Law of Karma

June 2, 2006

Law of Karma

* From where did the concept of Karma originate?

The concept of karma originated from the Hindu belief that there is a

perfect universal order named rta or rita in the world. Rig Veda

discusses about rta or rita and God Varuna is the guardian of rta.

Nothing happens at random, but things happen under a universal order.

It is the rta or rita that later became dharma in Hindu scriptures.

That is the reason why it is very difficult to define the word

dharma. Of course dharma is more complex than rta or rita.

* What exactly is the law of karma?

It is simply the concept, " Whatever a man soweth, that shall he also

reap. " This is the basis of Karmic law. Every action has a result.

There is no such thing that an action without a result.

* How does the law of Karma operate?

Your every physical action is a deed. Your speech and words are

deeds. Even your thought is a deed! Indeed every thought, word or

deed generates an appropriate reaction and is weighed on the scales

of eternal justice. Nobody can get away from the clutches of karma.

Action is unavoidable even for the incarnation of God according to

Lord Krishna in the Gita. This deed subsequently generates similar or

like reactions to you at an appropriate time in the Karmic cycle of

birth and death. You may or may not experience this result in the

same lifetime!

* What happens to us when we die?

According to Hindu scriptures, body alone dies. The immortal soul

[atman] within the body never dies. But the path that soul takes is

decided by the past actions of the body, which is also called karmas.

* How can you say that the law of Karma is true?

You are right. There are no clear cut scientific answers out there.

But look around and see the inequalities around us. Just look at this

small example. A baby is born in the dry deserts of Ethiopia and

another baby is born in the luxury of Beverly Hills ... both are

innocent babies … one dies of malnutrition, the other lives in luxury

… can we explain this other than with Karmic theory!

* Does Karmic Law bind God?

Yes, if 'It' [the word 'It' is being used here to address God, since

God is neither man nor woman] takes a form on earth [avatar]. When

God came as Lord Rama, he killed a Monkey king by trickery, and when

God came back as Krishna he was killed by the same monkey, in the

body of a hunter. Jesus Christ himself gave up his life on the cross,

to take care of the karmic debt of all the apostles who surrounded

Him. Each time he cured diseases, each time he saved someone from

death, he was voluntarily accepting karmic debt of others. Many late

saints in India, like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, had accepted

the 'karmic debt' of his disciples. Ramakrishna died a painful death

by cancer.

* Can Karmic debt be transferred?

Yes. You can transfer Karmic debt of someone else to yourself

willfully like Jesus Christ and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa did. You can

also transfer karmic debt of someone else on to you automatically, by

attacking him/her with a selfish motive. Believe me when Christ

said: " Judge not, ye be not judged, " he expressed what is also

written in many Hindu scriptures. To bring forth mistakes done by

someone with the intention of correcting him or her is not judging.

But maliciously attacking someone again and again, with a selfish

motive can in fact transfer, that person's karmic debt on to you.

* How important are thoughts at the time of death?

Hindu scriptures say that " Whatever one thinks at the time of death,

one will attain that form and the soul will take a body fast

according to desire to come back to life. " That is why saints will

take a long time to take a body, but people who die of accidents take

to a body very fast. A person, who nourishes evil thoughts thru out

his life, will have evil thoughts as the last hours draw near.

Similarly, a person who has pious thoughts thru out his life will

have pious thoughts at the time of his death.

* What happens to a religious and pious man, who having lived a very

disciplined life becomes bad sometime near his end?

Well, when a man dies, his soul takes the sum total of good and bad

karmas. If the sum total of karmas is good he will take a better life

form. If the sum total is bad he will take a bad life form. One or

two deeds alone does not decide the soul's final destination.

* Can we conclude that if a sick or retarded child is born the

parents and child are equally responsible?

As per law of karma, due to past actions, parents are destined to

have a child to worry about and the child is destined to be born with

sickness. Of course, both parents and the child can make life better

by new positive actions. The Karma theory does not condemn anyone -

it gives hope always.

* Why should a loving and kind God create this painful process of

reincarnation?

Good question. Just like we have no answer for " Why did God put a

forbidden fruit in the garden of Eden in the first place? " Honestly,

Hindu scriptures have not properly dealt with the question stated

above. Hinduism does not look upon God as 'loving', 'caring' etc.

Hindu books say that such attributes about God are 'man-made'. God

has no attributes. Man gave God attributes, so that he can relate to

God. In early books, such as in the Christian Bible, you see God

appearing as 'a father figure'. This was because man wrote the Bible.

If a woman had written the Bible, we would most probably see the

Mother Goddess depicted as God in the Bible. Our problem according to

Hinduism is that we are deluded by maya or illusion. This illusion

makes us forget our true nature - that we are indeed souls. The

answer for our problems is the realization of true knowledge.

* Is there a judgment in Hinduism?

Hinduism believes in instant judgments. Whenever we act, a judgment

is made according to the type of action we do. So, good and bad

actions are judged and computed in their total essence. Hinduism does

not look at bad and good life forms as actions and reactions. If

someone burns his hands it is not that the fire is judging the

person; instead the person was burnt because it is the nature of fire

to burn.

* What should a person actually do?

Search within ... since most of the topics under discussion tend to

go above the mind. Only by process of meditation one can realize the

truth. So, by all means meditate and let that meditation lead you to

final answer. Krishna could not teach everything. Buddha could not

teach everything. Christ could not teach everything.

Why??? Why???

Since subtle truths are above mind. No language on earth can convey

them. Lao Tse said it very well: He who knows does not speak; He who

speaks never knows!!

* There is no escape from karma? True or False…?

False. When most religions say, " Some will go to hell for eternity

after one life, " Karma and reincarnation concept say, " Salvation is

for all. Finally all will have salvation. " That is mandatory in

Hinduism. There are no losers but only winners in Hinduism. The best

among us will attain that with one life and the worst among us will

attain that with many lives. Once again, everyone has a chance

in 'karma & reincarnation' philosophy. Whereas religions who question

the theory of Karma and reincarnation, give only one chance. If you

do not make it by one chance, you are doomed forever.

* How can justice be served if people have no knowledge of why they

are being punished?

Karma and reincarnation theory does not say that some one is

punished. The word 'punishment' is not part of the karma and

reincarnation concept. If a child puts his hand in fire and gets

burnt, will you say that the fire punished the child? No. We will say

that the child got burnt because of his ignorance of the fact that

fire burns. Similarly, Hindu scriptures say that we are taking birth

again and again, due to our ignorance of the true divine nature.

Although the may be a little difficult to grasp - but this is the

only answer.

* How to be detached?

We should put our minds on things; they should not draw our minds to

them! We are usually forced to concentrate. Our minds are forced to

get attracted and attached to different things by an attraction in

them, which we cannot resist. But through special yogic disciplines

like yama, niyama, asanas, dharana etc. we can easily detach our mind

and place it just where we want it.

* Practically, what is the correct path to observe for a spiritual

aspirant?

A spiritual practitioner should guard himself against two extremes:

Luxury and Austerity. You must not fast, neither be a glutton. Sleep

less, eat satvic food moderately, discipline the mind watching it

every moment and follow your devotional disciplines regularly with

faith.

* Is Kundalini awakening the same as enlightenment?

It is important not to confuse Kundalini awakening with

enlightenment. Enlightenment rarely results from a single encounter

with the numinous. It is more as if the energetic awakening initiates

an expansion in consciousness, which sets the scene for a progression

of many experiences with transpersonal states of consciousness. The

intensity and duration of each of glimpse varies with our readiness

to contain and integrate them. Thus, the Kundalini awakening is not

an end point in itself, but the beginning of a transformation of

consciousness, which expands our capacity to know the infinite.

Spiritual emergence often includes expanded perceptual abilities,

increased energy, creative expression and a dedication to being of

service for the greater good.

* What should one do if one cannot offer prayer at the appointed

hour? Can one pray to God while traveling?

Prayer is a must for all. It can be offered to God anytime. God never

sleeps! He is awake and always for you. We should not ignore our

spiritual lives when our bodies are traveling. So you can definitely

pray even while traveling.

* Can prayer redeem sins?

Yes, definitely! However prayer should not simply be used as an

antidote for sin. We should not think that we could sin as much as we

want and then just pray for forgiveness! That's not the way it works!

Prayer purifies us so that we no longer commit sins. It makes us pure

and holy. It also envisages a trusteeship to God for pardon and grace.

* How can I practically relate myself with God?

Your mind should be always with Him, yet the hands should be doing

His work. People think that in order to be spiritual, or to be with

God, one must be sitting in the lotus posture in the mountains. This

is not the only way. It is the duty of a few saints to live in

samadhi in the mountains. Their vibrations and the global effects of

their sadhana are extraordinary. But, this is not possible for most

people. So, we must engage ourselves in action; in active, good and

prayerful service for the benefit of all … that is truly the way to

be with Him.

* What is the method to overcome the psychophysical impurities of

anger, lust, envy, hatred etc.?

Faith in God is the most important and best means of lowering their

inward operations. Learn to sit near and hear and talk to holy and

spiritual people and try to understand the secret of Truth. Their

vibrations will gradually cleanse your impurities. Also, you should

learn to differentiate between duty and self-interest! Even your

intentions remain unfulfilled, worry not, as the Lord knows what is

good for you and will take necessary care. Go beyond the states of

worry and patience. Live life in the spirit of joy, being happy that

you are at least alive to know the Truth for yourself.

Life itself is a great benediction!

June 2, 2006

Before I proceed to say that I find lots of inconsistencies in Law of Karma, let

me ask you sir what Shastra do we refer for the purpose of discussions. In

other words, in which shastra is Law of Karma mentioned in details.

You have mentioned about rta or rita mentioned in Rig Veda. Is this Veda we take

for the reference?

My first question is, whatever I am today, I alone am responsible, whether good

or bad. Which means I am the creator of my own destiny. In the same breath, the

Vedas dismiss me as an entity saying I am nothing, I am not the doer, everything

is " HIM " , not a leaf moves without his will, " HIS " will alone prevails.

Let us decide first, who is the doer? Am I the doer or is " He " the doer?

Regards,

" C. P. Kumar " <cpkumar wrote: Law of Karma