THE LAW OF KARMA

Karma means action. We can define it as any deliberate action willfully done by a human being. Action done by animals does not come under karma. Animals are programmed and they don’t use their freewill. For an animal we call it as Chesta. Action done by us in our sleep will not come under karma as it is not done willfully / deliberately.

Every action has got a reaction or result. Result of an action is called Karma Palan. Palan will be proportional to the action. (Qualitatively and quantitatively).

All the karmas that we do produce two types of result. One is a visible result available for sensory perception called drishtapalam in Sanskrit. It also produces athirshta palam, which is determined by invisible motive determined by sastric vidhi nishedha. Punyam and Papam will get converted into Sugha and Dhukha anubhavaga.

Prarabhda karma is the miniscule droplet of sanchitha karma which will fructify. Prarabhda Karma decides the particular birth of Jeeva and is stored in Sukshma and karana Sariram. Prayachitha Karma is called Agami. Every experience of a human being is decided by Prarabhda karma and Agami.

Sanchitha Karma is accumulated in the past human births only. This is not applicable for animals as they follow their instinct only. All Jeevas have gone through countless number of human janmas. Punyam and papam come under athirstam. Fructifying part of sanchitha karma is prarabhdam. Prarabhdam is determined at the time of birth itself. Agami (Punyam and papam) can be divided into two. That part of Agami that will fructify in the current janma. Second part of agami which is that part that will not fructify in the current janma. Our future life is influenced by two types of karma viz. Prarabhda Karma and Prayachitha karma.

At the time of death, I would have exhausted all the Prarabhdha. Fructifying agami also would have exhausted at the time of death. The non fructifying Agami will join the Sanchitha karma. At the time of death jeeva will have only sanchita karma and the next prarabhdha bunch will be ready now. Stula sariram (Body) will get destroyed. Sukshma sariram will travel. Atma will travel wherever sukshma sariram and karana sariram goes.

Srardha karma is done for thanksgiving to our forefathers (departed souls). The sequence is Sanchita > Prarabhdha> Agami. Punarabi Jananam and Punarabi maranam will continue. It is a cyclic process whose beginning or the end we cannot talk about. We can talk about the beginning point and the end point for a line. We can’t talk about the beginning and the end for a circle. Creation is not a liner process. Creation is a cyclic process.

The law of karma explains the disparity in the creation. The disparity found in different children born to the same parents. We can see that one is spiritually involved, another is like rakhchasa, another is neutral and the fourth is materialistic etc.

The second advantage in knowing the law of karma: Sometimes we go through difficult situations (painful). I start thinking about what I have done to go through such a difficult pain. Mind goes through a playback mode. I have not done any papam in the current janma. There seems to be some kind of injustice going on. I have been a devotee of the lord. Is there a justice in the creation is the question. Is there a God at all? I have to accept the law of karma. Bhagavan gives experiences according to the law of karma and not according to his whims and fancies. I can only pray to God to give me the strength to accept the Ups and Downs. I don’t question the existence of the lord if I understand the Law of Karma. I know that fate and destiny is not given by any local human being or Bhagavan. Bhagavan does not decide my destiny. You are responsible for your current destiny. Your own part is responsible for the present. By doing good agami (Karma), I can decide my future Prarabhdha. I should take charge / responsibility of my future.

Planets do not determine my experiences. What about Astrology? The planetary positions do not influence the life and they are indicators of one’s prarabhdha. We should know that every destiny / experience is due to a particular Karma Palan. (“Bhagavad Gita”, 6^th Chapter). “Bhagavad Gita” Chapter No.6; Verse Number 5.

One should raise oneself by one’s self alone; let not one lower oneself; for the self alone is the friend of oneself, and the self alone is the enemy of oneself.

Friends and enemies are not outside. They exist in the mind only. It is the mind that makes a friend an enemy and an enemy a friend. Therefore the Self alone is the friend of oneself, and the self alone is the enemy of oneself. The lower mind or the Asuddha Manas (Impure mind) is your real enemy because it binds you to the samsara, and the higher mind or the Sattvic mind (Suddha Manas or the pure mind) is your real friend, because it helps you in the attainment of Moksha.

Thus fatalism will be replaced by self responsibility if we accept the law of karma.

Fourth advantage of knowing the law of karma. Why some people suffer while some others have a gala time? We should know that there is no question of good people suffering and bad people enjoying. As even prarabhdha and agami fructifies ups and downs are there for all the people. So we should try to create a good karma.

The above paras give the information about the law of karma with respect to an agnani. What about a Gnani with respect to the law of karma?

Three karmas are there for a Gnani too. In the case of an agnani Punyam and papam in the current janma earned is counted. i.e. Punyam and Papam acquired from birth to death. In the case of a Gnani, the cut off time is different. A gnani is reborn at the time of Gnanam. His Agami (Punyam and Papam) is calculated from the time of his new birth as a Gnani. (When he became a Gnani). His karma up to the stage he attained Gnanam will come under Sanchitha. (i.e. karma done by gnani’s body).

Thus we get to know from the study of Thatva Botha the benefit of Self knowledge. Knowledge about Self. By acquiring self knowledge we attain Jeevan mukthi and Viveka mukthi. Jeevan mukthi is a person who has learnt to disclaim body mind complex; who has learnt Aham Brahmasmi.

Spiritual education program (shravanam) gives knowledge to a person. Mananam gives conviction. Nithithyasanam helps to remove identification with body mind complex. Thus we will come to know that I am a well defined individual. Our gender we identify with. Mind then tells me that I am a balanced person. Intellect on the other hand gives another identity like I am a Doctor, Lawyer etc. In order to disclaim this individuality, and for it to happen, I have to do long meditation over a period of time.

Thus we can see that sanchitha karma and prarabhdha karma are similar to a Gnani and an Agnani. Only in the case of Agami karma there is a subtle difference.

What is sanchitha karma?

This should be understood as that huge bundle of punyam and papam, which has been earned in countless past human janmas, up to the attainment of Gnanam. In animal janma, plant janma and Deva janma (Celestial) one can’t earn punyam and papam. Sanchita is the one possible for all future janmas.

Prarabhdha Karma is applicable in the case of a Gnani and an Agnani. Prarabhdha is responsible for the birth of the current body. Prarabhdha decides which parents one should have. For animals they don’t have will power to generate agami. In the case of human beings we are given will power to generate agami. We can generate agami to neutralize some deficiency in our body.

Sanchitha karma becomes non functional in the case of a gnani. Will power keeps the individuality, the ego also alive. Sanyasa is deliberately neutralizing Agamkara, Mamakara virkthi. A Gnani hands over the possession and his family to the Baghavan. At the time of death there is no crystallized individuality. Sanchitha karma gets attached to the Bhagavan. Gnani does not claim Karma as his own. He does not claim Karma palam as his own. He is not attached to body mind complex. If anyone worships a Gnani, his (Gnani’s) unclaimed Punyam will go to others who worship him. Gnani will not take revenge. Hence we should not criticize a gnani.

For a Gnani, sanchita is non functional. Prarabhdha is exhausted. Agami is accounted. Thus a Gnani crosses over samsara. Karma account is not there for him. Bhagavan removes his account and merges with eswara at the time of his death. [Chantosha Upanishad talks about agami].

S.SEKAR

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