Shanidham

Laws of Karmas and destiny

The domain of karma is very wide. At first, the almighty took decision to disintegrate himself from one unit to many, thus giving way to formation of this universe. The decision that almighty took was his karma and the laws that he made was extension of that karma. We all came into existence only because of the firm decision taken by Almighty, and in natural way, willingly or unwillingly we are always engaged in our Karma.

In vedic literature and in historical books there are three types of karmas: Sanchit, Prarabdha and Kriyamana In Srimadbhagwat Gita the element of the karma has been explained in very simple and real terms. Here Karma has been explained as a Karma Yoga. Karma has been defined as an element that gets assimilated with the individuals in the same way as salt gets dissolved in the water. On account of karma it becomes necessary for the individuals to get engaged in happiness and sadness, meaning thereby it is natural that good or bad action will give good or bad results. Still many times it is seen that an individual performs his karma but he does not get due reward. Many times he receives fruits of karma, but too late. Many times good karma does not give good results to human beings whereas a perverted person after doing all misdeeds and sins seems to be enjoying good fruits. Under this situation people start raising doubts over the philosophy of karma, but these doubts are invalid. As with the human being all his past deeds are associated with him since all his births. Therefore when, the time to reap the fruits comes as per the karma performed, the human being gets his due reward. As we are not aware of the karma performed by an individual in his previous birth, we fail to prove the theory of karma and rewards.

People have been seen saying that good karma gives good results and bad karma gives punishments. There are a few people who also say, if you do good, you will get good. In fact confusion related to karma is widespread. This is sure that karma gives results but why good karma results into punishment? Often this question also arises. In Scriptures this question has not been dealt with in detail but there is no doubt that every karma does not give quick result. There are many karmas that take more time to produce results.

If a bad doer is enjoying good fruits then it should be assumed that this is not the result of the work which he has done now, but it is the result of his past karma. After sowing seeds one does not get tree immediately, it takes time. Seeds grow according to time and conditions. Every seed gets germinated as per designated time and bears fruit on a fixed time as well. Many times fruits are not borne or seeds are wasted. The fact is that if seeds are such that they are not worth germinating, they will not turn into trees. Same way, Karma and fruits of karma are aliened. In the Gita, it has been written that.

Karmajam buddhiyuktahi falam tyaktya manishinaha,

Janma bandhavinirmuktaha padam gatchantyanamyam.

Meaning thereby, when a karma is performed without any expectations, then the chains of birth and death are broken naturally and human beings achieve salvation. This proves that when karma is performed with some desire of getting results, it gives happiness or sorrow, or it results in birth and death. A human being involved in worldly life does karma with the lust to get rewarded. Karma can be good or bad but it is all done for happiness and pleasure only. There are only a few who perform karma taking it as the rule of the nature.

From this we come to know that the karma performed with a lust to get results gives worldly pleasure, sorrow and happiness. It is well proven that karmas performed in the past are the main reasons of happiness, sorrow and diseases. It cannot also be accepted that only because of the lust of pleasure human beings fall sick. Many incurable diseases can happen as a result of the past deeds (Prarabdha). Because of inauspicious prarabdha karma and many anti nature karma performed in the present time a human being faces many adversities including the physical and mental diseases.

The period between the first breath and last breath taken by the living being is called the life period of the living being. In this life period every living being reaps the reward of the good karma as well as bad karma he has performed. From one point of view human beings are totally different from the rest of the living beings as they have got the ability to perform karma, and they have the freedom to take decisions. This is the reason why manushya yoni is called karmayoni as well. Only human beings are the living beings on this earth who with the help of kriyamana karma can tighten and loosen the knots of fruits of prarabdha karma. This way he can change the direction of rewards of the prarabdha karma. If he wishes, he can keep himself limited to the rewards of prarabdha only. Human beings also have to go through Prarabdha but using ability of kriyamana karma he can make prarabdha favorable to himself. Whereas other living beings inspired by prarabdha does only those work for which they are bound to do due to prarabdha. But in manushya yoni we have the ability to perform (karma) and get rewards of our Karma.

Animals and birds can eat foods, sleep on soft bed, live in colored light but they cannot create these facilities. They are bound to live with these facilities as they are. If at all they do something new, they have a limitation which has been decided by prarabdha. Prarabdha has decided how they have to live and where they have to live, where and how they have to eat. They can do something but as per the decisions already made by the prarabdha, and they cannot bring any change in that. But human beings with the help of kriyamana karma can bring change in his prarabdha, make them favorable and reap the reward for the same. That is the reason why human being are taken on the top of the order!

The impact of our karma performed today builds the conditions for future. Whatever we sow today, we shall reap the reward tomorrow. If we prepare our food right now we will not have to face difficulty when we are hungry later, as we will be ready with our food that we have already prepared before. But if one does not prepare it in advance he will have to face difficulty when he is hungry. He will have to prepare the food during the phase when he is hungry. Undoubtedly the second stage will be more troublesome than the first one. Here one needs to take into consideration one more point. If the food that we have prepared before is sweet, we will enjoy sweetness in the food, however, if we have prepared bitter food while eating we will have to savor bitterness.

It is clear that whatever we make, we get the same. If we make good things we will get good things only. Our present action will decide about our future. If a beautiful girl is standing in front of the mirror, one will not see the image of an ugly woman in the mirror. Similarly, if an ugly woman is standing in front of the mirror, the mirror will never reflect image of a beautiful woman. Even a simple person understands this fact. But when it comes to karma, the human being generally gets deviated. He always suffers from conflicts. If such conflicts come in the mind, one should not be bothered. It is a beautiful thing. This gives an opportunity to use your capacity to take decision.

If you want, you may move on the righteous path or you may fall in the pit or you may establish yourself at the top of the mountains. You also have the enough capability to go deep in the seas and get collection of precious peals or you may stay at the bank and waste time while trying to gather shells and snails.

Everything depends on your own decision. With right decision and right approach one can get many things. The ability to achieve is given to everyone by God. With the proper use of that ability one can move towards the height of progress and reach at the top. The only need is to have firm determination and work with competence. We reap the rewards of karma as per the karma performed. Reaping the rewards of Karma is nothing but re-morphing of our karmas. If karmas are re-morphed in right direction, human beings can achieve divinity.

In different communities good works have been defined differently. But in general, good works are those actions that do not harm anyone. Here, it is worth mentioning two things. First, if nobody is harmed then the question of harming anybody else does not arise. Second, one should not harm himself as well. If human beings are conscious about these two points, they can become best from better. Our acts become virtuous when we become habitual of doing things keeping in mind the interest of others, and we do not harm anyone for our own personal interest. When we overcome the evil tendency of committing atrocities on others, the feeling of kindness comes in us. As a result of this human values will grow within us. When human values within us become strong, we develop the tendency to see others happy, and thus the feeling of kindness along with tendency to help others grows. This way soon we will climb on the ladders of divinity by suppressing evils within us. This way where there is presence of three virtues namely suppression, kindness and tendency to help, no sin will be committed, and that only virtues will prevail. There is very interesting fact attached with it, result of these virtuous acts will be achieved with patience and they will be converted into goodness. After reaping the rewards of these good karmas, we will again get inspired to do noble works and reap the rewards of these noble actions.

When above mentioned all the three virtues or any one of them is missing, Kriyamana karma of the man gets adulterated. Human beings are bound to face the consequences of the karmas performed. Human beings by the dint of their karmas get heavenly happiness as well as sufferings of the hell, and reap the rewards of their actions. When human beings confine themselves within the limits of the worldly pleasures then they not only forget their objectives but also get into several kinds of illness.