Questions& Answers with Prakashanand Saraswati: Understanding the Path of Karm Yog

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati guides us through the deeper meaning of Karm Yog in this illuminating Q&A session. Karm Yog, the path of selfless action, emphasizes unity with the Divine and the importance of remembering Radha Krishn while fulfilling worldly duties. Swamiji also sheds light on the consequences of our actions, both in this life and in future lives, explaining how devotional thoughts purify the heart and shape our destiny.

Questions& Answers with Prakashanand Saraswati..

Question: What is the path of karm yog?

Answer: You see, karm yog is made of two words: yog and karm. Yog means to join. Two things joined, you and Krishn. Krishn is always with you, but you are not with Him. When you feel His love and remember His name that is unity.

A karm yogi's first decision is that he wants God realization in this lifetime. That is his main purpose of living on the Earth. After this decision, people forget about it most of the time. So they have to do devotions morning and evening and also regularly remember Krishn name with love and affinity. So, the one who has decided that God realization is his only aim of life, is doing regular devotion and while doing other work he is remembering the name. That person could be called a karm yogi.

People sometimes take this wrongly. Suppose a devotee at some particular time is in a worldly mood, although he has decided to find Krishn in this lifetime, but at that particular time of doing karmas, that work would not be called karm yog. It would be only karm. Any action for your personal, physical or mental comfort is not karm yog. When you are doing karmas, as your service, with your whole heart filled with the name of Radha Krishn, then that is called karm yog.

Question: What are the consequences of actions?

Answer: Every thought is an action. Your actions have a direct physical consequence as well as an effect on the quality of your thoughts. Actions are qualified as sattvic, rajas, tamas or devotional. There are two ways your actions impact you. First, it immediately pollutes or purifies the mind, depending on the quality of the action. There is a saying, "As you think, so you become." Secondly, you receive the punishment or reward for the action in your next life. This becomes your destiny.

Devotional thoughts also affect both this life and the next. Natural feelings for God in this life are the outcome of devotional actions in our past lives. If you have done great devotions in your previous lives, you may be introduced to a Saint in this life and begin proper devotion. Devotion also affects you immediately. The moment you think of Radha and Krishn, your heart is purified according to the depth of that loving thought.

Conclusion:

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati reminds us that Karm Yog is not merely about performing duties, but about aligning every action with loving devotion to God. Remembering Radha Krishn with love and devotion while engaging in worldly tasks can help us transcend the cycle of material attachments and purify our hearts. Our actions, thoughts, and devotion influence both our current state and our future, determining our destiny in this life and the next. Through Karm Yog, we can elevate our lives and move closer to God realization.