KARMA MARGA

Little need be said here about karma marga ^[?], the path of action, since it has been dealt with in an earlier chapter. The Maharshi discouraged unnecessary activities on the one hand and the attempt to renounce activity on the other, enjoining performance of the necessary routine activities of life in a detached manner, simultaneously with the practice of enquiry or devotion.

D.: Swami, how can the grip of the ego be loosened?

B.: By not adding new vasanas ^[?] (innate tendencies) to it.3

D.: How does activity help? Will it not add to the already
heavy load that has to be removed?

B.: Actions performed with no thought of the ego purify
the mind and help to fix it in meditation.

D.: But suppose one were to meditate incessantly without
activity?

B.: Try and see. Your innate tendencies will not let you.

Meditation (dhyana ^[?]) comes only step by step with the weakening of innate tendencies by the Grace of the Guru.1

³Talk 173.

¹ Talk 80.

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