Karma Yoga: the Yoga of Action

by Vivekananda

It is said in the practice of Vedanta that we have a right to work, but don't have a right to the results of our actions. We have to work as hard as we can, give the work our best quality effort, then step back and let the results take care of themselves. Or in the practice of yoga, offer the results to God.Work purifies the soul. This concept is a bit different than many of us have been taught in the West, but the book offers an interesting approach that can save us from a lot of misery and bring us closer to God. In fact, you don't even need to believe in God to practice this yoga.

Genres: Spirituality, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Self Help, Religion, Hinduism, India

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

"Arise Awake and Stop not til the goal is reached"

Vivekananda left a body of philosophical works (see Vivekananda's complete works). His books (compiled from lectures given around the world) on the four Yogas (Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga) are very influential and still seen as fundamental texts for anyone interested in the Hindu practice of Yoga. His letters are of great literary and spiritual value. He was also considered a very good singer and a poet.By the time of his death, He had composed many songs including his favorite Kali the Mother. He used humor for his teachings and was also an excellent cook. His language is very free flowing. His own Bengali writings stand testimony to the fact that he believed that words - spoken or written - should be for making things easier to understand rather than show off the speaker or writer's knowledge.

Swami Vivekananda [ স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ ] (1863 – 1902), born Narendranath Datta, was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the introduction of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world and is credited with raising interfaith awareness, and bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion.

Born in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Kolkata, West Bengal, India)

Reviews

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swami Vivekananda lived from 1863 to 1902 and is best known for his address at the Parliament of Religions in 1893, which helped to bring Hinduism to the modern world as a major religion. Vivekananda wrote a number of books, some of which are based on his lectures, and Karma-Yoga is one of these. In this book, Vivekananda expands on the concept of Karma yoga as set out in the Bhagavad Gita. The copy that I read is borrowed from the library at the college where my husband works; it's a tiny little book, maybe 4" x 5", and only 143 pages, but Vivekananda's explication of Karma yoga really moved me and helped me to understand how the path of Karma yoga can work in my life. Because the book was published so long ago, you can read the whole thing online, so feel free to check it out! If you're interested in the topic, this book is well worth the time.

Vivekananda begins by providing an introduction to the concept of Karma and work. For Vivekananda, a person's character reflects that person's will, which is shown through their work. He states,

Watch a man do his most common actions; those are indeed the things which will tell you the real character of a great man. Great occasions rouse even the lowest of human beings to some kind of greatness, but he alone is the really great man whose character is great always, the same wherever he be (5).

Karma, or work/action, is the means by which we each build our character. Our actions, our work, build us into who we become: doing good works reinforces good character, and constantly doing evil work builds a bad character. Therefore it's possible for someone to change his character through his actions.

Vivekananda also discusses the motive for work: one shouldn't work for money or fame or even the results of our work, but simply for the work's sake. Removing selfish motives from our work builds self-control and character. He has a great passage on how the ideal person can find balance between a quiet, solitary spiritual practice and life in the world. Such a person can be in the middle of the densest city traffic and his mind will be as if he's in a cave by himself, and he's intensely working at all times.

Vivekananda describes how the concept of morality and duty varies greatly depending on the country or culture: what's considered right and moral in one country can be thought wrong and evil in another. Vivekananda argues that for this reason there can't be a universal morality or sense of duty, but that each person must act according to what is deemed right and good in his or her own culture. Vivekananda recommends that we try to view each person's actions through their own eyes rather than judging that person by our own standards of duty, especially when meeting people from another culture. If we view them by our standards, we may think they are acting wrongly or strangely, but if we try to understand their actions in the context of that person’s culture, we may see that the person’s actions are right and good to him. Every person should work to accomplish his own ideal, according to his own skills and abilities; if you take up someone else's ideals, you can never hope to make progress. He then explains that one person's duty isn't higher or lower than another person's; even working at hard physical labor can count towards spiritual progress if it's approached with the right attitude.

Vivekananda also discusses the idea of non-attachment. Each person must constantly work, because it's in our nature as human beings, but the only way to truly make our work count is to be unattached to the results of the work. Vivekananda compellingly describes how attachments affect the mind as well as how non-attachment relates to love, self-sacrifice, and charity, and how all of these come together: being able to love perfectly, without attachment, we are able to give freely of ourselves to others without worrying about how it will affect us. Vivekananda uses the powerful image of the grumbling worker: if you're grumbling and complaining about your work, that means you're attached to it; all your duties will seem distasteful and you'll never be satisfied. However, if you're able to do the work for the work's sake, without attachment, you'll find satisfaction and freedom.

Vivekananda states that no action can ever be completely good or completely bad: even the most kindly meant action can have negative consequences, and even the foulest evil act can result in some good. Because Karma results from every action, there's no way to attain perfection simply by doing good works, because each good work will also have some negative effect. This is where non-attachment comes in: you continue to work and strive to do good, but free yourself from attachment to the results of the action. You set yourself aside, removing all selfish wish for praise or reward, and do your duty because it's right to do your duty.

At the end of the book, Swami Vivekananda sums up his views on Karma yoga:

Karma-Yoga, therefore, is a system of ethics and religion intended to attain freedom through unselfishness and by good works. The Karma-Yogi need not believe in any doctrine whatever. He may not believe even in God.... He has got his own special aim of realising selflessness; and he has to work it out himself. Every moment of his life must be realisation, because he has to solve by mere work, without the help of doctrine or theory, the very same problem to which the Jnani applies his reason and inspiration and the Bhakta his love (131-2).

[Luis Francisco Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember the first time I worked through Leaves of Grass. It probably took me at least a couple weeks of sweat and tears until it finally "clicked". I finally understood what Whitman was getting at when he tried to describe his Democracy of being. How he could "sing and celebrate himself" yet informing us that whatever glimpses of the Divine he could see in himself we can assume as well. The moment Leaves of Grass "clicked" with me I knew that that moment was to become the beginning of Whitman's influence on my life and thoughts.

Karma Yoga "clicked" in much the same way. This little book blind-sided me with an unbelievable amount of depth and meaning on the subject of work, freedom and non-attachment. The moment I finished reading the first chapter of this book I knew I was going to re-read it many times in my lifetime. I also knew I was going to read every word Swami Vivekananda has ever written.

[Kirtida Gautam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swami Vivekananda is one of the most brilliant writers I have EVER read. The clarity he has in this thoughts and the conviction he has in his arguments is unparalleled.
His books are life changing.
Highly, highly recommend.

[Shadin Pranto · Rating 4 out of 5]

"আমাদের কোন প্রকার গোঁড়া হওয়া উচিত নহে, কারণ গোঁড়ামী প্রেমের বিরোধী। গোঁড়ারা ফ্স করে বলে বসে,আমি পাপীকে ঘৃণা করিনা, পাপকে ঘৃণা করি। কিন্তু প্রকৃত পক্ষে পাপ ও পাপীর মধ্যে প্রভেদ করিতে পারে এমন লোককে দেখিবার জন্য আমি দূর দূরান্তরে যাইতে প্রস্তুত আছি। কথা ত বলা সোজা। "

সহজসরল বাক্যে কত কঠিন সত্য বলে দিয়েছেন বিবেকানন্দ।

পিতৃদত্ত নাম নরেন্দ্রনাথ তথা স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ কাজের মহিমাকে এক অপূর্ব গদ্যময় ভঙিতে বর্ণনা করেছেন। দর্শন তো জ্ঞানের গভীরতম অঞ্চল।আর দর্শনেরও তো নিজস্ব অঞ্চলভেদ রয়েছে। পাশ্চাত্য দর্শনের সাথে আমাদের প্রাচ্যদেশীয় দর্শনের চিন্তাগত পার্থক্য রয়েছে। রামকৃষ্ণ পরমহংসের প্রিয় নরেন ওর্ফ স্বামী বিবেকানন্দ নিজস্ব চিন্তাধারার আলোকে ব্যক্তিজীবনে কাজের প্রয়োজনীয়তা,মানুষের মত বেঁচে থাকতে হলে কাজের সাথে চিন্তা কীভাবে ভাল-মন্দের ধাঁধায় লোককে ফেলে দেয় তার বয়ান করেছেন বিভিন্ন ধর্মগ্রন্থ বিশেষত, গীতার বিভিন্ন শ্লোকের আলোকে, ছোট্ট ছোট্ট গল্পকথার ইঙ্গিতে।

এখন, সবচেয়ে বড় প্রশ্ন দাঁড়ায় কর্মযোগ কী? সাদামাটা অথচ সহজবোধ্য ব্যাখায় বিবেকানন্দ লিখেছেন,

"উহার অর্থ সম্মুখে মৃত্যু আসিলেও মুখটী বুজাইয়া সকলকে সাহায্য করা।"

কর্মযোগের কত সোজা মানে বের করেছেন বিবেকানন্দ!
সারাবইতে কর্মযোগ মানে যা শেখালেন তার সোজাসাপ্টা পাঠ -
নিজের খেয়ে কীভাবে বনের মহিষ তাড়াবেন তার একটি শিক্ষা, কাজে ফাঁকি দেয়ার ধর্মীয় ও মনস্তাত্ত্বিক ক্ষতি সম্পর্কে জ্ঞান লাভ এবং আত্মবলে বলীয়ান হবার সুন্দর একটি মোটিভেশনাল কোর্স! এই কোর্সের বাজারমূল্য হয়ত অনেকের কাছে কানাকড়িও নয়,আবার অনেকের কাছে অমূল্য।

শেষের দিকে বিবেকানন্দ কর্মযোগ নিয়ে আরো লিখেছেন,

"কর্মযোগ আমাদিগকে বিশেষভাবে শিক্ষা দেন যে, সংসার ত্যাগ করিও না ;সংসারে বাস কর। সংসারের ভাব যতইচ্ছা গ্রহণ কর, কিন্তু ভোগের জন্য কী? না,একেবারেই নহে। ভোগ যেন তোমার চরম লক্ষ্য না হয়। "

পুরাতন বানানরীতিতে এ বই লেখা। তাই পড়তে কষ্ট না হলেও বানানবিভ্রাটে পড়তে হয়েছে মাঝেমাঝেই। তাতে পড়ায়ও বিরতি দিতে হয়েছে। বিরক্তি যে একেবারে লাগেনি তা নয়।

বিবেকানন্দ তো হিন্দু ছিলেন। তাঁর লেখা বইতে তো "হিঁদু হিঁদু" গন্ধে ভরপুর। আমি অন্য ধর্মের লোক। কেন এই বই পড়ব? গুড কোয়েশ্চেন। সারা বইতে কোথাও মনে হয়নি আমি বিশেষ কোন ধর্মের বিশিষ্ট ব্যক্তির বই পড়ছি। তিনি ধর্মের ধার ধারেন নি; নিষ্কাম কর্মের টান টেনেছেন।

এতকিছুর পরও বিবেকানন্দের কর্মযোগ পাঠক মনকে ছাপিয়ে কোথাও একটি স্থান করে নিয়েছে তা বেশ বুঝতে পারছিলাম।

[Anmol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A most brilliant work of a truly enlightened philosopher. He really expressed his philosophy in a very lucid and, dare I say it, scientific manner. Of course, a lot of what Vivekananda says is more applicable to the context of his times - he mentions some races having a better brain than others with the example of the Native Americans and the European settlers of their land. This would be highly politically incorrect today. If the reader were to avoid those remarks, they would nonetheless have to encounter the proposition that inequality naturally exists in the universe - expressed through the lens of race, gender, class or caste. These, no doubt, have political ramifications.

But these were not Vivekananda's point. The eternal truths that he struggles to find and present to us are indeed of a commendable nature - presenting the values of selflessness, Vivekananda equates the truth of Advaita, or non-duality, as being presented through social service.

This book deserves to be reread many times, in order to truly understand it.

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swami Vivekananda’s Karma Yoga: The Yoga of Action is the kind of book that seems deceptively simple when you first open it. The title alone feels almost self-explanatory—yoga as action, work as worship—but in the span of these compact lectures, he reshapes the very idea of what it means to act in the world.

First delivered as a series of talks in New York in the late 19th century, and later compiled into this slim volume, the text offers not just a philosophy of action, but a method for transforming everyday life into a spiritual path. Reading it in 1999, at the cusp of a new millennium, it felt almost prophetic—an instruction manual for living meaningfully in an era obsessed with doing, yet often adrift in why we do it.

At its heart, Vivekananda’s teaching in Karma Yoga turns on the principle that action is inevitable. To live is to act—every breath, every thought, every gesture is a ripple in the great web of cause and effect. The Sanskrit word "karma" doesn’t just mean “deeds” in the moralistic sense; it is the whole network of actions and their consequences.

The problem is not action itself, he argues, but our attachment to the results. We become ensnared in craving for success, fear of failure, hunger for recognition, and dread of obscurity. This clinging distorts both the purity and the freedom of our work. Karma Yoga’s radical proposition is that one can act without bondage by renouncing the fruits—working not for reward, but because action itself is one’s duty, one’s offering, and one’s expression of the divine will.

The way Vivekananda explains this is both clear and piercing. He draws on the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna counsels Arjuna to “work without attachment”, but he strips away the religiosity that can make such injunctions sound abstract or pious. For him, renunciation does not mean walking away from the world; it means walking through the world without chains. The householder, the shopkeeper, the artist, and the politician—all can be Karma Yogis if they work with detachment, integrity, and the aim of serving others. There’s something deeply democratising about this. No need to flee to a monastery. Your office desk, your kitchen, your classroom—these can be your ashram.

And yet, Vivekananda’s detachment is not indifference. On the contrary, it is a higher form of engagement. He speaks with particular urgency about selflessness—not as self-erasure, but as the alignment of the self with something larger. Serving others is not charity in the sentimental sense; it is service to the same Self that lives in you.

The moment you see others as truly not-separate, service ceases to be condescension and becomes worship. It is here that the book feels most luminous. Work, when done in this spirit, becomes a spiritual discipline as potent as meditation or prayer. Washing dishes or writing legislation, tending a sick friend or building a bridge—if done with full attention, without selfish grasping, and in the awareness of the unity of life—becomes yoga.

What I found especially striking when reading it was how relentlessly practical Vivekananda is about the psychology of work. He doesn’t ignore the fact that people get tired, that egos flare, that results matter in a worldly sense. His insight is that the greatest exhaustion comes not from the work itself but from the constant mental churn over outcomes—what will I get, will they notice, and what if I fail? Remove that mental burden, and work gains a certain ease. Even physically strenuous labour becomes lighter when unaccompanied by the heavy baggage of expectation. In this, the book becomes a kind of spiritual ergonomics for the mind.

Stylistically, Karma Yoga is not a dry manual but a series of talks alive with Vivekananda’s wit, warmth, and directness. He moves from parables to blunt exhortations, from metaphysical ideas to street-level examples. He tells stories of kings and beggars, of saints disguised as strangers, of the moral tests that arise in ordinary moments. Sometimes he is playful, sometimes fiery, always engaged.

His English, though steeped in 19th-century formality, has an immediacy because his audience was not just Indian devotees but sceptical Westerners. He draws on Christian imagery, scientific analogies, and common-sense observations alongside the Gita and Vedanta. That cross-cultural fluency is part of what keeps the text feeling fresh even today.

Of course, the book is not without challenges for a modern reader. The call to detach from results can feel, at first blush, like an excuse for apathy—why strive if you don’t care about the outcome? But this is a misunderstanding. Detachment is not carelessness; it is caring deeply enough to give your best without being owned by the result. That distinction is subtle and demands real discipline to live out. Another potential limitation is that Vivekananda sometimes sidesteps systemic injustices in favour of focusing on personal attitude.

For those facing structural oppression, the counsel to work cheerfully without attachment can seem incomplete unless paired with collective action aimed at changing unjust conditions. Yet even here, the principle can serve as a source of resilience: activism itself can become Karma Yoga if pursued without egoic clinging to victory or despair over setbacks.

What has stayed with me most vividly is the way Karma Yoga reframes ambition. In a culture that often equates self-worth with achievement, Vivekananda offers a radical redefinition: you are not your résumé, your accolades, or your failures. You are the doer of deeds, but also, in the deepest sense, untouched by them. This realisation frees you to work with excellence and passion, because your identity is no longer staked on the outcome. Ironically, this detachment often leads to better results, because the mind is clearer and the heart more steady.

Reading it in 1999, as the world prepared for the year 2000 with its anxieties and techno-utopian dreams, the book felt like a grounding cord. The late 20th century was already in a sprint toward globalisation, digitisation, and relentless productivity. Vivekananda’s voice, from a century earlier, cut through the noise with a simple, almost subversive reminder: work is sacred when done in the right spirit; without that spirit, even the most glamorous career is empty motion. That truth seems only sharper now, in an age of burnout and performative busyness.

In the years since, I’ve often returned to certain lines, not as quotes to display but as inner reminders: that every act, however small, can be an offering; that the world’s opinion of my work is far less important than the intention and clarity with which it is done; and that the surest way to find peace in action is to act without being enslaved by the fruit of action. These are deceptively simple ideas. Living them is the work of a lifetime.

Karma Yoga is ultimately a book about freedom—not the freedom from work, but the freedom in work. Vivekananda’s genius is to show that spirituality is not somewhere else, some other time, in a distant Himalayan cave or a rarefied temple.

It is here, in the middle of your busiest day, in the thick of your obligations, in the steady, joyful doing of what is yours to do.

It is the yoga of now, the yoga of hands and feet and heart in motion. And once you’ve glimpsed that truth, the idea of “work” is never quite the same again.

[Shikha Rawal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think you can't review books written by Swami Vivekananda. Just the simplest of the things in life are explained so beautifully and some concepts which otherwise seem strange when uttered but him are nothing but a matter of obedience for me.

[Sheehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book along with the others in the series changed my whole world outlook.

[Achyuth Murlei · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book consists of lectures delivered by Swami Vivekananda in New York City, USA. Transcribed and compiled by Joseph Josiah Goodwin, it brings to the 21st century ancient wisdom looked at through a modern lens.

Being grounded in Vedanta and the Bhagwat Gita, Swami Vivekananda's Karma Yoga offers the knowledge, importance, and philosophy around karma (or work) to all those who seek it.

An Indian response to Aurelius' Meditation, it sets down a practical method to realise existence through work and discipline. It promotes contentment through work itself, as opposed to being attached to the temporary fruits it springs. It urges the reader to use the external world as nothing more than a suggestion to find solutions and meaning to questions from within; to not differentiate between work of any kind lest it kindles one's ego or self-identity. The story of the Butcher and Saint in Chapter 4 (Vyadha-gita) is the most illuminating instance that makes the resounding case for work where everyone — irrespective of background— can employ Karma Yoga as a means of elevating one's self, achieving the same results of a renunciant steeped in Bhakti. However, the last chapter, The Ideal of Karma Yoga, houses less than appropriate tones about civilizations and pre-natal intelligence that was as valid then as it is today, that is to say not at all despite voicing his support for social equality in Jnana yoga. Work, as explained in the book, should not be confused for the toxic culture of 'hustling', nor be used as an excuse for eager managers to squeeze their employees. Work should be a state of internal existence to reach a higher goal that leads one to understand the Self.

Published in 1896, the book can come across as sharp in its tone (which works well given the subject of the book). Some points must be understood with nuance and not applied literally. For instance, the deification of family elders is noble, but one must not engage in the radical application of this maxim. The book, along with other seminal works of Swami Vivekananda must be re-adapted for the 21st century with commentary from scholars.

Overall, a must-read for all those who feel their goals thwarted by modern-day distractions, self-induced lethargy and aimlessness.

[Rohit Amberker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A practical guide to live Karma Yoga

very engaging and intellectually stimulating. helps build a mental model and shifts the paradigm as it relates to work attitude and reward motivations. it shows the way and encourages the reader to explore more through practice and experimentation. does not provide any recipe or checklist if that is what one is interested in. having the foundational knowledge of Bhagavadgita helps to better appreciate this book.

[Soumitro Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always felt that there is a co-relation between Physics, Chemistry and other hardcore Science subjects with Spirituality and Philosophy. And reading this book my thought was turned into belief. Everything in this world is striving for freedom; Stars, Planets, Atoms, Molecules and so is our Life. We came from Freedom, Living in Bondage and we will again return to Freedom. Thats the cycle of life. In this book it is said that our Bhagavad Gita has many criticism as it preaches " work without motive" Critics believes that working without motive is not possible. But this book gives a strong justification that "Working without motive i.e the longing for result is the best form of work." such works leads to liberation.

[Subash · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 1st book of Swami Vivekananda. Feeling like, I have read 300+ books so far and yet to taste this absolute gem.

Swami Vivekananda is a genius of highest order. No other writer/philosopher can come near him when it comes to having a crystal clear life philosophy, and he has this uncanny ability to write his thought in immensely memorable lines. He talks what he feels is true without bothering about political correctness and many similar ills that afflicts our society these days.

A must read book. Strongly recommend.

[Manu Sekhar Somasekharan Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book i read in my life. Trying to practice the values from the book in my life.

It is a must read book, definitely it can guide you in the proper track in life.

[Nikunj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swami Vivekananda... what an amazing thought process and ability to communicate the most complex concepts of life. It was an awesome read and was completely bowled over. Rest of the frameworks and books in the modern world seem nothing on similar topics when compared to Vivekananda's thoughts and wisdom.. these are just timeless virtues and I cannot imagine that so much of wisdom in Vivekananda's books is just available for 50 Indian Rupees ! Strongly recommend to all my friends

[Ravikiran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply a fantastic telling of some of the most ancient Indian philosophical works. The power of this man's thinking is simply amazing. Truly a must read. A fantastic philosophy, based on the ideas from the Gita. I am not too religious a person, but the ideals here appeal to the most practical aspect of a person.

[Kayla Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy the thoughts Vivekananda shares. Definitely worth reading again.

[Yash · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a chapter from The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. An Ultimate Philosophy on The Art of Living.

[Dr Amit Srivastava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book when I was in high school. This book has ever lasting impact on my life. It explain how the Karma plays important role in shaping every dimension of our life.

[Scott Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief, pithy and brilliant, this book is the best possible introduction to Vikekananda and Vedanta. Swami-ji's clear-eyed and unflinching wisdom are bracing and inspiring.

[Sumit Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intellectually challenging, philosophically profound. What I loved most about this book is how visionary it is, the philosophical insights Swamiji shares are most relevant to this day.

[Rajarshi Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This text definitely needs few re-reads. The philosophy discussed is quite strong, it develops a sense of reasoning in the mind of the reader.

I believe that this book should be read by one at different stages in life to have condensed wisdom befitting the age/stage that one is in.

Swamiji has indeed simplified Karma Yoga but even then for a mere mortal to live up to become a Karma-Yogi is in itself a meditation opening up the doors of liberation.

[Promethea · Rating 4 out of 5]

ასე გამალებით რომ არ ვუძვრებოდეთ დასავლეთს ერთ ადგილას, გავიხსენებდით, თუ რამხელა სიბრძნე აქვთ აღმოსავლეთში. ეს წიგნიც, გამარტივებული ინდუიზმია ამერიკელებსა და მისთანებს მარტივად რომ გაეგოთ ინდური ფილოსოფიის ზედაპირი, რამაც სხვათაშორის იმოქმედა და ვივეკანანდამ დიდი პოპულარიზაცია გაუწია მეოცე საუკუნის დასაწყისში ინდუიზმს იქითკენ, მაგრამ მეტი უნდა შევისწავლოთ აღმოსავლური ფილოსოფია, ბოლოს და ბოლოს ჩვენი რა მიდის?..

[Avinash Pandey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never thought that step philosophy of self abnegation would stand its merit in modern ultracompetitive world. This book reinforces 'The Bhagavad Gita' that good and evil, happiness and misery, restlessness and peace are dependent upon the perception and deeds of individual. The idea of unattached love and work without expecting results can make us equanimous, whose mind be as still as caveman in busy street traffic. Vivekanand suggests that most important is this world is to grow spiritually.This is followed by knowledge which precedes even basic needs such as food , clothes and shelter. Consider your work as supreme God and always fulfil your duty of householder, son, husband and father diligently. Nature by default will select you to perform work as per your calibre. A householder can even achieve spiritual freedom without restoring to sanyas if he becomes proficient in self abnegation.
We are living with the misconception that world depends on us and it's made to serve our selfish purposes.On the contrary universe is unperturbed with millions of us entering and exiting this world daily.
Being wealthy is also a noble persuit if done without causing harm with good intentions.The world would have been less eloquent if the charity hospitals, roads and nursing stations were inexistant due to all pervasive poverty.A glass has to fill to get overflow and stain the surrounding with nectar.
The world was never perfect and will never be.Hence we should avoid the goal of making things perfect. It's an equilibrium of good evil, happiness and misery. A moment of good temporary shifts from one side of universe to another and reverts back to original state few moments later.This is the reason that good and happiness cannot be everlasting, though their proportion can be increased though selfless work wihout expectations.
What is perceived good in our culture may be obnoxious in other culture. This doesn't mean that other culture is inferior to us.Most of the fanatic perceptions and turmoil of hatred and war in this universe is due to false sense of superiority one section feels and tries to impose it to others or annex others with this imperfect assumptions.Similarly no work in inferior to other and comparision/ judgement should be avoided. The diligence of a worker should be measured in his will and passion to perform his duty according to his cultural and social morals and expectations.

[Sukanta Kumar Hazra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the best 50 cents I have ever spent. Picked this book from a bookshop at the railway station while dropping my parents and though I had heard of it before, I didn't realise how powerful the message is. The author, Swami Vivekananda, who was one of the greatest spiritual leaders during India's independence movement, is both erudite and to the point and clearly explains complex concepts with easy to understand examples.

This book draws from philosophy of Gita and Vedanta to illustrate the universal message that the only way, or at least a concrete way, to happiness and freedom is to work with the motive of bringing joy and happiness to others, for the good of others. Action for the sake of duty and not for the desire of results. The results will of course come, law of action, but don't be attached to it. "I have the right to work, but not to the outcomes". A couple of lines that stuck with me are "I do not care to know your various theories of God, What is the use of discussing all the subtle doctrines about the soul? Do good and be good". Another gem is " It is very hard thing to understand, but you will come to learn in time that nothing in the universe has power over you until you allow it to exercise such a power". And finally this gem for people who are mired in self loathing : "To the man who has begun to hate himself the gate to degeneration has already opened; and the same is true of a nation".

[Ted Canaday · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful treatise on the spiritual power of "work." I'd like to share some choice quotes:

"The greatest... is (s)he who in the midst of the greatest silence and solitude finds the intensest activity, and in the midst of the intensest activity finds the silence and solitude of the desert. He has learned the secret of restraint; he has controlled himself. He goes through the streets of a big city with all its traffic and his mind is as calm as if he were in a cave where not a sound could reach him. And he is intensely working all the time. That is the ideal of Karma Yoga, and if you have attained to that, you have really learned the secret of work."

" ... (As a householder) hold your life as sacrifice for the welfare of others."

"... that to be an ideal householder is a much more difficult task that to be an ideal senyasin (monk/renunciate). The true life of work is indeed as hard as, if not harder than, the equally true life of renunciation."

"No man is to be judged by the mere nature of his duties, but all should be judged by the manner and the spirit in which they perform them."

"... the greatest work is done only when there is no selfish motive to prompt it. Yet it is work through the sense of duty that leads us to work without any idea of duty. When work becomes worship, nay, something higher, then will work be done for its own sake."

[Ankur Shrivastava · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the only book or reading for that matter, that has given me altogether a more pragmatic and a unique perspective towards the human life on this planet called the earth and our actions and herein lies an excellent motivation to work , work for work sake without renunciation of it except the fruit thereof. I find it futile to describe the contents ,I can't ,even if I wanted to . There are moments or state of mind sometimes, when we feel to lose the motivation to work as we seem to perceive the futility of the work or nature of the world as we see ourselves to be no worthwhile to effect a great cause/change to this world, but as you ponder over what is there , the perspective you gain will be unparalleled.
quoting from this amazing writing;
"a man who can work for five days, or even for five
minutes, without any selfish motive whatever, without thinking of
future, of heaven, of punishment, or anything of the kind, has in
him the capacity to become a powerful moral giant. It is hard to do
it, but in the heart of our hearts we know its value, and the good it
brings."

[Stefano Zanella · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading other two essays in yoga by Vivekananda, in this book I felt I was finally able to connect all the dots collected before. This book is also the one that's closest to our western mindset, hence probably easier to understand and relate with. Three key takeaways: the definition and motivation of work, the discussion on morality, and the idea of doing work for the sake of it - detaching ourselves from the results.

As usual though, if you're looking for precise answers you won't find them here: the book's power is to make yourself curious enough and with enough background so you can continue the exploration by yourself.

[Arun Jawarlal · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Indian readers, the concept of Karma and Karma yoga isn't peculiar or strange. Vivekananda is what you would call the educated, well-read Vedantist. The man holds the highest regard for Buddha and his selfless approach to the world. There are two things that have deeply affected me in this book. one - Helping a man physically is good, helping a man intellectually is better and helping someone spititually is the best. Two - The whole world is made up of
Space, time and causation and even thoughts have an effect on karma. This is an amazing read and well supported by science.

[Vibhor Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is ideal for anyone who wants to get a succinct description of one of the most important theories of Hinduism. Vivekananda talks about the various ways that can lead to "freedom" and, in particular, reasons why "karma" (work) is the most practical way to achieve that. He underpins a pragmatic way to achieve absolute freedom without the need to worship any particular God or following any particular religion. He also provides an interesting reasoning behind why each religion propagates the idea of dedicating the work done to God and not towards any selfish motives. Quick, great read!

[Vasudev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many have pondered over the question "Which life is better? Life of renunciation or life of action. A life led by ascetic or A life of Householder?". Karma Yoga is a beautiful answer to that question and much more.

In this book, Swami Vivekananda tells us what is the true purpose of self. What is freedom and why do we have to strive for freedom. Through different stories he conveys the beautiful philosophical outlook. This is a book I definitely want to re-read.