KARMAYOGI

Karmayogi
U.N.Biswas
(Some of the members ‘Karmayogi- Asocial Service Unit’ of Nimta, 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India; called on me to invite to a Mass Marriage Ceremony to be held on December 11, 2010 at 71.S.B.Roychowdhury Road, Kolkata-700083. I regretted the invitation for my engagement on this date and the following to run a human resource development course. During the discussion, I told them that I would send them a mail on Karmayogi. I feel necessary to post this in my Blog for wider public view.)
When the country is reeling under unprecedented wave of corruption; it is really refreshing to know that a group of people are working together for the good of the society in an organization, the name of which is Karmayogi. This compound Karmayogi (Karma + Yogi) straight way links us to our Ancient Indian heritage of work in equanimity without attachment. Karma means both physical and mental. “Everything we do, physical or mental, is Karma, and it leaves its mark on us.”(Swamiji: Karma-Yoga;The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda’ Vo.I, Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, Twenty-second Impression, 1998, p.29.) Yoga has been defined by Patanjali: Yogachittavrittinirodha. “Yoga is restraining the mind-stuff (Chitta) from taking various forms (Vrittis).” (ibid, p.200.) Karmayogi is the person who works in equanimity and non-attachment. He not only remains free from evil but also fights evil. He is a person of purity without the greed for the results. He does good because it is good to do good. It is a good work without any motive. A Karmayogi works not for fame or power but for doing good to society. It is so appropriate to say that ‘Karmaygoi’(the name of the organization under reference) is, “A Social Welfare Unit.”
Let me say with emphasis, if you are Karmayogi, you are not only honest but you also fight corruption. You, under no circumstances, under no compulsions can associate with the persons who have a notoriety of corruption.
Swamiji mentions a person who prctised the principle of Karmayoga. “That man is Buddha. He is the one man who ever carried this into perfect practice. All the prophets of the world, except Buddha, had external motives to move them to unselfish action.”(ibid, p.117.)
A Karmayogi necessarily need not believe in God. The Buddha says Swamiji; “is the only prophet who said, “I do not care to know various theories about God. What is the use of discussing all the subtle doctrines about soul? Do good and be good. And this will take you to freedom and to whatever truth there is.”
“… He is the ideal Karmayogi, acting entirely without motive, and the history of humanity shows to him have been the greatest man ever born; beyond compare the greatest combination of heart and brain that ever existed… He is the first great reformer the world has seen.” (ibid. p.117.)
U.N.Biswas

1 December 2010
CG 22 Sector II, Salt Lake City, Calcutta -700091