Correct Interpretation of Nishkama Karma Yoga

[dattaswami]

Correct Interpretation of Nishkama Karma Yoga

Hanuman did lot of work for the war and in fact He was responsible for finding Sita.  He did not aspire for any reward and the chain of pearls rewarded to Him was also sacrificed by Him. Here you find the sacrifice of the actual fruit.  Hanuman did not put on the chain on His neck and say that He has sacrificed the aspiration for the fruit!  Similarly, Shankara left the mother actually for the sake of divine propagation of knowledge.  He did not sit in the home serving His mother saying that He has sacrificed only the aspiration for the bond!

Shankara also said that He is not for the salvation, which is the fruit of His service (Na Mokshasya Aakamksha…).  Since the expressed service indicates certainly the existence of real and good theoretical devotion in mind, service itself means the devotion.  Therefore, you have now two stages only, which are knowledge and service.  Hence, Lord Shiva came down twice only as Anjaneya representing service to God and Adi Shankara representing the propagation of knowledge of God.

Service means the real devotion as found in the case of your children to whom the real service is done without much expression of theoretical love to them, which must exist in your heart as fire for the smoke.  Anjaneya also had the knowledge from god sun and His expressed excellent service to God indicates the existence of real theoretical devotion in the mind.  Shankara also did lot of service in propagating divine knowledge and also expressed devotion through several prayers.  Both have all the three stages but the stress is given on service by Anjeneya and the stress is given on knowledge by Shankara.

Anjeneya is monkey representing the lack of firmness and Shankara is a bachelor representing hundred monkeys (Brahmachari Shata Markatah).  But this monkey nature is only external cover and does not relate to the firm internal personality.  Both did service of God leaving all the worldly bonds with firm determination.