Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
What are Sakarma, Vikarma and Akarma?
66 views
Skip to first unread message
Jahnu Dasa
Nov 18, 2021, 8:36:58 PM11/18/21
to
Karma refers to pious activities, or occupational duty. Vikarma means sinful or forbidden activities. Such activities result in suffering. Sakarma means activities with reactions, be they good or bad.
Akarma means activities without any reactions. The only way to do akarma, ie. activities performed without any reactions, is by performing one’s activities for the sake of God.
Of course, now a days people perform all kinds of horrible activities in the name of God. But it’s not enough to claim one is working for God. One must be actually working for God.
To be working for God, one must be working out of love for God. Such work, done out of love for God, will result in a gradual purification from the three modes of material nature, IOW, one will be able to rise above the influence of one’s karma.
In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes how to recognize oneself, or other people, as a person who has transcended karma, ie. one who has risen above bodily or mental cravings.
Arjuna asks:
O my dear Lord, by which symptoms is one known who is transcendental to these three modes? What is his behavior? And how does he transcend the modes of nature? —Bg 14.21
Krishna says:
O son of Pandu, he who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present or long for them when they disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed through all these reactions of the material qualities, remaining neutral and transcendental, knowing that the modes alone are active; who is situated in the self and regards alike happiness and distress; who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is equal toward the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally well in praise and blame, honor and dishonor; who treats alike both friend and enemy; and who has renounced all material activities – such a person is said to have transcended the modes of nature. —Bg 14.22-25
One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman. —Bg 14.26
And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness. — Bg 14.27
Akarma means activities without any reactions. The only way to do akarma, ie. activities performed without any reactions, is by performing one’s activities for the sake of God.
Of course, now a days people perform all kinds of horrible activities in the name of God. But it’s not enough to claim one is working for God. One must be actually working for God.
To be working for God, one must be working out of love for God. Such work, done out of love for God, will result in a gradual purification from the three modes of material nature, IOW, one will be able to rise above the influence of one’s karma.
In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes how to recognize oneself, or other people, as a person who has transcended karma, ie. one who has risen above bodily or mental cravings.
Arjuna asks:
O my dear Lord, by which symptoms is one known who is transcendental to these three modes? What is his behavior? And how does he transcend the modes of nature? —Bg 14.21
Krishna says:
O son of Pandu, he who does not hate illumination, attachment and delusion when they are present or long for them when they disappear; who is unwavering and undisturbed through all these reactions of the material qualities, remaining neutral and transcendental, knowing that the modes alone are active; who is situated in the self and regards alike happiness and distress; who looks upon a lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with an equal eye; who is equal toward the desirable and the undesirable; who is steady, situated equally well in praise and blame, honor and dishonor; who treats alike both friend and enemy; and who has renounced all material activities – such a person is said to have transcended the modes of nature. —Bg 14.22-25
One who engages in full devotional service, unfailing in all circumstances, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman. —Bg 14.26
And I am the basis of the impersonal Brahman, which is immortal, imperishable and eternal and is the constitutional position of ultimate happiness. — Bg 14.27
0 new messages