

3 Definitions of Dharma:

1. Ahimsa: Actively minimizes the hurt your actions/words/thoughts could inflict.
2. Bhāraṇa: Activity doesn’t destroy/disturb things, but sustains/maintains wellbeing.
3. Prabhāva: Your presence leads to growth & harmony; your power is used ethically. You create growth opportunities.

Why people dishonor dharma or choose to bend it to suit their version of what is ethical? 

1. Driven by Likes/Dislikes. Instant gratification suppresses rationality and long term repercussions.
2. Societal norms make you conform to it. Actions come from pressures of proving oneself to be accepted, thus cuts corners.
3. Actions come from unaddressed childhood pain. EG: Abused children end up abusing others.
4. Doesn’t see reward of sticking to dharma.

Cost of disregarding universal ethical values:

1. Causes discomfort (guilt),
2. Anxiety of being found out.
3. Fall in self-esteem because you’re not able to follow what you know is right.
4. Think others can also violate dharma, thus become suspicious of others.

Benefit of Following values:

Living with a mind free of suspicion, distrust, guilt, high-esteem, which makes live enjoyable. Else surrounded by wonderful things, and unable to enjoy. Knowing this, following dharma becomes your natural choice.

Dharma requires interpretation – it’s not fixed:

EG: You lie to save someone from harm. Engaging in self-defense if someone is doing wrong, is not violence, as in case of Mahabharata.

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 51:
What exactly is Karma-Yoga?

कर्मजम् बुद्धि-युक्ताः हि फलं त्यक्त्वा मनीषिणः ।
जन्म-बन्ध-विनिर्मुक्ताः पदम् गच्छन्ति अनामयम् ॥ २-५१॥
karmajam buddhi-yuktāḥ hi phalaṃ tyaktvā manīṣiṇaḥ ।
janma-bandha-vinirmuktāḥ padam gacchanti anāmayam ॥ 2-51॥

The wise, endowed with the attitude of karma-yoga, having given up the results of action, free from the bondage of birth, indeed accomplish the end that is free from all afflictions.

Two things make up Karma-Yoga:

Taking dharma into account: Ishvara Arpana Buddhi

1. Intellectual Language: (yoga karmasu kaushalam)
   • When performing actions, take into account dharma (ethics). Consider the well-being of you and the other side. Focus on the long term vision, rather then mere performance of your actions which create short-sightedness. Actively do the right thing, even after you waver. Keeping in mind, the dharma/laws to which you're actively aligning to, are not separate from Ishvara. They are manifestation of Ishvara. Thus you don't have to look for Ishvara “out there”. This way, you're always relating to the Lord.
2. Religious / Emotional Language: (arpana buddhi)
   • The very concept we described above is also called, having “Ishvara arpana buddhi”. Meaning, dedicating your actions to the alter of God. “Arpana” means “offering”. Thus your buddhi (intellect) recognizing it's offering all actions, words and thoughts to Ishvara's feet. 

Recognizing results are impersonal, in the best interest of all & coming from the Lord: Ishvara Prasada Buddhi

1. Intellectual Language: (samatvam yoga ucyate)
   • When receive a result or a situation something confronts you — understand it’s from Ishvara (because all that is here is Ishvara). Recognize whatever shows in front of you, it's your chance to do something different, to respond differently. Each time you reply differently, that very act UNDOs the old habituated way. This is how to transform. Anticipate a confrontation, argument, flirtation, social situation, a challenge, someone expressing interest or dislike towards you. Then simply reply how you haven't replied before. This will create a different feedback, which will show you something new about yourself, life and human psychology. Thus each situation becomes your potential teacher. All you have to do is RESPOND DIFFERENTLY.
2. Religious / Emotional Language: (prasada buddhi)
   • The very concept we described above is also called, having “Ishvara prasada buddhi”. The word “prasada” is a “gift” or “blessing”. In other words, a learning opportunity, specially gift-wrapped just for you, coming from God, to help you transform and mature if you respond appropriately.  Every result is seen as an opportunity to better myself.
   • To help you connect more to the concept of “It's a blessing from the Lord” — suppose person gives you laddu sweet. You reject for having diabetes. They say it’s from Tirrupati temple, or some sacred place. Consequently, you end up taking the sweet. Object remains the same. Only your attitude changes, recognizing it’s a blessing from divine. Thus relationship to object changes. Similarly, every liked/disliked result you get is coming infallible laws of Ishvara. Thus it changes your attitude towards results. Make you stop reacting, and removes disappointment. Makes you accept gracefully, but not passively (as you still have free will to decide next course of action).

What are the benefits for those endowed with attitude of karma-yoga (Ishvara-arpana-buddhi & Prasada-buddhi)?

• While engaging in the world, makes you more immune to burdens and disappointments, because (a) you’re aligning your actions with dharma, which create a peaceful life, and (b) understand the results are impersonal.
• Converts isolation, “I have to fight in this world”, to connection, “I am connected to everything in this world”, never outside Ishvara’s laws.
• Converts dissatisfaction/complaints (from not getting what you want) to gratitude (appreciating most essentials are already provided. EG: Your intrinsic nature is untouched by anything, it’s unborn and immortal. Or so much is done for food to be on your plate).

NEXT VERSE: Karma-Yoga leads to moksha…

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Verse 52:
Karma-Yoga is a means to Enlightenment

यदा ते मोह-कलिलम् बुद्धिः व्यतितरिष्यति ।
तदा गन्तासि निर्वेदम् श्रोतव्यस्य श्रुतस्य च ॥ २-५२॥
yadā te moha-kalilam buddhiḥ vyatitariṣyati ।
tadā gantāsi nirvedam śrotavyasya śrutasya ca ॥ 2-52॥

When your intellect crosses over the impurity of delusion, then you shall gain a dispassion towards what has been heard and what is yet to be heard.

As your intellect is purified through Karma-Yoga, it crosses over mini delusions/moha (erroneous notions), thereby you gain more and more clarity over two questions on everyone’s mind…

1. What is the only thing that will give me permanent and final fulfillment?
   • That which is unchanging. Anything changing can't be perfect as perfection has no need to change from one state to another. Self (atman) alone is perfect. Perfect means, it is ajaḥ (unborn), nityaḥ (timeless), śāśvataḥ (not undergoing modification), purāṇaḥ (ever-new, pure), Ananta (limitless).
   • Knowing your true nature, you’ve crossed over maha-moha (taking self as good as the body-mind complex). Consequently, dispassion (nirvedam) naturally develops towards heard (śruta) and yet to be heard (śrotavya).
2. What should I do in this situation? How should I act? IE: Be proactive in reducing negative thinking patterns that arise while acting. Take to Ishvara-arpana-buddhi & Ishvara-prasada-buddhi as discussed in verse 51.

NEXT VERSE: When you see all limited ends are included in moksha, mind becomes steady (niścalā), it’s no longer distracted by shampoo/deodorant advertisements…

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Course was based on Swami Dayananda (Arsha Vidya) home study course.

Recorded 16 Feb, 2025