niShkaamakarma- Selfless Action.

Selfless actions or performed without attachment pave the way for LIBERATION. One of the PATHS propounded in the GEETHAA.


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A devotee asked Ramana to explain what nishkaamakarmsa is. No answer. A little later Ramana started on his evening stroll up the hill. (To charge the battery, he explained. Wind from the herbal plants on the hill and its magnetis pull recharge you .) On the way he picked a stick from the ground. He began polishing it and cut it at both ends. He worked two hours on it. It looked a fine walking stick. A rich devotee would have loved to receive it, cover it with silver and provide a gold cap. On the way back they met a shepherd who had lost his stick. Ramana handed over the the new stick to him. He was very pleased. The devotee who had asked the question to Ramana said - Here is the answer to my question ! Ramana Way of imparting knowledge.

Ramana had picked the stick because he never wasted a thing that had some use. He picked up nails or other small things found on the road. On his leaf he will never leave a grain of rice. Like a monkey he will pick grain by grain at the end of meals nd put in his mouth. Food should not be wasted by us who live on charity, he would say.
Unhesitatingly gave the stick to a person who needed it , never minding the effort it took to work on it.

Now a TAO anecdote told to me by Narad Mam. A woman of ill repute delivered a baby and claimed it was fathered by a TAO sage living on the hill at the outskirts of the village. The villagers took her and the baby to the sage , explainef the matter and asked him to take charge of the baby. IS IT SO ?, he said and took charge of then baby and took care of it like both mother and father. Five years elapsed and the boy was darling of the village. The woman repented , declared the illegimate father's name and wanted the boy back. IS IT SO ?, the sage said and gave up the boy. Neither blame nor shame ,nor subsequent event ever touched him. The five years he worked on the boy with pure nishkaamakarma. No attachment. Bharata Muni became so fond of the baby of the deer whih he raised that he was reborn as a deer himself.


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Kaama arise out of likes and dislikes which generate attachment to works you attend to. Attachment leads to bonding and throw you back to cycle of births and deaths.


How to get over likes and dislikes ? In temples you receive prasad , sometimes sweets and sometimes vibhooti i.e.ashes. Both you accept with veneration. Good or bad things which come your way you accept as given by GOD. WHATEVER HE GIVES IS WITH A PURPOSE BUT ALWAYS FOR YOUR GOOD. This attitude helps you to get over likes and dislikes and consequently over desire . YOU BECOME NISHKAAMA i.e. transcend desire.



You see the impermanancy of things in life and develop dispassion to things in life. Dispassion leads to desirelessness . On to state of nishkaama . Be in the world but out of it. Back to burden of the song of wisdom - RENOUNCE AND REJOICE.


You participate in all actions as and when they come up. Live and work in the present . No previous planning and anxiety. No carry over of results of actions.



You are a teacher. It does not does not mean you will not prepare for tomorrow's lecture. BUT keep out of mind thoughts of impressing students or putting down a headstrong student. YOU HAVE TO TEACH . ENSURE YOU TEACH WELL.

Take children for pleasure trips. Enjoy with them. But remember , happiness is ultimately in GOD. Children must SHOULD NOT MISS THAT LESSON. Keeping God mind, children will in their time act nishkaama.

When in joy, thank God. When in sorrow ask God to give you strenght to withtrand it. Keep reminding yourself AHAM BRAHMAASMI -I AM BRAHMAN.

Work will be pleasure, whether work is easy nor hard, pleasuresome or painful.

FINALLY REMEMBER THE LORD'S WORDS- You have the adhikara (i.e. right ) to work. Never think over the results. Never desire for results you would love.
Here ADHIKAAR is not power by birthright. Not swaayatta. IT IS POWER DELEGATED BY GOD . IN FACT PRAKRUTI FORCES YOU , AS THE LORD SAYS LATER. WORK WITH HANDS BUT KEEP GOD IN HEART. THAT IS NISHKAAMAKARMA.