In Gita, it is said that Tap (Penance), Dãn (Donations), and Sacrifice (Yagna) are pious works to purify soul. These are great works but worth when done without any expectations of benefits.
Yagna is not that of doing fire sacrifice with ghee, etc., Gita says that Yagna is the form of Vishnu (Narayana). Whatever is done for the sake of Narayana, it becomes Yagna.
Anything that is not done for the sake of Narayana, it makes you to continue in the cycle of birth and death. Whatever is done for the sake of God, it becomes Yagna and breaks all the reasons of birth and death. Yagna is that which is done for the sake of God alone.
Lord Krishna told Arjun that, “If you do the war, then it is your Yagna.”
When we do some work with the intention of pleasing God, then it is called offering it to God or “Nishkam Karmyog.”
What is the process of doing “Nishkam Karmyog”? God has taught us the process as follows:
Karmany-evadhikaras te, Ma phalesu kadachana
Ma karma-phala-hetur bhur, Ma te sango ‘stv akarmani [Gita 2.47]
Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadachana:
Never expect the fruits of your actions. What does that mean? Don’t expect the benefits of this world. Like if you are doing some work of a temple and if you do it so well, what will be our wishes?
‘Our name should be first in the list.’
‘When someone wants to do some work, they should ask you first.’
‘My name would be spoken in the top discussions of the temple.’
‘May I be honored and respected for my work in the temple.’
When we wish for such things, the result of our efforts is already dead. Do good works, and don’t expect anything worldly from the work.
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur: If we do good work and if we don’t expect anything for us, still our ego might increase. Our self-respect might increase. Never ever think that you did something great if you are not expecting anything out of good work.
“Ma te sango ‘stv akarmani”: If someone stops doing that good work, or if someone asks you to stop that good work, you should never stop doing work that pleases God. Whether someone supports you or not, continue the work to please God.
If we do activities with above in mind, even household activities become Yagna as guaranteed by Lord Krishna to Arjun. “You fight in the war, and it becomes your Yagna. For Rushis and Munis the duty is to offer sacrifices in Yagna. You will get the same result if you fight because your duty is to fight.”
Sri Krishna said to Arjun, “There is nothing greater for a warrior to fight against these evil enemies. You are performing a sacrifice to me. Do what I say. Never stop back.”
Arjun fought Mahabharat war, and what was the result? He became Lord Nar Narayan along with Lord Krishna. He killed Bishma Pitamah, Dronacharya, smashed all those huge armies, and at the end he was called God? Because he performed Yagna as said by Sri Krishna.
If we follow the same process, it becomes sacrifice to God. If farmers do agriculture with that process, it becomes sacrifice to God. If businessmen do business with that process, it becomes sacrifice to God.
Only sacrifice to God purifies the soul.
Shreeji Maharaj mentioned Nishkam Seva Yog. We do the seva to God, Saints, temple, Satsang. If you do all of them without anything for yourself, it becomes sacrifice. Even cleaning the floor, feeding the devotees of God, and any other activity performed with the intention of only pleasing God and His Saints becomes sacrifice.
If it is not to please God and Saints, and for something else, it doesn’t become sacrifice, however good the seva might be. There would not be any benefits. You might get the worldly benefits like occupying the head-chair or making your name big.
Whatever work you do, you must make it a sacrifice. Otherwise even fire-sacrifice without that intention is not really a sacrifice.
Every work has the power to free us from the cycle of birth and death only if you consider it as a sacrifice and make it as a sacrifice for the pleasure of God.
References:
20th July 2017: Los Angeles, CA
Vachanamrut Gadhada Middle 8