Men have to be doing some karma or other from the moment of waking to the moment of sleeping; that is to say, from birth to death. They cannot sit quiet without doing karma. Whoever he may be, he has no means of avoiding this predicament! But each one has to understand clearly which kind of karma he has to be engaged in. There are only two types:
- Sensory or binding karmas, or vishaya karmas.
- Karmas that liberate, or sreyo karmas.
Still, the karmas that bind, the vishaya karmas, have increased beyond control: and as a result, sorrow and confusion have increased. Through these no happiness and peace of mind can be gained. The sreyo karmas on the other hand yield progressive joy and auspiciousness with each single act. They give bliss to the soul, or Atmananda; and are not concerned with mere external joy! Though acts may be external, the attraction is all towards the internal. This is the right path, the true path.
Vishaya karma includes all activity in relation to exterior objects.
It is usually resorted to with a desire for the result. This craving for
the consequences leads one to the morass of 'I' and 'Mine' and the demon
of lust and greed. If one follows this path, there will be sudden flares
as when ghee is poured in the sacrificial fire! Assigning priority to
sense objects or vishaya is the same as assigning importance to poison
or visha! But while engaged in those activities and in those sense objects,
if one has no interest in the result or consequence, then not only can
one be victorious over the feelings of 'I' and 'Mine' and greed and lust,
he can also be far away from all such traits. He will never be troubled
by them. Sreyo Karma or liberating karma is so pure, faultless, unselfish
and unswerving. Its characteristic is the importance given to the idea
of nishkama karma, action without any thought of the fruits thereof, elaborated
in the Gita. The practice of that discipline involves the development
of Sathya, Dharma, Santhi and Prema: Truth, Righteousness, Peace, and
Love. While on this path, if one also takes up the discipline of the name
of the Lord, where else can he acquire more joy and bliss? It will give
the fullest satisfaction. 