The Benefits Of Karma Yoga

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Sewage, dead bodies, and plastic bags drift throughout the once beautiful Ganges River. A river of purity and holiness has now become a river of disease and rashes. Known as a gift from God, the Ganges flows through many countries of Asia. The people of Asia have been treating the river so poorly that it has become a site that should no longer be praised. As Joshua Hammer explains, within this river there are “12 million gallons of raw sewage . . . pouring out of the drainpipe each day,” a “bubbling torrent” that has earned the name “toxic stream.” Many people have acknowledged the reality of the river, and attempted to fix it, but it has not been a priority. This crisis is one that has to be fixed, and it must start with the work of each individual. …show more content…

The goal of yoga in Hinduism is to unite oneself completely, which should eventually lead to samsara, liberation from the life cycle. n Hinduism there are many different types of yoga, including karma yoga, which is “The path of selfless and righteous action.” In this yoga, one must do actions without expecting anything in return. One must do these actions for the good of everything, simply because it is the “work of God.”. An example of karma yoga is to help someone cross the road, and to do it for the good for all -- while not looking for a reward in return. These acts are meant to bring peace not only to oneself, but to the world. Similarly, cleaning the river is work that will not give one an immediate reward, but will eventually help a greater …show more content…

This type of yoga, as well as all types of yoga, leads people closer to moksha. Moksha is the goal for Hindus, after convincing Hindus that doing karma yoga is cleaning the river, then many Hindus will begin cleaning. Dedicating many hours to picking up debris and much more will lead a Hindu to become closer to reaching their goal. Cleaning the river also encourages Hindus to do the work, because cleaning the Ganges has an effect on more than just oneself. And by cleaning the river, one becomes more pure. This is because the river is holy and pure. Therefore, by bathing in it and aiding it, it should make your purer. Becoming pure a big piece of Hinduism, and by becoming purer, and doing Karma yoga, one will also clean the debris from their inner

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