|| The Law of Karma, How Does It Work?

|| The Law of Karma, How Does It Work?

 Why is there suffering? Why Shree Ram Took Birth || Hinduism has a complex and diverse concept with various philosophical and spiritual concepts, and one of its 3rd fundamental concepts is the law of karma. (I have already written about the first two). What is Karma? The process of action and reaction on all levels — physical, mental, and spiritual - is karma. Karma is the most important and basic principle of Hinduism, yet a very complex thing to understand. Karma, derived from the Sanskrit word meaning "action" or "deed," is the belief that every action a person takes has consequences that affect their present life and future lives. What is its significance? a) Everyone is bound to perform action, no one can escape it. BG, chapter 3.4- न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते | न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति।। Meaning- One cannot achieve freedom from karmic reactions by merely abstaining from work, nor can one attain the perfection of knowledge by mere physical renunciation. b) Many people think that karma is their actions but its only the half truth. karma is not only the actions you take but it is also what you think all the time. The quality of one's thoughts and the motivations behind their actions are believed to have a profound impact on the consequences they experience. Positive thoughts, such as love, compassion, and selflessness, are considered to generate positive karma, while negative thoughts, such as hatred, greed, and selfishness, are believed to produce negative karma. BG 3.5- न हि कश्चित्क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत् | कार्यते ह्यवश: कर्म सर्व: प्रकृतिजैर्गुणै: || Meaning- There is no one who can remain without action even for a moment. Indeed, all beings are compelled to act by their qualities born of material nature. So whatever we think or do, every single thing is getting registered and we’ll be reincarnated accordingly. c) Every karma has an equal resultant. All positive action and thoughts generate good karma and vice-versa. d) Karma can only be earned in human life. In lower lives such as plants and animals, plants and animals are generally considered to have limited consciousness and are driven by instinctual behaviors. While they may experience the consequences of their past actions, their ability to consciously generate new karma is thought to be limited. Only their bad karmas get burned in the lower lives. Types of karma- Karma can be divided into four parts - a. Sanchita Karma- The sum of all karmas of this life and past lives. b. Prarabdha Karma- The portion of sanchita karma that is bearing fruit and shaping the events and conditions of the current life. c. Kriyamana karma - The karma which is being created and added to sanchita in this life by one's thoughts. d. Agama karma- the actions that we are planning for the future. Why Shree Ram took birth? Many thinks that he was born to- 1. Kill ravana 2. For dharmasthapna 3. to free sabri etc etc. These all are true but let's reconsider the main purpose behind shree Rama's birth, which is often overlooked. His incarnation aimed to demonstrate that the law of karma applies even to gods and is unyielding. Bhagawan Vishnu, known for his strategic character, consistently had underlying motives behind each of his avatars. As the overseer of the human realm, he took on various avtars to impart wisdom and establish essential principles. To support this perspective, consider the following points: 1. Vrinda, the wife of Jaladhar, cursed Bhagawan Vishnu, decreeing that he would endure separation from his own spouse. 2. Narada, a sage, cursed Bhagawan Vishnu, stating that he would face a situation similar to Narada's own unfulfilled love, causing suffering in his quest to be with his beloved. 3. The path followed by Rama is widely recognized as the most arduous route to attain spiritual liberation (moksha). Reading the Ramayana in its entirety reveals that it encompasses more than a simple tale of good triumphing over evil; it portrays a narrative of anguish, sacrifice, and the challenges one must endure to lead an exemplary life. Being a god, Vishnu could have easily escaped the principles of Karma but no he didn't and that makes law of karma inevitable. Why there is so much suffering? Happiness or suffering is just the resultant of one's past life karmas. If there is pain and suffering in your life while your friend is having a cheerful life, you must understand that you had done something very bad in your past life while your friend must have done something excellent in his/her past life. Karma and fate- Karma has suffered a chronic association with the word fate. Fate is a Western idea, derived largely Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It means, that one's life has been set by agencies outside oneself. However, Karma is exactly the opposite. Karma says that your life is completely based on what you think and do. Karma teaches that individuals have the power to shape their lives through their thoughts, intentions, and actions, emphasizing personal responsibility and agency. It highlights the interconnectedness of actions and their consequences, suggesting that individuals have the ability to influence their own destiny.