Will Swami answer my questions Himself?

Shri Vamsi asked: Parama Pujya Swamivaru! It was too tempting when I read that my email would be answered by You Yourself! I could not hold myself from sending this email. I am a spiritual aspirant following the path of kriyā yoga of Paramahamsa Yogananda Swamiji. It is a great privilege to be born in the same time as You and to be writing to You like this. I just wanted to convey my deepest regards and respects to You and seek Your divine blessings for a successful sādhanā that I am currently struggling with. Jai Gurudeva! With most sincere and humble respects, and sāṣṭāṅga namaskārams at your lotus feet. Vamsi, Hyderabad.

Swami replied: O Learned and Devoted Servants of God! Can you send Me the details of your understanding of kriyā yoga? Kriyā yoga is nothing but the practical service done for God. Kriyā is an alternative word for karma. In kriyā yoga or karma yoga, there are two subdivisions. The first one is work or service, which is the sacrifice of one’s efforts. It is called karma saṃnyāsa. The other part is the sacrifice of the fruit of one’s work and is called karma phala tyāga. Saints (monks) are only expected to do the first part, which is serving God. Other people are to do both service and the sacrifice of the fruit of their work.

But mere karma yoga is not sufficient because God does not require any help from anybody. The opportunity of doing karma yoga is given to you by God so that you can prove whether your theoretical devotion to God is real or not. Without the first step of theoretical knowledge (jñāna yoga) and the subsequent step of devotion (bhakti yoga), the third step of karma yoga does not arise at all! Even while doing karma yoga, you must do it with full theoretical devotion in the mind. Similarly, while doing karma yoga you must also have full information about God (jñāna yoga). Otherwise, you will certainly err since you would be unaware of the attitudes that God has towards souls. Therefore, kriyā yoga means doing practical service along with practical sacrifice, maintaining complete devotion in the mind, after learning the attitude that God has towards souls through spiritual knowledge.

Keywords:

| Shri Dattaswami | Will Swami answer my questions Himself? | Kriya Yoga Karma Samnyaasa sadhana Jnana Yoga Bhakti Yoga Kriya Yoga

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