The Secret of Karma (Performing Actions)

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Just as when an iron sword touches the “Paaras” stone,  the sword turns into gold;  but its ability to slice, its sharpness and its shape,  all three of these do not change.  In the same way, the “paaras stone”  was instrumental, in making the gold, whereas in slicing-sharpness-shape the sword was predominant.    Likewise, he who has made his nature, eternally pure, his actions are also entirely pure.  However,  even when the nature is pure, there can be differences in one’s actions, as these actions vary according to one’s ‘varna’,  ashram (stage in life),  sampradaya (community), spiritual practices, ways of life, and beliefs,  etc.  Just as, when a Brahmin attains enlightenment, then too he maintains purity in his eating habits,  and will only eat foods prepared by himself, because by nature he is pure.  But an individual of an ordinary “varna”  such as a “harijan”  if he attains enlightenment,  he will not necessarily maintain purity in his eating and drinking habits, rather, he will also eat from someone’s plate;  because that is his nature.   But he will not be at fault on having such a nature.  

From time immemorial,  it is the nature of “Jeev”  (embodied soul),  to attach itself, and establish a relationship with the unreal (perishable), due to which “jeev” remains trapped in the vicious cycle of birth and death, and time and again goes into higher and lower wombs and forms of births.  Man can purify that nature, in other words,  the desires, the sense of mine-ness and the  identity that man has,  he can get rid of it.   The nature that remains after desires, sense of mine-ness and identification with the body is wiped out, that nature is free of faults.  Therefore, one does not have to  get rid of that nature, and it is not even essential to get rid of one’s nature.  

When man leaves the support of egoism (sense of I-ness), and entirely takes refuge in God, then his nature becomes pure.    Just as when the iron touches the “paaras” stone,  it becomes pure gold.  When nature is purified,  then while performing actions,  as per his nature, he does not become a sinner or one with faults,  (Gita 18/47).   After entirely taking refuge in God,  there remains no affiliation with Nature.  Then God’s Nature, starts to work in a devotee’s  life.   God is the eternal well-wisher of all beings ‒‘सुहृदं सर्वभूतानाम्’ (गीता ५ । २९)  "Suhrudam sarvabhootaanaam"  (Gita 5/29) I am the eternal well-wisher of all beings -  Then the devotee also becomes the eternal well-wisher of all beings ‒‘सुहृदः सर्वदेहिनाम्’ (श्रीमद्भा॰ ३ । २५ । २१) ।

In this way, from the perspective of “Karmayog”, when man gets rid of likes - dislikes (attraction - aversion), then his nature is purified,  by which his own selfishness goes away, and the sentiments become one of naturally doing things for the welfare of all in this world.   Just as God’s nature is to do things for the welfare of all,  in the same way, his nature is also to do things for the welfare of all.  When all his efforts are one of seeing to the welfare of all, then, he develops oneness with God’s powers of seeing to the welfare of all.   God’s powers of being an eternal well wisher begins to work in his nature .

(to be continued….. )

 From book in Hindi ‘ Karma Rahasya’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

The Secret of Karma (Performing Actions)

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One’s nature is the result of both the pure and impure influences.   On entirely getting rid of impure influences,  one’s nature becomes pure,  free of blemishes, sacred;  but due to the previous actions which formed a man’s nature being variant, his nature also remains variant.  Due to this variant nature,  various different actions take place through him, but those actions are not blame-worthy.  Rather they are entirely pure, and with those actions the world can be uplifted and benefited.  

The impressions on the self, which form a man’s nature is from one perspective, very mighty‒ ‘स्वभावो मूर्ध्नि वर्तते’ thus it is not easy to get rid of it. * Thus,  in the nature of a Brahmin, a Kshatriya,  and the various “varnas”  there is predominance of performing actions.   Therefore, God said to Arjuna,  that the actions that you do not wish to bring under the sway of delusion, those actions too, you will helplessly perform, being bound by your nature. (Gita 18/60)

Now regarding this point,  on one hand there is naturally an immense push, that one is unable to leave his nature,  and on the other hand,  there is great drive in the purpose of human birth that man is entirely independent in doing everything.   Therefore in both these,  who will come out a winner and who will come out a loser ?  In this, it is not about winning and losing.  In their own place, both are paramount.  But here,  in the point about not leaving one’s nature,  it is characteristic of the nature of a “jaati”.   It means the “jeev”  is born in a particular “jaati”,  and as is the  gene,  so will be his nature,  and no one can change it;  therefore the nature is not at fault, rather it is faultless.  Like the nature of a Brahmin, Kshatriya and various “varnas”  which cannot be changed,  and it is also not necessary to change that nature, and even the scriptures do not say to change that nature.   However God has given man the capability to get rid of the impure elements (likes and dislikes, attraction aversion)  in his nature.   Therefore,  by getting rid of those flaws by which a man’s nature has become flawed,  he can independently purify his nature.  If man wishes then he can get rid of  likes and dislikes and purify his nature from the perspective of  karmayog,  †, and if he wishes, then from the perspective of Bhaktiyog,  by entirely taking refuge in God, he can purify his nature ‡  In this manner,  the force of Nature (swabhaav) is also proven, and man’s independence is also proven.   It means that in maintaining a pure nature, the force of nature is predominant,  and man is independent in getting rid of the impurities in his nature.  

(to be continued….. )

 From book in Hindi ‘ Karma Rahasya’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

The Secret of Karma (Performing Actions)

कर्म-रहस्य

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As the morning arrived,  one man came screaming and crying and said  ‒‘our brother has been killed,  Oh council ! this must be investigated’.  Thereafter, the judge sent the guard and the prisoner gentleman to bring the dead body of the individual.  Both prisoner and guard went with the man, to the place where the body was kept.   The body was placed on a stretcher and covered with a cloth.   Both, prisoner and guard carried the  body and started walking.  One of the men accompanying them, ran ahead to give the news.  At that time the guard said to the prisoner -  “see if you had listened to me the other day, then you would have got the gold and not have to be executed.  Now do you see the fruit of telling the truth?’  The prisoner said ‒‘I had done whatever was truthful,  if i am going to be executed, then so be it !  You did the killing and I have to suffer the punishment !  There is no fairness in God’s kingdom !’

There was a man lying on the stretcher, under the covers pretending to be dead, who was listening to their conversation.   When the stretcher was brought in front of the judge, the man on the stretcher threw off the covering, got up, and told everything to the judge about the conversation that transpired between the guard and the prisoner.   Listening to this the judge was very astonished.  Even the guard was bewildered.  The guard was hand-cuffed and imprisoned.  But the judge was not entirely satisfied.  He privately called the prisoner and said -  ‘regarding this matter, I believe you are innocent, but tell the truth,  have you killed anyone in this birth?  ’  The man said, that a very long time ago,  there was an evil man,  who used to secretively come into my house to see my wife.  I tried to explain to both to my wife and to the man individually, but both did not listen.   One night he was there when I suddenly came in.  I was very angry.  I cut off his neck with a sword and   threw away his body in a river behind the house.   No one was aware of this incident.   Listening to this the judge said  ‒‘you will be executed this time.  I too thought that I had never taken any bribes, nor done anything that was dishonest, then how is it that with my own hands I ordered your execution?  Now I am satisfied.  You have to suffer the consequences of that sin.  The guard will get a separate punishment and order for execution.’  

That gentleman had caught the thief (who was the guard), and fulfilled his duty.   Then the punishment he is getting is not the fruit of him abiding in his duty.  Rather it is the fruit of the crime and killing that was committed a long time back.    The reason being that man has a right to protect himself, not to kill.   The right to kill belongs to the protectors, the kshatriya or the king.  Through the fruit of those sinful deeds that he received in this life itself, i.e. through the dreadful punishment,  he was relieved in this life itself.   As with the punishment that is received,  with very little effort, he was  freed. Or else, he could have suffered grave punishments with interest, tin the worlds beyond.  With just a little punishment, he can be purified.

One can come to know with this story that one simply does not know when those sins that a man commits will bear fruit .  God’s ordinance is exceptional.  As long at the past virtues predominate,  till then, the fruits of violent sins do not manifest immediately.  When the past virtues are exhausted, then comes the turn of those sins.  The fruits (punishment) of past sins will have to be borne,  whether it be in this birth or in other births.

 अवश्यमेव भोक्तव्यं कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् ।

नाभुक्तं क्षीयते कर्म    जन्मकोटिशतैरपि ॥

 (to be continued….. )

 From book in Hindi ‘ Karma Rahasya’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

The Secret of Karma (Performing Actions)

कर्म-रहस्य

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On the subject of earthly and transcendental fruits of sins and virtues, one more point needs to be understood.   The fruit of those sinful acts that are borne (suffered) in this world itself, in the form of  imprisonment,  punishment, insult,  criticism etc., those fruits will not have to be suffered after death.     However,  depending on how extensive were the sins and to what extent did the man have to suffer the consequences,  in other words, man does not know whether he has fully suffered the consequences of the sinful acts or only partially.  The reason being that man has no way to measure this.  But God knows this in entirety.   Thus according to His law, the lesser that he has suffered the consequences of those sins, that much he will have to bare in this life, or after death.   Therefore,  man must not have such doubts that I did not commit a lot of sins, yet I have to suffer a huge punishment,  or I have not sinned,  but I have received a punishment !  The reason being that this all pervading, well-wisher of all,  the Almighty God’s ordinance is that - No one suffers more than the sins committed and the punishment that is received,  is  the fruit of some sins or the other that were committed.  * ।

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* I had heard about this incident.  In some village, there was a gentleman. A goldsmith lived opposite his house.  The Goldsmith kept receiving gold which he used to mold and give back.  This is how he earned his livelihood.  One day he accumulated a lot of gold.  The night guard came to know about this gold.  One day the night guard killed the goldsmith, and was about to run off with the box filled with gold.   At that very moment, the person living across from the goldsmith, woke up and came outside his house to go to the bathroom.  He caught hold of the guard and cross-examined him, that how is it that you are running away with the box filled with gold?   The guard said  - ‘you be quiet, do not create a commotion.  Let us instead split the contents of the box.’  The gentleman said - ‘how can I take it ?’ I am not a thief !’  the guard said ‒‘please understand,  accept what I am proposing,  or you will have to suffer.’ But the gentleman did not agree.  There after the guard, lay the box down and loudly blew the whistle.  On hearing the whistle, the other guardsmen came running.  The guard said to the other guardsmen, this man has stolen this box from the other house, and I have caught him red handed’.  The other guardsmen went into the house and found the goldsmith lying dead.  They grabbed hold of the gentleman and turned him over to the law enforcement.  When brought in front of the judge,  the gentleman said,  ‘I have not killed,  that guard did the killing.’ The guardsmen got together and presented their side, that ‘they had personally caught this man at night.’  etc.   

         When the case came into court,  the verdict was the execution of the man.  As soon as the verdict was issued,  the gentleman spoke up,  ‘see, this is blatant injustice that is taking place ! There is no justice in God’s kingdom ! I have not killed, and yet I am being punished with death  as my sentence,  and the person who actually did the killing,  is going scott-free,  without any punishment whatsoever.  This is absolute injustice !’  The judge was influenced by his words, believing that in fact this man could be telling the truth,  and in whichever way possible, the man must be tested.  So thinking the judge, played a game.    (to be continued….. )

 From book in Hindi ‘ Karma Rahasya’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

The Secret of Karma (Performing Actions)

कर्म-रहस्य

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‘Kriyaman’ karma  (present actions) are of two kinds - auspicious and inauspicious.   Those actions that are done in accordance to the principles and testaments laid down in the scriptures, they are considered to be auspicious and those actions that are performed with desires, anger, greed and infatuation (attachment)  etc. that are not in accordance to the scriptures, they are considered to be inauspicious.  

All present actions whether auspicious or inauspicious, one part bares 1) fruit   and another part 2) is of the world.   These two are separate.  

The part  ‘Kriyaman’ karma  (present actions) that is fruit bearing are of two kinds -   seen (perceived) and not seen.   Of this, the seen is also of two types -  instantaneous and future (later on).  Just as the relish that one experiences while eating food, the pleasure, the joy, the satisfaction that one experiences -   it is the kind that is perceived and it is instantaneous.  And from the food, the effect that it has on life-span, strength, on remaining disease-free etc. ‒ that is “kaalantarik”  seen later on.  In the same way,  he who has the nature of eating more chillies (hot, spicy), when he eats foods with more chillies, and then feels pleased,  experiences pleasure, and due to the firey spice, hotness of the chillies the mouth - tongue burns, tears roll down the eyes and nose.   There is sweat on the forehead,  then this is seen instantaneously (taatkaalik) and due to unwholesome diet, the end result is burning sensation in the stomach and disease, suffering etc. t - this is “kaalaantrik”  fruit (bearing fruit in future, i.e. later now)

In this way, even the unseen is of two different types -  worldly and transcendental (beyond this world). If one performs sacrifices (yagna), does charity, visits holy places, does austerities, mantra repetition (japa), and various other auspicious deeds as per the dictates of the scriptures  and there is no irresistable restriction in it, then right here, in this life itself, the attainment of favorable situations such as a son, wealth, glories, dignity, etc.  can be attained,  and unfavorableness, such as disease, poverty, etc can be quietened.  This is the visible fruit received in the worldly plane.   * and upon death,  the feelings are one of attainment of heavens etc -  if one performs deeds as per the dictates of the scriptures,  with faith and feeling of trust he who does sacrifices, charity, austerities,  and the attainment of various auspicious deeds, then after death, he attains the heavens etc.  then this is unseen fruit in the worlds beyond.   In the same way,  the fruits of inauspicious acts such as robbing, stealing, killing,  that are born in this life and world, such as being jailed, punished, executed - these are worldly consequences,  and due to sins,  after death one will have to go to hell and be born as animal-bird,  insects-butterflies-moths etc -  this is perceived fruit  in the life beyond.

to be continued.....

 From book in Hindi ‘ Karma Rahasya’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji

||  Shree Hari   ||

The Secret of Karma (Performing Actions)

कर्म-रहस्य

Purush and Prakriti -  these are two.  Of the two, there are never any changes (modifications) in “Purush” and “Prakriti” is never free (devoid) of changes.   When this “Purush”,  establishes a relationship with “Prakriti”; then the activities of Nature, become the activities (karma) of the “Purush”.   By assuming a relationship with Nature,  he(self) identifies himself with it.    By identifying himself with Nature, he (self) develops a sense of mine-ness (mamta) with the acquired things, and due to this “mamta”,  he desires the things that he does not have.  In this manner, as long as there are desires, a sense of mine-ness, and identification with the things, till then whatever changing activities take place, it is called “karma”.

When the identification with the objects breaks away,  that very same actions,  take the form of action-lessness or inaction. In other words,  those actions become merely activities,  and they are non fruit bearing - i.e.  “action in inaction.”  In the inaction or actionless state,  i.e. on realizing the “self”,  whatever actions that take place from that great soul is ‘action in inaction’*   It means, that even on not experiencing our  untainted self,  in fact,  all activities are taking place in nature and its function, the body;  but on not experiencing one’s separateness from nature and this body, those activities become ‘karma’ †

Karmas are of three kinds ‒ Kriyaman,  Sanchit, and Praarabdh.  Those actions that are taking place at present, they are called  ‘Kriyaman’ karma ‡ The deeds that were done prior to the present, or those accumulated actions of various previous human births they are called ‘Sanchit’ karma.  That which is present for bestowing the fruits of all past actions of all,  in other words, that which has come in front of us, as eventuality in the form of birth, life-span and favorable-unfavorable situations is called  ‘Praarabdh’  karma.  

continued.....

 From book in Hindi ‘ Karma Rahasya’ by Swami Ramsukhdasji