01Yogah Karmsu Kaushalam
Unfailing adherence to excellence in action — every duty discharged with full skill and full attention.
Teachings
Philosophy & Teachings
The principles, paths and practices by which the ashram guides seekers towards the realization of God.
“Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam”
Yoga is excellence in action — Bhagavad Gita 2.50
The Five Practical Principles
Five vows form the practical ground of life at the ashram. They are simple to state and demanding to live, and every teaching that follows rests upon them.
01
02Freedom from ego and attachment
No ego or attachment based on religion, caste, class or ashram.
03Body and intellect are gifts of God
Shun the ego born of the body and the intellect; they were given, not achieved.
04No discrimination
Never discriminate on the basis of dress, eating habits or culture.
05Wisdom held in trust
Do not disclose the wisdom awarded by the Sadguru without his permission.
The Four Paths of God-Realization
Four yogas — paths of union — are offered, each suited to a different temperament. All lead to the same realization.
Karma-Yoga
For the assiduous and industrious
The path of action, in which every duty becomes an offering performed with excellence and without attachment to its fruit.
Bhakti-Yoga
For those of devotional temperament
The path of love and surrender, in which the heart is steeped in remembrance of the Divine.
Raj-Yoga
For esoteric practitioners
The royal path of meditation and inner discipline, turning the attention steadily inward.
Gyaan-Yoga
For those equipped with discrimination
The path of knowledge, in which the real is discerned from the unreal until doubt dissolves.
The Three Impurities and Their Remedies
Three obstructions keep the seeker from the self. Each has a precise remedy, and the four yogas are prescribed accordingly.
Mal
Impurities of the body and the organs
Eradicated through Karma-Yoga
Vikshep
A wandering mind, attached and unsettled
Eradicated through Upasana (Bhakti-Yoga)
Avaran
The ego of the intellect, veiling the self
Eradicated through Gyaan-Yoga
A Day of Sadhana at the Ashram
Philosophy at the ashram is not argued, it is lived. The daily rhythm below is the shape the teaching takes from waking to rest.
Brahma MuhurtaRising and Prayer
The day begins before dawn with ablution, prayer and the remembrance of the Sadguru — the mind gathered before the world awakens.
MorningPranayam and Meditation
Asana and pranayam steady the body and breath; meditation then turns the attention inward until thought settles into stillness.
DaySeva — Work as Worship
Gau seva, kitchen, garden and study: every task of the day is performed with skill and without claim upon its fruit.
EveningSatsang and Swadhyaya
Scripture, discourse and collective chanting close the day, and the seeker reviews their conduct honestly before rest.
Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam
Karma-Yoga is not a technique but a complete way of life — the transformation of every facet of the human personality. It does not ask anyone to abandon their duties. It asks that those duties be discharged with excellence and skill, while the mind remains detached and undisturbed by outcome. That is the whole meaning of Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam: excellence in action.
On Devotion and Knowledge
True devotion asks that the seeker first attain knowledge of the self, for until then duality cannot dissolve and doubt lingers at the edge of every prayer. When the mind is filled with peace and the firm realization dawns that God alone is the Doer, the heart becomes naturally steeped in devotion.
The Fruits of Practice
At the physical level, pranayam; at the vital level, the breath; and at the mental level, meditation. Together these generate a nectar-like subtle energy that makes life healthy, happy and prosperous.
An Inclusive Path
The ashram opposes no religious doctrine, caste, creed or belief. It appreciates the basic principles of all religions and works to free seekers from darkness, weakness, disharmony, hatred and frustration — guiding them instead towards light, strength, harmony, love, health, self-confidence, abundance and limitlessness.
Reach the ashram
Come sit with us in Kankhal
Seekers of every background are welcome. Write, call, or simply arrive — the gates of the ashram stay open to those who come in earnest.
Write to the ashram- Address
- MAHARISHI YOGA ASHRAM, Near Bairagi Camp, Kankhal, Haridwar, Uttarakhand (India) — Pin Code 249408
- Phone
- +91-1334-212494 · 8004924455
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