1.

GAHANA KARMANO GATIHI

The track (GATIHI) of KARMA (ACTION) is mysterious (GAHANA).

Lord Shri Krishna has himself proclaimed in Geeta that it is difficult to understand the intricacies
and indefinite extent and shape of Karma (Action), as it is so complicated,
intricate, zigzag, unfathomable, dynamic, inscrutable and mysterious because the life is such.
The trail of Karma (Action) is jagged and intractable.

Shri Sudama, a friend of Lord Krishna says about the complex nature of Karma as under:

The working of Karma seems so complex

We two, the students of the same Guru (Teacher).

He (Krishna) became the king of this earth

While I have nothing even to eat.

He used to play with monkeys in Gokul

And used to fetch wood at teacher's house.

Now he sits on the throne today

While I possess only a begging bowl and a stick in hand.

2. THE LAW OF KARMA (ACTION)

As we know, for running the administration of any department o0r institution in this world, certain
laws and rules are required to be framed for its smooth and efficient
day-to-day working. As for example, the Railway Department has got its own strict laws and rules,
Aviation Department, Revenue Department, Income Tax Department, Judicial Department, Public
Works Department and all other such Departments have their own rules and regulations for their
smooth and efficient administration. Even a small Village Panchayat, Taluka Panchayat or District
Panchayat or a Municipal Corporation or a big State or a Country Government - each one of them
has got its own separate laws and rules under which it is governed.

In the same way, there must be some law which governs the administration of this whole, 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.

3. DISTINCT FEATURES OF THE LAW OF KARMA

The main and distinct features and the important characteristics and criteria of the Law of Karma
are as under:

(1) This law is Eternal:

It has come into force with effect from the date on which the sun started rising in the east since
the inception of the universe and it will remain in force till the end of
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.

4. PARADOX IN LAW

However, in this world, even with a cursory observation around us, we find that so many wrong
doers, black marketeers, corrupt and crooked persons, smugglers and similar other dangerous
mischief mongers and dishonest persons are merrily enjoying all the amenities in life. They have
at their command such indulgencies as a beautiful wife, big bungalows, modern cars, TVs and
Videos, smooth sofa sets, comfortable beds and cots, delicious dishes and all other luxuries
which modern science and technology can provide. They can easily afford to have sumptuous
meals and drinks on costly dinner tables, beautiful bath rooms well equipped with showers and
swimming pools, costly suits and shoes, big and fat bank balances, a retinue of servants and
what not.

On the other hand, the religious minded pious persons who strive sincerely to stay on the path of
fairness within the norms of legal, ethical and religious morality, cannot even make their two ends
meet. They are found rotting in pathetic poverty, deprived of even the basic minimum
requirements and bare necessities of life like food, clothing and shelter.

In such a state of affairs our faith in the justice and fairness of God is shaken to the core feeling
that there is utter confusion, chaos and total travesty of justice in the realm of God and that the
Law of Karma is arbitrary and anarchic. As a result ultimately we feel frustrated. This is only
because we have not properly understood and minutely studied the Law of Karma. Otherwise we
would definitely find that there is not even an iota of confusion, chaos or lop-sided justice in the
realm of God.

5. IGNORANCE OF LAW IS NO EXCUSE

As a matter of fact, everybody is supposed to know and bound to know the law of the land 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.

6. WHAT IS KARMA

The simple and succinct definition of Karma is that "each and every physical action or deed that
you perform with the cooperation of the mind, right from morning to evening, during the whole day
and night, during the whole week, whole month, whole year and during the whole of your life right
from birth to death is called Karma".

For example, getting up, sitting down, taking bath, washing, walking, standing, going to job, doing
business, crying, laughing, awakening, seeing, not-seeing, joking, inhaling, exhaling, thinking,
not-thinking, speaking, not-speaking, eating, not-eating, drinking, not-drinking, smelling,not-
smelling, touching, not-touching, grasping or throwing by hands, passing or not-passing stool and
urine, indulging or not indulging in sex, etc. - all these physical actions performed by all your ten
senses, organs and limbs,performed as influenced and propelled by the likes and dislikes,
attachments and non-attachments and with the co-operation of your mind and intellect are called
'Karma'.

All these Karmas are divided into three categories according to their stages as under

(1) KRIYAMAN KARMA means an action done at the spur of a moment or time in the present
tense which instantaneously bears fruit and results in reaction then and there.

(2) SANCHIT KARMA (Cumulative Karma)

means the actions done but not yet ripe to give fruits immediately or on the spot but take some
time to get ripened. Such Karmas are kept in abeyance pending in the balance waiting for the
opportune time to become ripe, to give fruits in future. Till then they remain in balance and are
accumulated (SANCHIT). Until their fructification, these Sanchit Karmas would not be neutralised.

(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.

7. KRIYAMAN KARMA

Generally, any action that you do at any time or moment in the present tense will give its fruit
immediately and on the spot. It is called KRIYAMAN KARMA. Any action is bound to have
reaction, any cause is bound to have its effect and any effort is bound to result into fixed destiny.
This is the immutable law of Karma.

For example: (1) You drink water and at once your thirst is quenched, you got the fruit of your
action of drinking and finished with it. (2) You ate and immediately your hunger is satisfied, you
got the result of your action of eating and your action is exhausted and neutralised and the
account is cleared. (3) You took your bath and your body is cleansed. You got the result of your
action at once, the cause resulted into effect and the account of action is squared, your action
became quiet and subsided and dissolved. (4) You inflicted verbal abuses on some one and he
being thus provoked immediately gave you slaps on your face. The account of give and take is
cleared and closed on the spot. The law of action and reaction, cause arid effect operated and
ceased. All actions become quiet only by reactions. Every cause becomes quiet and subsided
immediately only after its effect has been experienced.

8. SANCHIT KARMA

However, there are certain Kriyaman Karmas which do not instantaneously ripen to give you fruits
immediately. They, therefore, remain pending in deposit waiting for the
opportune time to ripen and bear fruits at the appropriate moment in future. Till then they are kept
in abeyance and get accumulated. They are calied SANCHIT KARMA,
(accumulated Karmas). For example (i) you took laxative in the morning, but will get resultant
motions after a few hours, (ii) you appeared in the examination to-day and will get your result
after one month, (iii) you abused somebody to-day but he will wait for an opportune time to 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.

9. PRARABDHA KARMA (Destiny, fate, luck)

There are heaps and heaps of lofty mountainful of unripe Sanchit Karmas piled up amounting to
billions and billions of millions i.e. innumerable Sanchit Karmas deposited
in balance at the credit of each and every person, earned and accumulated by him during his past
innumerable births since time immemorial. They do not become ripe to give fruits all at a time in
one birth. Only a very few of them, say about 10,000 Sanchit Karmas out of this whole
tremendous stock become ripe and ready to give fruits during one lifetime. They are called
Prarabdha Karmas (readily destined to give fruits commonly known as fate, luck, fortune, destiny
etc.). Strictly according to these Prarabdha Karmas a person gets a particular type of body,
parents, wife, children, wealth, caste, creed, race, sex, environment, etc. just appropriate to
enjoy, suffer and exhaust his Prarabdha Karmas destined during his present lifetime.
He cannot leave his present body till he has fully enjoyed, suffered and exhausted all these
Prarabdha Karmas during his present life even though he is totally bed-ridden or
suffering due to paralysis and other diseases.and desperately craving for freedom from his
crippled body. But as soon as his Prarabdha Karmas destined to be enjoyed during his present
lifetime are fully exhausted, he immediately becomes free from this body and again gets a new
body to enjoy other new Prarabdha Karmas, say about 20,000 which have 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.

10. ONCE CAUGHT IN KARMA, NEVER TRY TO ESCAPE

So long as you have not entered into any action (Karma) you will have no reaction. There cannot
be any effect without a cause. But once you have entered into any action (Karma) you are bound
to face its reaction.When you create any cause it is bound to have its effect.So, before doing any
sort of action (Karma), you are free
to think about its possible reaction or outcome. But immediately after doing that Karma, you are
not at all free to escape its consequences.

In this human birth, you are at a full liberty to do any good or bad action that you choose. You can
be a good man, a noble man, an honest man etc. and that you should be. But even if you want to
be mean, crooked or dishonest you are at liberty to be so, of course, at your own risk and cost
and then you must be prepared for the
consequences. You cannot blame anybody nor can you escape from its effect. "As you sow, so
shall you reap." As a human being you are totally independent to any action you choose. But
mind well, independence implies responsibility also. The more the independence, the more the
responsibility also. You and you alone are responsible
for your own actions and none else. Once you are caught in any Karma, do not try to escape by
blaming any one else or even God (see pare 18 also).

Such unqualified independence is not given to animals, birds etc. which are of lower status
because they possess only a functional mind - a lower intelligence but no wisdom. They,
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 self-
realisation 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.

11. LET RASCALS REJOICE NOW

The most deterrent, prohibitive, irrefutable and irrevocable section of the law of Karma is "As you
sow, so shall you reap'. In its strict application there is no exception, no escapement, no
influence, no favouritism, no interference, no corruption and nothing of the sort. Not a single holy
or pious deed (Punya Karma) would go without reward and not a single sinful deed-action (Pap
Karma) can escape without punishment under the provisions of this law. The law is very strict.
The law-maker is also equally strict, though he is very kind and just. The officers appointed for the
implementation of this law are also very strict, even though they are very pious, sincere, helpful
and honest. (I shall introduce them to you later on; also see para 34).

In spite of all this, however, looking around in this world, we find, to our great surprise, that the
whole world is in the most chaotic condition and in utter confusion.
Many rascals, rogues, smugglers, blackmarketeers, dishonest, immoral and corrupt persons
appear to be very happy enjoying all the amenities and luxuries and creative
comforts in life and are found even rolling in wealth at the cost of pious and honest persons
striving to maintain a high standard of morality in the face of many miseries.
Such unfair state of affairs creates a lot of frustration in our mind and as a result we often lose
faith in God and His justice. Ultimately unfortunately due to our weakness
of will-power or lack of sufficient forbearance sometimes we also stoop to such immoral ways of
living. In such dire circumstances, we should keep a little patience and should resist and refrain
from going on the wrong path and have a thorough, minute and critical study of the law of Karma
which will make this position very clear as under:

The immoral, dishonest and corrupt persons who are given to deception, deviousness and
exploitation appear to be enjoying all comforts and happiness in life. This is not
because of their present sinful deeds but because they must have earned and accumulated many
pious deeds (Punya Karmas) in their previous births as Sanchit Karmas which have now matured
and ripened as Prarabdha (luck, fate, fortune etc.) for this birth and they are enjoying and
exhausting them in their present birth. Let them exhaust them all now, but thereafter their present
sinful deeds (Pap Karmas) which they are at present earning and accumulating as Sanchit
Karmas will mature and ripen in due course and will start attacking them immediately after all
their
previous pious deeds (Punya Karmas) are completely exhausted. Till then their present sinful
actions (Pap Karmas) will keep themselves waiting for the opportune time to come for their
execution.

Similarly, the fact that pious and honest persons of good morals appear to be suffering
unhappiness at present is not because of their present pious deeds (Punya Karma) but that is
because of their previous sinful actions (Pap Karmas) which they must have earned and
accumulated in their previous births as Sanchit Karmas which have now matured and ripened as
ill-luck. fate (Prarabdha) for this birth that they are suffering and exhausting in their present birth.
Let them exhaust them all by sufferance and thereafter their present pious deeds (Punya
Karmas) which they are
at present earning and accumulating as Sanchit Karma which will be matured and ripened in due
course will start giving them sweet fruits of happiness immediately after their previous sinful
deeds (Pap Karmas) are totally exhausted. Till .then their present pious deeds (Punya Karmas)
will remain in abeyance waiting for the opportune time to come to bring them happiness. Till then,
one should have enough
patience, courage, will-power, sufficient forbearance and full faith in this law and the law-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.

13. METHOD OF PERFORMING KRIYAMAN KARMA

The method of performing Kriyaman Karma is also different with different kinds of persons-Satvik,
Rajsik. or Tamsik.

(1) A Satvik man performs action (Kriyaman Karma) with pious and noble mind, regardless
whether he gets or not its fruit.

(2) A Rajsik man with selfish mind performs action (Kriyaman Karma) only after making it sure 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.

14. YOU GET ONLY THAT MUCH WHICH IS DESTINED TO YOU

Your Prarabdha of this birth is destined just appropriately and proportionately equal to your efforts
(Kriyaman Karmas) of your past births; and strictly according to this Prarabdha you get your birth
in a particular specific country, caste, creed, and race. God is not whimsical to throw you
anywhere without any reason. Your birth in any caste or creed or race or in the womb of a
particular mother is not accidental but is strictly according to your deeds in your past births 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.

15. THEN WHY MAKE ANY PURUSHARTHA (PRESENT NEW EFFORTS) AT ALL

Some people misunderstand that when we are the slaves of our Prarabdha (destiny) and when
we are not to gain anything more or less than what is destined or when
we are sure to get what is destined in our Prarabdha, then why should we make any Purushartha
(new efforts) at all and bother and labour unnecessarily. Such pessimistic, fatalist, fanatic
believers say that if at all it is so destined to pass or fail in the examination we will surely pass or
fail according to our Prarabdha. Then why should we unnecessarily wreck our nerves, bother and
make any Purushartha (new efforts) for that examination ? Let it happen what is going to happen
as destined in our predetermined fate without troubling and muddling our brain for nothing. Such
deluded fatalists (Prarabdhawadis) have not properly understood the real meaning of the words
Prarabdha and Purushartha as prescribed in the law of Karma.

It is indeed true that one would get only what is destined for him. However it behoves one to
make a clear and proper distinction between where it is appropriate to be resigned to one's fate
and where it is more appropriate to exert personal efforts. Securing a job is a matter of destiny,
but having secured one, to sustain it with sincerity and diligence is a matter of personal efforts. To
obtain a beautiful house is shaped by destiny, but to be able to maintain it properly is a matter of
personal effort. To acquire or come into wealth is dictated by destiny, but how to use that wealth
for a good purpose is a matter of personal choice and effort. To beget healthy children is a matter
of one's destiny but it requires perseverance and personal efforts to give them good training and
inculcate in them noble values. Sure, one will acquire only such a job or wealth or family as
determined by one's destiny. But whatever one is given, how to use them as instruments for
noble ends with a discriminating intellect is dictated by one's freedom of choice and effort. Even if
destiny dictates whether one would pass or fail in an examination, it is incumbent upon him to
satisfy his conscience with sincere and diligent efforts and try for success. Whether one earns a
little less or a little more is left to one's destiny. However to earn one's livelihood with honesty and
sincerity or otherwise is a matter of personal choice and effort. Happiness does not depend upon
how much money and wealth one can acquire. Often money acquired through devious means
ultimately brings a lot of pain and anguish in life. Many amongst those who have built their riches
by dishonest, sinful practices find miseries creeping into their life either through destructive habits
and wrong actions of their children or even through shocking shameless behaviour of their
spouses.

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.

16. PRARABDHA AND PURUSHARTHA ARE NOT AGAINST EACH OTHER

Yesterday's Purushartha (efforts-Kriyaman Karma) is to-day's Prarabdha (destiny) and today's

Purushartha (efforts-Kriyaman Karma) is to-morrow's Prarabdha (destiny).

Purushartha (efforts) of the past when ripened and matured become Prarabdha (destiny) of the
present and the Purushartha (efforts) of the present when matured and ripened becomes
Prarabdha (destiny) in future. Efforts and destiny, cause and effect, action and reaction are equal
and opposite but not in opposition to or in conflict with each other.

Thus Purushartha (effort) and Prarabdha are not opposed to each other but they are
supplementary as well as complementary to each other. The Purushartha when ripened and
matured becomes Prarabdha in due course of time and hence they do not come in clash with
each other at one and the same time. Their fields, spheres of operation, are different. Prarabdha
provides pleasures and pains during the present birth whereas Purushartha prepares groundwork
for future circumstances for providing pleasures and pains in subsequent birth or births. Thus
Purushartha is the architect of one's own Prarabdha.

17. WHERE TO APPLY PURUSHARTHA AND WHERE TO RELY ON PRARABDHA ONLY

Of course, a parson gets only that which is destined in his Prarabdha. To get a job or business in
life is Prarabdha. You will get only that type of higher or lower job or business which is destined in
your Prarabdha. But to carry on that job or business with efficiency, honesty and sincerity
requires Purushartha. You will get only that
much wealth which is destined in your Prarabdha, but to utilise it for worship and wisdom instead
of recklessly wasting it after wine and women requires your present Purushartha.

A person has multifarious and numerous wants, desires, needs, requirements, likes etc. in his life.

(1) He wants material acquisitions like bungalows, furnished with costly furniture, sofa sets, cots,
etc., a car, gold, money, good food, clothes, radio, TV, video etc. and what not. All these
unlimited worldly materialistic objects for easy and comfortable life for sense gratification are
known, in one word, as (ARTHA) Wealth.

(2) Then he requires wife, children, relatives, friends, good health, capable organs and senses
etc. with whom he can enjoy his wealth. This 'desire to enjoy' is called KAMA.

(3) Even after being fully saturated by the above two (i) ARTHA-wealth and (ii) enjoyment, he
feels vacuum and then he desires to follow ethics - religion by performing certain functions-say
(YAJNA) sacrifice, giving alms, donations etc., (TAPA) penance, going to pilgrimage etc. All these
in one word are known as (DHARMA) ethics.

(4) And ultimately even after satisfying all his above wants, he will still feel lacking and vacuum in
life and then he will ardently crave for Moksha (liberation from the
cycle of birth and death).
Thus all the human wants, desires, likes, requirements etc. are categorised into four categories in
our scriptures as under:

(1 ) DHARMA (ethics, religion)

(2) ARTHA (wealth-unlimited worldly materialistic objects)

(3) KAMA (enjoyment - Desire to enjoy wealth for sense gratification)

and

(4) MOKSHA (Liberation-emancipation from the cycle of birth and death).

For (1 ) DHARMA and (4) MOKSHA, a man should always constantly do Purushartha (efforts)
and should never leave it to Prarabdha.
As for (2) ARTHA and (3) KAMA he should totally leave them to Prarabdha as he is going to get
only that much of wealth (ARTHA) and enjoyment (KAMA) which is
destined in his Prarabdha (luck, fate, fortune) and nothing more in spite of all his Purushartha
(efforts).

But unfortunately due to the ignorance of this law of Karma he goes in the wrong direction and
ultimately he has to lose everything at the end of his life.

Instead of making any Purushartha (efforts) for (1) Dharma and (4) Moksha, he totally 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 self-realization 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.

18. FREEDOM OF ACTION - NO FREEDOM TO ESCAPE REACTION

There is a categorical statement in Geeta (with an imperative direction) that
KARMANYE VADHIKARASTE MA FALESHU KADACHANA meaning your authority (ADHIKAR)
lies only in doing your action but never on the fruit of it. People misinterpret its meaning that you
have to labour or do your job and perform your duty without any initiative, any expectation or
desire to get in return any fruit (labour charges, emoluments etc.) either in terms of money,
commodities or service. This interpretation is not correct. Nobody would like to work without any
desire or expectation to get in return anything like emoluments, labour charges etc. for his work.
Only the thieves and such other wrong-doers would do their wrong deeds, theft etc. without any
desire to get any punishment as a fruit of their wrong deeds.

If I do my job sincerely for the whole month in my office, I have got a right to demand my pay as a
fruit of my work (KARMA) at the end of the month.

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 (effect-fruit) 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.

19. NO SUBTRACTION OF SINFUL DEEDS FROM PIOUS DEEDS

Sometimes we find people labouring under a wrong impression that if they perform 100 pious
deeds (actions) and 30 sinful deeds (actions), then those 30 sinful actions will be subtracted from
those 100 pious actions and thereby there will remain only 70 pious actions in balance to enjoy
and will be free from suffering the results of those 30 sinful actions. This is wrong arithmetic so far
as the law of Karma is concerned. They shall have to enjoy good luck, pleasures as a result of
their 100 pious deeds and also shall have to suffer bad-luck, pangs as a result of their 30 sinful
deeds. Thus they shall have to enjoy and suffer the pleasure and the pangs as results of total 130
pious and sinful actions.

20. BODY IS A NECESSARY INSTRUMENT FOR ENJOYING OR SUFFERING THE FRUITS

(EFFECT) OF KARMA
Happiness is the result of good deeds and miseries are the result of bad deeds and for enjoying
happiness or suffering miseries you must have a body. Body is the only
instrument through which you can enjoy happiness and for having a body you must go into the
womb of a mother and take birth. After enjoying or suffering and exhausting the fruits of
happiness or unhappiness (Prarabdha) in your present birth, you have to immediately leave your
body, that means meet death and go again into the womb of another mother for getting a new
body by taking a new birth for enjoying new Prarabdha Karmas which are the ripened and
matured fruits of your Kriyaman and Sanchit Karmas ready to give you happiness or unhappiness
according to your good or bad actions of your past births. Thus the procedure of getting a new
body called birth and leaving the old body called death is inexorably and repeatedly
repeated in the beginning of every birth and at the end of every death. And this cycle of birth and
death is going on unabatedly, eternally and endlessly and hence there appears no scope or hope
for getting MOKSHA i.e. Iiberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Coming into the womb of a mother for taking birth is the most torturous punishment where we are
confined in a very small dark and dirty room (womb) for almost nine
months suffering a rigorous imprisonment. Leaving the body at the end i.e. meeting death is also
a very treacherous situation. Our actions, both good and bad, are responsible for our bondage
and we are pulverized in the cycle of birth and death. That means, every action either good or
bad is a bondage. Of course, good deeds bind us with a smaoth golden chain in a golden cage by
giving us happiness while
bad deeds bind us with a rough iron chain in an iron cage by giving us miseries in life. But in any
case, either in a golden. cage or in an iron cage, bondage is a bondage
and it does not allow us to be free to acquire MOKSHA i.e. Iiberation from the cycle of birth and
death.

So long as a single Kriyaman, Sanchit or Prarabdha Karma is pending and Iying in balance in
your account, you are bound to take births. Unfortunately, instead of
reducing our Sanchit and Prarabdha Karmas during lifetime in one birth, we, on the contrary,
create many more new Kriyaman Karmas which are further added increasing the stock of our
Sanchit Karmas which are subsequently ripened and matured in due course of time and come
before us as Prarabdha in subsequent birth or births which we are bound to exhaust by taking
many more new births endlessly stretching ad infinitum. Thus this vicious circle would never allow
us to be free and secure Moksha which is the ultimate goal of human life.

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).

22. HOW TO CONTROL KRIYAMAN KARMAS ?

CAN WE STOP PERFORMING THEM AT ALL ?

You cannot stop or refrain from performing Kriyaman Karmas in your lifetime. If you stop it, your
life would be stranded and crippled. To keep the body and soul together you have to eat, drink,
sleep, pass urine, stool and many other activities to keep your body and mind sound and fit to
work. If you stop your physical activities and stop seeing, hearing, smelling, eating, speaking,
touching, walking, passing urine-stool, sleeping, breathing etc. the physical metabolism would
cease to function and you will stoop into life-negating activities. And then you cannot earn your
livelihood for providing even the bare necessities of life for keeping your body and soul together
for performing your journey of life. Your action of stopping the physical and mental activities will
also be the negative forms of your actions. If you do not see, you will fall in a pit and break your
legs. If you do not hear the horn of a car while crossing the road, you will meet with an accident. If
you do not eat, drink, pass urine, stool etc. you will shortly meet with an unnatural death and your
journey of life will be terminated.

Thus if you stop doing your Kriyaman Karmas even for a moment it would be horrible and would
bring disastrous effects in your life. So you cannot and should not stop
doing your Kriyaman Karmas.

At the same time, if you perform any Kriyaman Karma it will be a bondage. If you do even pious
actions you will come in bondage with a smooth golden chain in a golden cage of happiness and
if you perform sinful deeds you are in a bondage with a rough iron chain in an iron cage of
miseries. In short every Kriyaman Karma (action) is a bondage.
Thus on one side you cannot stop doing Kriyaman Karmas even for a second under any
circumstances; while on the other hand if you do any Kriyaman Karma either good or bad, pious
or sinful, you get bondage in a golden or iron cage of Prarabdha.

In order, therefore, to avoid this complicated and paradoxical situation and to be free from the
bondage of Kriyaman Karmas, the only alternative is to go on performing such Kriyaman Karmas
as can be completely enjoyed and exhausted during the present lifetime only and which may not
remain in balance for accumulation as Sanchit Karmas for the next birth or births. The real key is
to perform only those Kriyaman Karmas (with proper dexterity and discretion) which would
dissolve away instantly upon dispensing their due consequence during the present lifetime
without adding to the burden of Sanchit Karmas to be reckoned for subsequent births.

23. WHICH KRIYAMAN KARMAS DO NOT ACCUMULATE AS SANCHIT ?

The following are the Kriyaman Karmas which will ripen and mature and give you fruits only
during your present lifetime and will be completely exhausted before you leave the present body
and will not remain in balance at the end for accumulation as Sanchit Karmas for your
subsequent births.
They are -

(1 ) Actions performed innocently in childhood, immatured minor age;

(2) Actions performed in unconscious, insane and intoxicated state of mind;

(3) Actions performed in other than human life;

(4) Actions performed without any bias in mind due to attachment or detachment, likes or dislikes
etc.

(5) Actions performed without any ego of a doer;

(6) Actions performed for the good and benefit of the society at large with a benevolent motive.

(7) Actions performed selflessly with devotion unto God (NISHKAM KARMA).

24. ACTIONS PERFORMED IN CHILDHOOD, IMMATURED MINOR AGE

If a child in immatured minor age innocently in a playful mood does grievous injuries to
somebody, breaks window glasses, or costly.crockery, damages important things and
documents, makes dirty some costly articles, photographs and pictures or even by a freak of
accident . he pokes a sharp Knife in somebody's throat just out of fun causing his death etc., for
all such mischievous and dangerous activities and tragic accidents he is not prosecuted in the
criminal court of law and sentenced to jail. At the most he would be severely punished or beaten
by his guardians there and then and for a serious offence he would be tried in a juvenile court and
would be sent to a Remand Home for improvement of his vicious criminal mentality. This is
because while doing such mischievous or criminal activities there was no sinister motive involved
and he does not know his responsibility as he is still not mature enough to understand the
consequences of such mischievous and wrong deeds as he has performed devoid of sense
dominating influences, without any bias in mind due to attachment or aversion, likes or dislikes,
RAGA or DWESHA, or ego (AHANKARA). Even a document signed by a minor is considered
ultra vires, illegal, null and void in the court of law. A minor child or adolescent is not given a right
to vote in franchise because he is unaware of the 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.

25. ACTIONS PERFORMED UNDER UNCONSCIOUS,

INSANE AND INTOXICATED STATE OF MIND

A lunatic, mad man is totally unconscious about the consequences of his wrong deeds which he
has performed without any bias in mind due to any sort of aversion or
attachment, likes or dislikes or ego. Hence, at the most he may be awarded some instant
retribution, light or severe punishment or be beaten or may be sent to a lunatic asylum for
improvement. Thus he gets punished for his Kriyaman Karmas during the present lifetime and
therefore they are not added as Sanchit Karmas for punishment in their subsequent births.
Nobody can be punished twice for the same offence.

26. ACTIONS PERFORMED IN OTHER THAN HUMAN LIFE

Animals, birds, beasts etc. in their births lower than human beings, only enjoy their Prarabdha
which are the ripened fruits of the Kriyaman and Sanchit Karmas of their
past births and they leave their body immediately after their Prarabdha Karmas are exhausted.
They are called Bhog Yonis.

Their present actions are initiated and propelled only by instincts and intuitions and they are
controlled by nature which does not allow them to perform any new Kriyaman Karma which would
be added to their Sanchit Karmas for their subsequent births.

If a dog or a snake bites a person causing his death, it cannot be prosecuted for murder in a
criminal court. It is the Prarabdha of that person which propelled the dog
or snake by intuition to bite him and make him meet with such a destined death. This does not
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.

27. ACTIONS PERFORMED WITHOUT ANY BIAS IN MIND DUE TO ATTACHMENT (RAGA)
OR AVERSION (DVESH), EIKES OR DISEIKES ETC.
A murderer commits murder of a person whom he hates with great prejudice, bias, aversion
(Dvesh) etc. and thereby he cuts and takes away a man's life. The magistrate orders him to be
hanged to death and thereby he also cuts and takes away a man's (the murderer's) life. The
effect of the Kriyaman Karmas of cutting, reducing or taking a man's life in the case of both the
murderer and the Magistrate is the same. However, the Kriyaman Karma of the murderer will be
added in his Sanchit Karma for his next birth or births because his action is propelled and
motivated by his aversion (Dvesh), hatred, prejudice etc. for the murdered person. While the
magistrate has han.ged the murderer to death without any bias in mind, hatred, prejudice, dislike
or aversion for the murderer, he has simply acted only as a part of his duty within the limits of law
and hence his Kriyaman Karma will not be added in his Sanchit Karma for his subsequent birth or
births.

28. ACTIONS PERFORMED WITHOUT ANY EGO OF DOING-DOER

In a battle-field (crusade) a warrior slaughters so many persons under the orders of his
commander-in-chief as a part of his duty to kill the enemies, dangerous to the society at large,
and hence this action of the warrior, void of any ego, does not bind him in the cycle of birth and
death. Devoid of self-pride arising from l-doism when one takes activities within the norms of
fairness, justice and righteous conduct, in the
spirit of his self-apparent duties, then he is not trapped or enslaved by such actions. Only those
Kriyaman Karmas wrapped up in self-pride and sense of self-importance and performed with
egoistic mentality are added as Sanchit Karmas and they are to be faced as Prarabdha when
matured and ripened in subsequent births.

29. ACTIONS PERFORMED WITH UNSELFISH,BENEVOLENT MOTIVE FOR THE GOOD

AND WELFARE OF THE SOCIETY AT LARGE

Generally, to tell a lie is considered to be a sin. But if you tell a lie with a bonafide, benevolent,
humanitarian, unselfish, pious motive for the good of the society at large
it is not binding in the cycle of birth and death.

Taking an example from Mahabharata, King Yudhisthira who had earned a reputation as a
dedicated champion of truth and was famous for his truthfulness had never told
a lie during his whole lifetime. But only once, during the Mahabharata war, a critical situation
arose in which Lord Krishna himself compelled him to make an ambiguous
announcement against his will: 'Ashvatthama is killed in the battle.' In fact, an elephant named
Ashvatthama was killed and not the son of Guru Dronacharya whose name was also
Ashvatthama. But on hearing this announcement from the mouth of such a most famous truthful
person, Yudhishthira who had a spotless reputation as a synonym for Truth, Guru Dronacharya
took it to be the gospel truth that his own son was killed and he immediately left the battle field
which made it very easy for Yudhishthira to win the war. If Yudhishthira would not have made
such an ambiguous,
misguiding and totally false statement, there were no hopes for him to win the war and defeat the
rascal kings who were horribly dangerous to the society and the country. This action (Kriyaman
Karma) of telling a lie on the part of Yudhishthira and the abetment thereof on the part of Lord
Krishna was not considered as a sin because it was done with the most bonafide and
humanitarian, benevolent and pious intention to get rid of the rascals from the earth.

30. ACTIONS PERFORMED SELFLESSLY WITH DEVOTION UNTO GOD (NISHKAM KARMA)

Generally, people at large performing any action, any job or business etc. do expect and desire to
have some reward or fruit of it and that is but natural and there is nothing wrong with it also.
Nobody would like to work totally without any sort of expectation of any reward or fruit of it. Only
the rascals, rogues, thieves, smugglers etc. do not desire to have the result or fruits of their wrong
deeds in the form of punishment. On the contrary they expect themselves to be free from the
results of their wrong deeds. But there is a mandatory provision in the law of Karma that every
action has got reaction, every cause has got effect and every effort does result into destiny. If you
sow, you must reap, and as you sow; so shall you reap and you cannot escape. Any good or bad
action brings happiness or unhappiness and for enjoying this happiness or suffering unhappiness
you must have a body as an instrument and for having a body you must compulsorily go into the
womb of a mother. Thus you have to rotate in the cycle of birth and death. In this way each and
every good or bad action (deed) is a bondage. At the same time you cannot do without doing any
action in life, otherwise your normal life would be crippled, come to a standstill, stranded and
even terminated as discussed (in para 22) above. In that case you do not find any hope to be free
from the cycle of birth and death which is the ultimate goal of human life.

Now in order to avoid this critical contingency, and if you really and ardently desire to be free from
the cycle of birth and death which is tremendously torturous and terribly troublesome, the only
course open to you is to ceaselessly and selflessly go on doing your actions, deeds, job whatever
destined to be done by you as a part of your duty allotted to you for this life by the grace of God
for the sake of God, so that your inner soul and God would be pleased with your actions. You
should not be crazy or hanker after or be mad to get the fruits of your actions, but whatever fruits
God would kindly and lawfully give you for your actions in the form of destiny you should willingly
accept them as God's grace and enjoy them or suffer them boldly without any hesitation.

This is called Nishkam Karma. All the creatures and creations of nature in the entire universe are
doing this sort of Nishkam Karma without any selfish motive and with full devotion and service to
the higher purpose of God. The sun is given the duty to give light. The rivers are doing the work
of supplying water, the trees are giving you fruits and cows give you milk free of charge. The fish
keep the water clean and the wind destroys pollution from the atmosphere. For all these various
services they do not demand, like us, any pay, promotion, increment, dearness allowance,
medical allowance, touring allowance, gratuity etc. nor do they enjoy any casual leave, earned
leave, half-pay leave, medical leaveetc. and never go on strike. Every creature in the universe is
supposed to be and bound to be active and sincere to the humanity at large in the realm of God.

Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus Christ, Mohamad the Prophet, Swami Ramkrishna, Swami Vivekanand,
Swami Ramtirth and so many such exalted souls and saints have ceaselessly striven during their
entire life span for the service of the humanity only for the satisfaction of their inner soul and for
God, without any selfish motive like amassing wealth, bungalows, cars.and such other worldly
materialistic objects for their sense gratification. Those who have worked with the zeal of
missionary spirit have never demanded any pay and those who are crazy and mad only after pay
have never worked with missionary spirit in life and therefore they are coming in the clutches of
the cycle of birth and death. Liberation from selfish desires and wants amounts to liberation from
the cycle of birth and death. Saintly persons ceaselessly 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.

31. THE INTELLECT FOLLOWS ONE'S PAST ACTIONS

In the matter of suffering or enjoying pre-destined fruits of one's past actions, a person is
helpless, therefore his mind mechanically and instinctively follows the natural consequences of
his past actions. Whatever destiny (Prarabdha) has thus been carved out of his own actions, his
mind becomes pre-disposed to manifest precisely such destiny. Even his intelligence and special
skills perforce drive him in the direction of realising his destiny, shaped as it is by his Prarabdha
Karmas.

We sometimes come across amazing examples of people with sharp and incorruptible intellect
falling a prey to apparently trivial temptations or lapses of mind, which ultimately bring them great
misery and anguish. Unbelievable and mind boggling as these mental indiscretions appear to be,
they are merely illustrative, perhaps dramatically, of the irrefutable and compelling force of
Prarabdha chasing the intellect for its fruition.

As an example, suppose a mouse, in the course of its nocturnal hunt, chase for food, comes
upon a tantalizing fruit basket Iying in a dark corner of the house. Driven by irresistible desire for
enjoying a sumptuous feast of various fruits, the poor mouse spends the whole night applying all
its God-given skills in carving out a big hole through the basket. But no sooner has the mouse
managed to penetrate its mouth through the layers of cane and grass than lo ! a snake, trapped
since seven days inside the basket, snaps at the mouse and swallows it down as if just waiting for
this opportunity to satisfy its hunger. Thus the inevitable Prarabdha (fate) of the mouse goads it to
use all its sharp vision and intellect, as well as its specialised skill, only to drive itself headlong
into the mouth of death. At the same time, the snake enjoys its good fortune (Prarabdha) of a
sumptuous feast, without any effort whatsoever, to satisfy its hunger with a relish.

As another example, when a rabbit or skunk predestined to die a crushing death, sees a car
passing by while crossing a country road, instinctively it rushes headlong straight into the wheels
of the speeding car, impelled though he is by a desire to save himself. Thus the very effort
(Purushartha) motivated by his desire to save his life, instead becomes the cause of his destiny
driven death. If he had refrained from making any effort to cross the road, his life would have
been spared. But at that moment his instinct would inevitably predispose him to making the fateful
run for his death. Such is the compulsive force of destiny (Prarabdha) in its predeterminence over
mental faculties. Let us take one more example of how mind and intellect become, as it were, a
slave to bring about the inescapable fruits of one's past actions. 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.

32. YOU MUST FACE YOUR PRARABDHA

All the Prarabdha Karmas which have been pre-destined for your present lifetime, you are bound
to face them. You can neither escape from them, nor can you leave your present body as long as
a single Prarabdha Karma remains in balance. Suppose someone, according to his pre-destined
Prarabdha has been suffering from paralysis, completely bed-ridden even passing his urine and
stool in the bed and barely able to cope with all the physical torture, 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.

33. HOW FAR PURUSHARTHA HELPS IN FACING PRARABDHA

There are four categories of Prarabdha

(1) Very acute Prarabdha;

(2) Acute Prarabdha;

(3) Mild Prarabdha;

(4) Very mild Prarabdha.

(1) So far as very acute Prarabdha is concerned you cannot change it at all inspite of your very
acute and intense Purushartha (efforts) during this lifetime. Your birth through certain parents in a
certain country, community, caste, creed, race or sex is not accictental. God is not so whimsical
as to throw you anywhere in any way he likes. It is the result of your very acute Prarabdha which
is completely unchangeable. You cannot change your parents and your kith and kin. You cannot
change your masculine body into feminine and vice versa. You cannot change your sons,
daughters or relatives in your present birth in spite of your very acute efforts, as they are the
results of your deeds-actions creating debits or credits with them in your and their previous births
which have brought you together in this present life. Hence you cannot be separated and none of
you can leave your present body unless your previous 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.

34. HOW FAR THE STARS, PLANETS AND DEMIGODS CAN HELP IN FACING
PRARABDHA

The stars, planets and the demigods are the most pious and honest officers appointed for the
implementation of the law of Karma. They are not at all corrupt as we imagine them to be. If you
perform certain rituals to worship them, they would help you by making your inner will-power,
forces and inclinations pious enough to face and endure your Prarabdha, but they cannot totally
relieve you from your Prarabdha.

If you have committed a theft, the policeman will lock you up in jail under judicial orders. But if he
happens to be your friend, relative or acquaintance or if you behave properly and respectfully with
him, he would naturally give you all possible relief by supplying you some more cigarettes to
smoke, or by offering you tea, coffee etc. as and when you desire. He would even make sure that
you get sufficient food to eat, a good bedding to sleep on and all other such amenities within the
limits of law just to make your jail period easier and more comfortable. But he cannot relieve you
from jail till your destined period is over; or else he would be dismissed from his job.In the same
way, these stars, planets and demigods are the 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.

35. HOW FAR ASTROLOGY CAN HELP IN FACING PRARABDHA

Astrology (Jyotish Shastra) is a perfect science based on elaborate mathematics. It is a part of

Vedas and it is known as UPAVEDA. From the exact position of the stars and planets at the time
of a child's birth and from their subsequent movements during the life journey of the child right
from his birth to death, an expert astrologer can foretell the predetermined ups and downs and
many other episodes and incidents during the journey of his life.

Just as a man performing his journey on a highway road, the caution signs and boards posted on
the roadside from which he can know in advance that, say, from milestone No. 45 to 52 the road
is in a dilapidated condition and hence he should be careful enough to drive his car slowly or
make use of the detour-diversion. The caution sign posts will not repair the broken road, but they
do give you proper guidance and caution in driving your car carefully on risky paths. I n the same
way an astrologer, by elaborate mathematical calculations of the movements of stars and planets,
can foretell that during your age of 45 to 52 years there are predetermined certain odds and risks
in your life journey so that you would do well to be cautious enough and to try to avoid or mitigate
such odds and risks which would otherwise put you into greater hardships.

Jyoti means light. Just like a battery-torch in your hand throwing light on the road at a distance
can help you to see the obstacles or pits in the way. Of course, the battery will not remove those
obstacles or pits, but it gives you an insight to safeguard yourself against those obstacles by your
utmost Purushartha. Astrology shows you the right direction in which you can make efforts
(Purushartha).

Thus astrology cannot change your Prarabdha which is the pre-determined path in the journey of
life, but it can give you proper caution and guidance how to carry on your life journey smoothly
with least possible trouble while facing your Prarabdha with your utmost Purushartha in the right
direction shown by astrology.

However, if the time of birth is not accurately noted to the nearest fraction of a second, or if there
is a slightest mistake in calculations, it would amount to a difference of thousands of miles in the
position and movements of stars and planets and then the resultant predictions would be wrong.
That is why even though astrology is a perfect mathematical science, the commercialized
astrologers are almost always found to be bluffing.

36. HOW FAR CHANTING THE NAME OF GOD (RAMNAMJAP) HELPS IN FACING
PRARABDHA

It is said in the most unequivocal terms in all the religious scriptures that chanting the name of
God (RAMA, KRISHNA, JESUS etc.) only once can definitely abolish all your sins of millions and
billions of births, and it is absolutely correct also. But if you once chant the name of God (RAMA,
KRISHNA etc.) and thereafter do any sinful action or deed, those sins which are abolished by
chanting RAMNAM will all again automatically come back and totally fall upon you.

As for example, in a very dark room if you switch on a fluorescent tube light only once, it will
absolutely abolish all the darkness which was there since time immemorial and will fully enlighten
the whole room. But immediately thereafter if you switch off the light instantaneously all the
darkness dispelled will again come back in toto.

If you take a bath only once, your body will be totally clean, but thereafter if you again fall in the
dirty mud, your taking the bath will all go totally in vain.

While chanting the name of God (RAMA etc.) how can you do any sinful deed, and while doing
any sinful deed how can you chant the name of God? Both these actions cannot be done at the
same time. And if you go on chanting the name of God and simultaneously continue doing sinful
and immoral deeds also, it will annount to nothing but hypocrisy which is again a very serious sin.
That is why even though we find people chanting the name of God, they are also speaking lies a
number of times in a day or practicing dishonesty, cheating, black marketing, smuggling,
corruption, adulteration, debauchery or similar misdeeds in their daily life. In such cases chanting
the name of God would not at all help them in facing their Prarabdha despite the fact that
'RAMNAMJAP' - chanting god's name is undeniably powerful enough to completely abolish at one
stroke all your sins in Prarabdha and make you free from the greatest 'disease of birth and death'
known as BHAVROG. Only chanting the name of god by mouth and simultaneously doing sinful
and immoral deeds by hands will amount to hypocrisy which will again be a very grave sin to be
added in 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.

38. IF YOU MUST SIN - PUBLICIZE IT ALL OVER. WHEN YOU ACT SELFLESSLY DO IT
UNANNOUNCED AND STEALINGLY

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.

39. SANCHIT KARMA

So far, in all the previous paragraphs, we have discussed at length, how to control Kriyaman
Karmas by Karmayoga and also how to exhaust all the Prarabdha Karmas by Bhakti Yoga during
this lifetime.

Now let us discuss how to finish with all the Sanchit Karmas before we leave our present body so
that there would then remain not a single Karma in balance in any one of these three categories
at the end of this life binding us to take any new birth henceforth and thereby finally we become
free completely from the cycle of birth and death which is the final target and the ultimate goal of
human life.

The Kriyaman Karmas performed by you during your past millions and billions of births which are
still not ripened and matured and have also not become ready to give you fruits up-till now till to-
day are all Iying accumulated in countless numbers as Sanchit Karmas. These Karmas (actions-
deeds) are already committed and hence now it is beyond your control to make them undone.
Once the gun is fired and the bullets shoot out, they can never return back again in the gun and
unless these bullets hit somewhere at some time, they will not stop, cease and subside. Same is
the case with these Sanchit Karmas. You do not know them at all and it is beyond
human imagination to know how many they are and when and in which subsequent birth or births
they will be ripe and be matured and come in front of you in the form of Prarabdha.
You are completely in the dark so far as the Sanchit Karmas are concerned and even if they are
ripened and matured all at a time and come in front of you face to face in the form of Prarabdha it
is absolutely impossible for you to exhaust them not only during the span of one 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.

40. WHAT IS JNAN (KNOWLEDGE) AND JNANAGNI (FIRE OF KNOWLEDGE)

Jnan (knowledge) means the real knowledge and realization of one's own self as to who am I and
to know one's own self in reality which is the ultimate goal and the noblest aspiration of mankind.
All other worldly and earthly knowledge of materialistic objects and subjects like Science,
Physics, Chemistry, History, Technology, Geology, Biology, Psychology, Physiology, Astrology,
Philosophy, Geography, Mathematics, Economics, Politics, languages and all other faculties of all
the universities of the whole world is only called 'information' and not knowledge in the real sense
of the term. Informations are always changing every time while knowledge is eternal and real.

Even if you can quote the names of all the mountains of America, or all the rivers of India, or the
production figures of all the gold mines of Africa and Australia, or the population figures of all the
cities of Europe and Asia, or if you can give eloquent speeches with comments on the
constitutions of all the countries of the world, or even if you are the Manager of the World Bank,
or the President of UNO - You are only a part of the encyclopedia of information and not of
'Knowledge' and hence you cannot be called Jnani in the real sense of the term unless you know
your own original eternal real self.

Jnani means the person who has the knowledge of his own real eternal self and who has realised
as to originally and eternally who is he during all his past and present births. He is known as
Prabuddha (the awakened soul) and all his Sanchit Karmas would be burnt in the fire of
Knowledge (self-realization) as soon as he is awakened.

For example, a man got a very long dream between 1.00 to 1.30 a.m. (midnight) in which he
committed a murder. After a long trial in the dreamland criminal court for about three years (of
course between 1.00 to 1.30 a.m.) he was sentenced to a rigorous imprisonment for 20 years and
was sent to jail where he started suffering terrible physical and mental torture. In such a
treacherous condition, according to the time span of dream life, about four years elapsed (of
course between 1.00 to 1.30 a.m.). One day the jailer, in his furious temperament and rage
started beating him with an iron rod so mercilessly that blood started oozing on his back, and in a
frightened tone he screamed so loudly that his dream was broken and he woke up. Immediately
and instantaneously he became totally free from all punishments and he found himself safely and
quietly Iying actually in his soft bedding. As soon as he realised his own original self that he is
purely a pious, innocent man and not a murderer, prisoner, his Sanchit unexpired imprisonment
of 16 years of his dream life was instantaneously totally wiped off apd burnt in the knowledge of
his original self. Now the jailer of the dream world will never come to 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.

41. ONLY TO KNOW (KNOWLEDGE) IS ENOUGH; NO ACTION NECESSARY

A newly born cub of a lion, whose mother died immediately after giving him birth, was reared and
brought up amongst the herd of goats by a shepherd. Naturally, therefore, since his very birth the
lion cub was all the while under the illusionary impression that he was a goat. From the very
childhood he was walking like goats, speaking like goats, eating, drinking and doing all his
activities and gestures absolutely exactly like goats as all throughout his life he remained and
lived and behaved like goats. The illusionary impression and idea that he was only and perfectly a
goat and nothing else but a goat was so strongly inculcated in his mind that there was no
question of his thinking even for a while that he was a lion by birth. Mentally he was completely a
goat.

One fine morning, when this lion cub was moving about with other goats in pasture land, a big
lion came roaring behind them and thereupon being terribly frightened all the goats including this
lion cub started running helter skelter and hither thither to save themselves from the 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 self-realized 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.