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Theory of Karma-Hirabhai Thakkar
Theory of Karma-Hirabhai Thakkar
Theory of Karma-Hirabhai Thakkar
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vast, infinite universe. The rising and setting of the sun in the east and the west punctually and strictly according to the time shown in Astrology, the harmonious movement of the earth, sun, moon, stars, planets etc. around each other on their pre-destined orbits and destined routes as shown in Asttonomy, the Inception, Maintenance and Dissolution of all the animate bodies and inanimate objects and things in the whole universe, the coming of winter, summer and monsoon seasons, the ripening of fruits, flowers, grass and shrubs on the earth, the proper existence of mountains, rivers, oceans etc., the working of the principles of specific gravity and relative density of objects and things on the earth, the evaporation of water from the sea to the sky, the formation of the clouds and their showering on the earth, the mysterious running of the cycle of birth and death etc. for the smooth and effective administration and execution of all these environments, there must be some strict law under which the whole infinite universe is governed.This law is known as the 'Law of Karma' as stated by Goswami Tulsidasji in his Ramayana as under: KARMA PRADHAN VISHVA RACHI RAKHA, JO JAS KARAI SO TAS FAL CHAKHA. The whole universe is governed by the 'Law of Karma' and the most important section and the fundamental principle of this law is JO JAS KARAI SO TAS FAL CHAKHA. As you sow, so shall you reap. Thus the 'Law of Karma' is the law of (1) action and reaction (2) cause and effect (3) effort and destiny. Action and reaction, cause and effect, effort and destiny are all equal and opposite.
(2) This law is Universal: It is applicable to one and all the persons and creatures in all the countries in the world and the entire universe.Not that it is applicable only to Indians and that too only to Hindus because it was repeated and recited by Lord Krishna in Bhagwad Geeta on the battle field of Kurukshetra in India. It is applicable to all people from the human races, castes and creeds in the whole world. (3) This law is Applicable: In all the generations and eras of earthly cycles, Satyug, Treta, Dwapar and Kaliyug and in all the centuries - past,present and future. (4) This law is Totally Perfect: There has not been a single amendment in the law up-till now since time immemorial and there is not going to be a single amendment in the law till the end of the entire universe. There is not a single 'proviso' in the law. There is no such mention or words like 'Provided that' or 'Not withstanding anything contained in the Act' etc. (5) There is Not a Single Exception: In this law of Karma, nobody can escape the canons of this law. Even the father of Lord Rama (incarnation of the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God) could not escape his destined death due to the forced separation of his son Rama. Shri Rama also in due respect to this law, did not interfere by giving extension of life even to his own father Dasratha at least for fourteen years till his return from exile. The omnipotent formless (NIRAKAR) God, once incarnated in the human form (SAKAR) as Rama, he too had to humbly respect and obey the Law of Karma and he did not show any favouritism or partiality to anybody,even to his own father. The most important section of the law is JO JAS KARAI SO TAS FAL CHAKH)4. As you sow, so shall you reap. The application of this law is beyond manipulation, intervention or corruptibility. The wrong doer will definitely be punished for his wrong deeds. Nobody can escape the penal provisions of this law. There is no escapement and no exception is allowed in its application. Similarly a pious man performing good actions will definitely be rewarded for his good deeds. Each and every good or bad action will have equal and appropriate reaction and will invariably rebound on the doer attracting just reward or punishment.
the universe, the date on which the sun will stop rising in the sky. (These dates are not known and will never be known to anybody.) (2) This law is Universal: It is applicable to one and all the persons and creatures in all the countries in the world and the entire universe.Not that it is applicable only to Indians and that too only to Hindus because it was repeated and recited by Lord Krishna in Bhagwad Geeta on the battle field of Kurukshetra in India. It is applicable to all people from the human races, castes and creeds in the whole world. (3) This law is Applicable: In all the generations and eras of earthly cycles, Satyug, Treta, Dwapar and Kaliyug and in all the centuries - past,present and future. (4) This law is Totally Perfect: There has not been a single amendment in the law up-till now since time immemorial and there is not going to be a single amendment in the law till the end of the entire universe. There is not a single 'proviso' in the law. There is no such mention or words like 'Provided that' or 'Not withstanding anything contained in the Act' etc. (5) There is Not a Single Exception: In this law of Karma, nobody can escape the canons of this law. Even the father of Lord Rama (incarnation of the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God) could not escape his destined death due to the forced separation of his son Rama. Shri Rama also in due respect to this law, did not interfere by giving extension of life even to his own father Dasratha at least for fourteen years till his return from exile. The omnipotent formless (NIRAKAR) God, once incarnated in the human form (SAKAR) as Rama, he too had to humbly respect and obey the Law of Karma and he did not show any favouritism or partiality to anybody,even to his own father. The most important section of the law is JO JAS KARAI SO TAS FAL CHAKH)4. As you sow, so shall you reap. The application of this law is beyond manipulation, intervention or corruptibility. The wrong doer will definitely be punished for his wrong deeds. Nobody can escape the penal provisions of this law. There is no escapement and no exception is allowed in its application. Similarly a pious man performing good actions will definitely be rewarded for his good deeds. Each and every good or bad action will have equal and appropriate reaction and will invariably rebound on the doer attracting just reward or punishment.
where he lives. Ignorance of law is no excuse. If an Indian goes to America and drives the car on the left side of the road or without putting on a safety belt, the police will fine him 50 dollars. If he argues that he was ignorant of the law, the police will not accept any excuses and he will be asked to pay the fine on the spot and then study the law at his convenience. Similarly if an American goes to India and moves with a gun without licence he will be arrested by the police. His argument that in America no licence is necessary for having a gun will not be accepted. If a man puts his hand in fire innocently or through ignorance, even then the fire will burn his hand invariably. If you want to stay and live in America, India, England or anywhere, you are expected to know the laws and rules of those countries. Similarly, if you want to live happily anywhere in this world, you must know the Law of Karma under which the whole Universe is governed. Let us therefore now turn to examine and study the Law of Karma.
(3) PRARABDHA KARMA means those actions, out of the accumulated Sanchit Karmas which have now become ripe and are ready to give fruits. They are commonly known as destiny, luck, fate, fortune etc. Let us understand the detailed meaning and the impact of the above three categories of Karma with illustrations.
take revenge after three months, (iv) you harassed or tortured your parents in your young age causing a lot of anguish to them and your children will torture you in your old age,(v) you tried and laboured enthusiastically with great devotion to become a proficient musician or a famous painter but before acquiring perfection you left your body. Even then your labour of the present birth is not wasted. In your subsequent birth or births you will continue your efforts and will definitely reach your goal of perfection and will get the fruits of your labour and devotion of your present birth. Thus certain actions and efforts in the present (Kriyaman Karmas) do take time to ripen to enable them to yield fruits. Till then they are stored away, kept in abeyance and get accumulated in the balance as Sanchit Karmas. But anyhow, every action will have its reaction, every cause will have its effect and every effort will have its destiny determined in due course of time without exception. The millet seeds take Sa days to become ripe as millet corn, wheat seeds take 120 days to ripen and be ready for reaping as wheat corn, a mango tree starts bearing fruits five years after sowing its seed, a jack fruit tree will start giving fruits after 10 years. Thus it takes time to germinate into ripe fruit, for the cause to be transformed into effect. This time varies according to the nature of the seedlings and potentiality of that cause or action. Taking example from Ramayan, Shri Das'ratha (father of Rama) in his young age killed one innocent Brahmin boy named S'ravana and hence his old blind parents cursed Shri Das'rath that he shall also have to die due to the separation of his son. At the time of this curse Shri Das'rath was not married and hence that curse could not be effetive immediately. His action (Karma) was therefore kept in abeyance pending as Sanchit Karma waiting for the opportune time to come. Subsequently, in due course of time, when Shri Das'rath got married, also got Rama as his son and then precisely just on the auspicious coronation day of Rama, the unholy sinful past action of King Das'rath immediately cropped up and he had to die because of the curse compelling the separation of his son Rama. And curiously enough, even shri Rama (the omnipotent God incarnate), in due respect to the immutable law of Karma, chose not to interfere by showing any favouritism to his own father in giving him extension for at least 14 years till he would return from the forest. Taking one more example from the epic Mahabharata, King Dhrutarashtra, when he lost all his 100 sons in the battle field, inquired of Lord Krishna as to why he met with such a disastrous loss even though he did not remember to have committed any such horrible sin during his present lifetime. Lord Krishna, out of respect and sympathy for him gracefully bestowed upon him divine vision so that he could visualise for himself the heinous act perpetrated by him in any of his previous births which was responsible for his current misery. Thus aided, Shri Dhrutarashtra discovered that fifty births back when he was a hunter of birds he once threw his burning net on a tree causing hundred small baby birds to be entrapped and burnt to ashes, while the remaining big birds flew away but they became blind due to the scorching heat of the burning net. The effect of this horrible sinful deed was that Shri Dhrutarashtra became and remained blind all throughout his present life and also lost his 100 sons. Shri Dhrutarashtra wondered and further inquired from Lord Krishna as to why that wanton and sinful act did not immediately rebound on him to punish him in the same birth or even during his immediately next birth, and why it remained dormant as Sanchit Karma for such a long period of fifty lifetimes. Lord Krishna smiled and replied that his past sinful deed had to wait for an opportune time up to 50 births during which time he could earn and accumulate enough pious deeds to merit him to be eligible to get a hundred sons in one lifetime so that his previous sinful Sanchit Karma could instantaneously confront him with the effects of his evil action.
Thus, nobody can escape or avoid the punishment for his sinful actions even after 50 or five hundred births. Of course, the sinful deeds will remain latent and dormant as Sanchit Karmas waiting for the opportune time to confront the person. So long as the stock of his pious, meritorfous deeds is not fully exhausted, the sinful deeds will not be able to attack the person and will bide their time, but, in any event, will not allow the person to escape. His sins will catch up with him at the most opportune time, and will definitely attack him even after hundreds and thousands of births. Thus there is neither delay nor any chaos or confusion in the realm of God. God is full of both mercy and justice. There are innumerable such instances and episodes in our scriptures and also in our day-to-day life propounding this doctrine of Karma that "as you sow, so shall you reap" the fruits either immediately or in due course of time as and when they become ripe - either in the present life or in the subsequent birth or births to come. Suppose you are owed 500 dollars by someone who cunningly refuses to repay. Hence you file a civil suit against him for recovery. The court issues a demand warrant in your favour and the bailiff goes to execute that warrant. But he cannot recover the money because the debtor is currently bankrupt. However, the demand warrant will not, therefore, be cancelled, but will only be kept pending till the recovery becomes possible. Subsequently, if the debtor acquires sufficient money through some business, service or by heritage, the demand warrant will immediately be enforced and executed for payment to you. Perhaps, before the recovery of the amount, if the debtor dies, he can safely escape the execution of the order of this worldly court but his sinful debt (action) will be deposited in his Sanchit Karmas. Thus he cannot escape the divine court of God, as in his subsequent birth or births, he shall have to repay the amount, whether in terms of dollars, or in terms of service by becoming a bullock in your house in your next birth as a farmer.
become ripe by that time to give him fruits. Unfortunately, while exhausting his predestined Prarabdha Karmas during one lifetime, he creates and accumulates many more new Karmas during the same lifetime which are again deposited in the stock of his previous Sanchit Karmas and this situation is repeated in every birth. Thus the vicious cycle goes on uninterruptedly increasing, instead of decreasing, the total balance of Sanchit Karmas at the end of each birth. The stock of Sanchit Karmas is increasing by leaps and bounds as the new accumulation is much more than the expenditure during each birth and there is no end to this process. Therefore, the cycle of birth and death goes on indefinitely and there does not appear to be any hope of chance for liberation of emancipation. Recognising this, Shri Shankaracharya has humbly requested God as under: PUNARAPI JANANAM PUNARAPI MARANAM PUNARAPI JANANI JATHARE SHAYANAM. IHA SANSARE KHALU DUSTARE KRUPAYA PARE PAHI MURARE. Repeated births and repeated deaths And repeatedly sleeping in the womb of mother This ocean of SANSARA is really difficult to cross OH GOD, kindly save me and help me to cross.
therefore, go about their activities only by intuition and instinct and they are controlled by nature, while you are the controller of nature. God has bestowed human beings with higher intelligence as well as wisdom. So if human beings misuse their intelligence and do not use their wisdom, they are liable to severe punishment according to the provisions of the Law of Karma. A dog will not eat a loaf of bread without smelling it thrice to ascertain whether it is congenial to his health. And even by mistake, if he eats it, he will immediately vomit it out because he is controlled by nature. Therefore, the dogs, donkeys, birds etc. do not suffer from diabetes, blood pressure, heart attack, Aids, etc. While a man who gets a hundred dollar currency note by corrupt, dishonest means he immediately puts it directly in his pocket without thinking that he will have to pay a thousand dollars to the doctor as a result of that sin. Let me quote one concrete instance to illustrate this point. A man committed two murders. In the case of the first murder, he could escape conviction by engaging a very intelligent and influential pleader. In the second case, he could escape by greasing the hands of the corrupt police officers with bribery. But in the third murder case in which, even though he was totally innocent of any crime, he was arrested by the police only on suspicion looking to his past antecedents and previous police records in which he was black-listed. Unfortunately for him the police could anyhow successfully secure most convincing evidence and witnesses to establish his guilt as a murderer without any shadow of doubt and consequently he was hanged. In such a case, we can say that his sins of the previous two murders committed by him could not have at that. time attacked him, probably because he might have got in stock certain other pious deeds (Punya Karma) also at that time which would have prevented the sins of those two murders from attacking him. But, thereafter, as soon as he might have exhausted his pious deeds, the sins of his two previous murder cases, remaining in balance in abeyance as Sanchit Karmas matured as luck, fate, destiny (Pra-rabdha) attacked him and entangled him in the third murder case even though he was totally innocent in it. A man can cleverly and cunningly manipulate to escape from the court of this world, but in the court of God no influence or bribery is allowed and nobody can escape. Sometimes when we find an apparently innocent person being punished, we naturally feel that there is no justice in the realm of God. But it is not so. In fact, he must have escaped punishment in some previous offence cleverly or cunningly from the court of this world. But at the opportune time, his Sanchit Karma would ripen into Prarabdha from which he can never escape. No action is lost without reaction, no cause is lost without effect, no effort is lost without destiny, and no sin is lost without punishment in he Law of Karma. Taking an example from Shrimad Bhagvatam, King Parikshit, the grandson of Arjuna was a very pious and noble king and a staunch devotee of God and saints. Even then unfortunately for him, one day he went very far into the forest and became very thirsty. In the interior of the forest, he went to the Ashram of the sage named Samik.The sage was at that time in deep meditation and therefore did not offer his solicitation to welcome the king. The king felt offended and in a momentary impulse of anger, he put dead serpent around the neck of the meditating sage and went away. Subsequently when the son of the sage saw this outrageous misconduct, he gave a curse that whoever was the wrong doer would die on the seventh day by a serpent bite. When the sage came out of his meditation, he felt very sorry for the entire episode and he himself informed the king about this irrevocable curse. The king,instead of trying to escape the effect of this curse, boldly accepted the curse as the natural and deserved consequence of his own grievous misconduct. He nobly declared himself as guilty of the sin.
He was all powerful monarch and hence even the supreme court of his kingdom was not competent to frame any charge against him for any of his wrong deeds. The king, therefore, himself charge-sheeted himself for the offence committed by him and also himself prescribed the quantum of deterrent punishment to be awarded to him, just to set an example for other kings to refrain from insulting a saint. He did not offer any prayers to Lord Krishna for seeking relief from the effect of the curse just as we common people generally do only when we are in trouble. He did not offer any such prayers to Lord Krishna reminding him of his close personal relations with him (1) that the father of Lord Krishna was the maternal uncle of Arjuna, the grand father of Parikshita; (2) or that Lord Krishna was himself the brother-in-law of Arjuna; (3) or that Lord Krishna was also the chariot-driver of Arjuna in the battlefield and had also been his friend, philosopher and guide; (4) or that Lord Krishna had with great compassion and mercy protected Parikshit against a dangerous weapon whiie the latter was in the womb of his mother; and therefore, he should once again save him from this curse this time also. Parikshit also did not pray Lord Krishna for protection like us saying that (1) this was only his first transgression or offence committed in momentary impulse of rage; (2) he was prepared to cast in concrete his solemn affirmation not to repeat such a grave offence ever again; (3) he was also prepared to give a generous donation for constructing temples etc. if he were to be relieved from this fatal curse. He had not tempted God, as we are often inclined to in dealing with corrupt officers and ministers. He fully accepted the blame for his offence and made no attempt to escape. He immediately renounced all worldly affairs, seated himself on the banks of the Ganges at the feet of the revered sage Shukdevji, determined to attain selfrealisation leading to Moksha i.e. emancipation from the cycle of birth and death. After seven days, the serpent (cobra) named Takshak could only bite his body (which he had already renounced) but could not harm his eternal soul. This is the correct method of facing the Prarabdha. Your own Kriyaman Karmas when they are matured-ripened and are ready to give fruits, they are known as Pr-arabdha (Destiny-fate-luck-fortune). God has given you full liberty to do any Kriyaman Karma with the best of your knowledge and wisdom. But when they mature and their due consequences come before you, you should face them and accept them boldly and cheerfully without asking God to interfere to save you.
maker (Almighty God). It is the most fundamental principle of this law that happiness is the direct result of pious deeds (Punya Karmas) and unhappiness is the direct result of the sinful deeds (Pap Karmas). There can never be happiness without pious deeds (Punya Karmas) and unhappiness without sinful deeds (Pap Karmas). Just for an example In villages, people keep storage tanks - barrels. storage tins, silo (known as Kothi in India) for the storage and preservation of corn grain. Corn grain is added in the barrel from the top and taken out when required through a hole at the bottom of the barrel. The barrel of Mr. A is full of barley (inferior corn) and Mr. B's barrel is full of wheat (superior corn). Now Mr. A is adding wheat from the top in his barrel and yet he is getting barley from the bottom hole. While Mr. B is now adding barley from the top in his barrel and yet he gets wheat from the bottom hole. Mr. A is, therefore, surprised and also worried as to why he gets barley even when he is adding wheat in his barrel and why Mr. B who is adding barley in his barrel is still getting wheat from the bottom hole. But in fact, for Mr. A there is nothing to be surprised or worried. This happens because Mr. A is ignorant of the fact that he has previously earned and accumulated barley in his barrel and so long as that stock of barley is not fully exhausted he is not going to get from the bottom hole wheat which he is at present adding from the top in his barrel. He need not worry about it, but he should have more courage, patience and forbearance enough and should go on and continue adding more and more wheat so long as his previous stock of barley is completely exhausted. Thereafter he will definitely start getting wheat. While Mr. B shall be getting barley immediately the stock of wheat in his barrel is totally exhausted. In the same way we should gather sufficient patience and moral courage while suffering miseries which are the results of our past sinful deeds (Pap) and go on doing pious deeds (Punya Karmas) with great enthusiasm and full faith in God even during the period of miseries. Let the rascals, rogues and immoral persons rejoice today till their stock of previous pious deeds (Punya Karmas) are fully exhausted. Thereafter, they will definitely start getting miseries in future due to their present sinful deeds (Pap) which will ripen in due course. The Manager of the Bank is my fast friend. But when I send a cheque of even 50 dollars it is dishonoured because I have no sufficient Bank balance. While my neighbour. who has got very bad relations with the Bank Manager, has his cheque of even 500 dollars fully honoured because he has got sufficient Bank balance in his account. I should not, therefore, blame the Bank Manager. So long as I have no balance of pious deeds to my credit, I cannot draw a cheque of happiness and hope to have a happy life.
12. PRARABDHA (DESTINY) IS IRREVOCABLE AND UNAVOIDABLE There are three types of persons in this world: (1) SATVIK (of pious mentality and motives)
(2) RAJSIK (of selfish mentality and motives) (3) TAMSIK (of crooked or slovenly mentality and motives) Prarabdha (Destiny, luck, fate, fortune) is unavoidable and irrevocable in the case of all these three types of persons. But the method of facing, accepting, suffering or enjoying the Prarabdha is different with different kinds of people. For example. Mr. A did one sinful action (Pap) as a result of which it is destined in his Prarabdha that he shall have to starve and go without meals for one day. (1 ) Now, if he is a SATVIK man (of pious mentality and motives), he will voluntarily observe a holy fast on a religious day-say, EKADASHI - chant the name of God, and keep his mind engaged in pious thoughts and prayers for the whole day. In this way he will willingly accept his Prarabdha of going without meals for one day and thereby he will neutralise his previous sin. Not only that but while thus mitigating and exhausting his Prarabdha he will also earn the fruits of new pious actions of voluntarily observing fast and chanting the name of God on a religious day. Such pious deeds will again ripen as a new good Prarabdha for him to enjoy subsequently. (2) But supposing he is a RAJSIK man (of pragmatic but selfish mentality or motives), one day for some very urgent and important work, he was compelled by his boss to labour for the whole day in his factory and the poor fellow could not find any time even to take his lunch and dinner and had to go without meals and starve on that day. Thus he had to face, accept, mitigate and exhaust the Prarabdha of his previous sinful action. (3) And, supposing he is a TAMSIK man (of crooked temperament or mentality and motives), one day he quarrelled with his wife merely for the sake of satisfying his crooked motives. Overcome by his furious anger he rashly skipped his meals during the whole day and in this way he suffered the Prarabdha of his previous sinful actions. In the process, he also earned and accumulated one new sinful action (Pap) which would again ripen as a new bad luck (Prarabdha) in due course of time, thus bringing more suffering in future. Thus a Satvik man faces his bad luck (Prarabdha) with pious mentality, the Rajasik man faces it with selfish mentality, while the Tamsik man suffers due to crooked mentality. But in all these cases, Prarabdha is inevitable and unavoidable because man is primarily responsible for his own actions. Taking another converse example of Mr. B, supposing he did one pious deed (Punya Karma) as a result of which it is destined that he will get 100 dollars some day when that action is matured and ripened as Prarabdha. (1) Mr. B is a Custom Officer at an international airport. One day while checking the baggage of a smuggler, he found items of questionable legality. But when the smuggler gave him a bribe of 100 dollars, he allowed the baggage to go without checking. Thus he enjoyed the
Prarabdha of his previous pious action by getting 100 dollars. But being a Tamsik man, he earned it by crooked means and thereby he created a new sinful action (Pap) which would again mature and ripen as a new bad luck (Prarabdha) which he will have to face in future-say by giving 200 dollars to a doctor for the treatment of his leg injured in an accident. (2) However, if he is not a Tamsik man but a Rajsik man, he would refuse to accept the bribery of 100 dollars and take legal action against the smuggler. In that case his Prarabdha of getting 100 dollars is postponed for some later time, but it will not be lost. This Prarabdha will not rest till he has anyhow reaped the benefit of 100 dollars. One day, he unexpectedly purchased a T.V. Set on payment of only 400 dollars even though its reasonable market price was 500 dollars, as the dealer charged him 100 dollars less only because he happened to be a customs officer. Thus he got the benefit of 100 dollars due to his previous good deed (Prarabdha). (3) However, if he is a man of Satwik temperament, he would refuse to take indirect advantage of his post by paying 100 dollars less. In that case, his Prarabdha of getting the benefit of 100 dollars would be postponed for a while, but again it will not rest until he actually gets 100 dollars in his pocket by some other means. A few days later, one passenger in a great hurry forgot on his table a purse containing 1000 dollars. From the identity card found in the purse, he immediately ran down to the house of the passenger and gave him his purse. The passenger was delighted and raptured with joy. Being overwhelmed with gratitude he most humbly, gratefully and with great satisfaction gave him a reward of 100 dollars for his nobility. Thus while enjoying his Prarabdha of getting 100 dollars, he also earned one new pious action (Punya Karma) which would in turn ripen as a new Prarabdha bringing him further joy and happiness. Thus the Satvik man enjoys his good luck with pious mentality by satisfying others, the Rajsik man with selfish mentality gets his good luck in bargaining with others and the Tamasik man by torturing others. In any case destiny (Prarabdha) does not rest until the person has suffered or enjoyed and exhausted it.
to get its fruit which he will not give up. (3) A Tamsik man with crooked mind will refuse to perform any action (Kriyaman Karma) unless he first gets its fruit. For example (1 ) A Satvik doctor treats his patient with a pious motive as a part of his duty without any consideration but his patient willingly pays him 10 dollars which he receives with thanks. (2) A Rajsik doctor treats his patient with selfish motive with a specific condition that he will charge 10 dollars after treatment. (3)A Tamsik doctor of crooked motives refuses to treat his patient unless he first gets 10 dollars in his pocket. All the three types of doctors do get 10 dollars but their method of getting the fruit of their respective Kriyaman Karma is different. The Satvik doctor gets 10 dollars after satisfying the patient. The Rajsik doctor gets 10 dollars in bargain, while the Tamsik doctor is given 10 dollars by the patient reluctantly without satisfaction. Same is the case with the dealers of Satvik, Rajsik and Tamsik articles, goods and services. (1 ) A dealer of Satvik articles like ghee (butter) will allow you to see it, taste it, smell it and then purchase it if you are satisfied about its genuineness. And even after going home if you feel any doubt, he will take it pack and will refund the amount paid by you. (2) The dealer of Rajsik articles, like crockery, wrist watch, electrical goods etc., after purchases he will give you a cash memo with a specific instruction printed therein that the articles if found defective or damaged after going home will not be taken back and the money will not be refunded. (3) the dealer of Tamsik articles will not at all show you the goods unless you pay in advance as entrance fees etc. Just as it is in the case of movie cinema theatres, strict doctors, lawyers. prostitutes etc.
which are now matured and ripened as Prarabdha as stipulated in the law of Karma. If perhaps you are consulted and given a choice before your new birth, you would naturally choose to take birth in the family of Rockfeller in America or in Birla family in India where immediately on taking your birth you would be the owner of so many cars and bungalows and tremendous wealth and fortune. Likewise everybody would like to have a similar choice including the persons who were rascals and rogues in their past births and then you can imagine the confusion and chaotic condition of the world. Strictly according to your quantum of Prarabdha you get appropriate caste, creed, race and sex, appropriate body, appropriate parents, husband, wife, children, relatives, neighbours, boss, business, service, wealth, health and all such other environments in the present birth and during this present life span you have compulsorily to enjoy, suffer and exhaust all your Prarabdha according to your debits and credits with them incurred by you during your past births; and as soon as these debits and credits are cleared and all your obligations are fulfilled and your accounts are cleared-closed with them, your obligatory ties are unglued and they will automatically be separated. You will get only that much which is destined in your Prarabdha and nothing more or less. A king, though he is extremely pleased with his servant, cannot promote him to a very high post with a fat salary as it is not in his Prarabdha. Even though it would rain for all the 24 hours all the year round, the tree of Palash will bear only three leaves and not more. During spring season all the trees beget fresh leaves but the tree of Kerda does not get any leaves. For that, spring is not responsible. During daytime all the creatures are able to see in the sunlight but the owls cannot see anything at all because it is so destined in their Prarabdha. For this the sun cannot be blamed. In the monsoon it rains equally everywhere without any favouritism to anybody but the poor bird known as CHATAK hardly gets a few drops of water - in his gaping mouth during the whole monsoon season because it is so destined in his luck and the monsoon is helpless. Destiny (Prarabdha) is irrevocable and nobody can wipe it out or erase it. It is a common belief amongst us that on the sixth day of the birth of a child, the Goddess of Destiny named Vl,DHZ;TA comes at night to chart the life course of the new-born child and writes the destiny as to what is going to happen during the whole life of that child on the white, yellow, and red papers which we keep arranged for her to write. Nobody can see this goddess and read what she has written. But anyhow in any case even if the belief is correct. the Goddess Vidhata, appointed for doing this job, cannot favour anybody by adding or subtra,cting or manipulating any item from the Prarabdha that is destined strictly according to his previous Kriyam-an Karmas done by him in his previous births which have now matured and ripened as Prarabdha to be enjoyed or suffered during his present birth. She cannot be bribed. There is no corruption, bribery or favouritism in the law of Karma under the Realm of God. You are eligible and entitled to get only that much which is specifically destined in your Prarabdha. All your efforts will be futile and will fall flat even if you run and run day and night becoming crazy and hankering for attracting and accumulating money and wealth more than what is destined in your luck, fate (Prarabdha). Only running here and there without Prarabdha will not fetch more wealth. At the same time be sure that whatever wealth is destined, you are definitely going to get it not because of your running but in spite of your running. A dog is running helter skelter from one street to another for the whole day, and yet he does not become wealthy only because of his running. On the contrary only because of his more running for bread and sex door to door and street to street in crazy madness he is being beaten many a time. The dog runs after bread and sex with his four legs while a passionate
person is also found running with the four wheels of his car in restless activity. It makes no difference between animals and human beings if both of them are running madly after only bread and sex. The main point, the gist of this observation, is that your Prarabdha in your present birth is the direct effect and specifically based and shaped on the Kriyaman Karmas of your past births. Even if you aspire and strenuously strive you cannot get anything more than what is destined in your Prarabdha under any circumstances.
If one comes into some means and wealth by a good stroke of destiny, then he ought to avail of the opportunity by turning it into an instrument for personal spiritual progress. If one has to suffer some mental deprivation then also one should th~nk of turning that circumstance to his advantage to achieve the same goal of personal, spiritual progress. If dest,ny provides a man with a good loyal wife then that should become the means for his spiritual progress. If, on the other hand, fate snatches away the spouse and leaves one a widower, then still one ought to put that circumstance to good purpose for the sake of his spiritual progress. Whatever destiny provides or does not provide him in the form of physical health, wealth, wife, children whether in abundance or lacking in any of these areas - one should strive to turn to his advantage through personal efforts at attaining spiritual upliftment. Without consciously causing anguish to any one else, without compromising one's morals or principles for the sake of flattery or subservience to the whims of the selfish, unscrupulous persons and without going against one's own conscience, whatever little can be attained, one should find and feel contentment and abundance in it.
neglects it or leaves it to Praradbha only. While for (2) Artha (wealth) and (3) Kama (enjoyment), he strives all his nerves and makes strenuous efforts (Purushartha) all throughout his life day and night and crazily hankers after them even when he is not going to get anything more than that is destined in his Prarabdha. Thus he fails in both the ways in life by making efforts in opposite and wrong directions. Human body is given to acquire all these four : (1) Dharma, (2) Artha, (3) Kama and (4) Moksha, in proper sequence. Hindu religion and its scriptures are not against having Artha (wealth) and Kama (enjoyment of wealth). A man is supposed to be and should be wealthy enough but that wealth must be earned and accumulated only and only through the medium of Dharma-ethics, through pious deeds and not by unethical crooked means and sins. That is why Dharma is given number 1 (one) in the sequence and wealth comes second. Wealth earned through the medium of Dharma (ethics and pious deeds) will lead you to worship and wisdom. While the wealth earned by unethical means and sins through crooked ways would lead you to wine and women. With the wealth acquired through the medium of Dharma he is permitted to enjoy all the amenities of life and satisfy his KAMA, of course. within the limits of Dharma. This permission is given not to fall into the pit of passion and to indulge and stoop into the enjoyment for sense gratification; but just to make him realise that it is unsatiable and therefore he should try to overcome it. Ultimately when he will realise the fruitlessness of enjoyment for sense gratification which is insatiable immediately he will realise the fruitfulness of Moksha. Consequently and subsequently he will renounce and will turn his face for selfrealization and liberation from the cycle of birth and death i.e. MOKSHA which is the final target, the ultimate goal and also the main purpose for which he is gracefully given the human body by God.
I ask a porter to carry my baggage to the Railway Station and as a fruit of his labour he would naturally demand one dollar from me. At that time if i give hin a long lecture (instead of a dollar) on the above statement of Geeta that his right (ADHIKAR) is only to perform his action to labour but he has no claim or right on the fruit of it in the form of a dollar, he would at once ask me to read Geeta for myself alone after first giving him cne dollar (which is the fruit of his labour). The correct interpretation of the above statement in Geeta is that you have got the authority (control) in doing your action i.e. you are totally competent and independent to do any action you like but then you have no claim (control) on the fruit of it. That means you are not competent enough and you have no power or authority to escape or avoid facing the resultant fruit of your action. You are independent to do any action, of course, at your cost and risk, but then you must be prepared for the consequences. You have full control (ADHIKAR) over your actions but no control whatsoever over their results (Reactions). I am your guest. On the dinner table you offered me a sumptuous dainty dish containing various items like Dudhpak, pudding, vegetables, cereals, condiment, papad etc. etc. Now it is my duty and responsibility, and not yours, to see and decide which items are congenial to my health for consumption and which items are injurious to my health which I should not eat. If I go on eating voraciously more and more Dubhpak and beans, you will go on offering only those items more and more even though over-eating them would be injurious and create trouble in my stomach. I am independent to overeat, of course at my risk and cost, any item that I relish more, but then I must be prepared for the consequent effect thereof. Then, thereafter, if I start running frequently towards the latrine due to diarrhoea as a result (effectfruit) of my over-eating (cause), I and i am alone responsible for that and not you. Then I cannot blame you or anybody else. I am not competent and I have no authority, (ADHIKAR) control or powers to escape the results (fruits) of my overactions.
21. THEN WHEN SHALL WE GET MOKSHA ? During your lifetime you acquire and possess innumerable worldly materialistic objects and things like bungalows, cars, money, wealth and what not for your insatiable sense gratification by ceaselessly doing Kriyaman Karmas all throughout your life. But you are getting and amassing all these things only for losing them ultimately and you remain spiritually bankrupt at the end of your life. The main purpose of having a human body is to acquire MOKSHA i.e liberation from the cycle of birth and death and secure union (YOGA) with God from whom you are separated. That is the only final target and ultimate goal of human life. It is within the means of every person to unshackle himself from the mortal bondage, merging his essential self into the supreme universal reality. What is more, every person has also the freedom of choice to accept this as his goal, because in the ultimate analysis he is surely an intrinsic part of the same Supreme Reality and is irrefutably destined to be merged into the same, thereby achieving true salvation which is the birthright and essence of the soul. But you cannot get MOKSHA so long as there is a single Kriyaman, Sanchit of Prarabdha Karma Iying in balance in your account. Therefore, for acquiring Moksha what you should do is that you should perform and act so carefully, tactfully and skilfully during your present lifetime that you would be sufficiently capable to successfully wipe out completely all the Kriyaman, Sanchit and Prarabdha Karmas anyhow before you leave your present human body. Then and then only you will not be required and compelled to have again any new birth and death. Thus you can easily come out from the cycle of birth and death once and for all. In this way you can secure union (YOGA) with God which is the ultimate goal of life. Such tactful and skilful handling of Karmas with prudence and proper discrimination is precisely called Yoga (union with God) as defined and enunciated in Geeta- YOGAH KARMASU KAUSHALAM Yoga is an art of discernment and prudence in the indulgence of daily activities. The method to wipe off completely all the Kriyaman Sanchit and Prarabdha Karmas is prescribed as under: (1) First of all you should control your present Kriyaman Karmas which is within your powers and competence. You should perform only those Kriyaman Karmas which would not be accumulated as Sanchit Karmas during your present lifetime (see para 23). Thus you ptop the flow and do not allow any new Karmas to be accumulated increasing the present stock of your Sanchit Karmas which you have earned during your past births. (2) Then all the Sanchit Karmas in balance earned and accumulated uptill now because of your past deeds should be got completely burnt in the fire of knowledge (jnanagni - self realisation - see para 40). (3) And the Prarabdha Karmas have to be exhausted only by enjoying and suffering them during this lifetime in the present birth (see paras 32 to 37).
consequences thereof. For such wrong deeds he may be punished during his lifetime and then these Kriyaman Karmas (actions) would not be added in his Sanchit Karmas for his subsequent births.
amount to be a new Kriyaman Karma to be added as a Sanchit Karma in the account of that dog or snake. A donkey kicks somebody just to defend himself against some danger suspected by him as he has no other weapon to defend himself. And in his so doing (kicking) if somebody is injured, the donkey would be beaten and punished there and then, but he cannot be prosecuted in a criminal court. Civil and criminal laws and penal codes of courts are applicable only to human beings and not to animals, birds etc. who are lower than human beings. If cows or buffaloes etc. enter into a field and damage the crops, their owners are liable for punishment or compensation under the Cattle Trespass Act and not the animals who actually trespassed. At the most they can be beaten there and then and thus they suffer the fruits of their present Karmas and thereafter they are not again added in their Sanchit Karmas for their subsequent births. Dev Yoni, super human births are also Bhog Yonis. They only enjoy pleasures in the paradise being the matured ripened fruits (Prarabdha) of their pious Sanchit Karmas accumulated in their past births. But then when they are completely exhausted immediately they again return to human bodies.
working for the service of the humanity at large selflessly for the satisfaction of their inner soul only and God, are considered to be liberated. This is how you control your Kriyaman Karmas and do not allow them to be accumulated, matured and ripened as Prarabdha which is responsible for your subsequent birth or births. Now let us examine how to control and exhaust our Prarabdha Karmas of the present life.
Suppose a rich and prominent businessman is confronted with an urgent mission to make an overnight trip to negotiate a lucrative business deal. Upon inquiry with the local airlines he finds that the only flight to his destination that evening is already fully booked. Being both resourceful and determined to carry out his mission, he spends the major part of his day making several phone calls, using the full weight of his wide influence to obtain a seat on the same flight at any price. Finally to his great satisfaction, he persuaded the airlines manager to get himself replaced for another passenger by offering to pay double the normal fare and also to compensate the passenger thus deprived of his reservation. Within minutes after the plane takes off into the air, it crashes down with a fierce explosion leaving no survivors. Thus the very assets of the businessman, his material affluence and his social influence which would normally become the means for his well-being instead became instrumental in his tragic and violent destruction. Such is the absolute supremacy of Prarabdha over the mind and intellect. Whatever is pre-destined for you, either your Prarabdha will drag you to the right place at the right moment to make it a reality for you, or it will come running on its feet to wherever you are hiding. In any event until your pre-destined fate has become a reality for you, you cannot escape from the clutches of Prarabdha. Even the most exalted souls of pure impeccable character and intellect become victims of convoluted thinking when it comes to reaping the consequences of their Prarabdha Karma. Even Shri Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu, became enamoured of the extremely improbable sight of a golden deer. Indeed, when adversity born out of fateful destiny comes knocking at the door, even the most astute mind develops a confused and fuzzy intellect. In the entire creation of all the myriad species, nobody has even heard of nor seen a golden deer. Notwithstanding this, Shri Rama succumbed to the temptation of chasing the golden deer. Indeed when the moment of downfall arrives, the intellect becomes perverted. Ravana was a very learned king. He was accomplished in the knowledge of all the four Vedas, and also was the supreme devotee of Lord Shiva. He was so powerful that all the nine planets were under his sway and subjugation. Even such a learned and mighty king became the victim of warped and twisted thinking. It was his Prarabdha Karma which led him to the self-destructive temptation of scheming for the abduction of Rama's wife, Sita. This fatal lapse on the part of Ravana again graphically illustrates the principle that when the moment of downfall arrives, the intellect of a wise man indeed becomes perverted.
even though he is craving for immediate relief through death, still he will not become free from his burdensome body unless one and all his Prarabdha Karmas are totally exhausted. His Prarabdha is the ripened and matured fruit of his own Kriyaman Karmas and they are not transferable to any one else. Whatever sins he has committed willingly while laughing he has to suffer them weeping. There is no other option. Even his parents, doctors, wife, children, relatives, friends etc. are also helpless in making him free from his Prarabdha. However, there are certain factors which can help you to a certain extent in facing your Prarabdha if you know how to avail of their help. These factors are :(1) Purushartha means efforts (Kriyaman Karmas) done in the present life; (2) Stars, planets and demigods; (3) Astrology (Jyotish); (4) Chanting the name of God (Ram, Krishna etc.); (5) God himself.
accounts of give and take with one another are completely cleared during this birth. (2) So far as acute Prarabdha is concerned, it cannot be completely wiped off, but at least you can make it mild or diluted by your very acute efforts (Purushartha) in this birth. If it is destined for you to suffer a severe blow of a stone-throw to hit your forehead, you cannot completely escape it but you can, by your very acute effort (Purushartha) break its velocity and thereby reduce the intensity a,nd quantum of injuries. If it is destined for you to fail in your eimination by your very acute Purushartha (efforts), you can at least pass in the third class instead of first or second class. If the butter-milk taste is very acute, terribly sour, you can add a few cups of water and make the sour taste milder so that you can tolerably drink it. (3) If your Prarabdha is mild. you can completely wipe it out by acute Purushartha just as you can completely abolish dirty yellow patches on the tiles of your bath room by using acid or strong detergent chemicals. (4) The very mild Prarabdha can be wiped off even by ordinary Purushartha just as it is possible to wipe off ink drops on your room floor by a simple brush only. Anyhow, you should ceaselessly go on doing Purushartha all throughout and never go back and abandon it at any stage. If your Prarabdha is mild or very mild, it will be wiped off by simple or intense-acute Purushartha. lf it is thus not wiped off, do not worry; go on and continue striving with very acute Purushartha at least to make your acute Prarabdha mild or diluted. However, inspite of your very acute Purushartha, if you cannot bring about any change in your Prarabdha which might be very acute, then quietly and cheerfully undergo and suffer it with total submission and absolute resignation to God. In that way you can exhaust your very acute Prarabdha through endurance of suffering. After all, your Prarabdha is nothing but the ripened and matur- ed fruits of the previous Kriyaman Karmas of your own. Hence nobody else, not even God is responsible or to be blamed.
representatives of God almighty, and if you worship them respectfully by observing and following certain prescribed rituals, they would infuse solace, courage, peace of mind and inner strength in you to endure the sufferings which are destined in your Prarabdha and give you all mental peace so that you do not feel mental torture or anguish while suffering your fate. Hanumanji will not give you a son if it is not destined in your Prarabdha to get one in this life even if you try to bribe him by offering him sweets, fruits or flowers. He would only sympathise with you and perhaps cut a joke by saying that being a bachelor himself he has not got a single son in stock to spare one for you. You should be satisfied with whatever you get through your Prarabdha.
37. HOW FAR GOD HIMSELF HELPS IN FACING PRARABDHA God is rightly said to be very kind. But people do not know that he is equally stern also in punishing the wrong doers and sinful persons albeit of course with a benevolent and merciful intention to improve them. God is very keen to help you in facing your Prarabdha provided you turn your face against the passionate desires (lust) for the worldly materialistic objects for your insatiable sense gratifications which compel you to commit sinful actions-deeds; and then confess all your sins committed up-till now open-heartedly with tearful eyes and start behaving properly hereafter in right earnest in obedience to his orders keeping your face towards Him only. The sun is very keen to give you full light provided you face towards him keeping your windows open. But if you keep your windows closed and do not allow the sun rays knocking at your doors to peep in, you and you alone are responsible for dashing your head in the darkness for which you cannot blame the sun who is helpless in your case. The sun never wishes you to remain in darkness in his presence. Absolute resignation, total submission and perfect devotion to God which is known as BHAKTI YOGA can invoke full courage and will-power in your inner self for cheerfully facing your Prarabdha. The most simple definition of BHAKTI (devotion to God) is to please God by your moral and ethical behaviour and pious actions strictly according to his orders and instructions which are vividly described and enumerated commonly in all the religious scriptures of the world. Simply having a long beard or a clean bald head, putting on white or saffron robes and wearing such other uniforms (garbs) or pasteing and smearing different religious trade marks on the forehead for recognition as to which school of thought you belong-all this apparent shows and signs only, without any inner transformation, do not amount to BHAKTI (devotion to God) in the real sense of the term. On the contrary such external transformation and window dressing may sometimes invoke ego and hypocrisy. The main qualifications of a Bhakta (devotee) are clearly described in the twelfth chapter of Bhagwad Geeta and if you possess these qualifications then and then only you are a real Bhakta (Devotee of God) and then in your case God is fully prepared to take all the responsibilities of your Prarabdha completely on his shoulders making you totally free from ail the worldly worries. Lord Krishna has made a categorical and irrevocable promise in Bhagwad Geeta that-'Even if a man of most vile conduct worships me with undistracted devotion, he must be reckoned as righteous for he has rightly resolved. By abandoning evil ways in his external life and by the power of his internal right resolution if he repents after he commits the sin, he is freed from sin; if he resolves that he will never commit the sin again, he will be purified.' The evil of the past deeds cannot be washed away except by his turning to God with undivided heart. 'Let one feel daily repentant in mind, reflecting over misdeeds committed and practicing austerity and vigilance. By this will he be free from sin.' Karma never binds completely. The sinner in the lowest depths of degradation has the light in him which he cannot put out, though he may try to stifle it and turn away from it utterly. God helps us, fallen though we be, by the roots of our being and is ready to send His rays of light into our dark and rebellious hearts. The very consciousness of our imperfection and sin betrays the pressure of the Divine on our hearts. Tukaram asys, 'Fallen of fallen, thrice fallen am 1; but do Thou raise me by Thy power. I have neither purity of heart nor a faith firmly set at Thy feet. I am born of sin. How often shall I repeat it ? I am void of understanding, needy and worse than needy. I cannot steady my mind, I cannot control my wayward senses. I have exhausted effort; peace and rest are far from me. I have offered Thee perfect faith, I have laid my life at Thy feet. Do now as Thou wilt, I can
only look to Thee. O God, I trust in Thee, I cling firmly to Thy feet. It is for Thee to deal with my efforts. O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.' The publican, in the parable, prays from the depth of his heart. This verse does not mean that there is an easy escape from the consequences of our deeds. We cannot prevent the cause from producing its effect. Any arbitrary interference with the order of the world is not permitted. When the sinner turns to God with undistracted devotion, a new cause is introduced. His redemption is conditional on his repentance. Repentance, as we have noticed, is a genuine change of heart and includes contrition or sorrow for the past sin and a decision to prevent a repetition of it in the future. When once the resolution is adopted, the transformation of the lower into the higher is steadily effected. If we believe in human effort, the growth may be hard. Error, imperfection and self-will are difficult to overcome, but when the soul gives up its ego and opens itself to the Divine, the Divine takes up the burden and lifts the soul into the spiritual plane. Tulsidasji says, 'A piece of charcoal loses its blackness only when fire penetrates ft.' there are no unforgivable sins. Once we place ourselves in the hands of the divine, we cannot fall into utter darkness. Shri Rama promises To him who seeks my protection even once and requests help of ME saying 'I am yours' I shall give him fearlessness from all beings. But your prayer and repentance must be sincere and spiritual. God looks not at the oratory of our prayers, How eloquent they are, Nor at their arithmetic How many they are, Nor at their geometry How long they are, Nor at their logic How methodical they are, But he looks at their sincerity How spiritual they are.
Stealing is definitely an Art. Putting aside its moral implications, we can readily concede that it is indeed one of the most difficult Art Forms. For a thief, if he is true to his name, he must accomplish his act in such a manner that not a soul around comes even to smell what he is up to. Not only that, but he must be very alert and vigilant enough to discern the precise location of the valuables in pitch darkness all around him. Then he must go about his nocturnal mission so stealthily that there are no tell-tale signs left behind him. The seeker of Knowledge and Truth is like a thief in one very significant respect. If anyone else comes to know what he is about, then that in itself will become a hindrance in his search for the Truth. This is why Jesus Christ had proclaimed that even your left hand should not know what your right hand is doing. Even your prayer must be so silent that apart from God, no one else can hear a word of it. It may well be a matter of conjecture whether our prayers in fact reach the ears of God. But it is often a fact, not a conjecture, that everybody in the house and neighbourhood do hear them for sure. We may not perhaps care about whether God indeed hears our prayers, but it is of supreme importance to us to ensure that our relatives, neighbours and friends have no trouble hearing them. It is our general tendency when the saints and scriptures advise us that we should be more discreet about our selfless and righteous actions than about our self-serving or sinful actions. In fact, there is a lot of merit and wisdom in what they are advocating, for ordinary human psychology dictates that the fear of being exposed is the greatest deterrent to committing any criminal action. Indeed, one of the most important tenets in the operation of the law of Karma is that any action, righteous or unrighteous, becomes neutralized as soon as it is exposed and publicized. It does not have any future value, whether on the credit or debit side, once it is announced or otherwise becomes a part of public knowledge. Thus, for example, when you make a donation for a worthy, charitable cause, if all the fuss accompanies your act of charity, such as its announcement through the press, pictures or plaques, then such an exposure and publicity cancels out all the merits of your good deed. Having been thus neutralized, there is no question of such a good deed being laid away to return wilh sweet fruits at a later date as your good Prarabdha. There is an interesting story about King Yayati in the Mahabharata. He had accumulated innumerable merits through such pious deeds as penance, charity, religious sacrifice (yagna) etc. Thanks to these merits, he earned the privilege of becoming the Lord of the Heavens (INDRA). His predecessor Lord Indra himself welcomed him with fanfare and with great respect and humility offered him his own throne. The Lord Indra started narrating with profuse adulation, King Yayati's meritorious deeds to the large and captive audience before him. Addressing the king directly, he pointed out in the open court, every one of the king's good deeds contributing to his merits, getting the king's nod and approval with self-assured pride at every step. When the long and effusive recitation of all the king's meritorious deeds was finally, exhausted, acknowledged without hesitation or false humility by the king, Indra immediately pointed out matter-of-factly 'O king, now all your merits have been publicly acclaimed in your own presence, and you have also accepted the lavish accolades (applauses) offered to you in this court. In this manner you have fully received and enjoyed the rewards of your good deeds. Hence you must now vacate this throne, since the qualifications which earned you this throne and this kingdom of heaven - the weight of your pious deeds-have now evaporated. In the same fashion, if we publicly acknowledge our sins or misdeeds with complete honesty
and sincerity, then we are set free from the adverse Prarabdha resulting from them. Thus, for example, Mahatma Gandhi fully revealed in his autobiography the many misguided actions he had committed during his youth, stealing a few bidis (cigarettes) from the pockets of his father's servants to experiment with smoking, dabbling with meat eating, a half-hearted visit to the whore house, stealing petty cash from his father's pockets, giving in to the over-powering and lustful desire for intercourse with his wife while his own father was about to breathe his last in the same house etc. Such honest and unsolicited admission before the whole world made in complete candour released him from the adverse consequences (Prarabdha) of his actions. In the like manner, other exalted souls in recent times such as Bhikshu Akhandanand and Gandhiji's staunch disciple Shri Thakkar Bapa, have also shown noble and exemplary courage in fully confessing to their adulterous misadventures in their written self-documentaries. By purging their own soul through such public confessions and with full self-contrition, they have unburdened themselves from the onerous Karmic effects of their misconceived actions. Even such great sages as Vyasa and Narada have courageously and uncompromisingly admitted to the so-called blemished and dubious past of their own mothers, thereby exposing themselves to public censure and ridicule. But ironically, their very courage and candour in exposing the truth spared them from public ridicule, while those of us who painstakingly strive to hide our blemishes and misdeeds committed consciously but stealthily have to carry the full burden of the painful consequences just as soon as they catch up with us.
lifetime but even after taking millions and billions of births to come. This is an extremely disastrous and equally pitiable plight (see para 8 also). The only course, therefore, prescribed and open for you to annihilate this cumbersome and hopeless position is to put fire to these lofty mountainful heaps of Sanchit Karmas by Jnanagni (fire of knowledge) which would burn them all to ashes instantaneously.
take him back to the dream jail for finishing his Sanchit unexpired jail period of 16 years as it is already finished and expired immediately when he awoke. In the same way the present worldly life span between your physical birth and death is also nothing but a relatively long dream in which your pangs, pains and pleasures are totally false and unreal (Mithya) just as those in your dreams. You are in fact continuously dreaming your pains and pleasures in your worldly life span and you are changing your dreams of happiness and sufferings one after the other according to your past Sanchit Karmas becoming ripe in due course of time in each worldly life span called births in numerous different creeds. When the dream starts, you yourself are not newly born in that dream world and when that dream is broken or ends, you yourself do not die in and from that dream land. In the same way in this world when you get a new body, you yourself are not newly born and when you leave your old body, you yourself do not die. Thus there is no birth or death of your own original eternal soul. Your old body goes to the grave and not you - your eternal immortal self; you yourself continue eternally and changelessly in all your ever changing different mortal bodies. Life is real, life is earnest And the grave is not its goal; "Dust thou art to Dust returneth" Was not spoken of the soul. I slept and dreamt that life is beauty I awoke and found that life is duty. The ultimate duty of a human being is to strive for realization and emancipation.
clutches of big lion. The big lion was astoundingly surprised to see the lion cub running along with the other goats in fear. He, therefore, let free all the goats allowing them to run away and only chased and caught hold of that lion cub and asked him why he was afraid of him. The lion cub, while shivering, replied with fearful eyes that he was a goat and craved for mercy to let him free. The big lion's heart overflowed with sympathy and pity for the illusion and misconception in the mind of the lion cub and assured him that he was now totally safe in his hands. Then the big lion tried to convince the lion cub that he was his kith and kin possessing the same type of face, features and body of a lion by birth and never that of a goat. The big lion asked the lion cub to go along with him to a pond and showed him his reflection in the water which was completely resembling the face, features and form of a. Iion's body. Thus the lion cub was successfully convinced that he was a lion, nothing but a lion and not a goat. With this self-knowledge and realization the lion's cub immediately became free from all the illusion and instantaneously became a lion which even otherwise actually he was by birth. He had not to do any action for painting his body as of a lion or perform any rituals for converting his body as a lion from that of a goat, and no other action was necessary. Only realization and knowledge of his own original self was sufficient to make him a lion. Immediately he also roared like a lion which made him totally free from all the Sanchit fears of a goat which he was inculcating in his mind up-till then. If you also, by the grace of God, happen to come in contact with a lion-like Sat Guru (a bonafide spiritual master), then only he can make you realise your own eternal immortal real self. Then only you can burn all your Sanchit Karmas in the fire of Self-Kriowledge (Jnanagni). Just as all the wooden logs, whether dry or wet, long or short, round or rectangular, thick or thin or of any shape or size when put in the blazing fire, one and all of them would be consumed and turned to ashes - in the same way, all the interactions and reactions to the material activities - all the Sanchit Karmas whether of pious or impious activities, whether in the making or fructifying or already achieved of 'a priori' - one and all of them would be completely burnt to ashes in the fire of Knowledge (Self-Realization). The person so selfrealized in his complete knowledge, becomes free from the cycle of birth and death which is the ultimate goal of having human body by the grace of God. Awake, arise and stop not till the goal is reached.