Nishkama Karma (निष्कामकर्म) - Revision history

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Nishkama karma (Samskrit: निष्कामकर्म) is translated as a ‘duty without desire’, ‘an action with no regard to its fruits’, ‘disinterested action’, and ‘selfless action’. Bhagavad Gita emphasizes,

BG 2.47

Sakāma karmas are deeds motivated by a fervent desire to achieve worldly goals on the materialistic path. It is the path of pravrtti (expanding social growth) and entails the active involvement of the self with social roles in the family and community. Contrary to it is the path of selfless action, an action without ego-involvement, an activity devoid of goals for personal gratification termed niṣkāma karma. Niṣkāma karma is a deed intended for everyone’s benefit, similar in a sense to altruism. It is karma that follows dharma, the moral imperative path.

== References ==
[[Category:Vedanta]]
[[Category:Yoga]]

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 == Upanishadic Learnings ==
-Several philosophical thoughts about Karma found scattered in the Upanishads are pivotal for the evolution of Karma Yoga siddhanta. The relationship between sakama karma and incarnations is seen in the Brhdaranyaka Upanishad, which says<blockquote>तदेव सक्तः सह कर्मणैति लिङ्गं मनो यत्र निषक्तमस्य । प्राप्यान्तं कर्मणस्तस्य यत्किञ्चेह करोत्ययम् । स्माल्लोकात्पुनरैत्यस्मै लोकाय कर्मणे ॥ इति नु कामयमानः; अथाकामयमानः—योऽकामो निष्काम आप्तकाम आत्मकामो न तस्य प्राणा उत्क्रामन्ति, ब्रह्मैव सन्ब्रह्माप्येति ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 4.4.6)</blockquote>Meaning: Being attached, he, together with the work, attains that result to which his subtle body or mind is attached. Exhausting the results of whatever work he did in this life; he returns from that world to this for (fresh) work.’ Thus does the man who desires (transmigrate). But the man who does not desire (never transmigrates). Of him who is without desires (akama), who is free from desires (desire for the fruits of karma - nishkama), the objects of whose desire have been attained (aptakama), and to whom all objects of desire are but the Self (atmakama) — the Prana (body or organs) do not depart. Being but Brahman, he is merged in Brahman.<ref>Swami Madhavananda (1950) ''The Brhdaranyaka Upanisad, With the Commentry of Śaṅkarācārya''. Almora: Advaita Ashrama. (Page 717)</ref>
+Upanishads, a rich source of philosophical ideas, contain psychological constructs that can alter the lifestyle and attitude of a person even in routine activities. Several philosophical thoughts about Karma found scattered in the Upanishads are pivotal for the evolution of Karma Yoga siddhanta.
-According to the ancient seers, the path of nishkama karma (desireless duty) ends this karmic cycle and leads a person to moksha. Shvetashvatara Upanishad declares that moksha can be attained through offering actions to Brahman.
+Brhdaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.5) aptly summarizes how a person’s character is based on the integrity of thought, word, and deed (all of which are deemed as Karma) which ultimately define the personality molded by the laws of karma. The relationship between sakama karma and incarnations is seen in the Brhdaranyaka Upanishad, which says<blockquote>तदेव सक्तः सह कर्मणैति लिङ्गं मनो यत्र निषक्तमस्य । प्राप्यान्तं कर्मणस्तस्य यत्किञ्चेह करोत्ययम् । स्माल्लोकात्पुनरैत्यस्मै लोकाय कर्मणे ॥ इति नु कामयमानः; अथाकामयमानः—योऽकामो निष्काम आप्तकाम आत्मकामो न तस्य प्राणा उत्क्रामन्ति, ब्रह्मैव सन्ब्रह्माप्येति ॥ (Brhd. Upan. 4.4.6)</blockquote>Meaning: Being attached, he, together with the work, attains that result to which his subtle body or mind is attached. Exhausting the results of whatever work he did in this life; he returns from that world to this for (fresh) work.’ Thus does the man who desires (transmigrate). But the man who does not desire (never transmigrates). Of him who is without desires (akama), who is free from desires (desire for the fruits of karma - nishkama), the objects of whose desire have been attained (aptakama), and to whom all objects of desire are but the Self (atmakama) — the Prana (body or organs) do not depart. Being but Brahman, he is merged in Brahman.<ref>Swami Madhavananda (1950) ''The Brhdaranyaka Upanisad, With the Commentry of Śaṅkarācārya''. Almora: Advaita Ashrama. (Page 717)</ref>
-आरभ्य कर्माणि गुणान्वितानि भावांश्च सर्वान् विनियोजयेद्यः । तेषामभावे कृतकर्मनाशः कर्मक्षये याति स तत्त्वतोऽन्यः ॥ ४ ॥ (Shve. Upan. 6.4)
+According to the ancient seers, the path of nishkama karma (desireless duty) ends this karmic cycle and leads a person to moksha. Shvetashvatara Upanishad declares that moksha can be attained through offering actions to Brahman. <blockquote>आरभ्य कर्माणि गुणान्वितानि भावांश्च सर्वान् विनियोजयेद्यः । तेषामभावे कृतकर्मनाशः कर्मक्षये याति स तत्त्वतोऽन्यः ॥ ४ ॥ (Shve. Upan. 6.4)</blockquote>It emphasizes that the karmaphala of nishkama karma is chittasuddhi.
-It emphasizes that the karmaphala of nishkama karma is chittasuddhi.
+The Isavasyopanishad (1.2) exhorts one to spend an active life of one hundred years while carrying out prescribed karmas; escape from one’s duty is not acceptable. In this framework, Shankaracharya says that two paths - that of karma and renunciation - emerged during creation. There can be no other method by which karma (evil) may not cling, i.e., by which one may not become attached to karma, even though the road of renunciation (Taittriya Aranyaka) is described to be excellent.<ref name=":1">Swami Gambhirananda. 1957. ''Eight Upanisads, With the Commentary of Śaṅkarācārya''. 1st ed. Vol. 1. 2 vols. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama.</ref><blockquote>कुर्वन्नेवेह कर्माणि जिजीविषेच्छतँ समाः । एवं त्वयि नान्यथेतोऽस्ति न कर्म लिप्यते नरे ॥ २ ॥ (Isa. Upan. 2) </blockquote>Brhdaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.5 and 3.2.13) explains human psychology that many desires dictate a person’s thoughts and actions. Thereby, a doer of good becomes good and a doer of evil becomes evil.<ref name=":0" /><blockquote>यथाकारी यथाचारी तथा भवति । साधुकारी साधुर्भवति । पापकारी पापो भवति । पुण्यः पुण्येन कर्मणा पापः पापेन । अथो खल्वाहुः । काममय एवायं पुरुष इति । स यथाकामो भवति तत्क्रतुर्भवति । यत्क्रतुर्भवति तत्कर्म कुरुते । यत्कर्म कुरुते तदभिसंपद्यते ॥ ४,४.५ ॥</blockquote>The Chandogya Upanishad says, <blockquote>अथ खलु क्रतुमयः पुरुषो यथाक्रतुरस्मिँल्लोके पुरुषो भवति तथेतः प्रेत्य भवति स क्रतुं कुर्वीत ॥ १ ॥ (Chan. Upan. 3.14.1)</blockquote>Meaning: Just as he acts, just as he behaves, so will he be born. He who does good will be born good, he who does evil will be born evil. Man is entirely composed of desire (kama), he acts in proportion to his discretion.<ref>Kuppuswamy, B. 1993. ''Source Book of Ancient Indian Psychology''. Delhi: Konark Publishers Pvt. Ltd.</ref>
 == References ==
 [[Category:Vedanta]]
 [[Category:Yoga]]

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 Niṣkāma karma is equated to the Western thought of categorical imperative, known as Kant’s moral law: a ''duty for duty’s sake.'' Kant's law, however, differs in that the arguments are intriguing in theory but troublesome in practice because Kant does not offer the applications of the idea.<ref>Pathak, Krishna Mani. 2013. “Nishkama Karma and the Categorical Imperative: A Philosophical Reflection on the Bhagavad-Gita.” ''International Journal of Applied Ethics'' 2:119-140. <nowiki>https://www.academia.edu/19631993</nowiki>. (Page 120)</ref>
-The notion of karma as willed action—whether the will is controlled by the accumulated karma or driven by dharma - has wide implications on a person's psyche. Although one’s mental states are resultants of one’s karma, karma itself is produced by apperceptual (having specific own context) acts that are free. Man’s behavior is doubtless controlled and conditioned by all kinds of circumstances that include past karma. However, he is still free to exercise his volition to act differently. This is where the karmic consequences can be overcome from what is ordained and how they can be changed by the same volition or will. Volition in the sense of willed action means action with ego-reference. Volition without ego-involvement is what we called earlier pure volition, available in meditative and pure states of consciousness. Volition is thus the source for causing karma and a resource to overcome karma.<ref name=":0" />
+== Volition or Willed Action ==
 == References ==
 [[Category:Vedanta]]
 [[Category:Yoga]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{ToBeEdited}}
-Nishkama karma (Samskrit: निष्कामकर्म) is translated as a ‘duty without desire’, ‘an action with no regard to its fruits’, ‘disinterested action’, and ‘selfless action’. Bhagavad Gita emphasizes,
+Nishkama karma (Samskrit: निष्कामकर्म) is translated as a ‘duty without desire’, ‘an action with no regard to its fruits’, ‘disinterested action’, and ‘selfless action’. Niṣkāma karma is a deed intended for everyone’s benefit, similar in a sense to altruism. It is karma that follows dharma, the moral imperative path.<ref name=":0">Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. </ref> Bhagavad Gita emphasizes,
 BG 2.47
 == परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==
 [[Karma (कर्म)]] refers to 1) any action or deed; 2) the principle of cause and effect; 3) a consequence or “fruit of action” (karmaphala) or “after effect” (uttaraphala), that sooner or later returns upon the doer.
@@ Line 16: / Line 13: @@
 Kartum akartum anyatha va kartum sakyam laukikam vaidikam ca karma.<ref name=":0" />
-== Intention: Sakāma or Niṣkāma Karma ==
+== The term kāma in Sakāma or Niṣkāma Karma ==
 Sakāma karmas are deeds motivated by a fervent desire to achieve worldly goals on the materialistic path. It is the path of pravrtti (expanding social growth) and entails the active involvement of the self with social roles in the family and community. Contrary to it is the path of selfless action, an action without ego-involvement, an activity devoid of goals for personal gratification termed niṣkāma karma.<ref name=":0" /> The word ‘kama’ in niṣkāma refers to dismissing the ‘desire’ for an action’s results rather than eliminating the ‘desire’ to propel an action.
@@ Line 23: / Line 20: @@
 Niṣkāma karma is equated to the Western thought of categorical imperative, known as Kant’s moral law: a ''duty for duty’s sake.'' Kant's law, however, differs in that the arguments are intriguing in theory but troublesome in practice because Kant does not offer the applications of the idea.<ref>Pathak, Krishna Mani. 2013. “Nishkama Karma and the Categorical Imperative: A Philosophical Reflection on the Bhagavad-Gita.” ''International Journal of Applied Ethics'' 2:119-140. <nowiki>https://www.academia.edu/19631993</nowiki>. (Page 120)</ref>
-In the Yogasutras, we find the
+The notion of karma as willed action—whether the will is controlled by the accumulated karma or driven by dharma - has wide implications on a person's psyche. Although one’s mental states are resultants of one’s karma, karma itself is produced by apperceptual (having specific own context) acts that are free. Man’s behavior is doubtless controlled and conditioned by all kinds of circumstances that include past karma. However, he is still free to exercise his volition to act differently. This is where the karmic consequences can be overcome from what is ordained and how they can be changed by the same volition or will. Volition in the sense of willed action means action with ego-reference. Volition without ego-involvement is what we called earlier pure volition, available in meditative and pure states of consciousness. Volition is thus the source for causing karma and a resource to overcome karma.<ref name=":0" />
 == References ==
 [[Category:Vedanta]]
 [[Category:Yoga]]

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	Nishkama karma (Samskrit: निष्कामकर्म) is translated as a ‘duty without desire’, ‘an action with no regard to its fruits’, ‘disinterested action’, and ‘selfless action’. Bhagavad Gita emphasizes,		Nishkama karma (Samskrit: निष्कामकर्म) is translated as a ‘duty without desire’, ‘an action with no regard to its fruits’, ‘disinterested action’, and ‘selfless action’. Bhagavad Gita emphasizes,

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 BG 2.47
-Sakāma karmas are deeds motivated by a fervent desire to achieve worldly goals on the materialistic path. It is the path of pravrtti (expanding social growth) and entails the active involvement of the self with social roles in the family and community. Contrary to it is the path of selfless action, an action without ego-involvement, an activity devoid of goals for personal gratification termed niṣkāma karma. Niṣkāma karma is a deed intended for everyone’s benefit, similar in a sense to altruism. It is karma that follows dharma, the moral imperative path.<ref name=":0">Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. </ref>
+Niṣkāma karma is a deed intended for everyone’s benefit, similar in a sense to altruism. It is karma that follows dharma, the moral imperative path.<ref name=":0">Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. </ref>
 == परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==
 [[Karma (कर्म)]] refers to 1) any action or deed; 2) the principle of cause and effect; 3) a consequence or “fruit of action” (karmaphala) or “after effect” (uttaraphala), that sooner or later returns upon the doer.
-While all physical and mental activities and their consequences over many lives are typically viewed as Karma, a subset namely niṣkāma karma, where the outcome of the effort is disregarded is investigated as an important Indian psychological construct for both self-actualization (unveiling  hidden potential to achieve worldly happiness) and self-realization (realizing one’s true self through self-transformation). Niṣkāma karma or action that has no ego-involvement and pays no attention to the results is the form of action that is involved in karma yoga.<ref name=":0" />
+While all physical and mental activities and their consequences over many lives are typically viewed as Karma, a subset namely niṣkāma karma, is where one performs actions without any interest about its consequences. It is investigated as an important Indian psychological construct for both self-actualization (unveiling  hidden potential to achieve worldly happiness) and self-realization (realizing one’s true self through self-transformation). Niṣkāma karma or action that has no ego-involvement and pays no attention to the results is the form of action that is involved in karma yoga.<ref name=":0" />
 == Intention: Sakāma or Niṣkāma Karma ==
-Sakāmi persons have a natural propensity to indulge their ego-driven needs, resulting in a range of emotions. They are deeds motivated by a fervent desire to achieve worldly goals on the materialistic path. This is the path of pravrtti (expanding social growth) and entails the active involvement of the self with social roles in the family and community.
+Sakāma karmas are deeds motivated by a fervent desire to achieve worldly goals on the materialistic path. It is the path of pravrtti (expanding social growth) and entails the active involvement of the self with social roles in the family and community. Contrary to it is the path of selfless action, an action without ego-involvement, an activity devoid of goals for personal gratification termed niṣkāma karma.<ref name=":0" /> The word ‘kama’ in niṣkāma refers to dismissing the ‘desire’ for an action’s results rather than eliminating the ‘desire’ to propel an action.
-Niṣkāma karma is equated to the Western thought of categorical imperative, known as Kant’s moral law: a ''duty for duty’s sake.'' Kant's law, however, differs in that the arguments are intriguing in theory but troublesome in practice because Kant does not offer the applications of the idea.<ref>Pathak, Krishna Mani. 2013. “Nishkama Karma and the Categorical Imperative: A Philosophical Reflection on the Bhagavad-Gita.” ''International Journal of Applied Ethics'' 2:119-140. <nowiki>https://www.academia.edu/19631993</nowiki>. (Page 120)</ref>
+In the Yogasutras, we find the
 == References ==
 [[Category:Vedanta]]
 [[Category:Yoga]]