Give Up The Sense Of Doership ~ Sri Ramana

The doctrine that Bhagavan Ramana is explaining in Talk 41 is known as karma yoga. Karma yoga is outlined in detail in the ancient and sacred Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita (Song of God). It is in the Bhagavad Gita where Bhagavan Krishna teaches Arjuna that while actions cannot be given up, one can give up the attachment to fruits of the actions and forge the path to freedom.  

Sages like Bhagavan Ramana teach us that our bondage and misery is due to identification with the ego. Because of this strong identification with the ego/mind, we experience pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow according to our actions and our attachment to the results of those actions. Hence Bhagavan Ramana echoes the Bhagavad Gita and says that if one gives up the sense of doership, karma (actions) will go on automatically until their force is spent and then these karmas will drop off. By giving up the sense of doership, we allow our remaining karma to work itself out without creating new karma. 

Here are just a few verses from the Bhagavad Gita that directly pertain to the teachings of karma yoga as taught by Sri Krishna.

Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat alike, engage yourself in your duty. By doing your duty this way you will not incur sin (BG 2.38).

You have jurisdiction over your respective duty only, but no control or claim over the results. The fruits of work should not be your motive. You should never be inactive (BG 2.47).

Therefore, always perform your duty efficiently and without attachment to the results, because by doing work without attachment one attains the Supreme. (BG 3.19).

May all beings be blessed with wisdom and peace. 

Namaste

Editor’s note: The photo art at the top is attributed to Sri Ananda Prateeka by Cathy Ginter who originally posted this picture on the facebook Ramana Maharshi page.