Showing posts with label What are Laws of Karma?. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What are Laws of Karma?. Show all posts

September 25, 2019

What is Law of Karma Part I



http://download.dadabhagwan.org/books/English/PDF/karma.pdf

There are certain presumptions for understanding the Law of Karma and how it works.  Two most important of these are, believing in Law of Reincarnation and Secondly, believing that We are a Soul(carrying impressions from our past lifetimes) experiencing human life.  If you don't believe in reincarnation and journey of the soul, then this is not meant for you.

Even if you believe in these, there is lot of confusion about how law of karma works.  Many people think that our current actions create our karma.  Whereas, the book Science of Karma published by Dada Bhagwan Foundation clearly explains the secret behind Law of Karma which is so precise, perfect and absolutely fair and Just.  Courts of this world may acquit a person as non guilty, but if someone has wronged somebody even in thought, then Law of Karma will definitely bring such a guilty person to justice either in this lifetime itself or in the next Lifetime (when people may wonder why such a good person is suffering).

The Book explains in detail that the World is being operated by Scientific Circumstantial Evidences.  Yes, nothing is happening in a hap hazard way.  There is a Law of Cause and Effect, a Rule, behind each and every happening in our life and all around us.  Nothing is by chance.  Things are happening automatically in a precise and exact manner as it should.  There is no partiality, no preference.  Pure Justice.  The principle is same, what we give out, we get back.  We reap what we sow.  Majority of human beings discount the fact that thinking intensely about something is as good as actually doing it.  It creates a definite karma.  Karma is very subtle.  It is not just action, but actual thought and intention behind that action, that is karma.  

what we are undergoing in this lifetime is result of action we did in past lifetime.   We gave exam in last lifetime, in this lifetime we are seeing and undergoing the result of that exam.   And while facing this result, what we are thinking and opining deep within is the new Cause we are setting in motion for which we will  get result in this lifetime (effect of effect) or in next lifetime.   So if someone hits me, it is the result of past enmity this soul had with me  in a previous lifetime - fruition of manner in which that soul had wanted to hurt me and couldn't do for some reason.  Now when we met in this lifetime, perfect circumstantial evidences were created that fulfilled the pent up wish of this Soul. Now what we both are thinking about this hit will set a new karma, the fruit of which we will get in this lifetime(effect of effect) or the next.  My subtle thought would instantly create a new karma if I  wanted to hit back that person which I will, either in this lifetime itself or in the next.  

This is the principle of Cause(action) and Effect(Result).  Action is not what we do with our hands.  Action is what we think, how we judge, our belief behind any outward action.  This cause is our inner intention (bhav) behind any action.  Action is visible but intention behind that action is not.  It is this intention behind our each visible action that binds karma which brings out result in next life time.  What we see is result ( of past karma, i.e.,   the intention)  what we think while undergoing the result is New Karma(new cause set in motion).   And this is definitely in our hands.  

If all is predestined then we need not do anything? -- It definitely doesn't imply that if all is result of past intentions, then we should take in all in the name of  justice.  No way.  Simply because we do not remember our past intentions.  Do we?  Therefore,  we need to take all necessary steps to do a job, take all required precautions to accomplish that job without causing any hurt /loss to anyone - with pure intention.  If despite all this, things go wrong, then know deep within that its result of our past karma.  Do your best till the last moment and yet if you fail, apply the keys of this spiritual knowledge to pacify your heart that it was not meant to be.  This way it doesn't hurt.  Book gives a simple example.  You cannot cross a traffic light with your eyes closed.  Look around carefully, if all is safe then cross.  Now if something happens, then its your destiny as ordained by you in a previous lifetime.

What is Intention?  It is the thought/belief/opinion/judgement that goes behind our each action.  Intention is so very subtle, intangible.  None can see our intention.  Only we know it.  and sometimes even we are not aware of it.  Because we act fast, without even thinking.  For example when we see a beggar and give some money, we think we are helping the beggar.  But actually we are helping ourselves.  We give because it makes us feel good/ happy. We feel less guilty that we have so much.........Think deeply.   

This intention is in our hands, our free will.  This intention creates our destiny.  'Why' we do something.  Our strong beliefs.  The label we give to certain actions .........  All our actions are aimed at helping ourselves only.  Even when we are doing service to others, we do it because it makes us feel good.  Isn't????  If we just do the charity and stay indifferent then its Okay (you will not create a new karma).  New karma is created the moment we mentally take credit for this service.   understand that what we are spending today is due to our strong intention to give set in motion in last lifetime.  Have you heard of those stories where family complained that the father gave away so much in charity without any reason.  Well what he did in this lifetime is call he made in his previous lifetime but couldn't do so for some reason.  He is doing it now.  

For example two persons may be giving 100 dollars in charity One, with the intention of getting praise while other person may be giving the same amount but intention is just to help quietly and move on.  For same actions our intentions could be  different.  Result would definitely be different.

I understand Law of Cause and Effect in this way.  That there is something like a A Universal Super Computer that is automatically recording each and every intention (cause which will bring effect in future lifetime) we set in motion through our deep imbedded intentions behind every action we are being made to do today (effect of causes set in motion in previous lifetime).  It notes down my intense opinions and view points about everything this I encounter.  In other words, the way I am judging others. ( No wonder we are told not to judge others lest we be judged. ). Then in next lifetime it places a person with related persons, in one place, experiencing their judgements about each other until one understands how wrong they were.........

In their previous lifetime both thought how wonderful it is to use one's position to make easy money.  So in this lifetime, both will get chance to make easy money.   One person may take bribe and feel good about it while the other is taking(as a result of his past intention) but internally repenting about not being able to correct himself.  Effect/result of different new intention is different.  This is where our free will comes in.  The one feeling good would be getting bribe again but we all know what is the result of such an action when caught.  While the person repenting will not  find himself in such a tricky situation again.  Nature will keep him away from this kind of life because he has set a new karma of positive life.


Natural Laws are perfect and Just.  Whatever happens is Justice.  Since we do not remember our past, we often feel injustice.  But it is not so, Because law of cause n effect takes note of each and every subtle conversation going within us.  None is controlling these Natural laws. Its working, just the way Law of gravitation is working.   If we understand this Law, we can use it to our own advantage. Here, its been referred to as  Scientific Circumstantial Evidences.  At appropriate time, all evidences come together and an event happens.  Humans take credit for it which is a total blunder.  We are mere one instrument in grand scheme of things.  but we can make an important change.  We have power to change our future.  We are also part of this nature, made up of energy.  We have advantage of intellectual faculty which other species like anima ls do not have.  They understand love, are smart but their intelligence level is not as high as human.   Our thoughts are so very powerful.  If only we could correct ourselves, the moment we linger longer on a negative thought.  But are we so mindful all the time.  

A human can think and check and control his thoughts and intention.  But off late we see many humans stopping to use their intellect and sense of discrimination and going on sense less killing and other crimes.  Their behaviour goes down to animal level.  They could escape from  courts of this world but natural laws ensure that they pay for their wrong doing.  Payment is heavier if crime was done willfully and without remorse.  Little less if it was not   done willfully and happened accidently.  But payment is heavy for sure..   As per this book these are sticky karma you cannot escape even if you are in different body garment now.  This is a very deep science and cannot be explained properly in few lines.  In all the above discussions my view is simple...no argument...no disputation with views of others here.....I AM OK, YOU ARE OK.


https://download.dadabhagwan.org/books/English/PDF/karma.pdf

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani
Noida

July 30, 2014

Process of Divine Apology


अज्ञान दशा में बहुत सी लोहे की बेडि़याँ पड़ जाती हैं! मन क्या कहता है कि मुझे समाधान करावो। ‘व्यवस्थित’ है, ऐसा कह दें तो मन को समाधान हो जाता है। और सामनेवाले के लिए खराब विचार आया इसलिए मन को शुद्ध करो, सामनेवाले से क्षमा माँग लो।  (Aptasutra # 1595)

In the ignorant (absence of self-realization) state, many ‘shackles of iron’ are bound. The mind asks for closure.  If you tell the mind ‘it is vyavasthit [scientific circumstantial  evidence]’, the mind will be pacified. And if you have a negative thought about someone, cleanse the mind by asking the other person for forgiveness. (Aptasutra # 1595)
We definitely bind karma when we are cause of hurt to someone.   Knowing this, I don't want to be cause of hurt to anyone. 

Therefore, in morning itself before I start my day, I set intention of not hurting or causing hurt or participate in any hurtful gossip towards any being, living or dead, in any way. Earlier I used to apologize to Supreme Power but off late, in my mind, in presence of Supreme Light, I apologise soul to soul to the person, to whom I might have caused hurt in any way, i.e., either through my Speech, action or even thoughts. I also seek strength so as not to repeat the mistake again. 

PS: I don't seek pardon face to face simply because I feel that the person might become offensive and also may be I am still conscious about maintaining my self respect. However, I have noticed positive change in attitude of people I have mentally apologised to....even my 'enemies' have come and hugged me on their own after I have sent them mental apologies.

As per Dada Bhagwan Foundation, we bind karma in state of ignorance, as a mistake.  This happens because we think of ourselves as our 'name' and 'body'.  We forget that we are pure soul, separate from body.  We are only knowers and seers.  We are not running the show of the world.  All our body functions are taking place on their own.  Similarly air, water, sun, earth and space are also not in our control.  Mistakenly we think we are "our name and our role only and nothing else'.   In this state when we cause hurt to someone whether knowingly or unknowingly, it binds karma.  However, if we recall that we are pure soul and then recognise/accept our mistake, repent for it and promise never to repeat it again, it sets us free from this bondage.


Pratikraman (Divine apology) - The Dada Bhagwan Foundation teaches 3 steps process for seeking soul to soul Divine Apology, from the person who has been offended, in presence of Supreme Divine Self (Dada Bhagwan) wherein one does"


Alochana : Heartfelt inner confession of one's mistakes

                 I Confess my mistakes (recall the mistakes you committed with this person);

Pratikraman: Process of apology coupled with remorse for any wrong doing

                 I apologise and ask for forgiveness for these mistakes;  

Pratyakhyam: Sincere Pledge to never repeat the mistakes

                 I firmly resolve never to repeat these mistakes.  Dearest Dada Bhagwan (the pure Self within), grant me the absolute energy not to repeat these mistakes.



Wise have told us to stay in the state of 'awareness'.  Just 'witness' and 'know' what Vandana (substitute it with your name) is doing.  Because 'I' am the 'witness', the 'Knower' wearing the body garment named as Vandana. 

Swami Bhoomanada Tirtha says that  When I sleep the world sleeps for me ( in actual,  world is always there even when I am sleeping) but the 'I' in me that recognises the world has chosen to shut it off during sleep.  After some time, the 'I' in me decides to wake up and again see the world.  We are mistaken when we think that we wake up with the sound of alarm in the morning.  No. No. No.  There is some divine supreme presence within us that chose to wake up at the sound of alarm.  Therefore this 'I' is very powerful.  It sees changes in its body garment from infant to old age.  Caught up in the external worldly drama around, the 'I' forgets its true state (of being pure, powerful, divine SELF).  It mistakenly thinks of itself as Vandana (the body name) whereas it is INFINITE.

When we seek divine apology, we see this soul state in ourselves as well as in the other beings.  Like Shirdi Saibaba advised 'Remove this wall of division between You and ME. We are one and the same'.  In ignorance we think we are separate and end up hurting each other.  However, when light of the true Knowledge falls on us, the veil of ignorance is lifted and the so called 'enemy' appears 'flawless'.  There are many things happening behind the scenes which we need to understand.  And this understanding comes from within.  When we stop, become still and focus on that presence which animates our body.  When we centre on it for sometime, all confusion ends and we get answers and solutions to all our problems.  All is crystal clear.

This clarity requires grace of supreme Self.  This grace will not come to us, if we hold grudges and resentment against fellow beings (because this means we consider others as separate from us).  The process of 'Pratikraman'(divine apology) as described above makes it possible.  We need to seek apologies for hurting someone and also for hurt caused to us by others.  Easiest part is that we need not go and apologise to the person directly.  We may perform this 'service to self' in our own inner 'temple'.

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani
Noida


July 25, 2014

Who is running show of the world?

I get it. I recently read many books by Dada Bhagwan Foundation, a spiritual group in India (that doesnot promote any particular religion)  says that no individual God is running this world. Every worldly phase is a natural happening governed by Vyavasthit (Scientific Circumstantial Evidences) which requires many elements to come together for an event to take place.  There is no God overhead as the Do-er of it.

A human being is also one of the element. For example, it is wrong to say ‘I’ made tea. Tea could be made when all elements like water, tea leaves, milk, sugar, fire etc were present. I became an instrument to make it. Left only to me,  I cannot make tea on, say, ... a road side because all evidences are not present. He calls these evidences scientific because even if one evidence is missing event will not take place. Thats why he says when an accident takes place, it requires many many evidences to be present at that particular place and time otherwise there will be no accident. I found this quite acceptable.


Now if we combine this with Laws of Karma, it explains so many things.  Like how a particular person swapped the seat and did not go on that ill fated Malaysian Airline that was shot down recently or why the one he swapped the seat with went on that flight.  Evidences were coming together to make this thing happen in a precise manner.  That doesnot mean that this law will let the offenders of crash go scot free.  Even if they escape justice on earth in this lifetime, the scientic circumstances will bring them to justice in one of the next lifetimes.  That time they will not know the reason and would probably crib as to why this happened to innocent.  The karmic repayment is not exact like eye for an eye.  But the feelings and emotions of suffering that is caused due to accidents will be felt by them.

World often confuses Karma.  When it sees someone being slapped, killed, promoted, demoted, successful, sent to prison, it says this is karma, whereas this is not karma.  This is result of karma.  Karma was already formed earlier and this is result of that.  Karma is formed internally through our bhav(intentions),  our inner communication with ourselves.  Universe records it all and through scientific circumstantial evidences arranges for the result and sends it back to us at appropriate time.  It doesnot necessarily come from same person but the result is the same that we caused to someone else earlier, whether knowingly or unknowingly. When it is said that we are creating our reality and that we are responsible for whatever is happening in our life it means that a man is responsible for his bhaav (innert intention) behind any action of body, mind and speech. This is what human freewill is. While tasting the fruit of past karma(intentions), how a man reacts(creates new or no karma) determines his future.  You reap what you sow.


Our hand gets burned, whether we put our hand in fire knowingly or unknowingly.  A willful act involves strict and precise return whereas unintentional action brings returns too in such a manner that person calls it exceptional.  When we hold anger, greed, resentment, pride, hatred, attachment inside for some person, place or a thing, it definitely attracts returns.  Intense feelings create ‘sticky karma’ for which there is no escape in form of close negative lifetime relationships etc.  When we get such returns in next lifetime we are left wondering why things are happening that way since we did not do anything wrong.  None remembers the deeds of the past.


When we hold strong resentment for someone, it follows us into lifetimes till we learn to love that person.  Act of forgiveness is a sure ticket to freedom from negative bondage. This is the reason why saints and wise have advised us to stay calm in all situations, maintain equanimity and forgive all.


Vandana Ritik Mulchandani

Noida

July 23, 2014

Why are we different from each other?


You explain one thing to ten people but  on inquiry you realise that some of them got it exactly your way while some got it half and a few got opposite or nothing at all. 

This happens because of the difference in the levels of intellect in each individual.  Intellect may be defined as our capacity to understand, assimilate and, if required, use knowledge at the appropriate time.  Our academic learning polishes and refines our intellect but it is certainly not the source of intellect.  We are born with our intellect.  But then, What is the source of our intellect?

As per Brahmakumaris,( the Indian Spiritual Organisation) intellect or intelligence is one of the three faculties of the Soul – the life force - running our body vehicle.  The other two faculties are Mind and Samskars (Impressions) left on our soul by all our experiences.  For example,  when a child puts finger in hot water, it leaves an impression of hot water causing burn so the child will avoid touching hot things in later life.  This is a small impression.  Can you imagine bigger and almost permanent impressions left by our intense Love or abhorrence of any person, place or a thing.  It becomes a strong impression and carries forward life after life till we correct it ourselves.

Now the body garment may change but the soul remains the same and with every birth brings with it the sum total of all the impressions carried forward from previous lifetimes.  You see a child of three years dancing like an expert.  This is very strong impression of one of the earlier lifetimes.  In each lifetime, the soul adds on more impressions and reaches different levels of its own growth. Of course human being cannot remember simply because remembering will cause so much confusion and problems.

In each lifetime, we start from where we left in previous life.   This explains the spiritual reason behind different levels of brain power in each person.

Our souls are on different levels of growth irrespective of age of our body. One person understands even a complicated logic while the other cannot understand even the simple logic, irrespective of body age.  This happens because they are on different levels of soul development and therefore you cannot expect a student of class II to understand books of class V.  The intellect level too works on these lines. 

Therefore, Common sense cannot be on exact level for all. It too differs.

In The Bhagvad Gita, Lord Krishna advised that each individual has to act righteously i.e., act as per his/her own commonsense, choose the best option (as per their intellect) and leave the results in the hands of Lord (the source that is running show of the world). We are not to judge. People get results as per their own efforts. Doing something is in our hands but how it is going to turn out is in hands of All That Is that knows all your past present and future and gives results accordingly.

Once we understand how we have reached our present state, we realize that we cannot do much about our past but with this knowledge we can now choose to create a better future. 
As per Dada Bhagwan, all visible actions are result of your impressions brought forward from previous lives.  Therefore understand that the real work is undergoing internally.  Now we can use this information, think positively, on purpose, and create positive impressions.  More intensely we pursue this, much better the results would be. 

This is the reasons we have to realize how powerful our own thoughts are.  Till now we  let these thoughts flow, uninterrupted, on their own.  But hence forth we exercise our freewill and choose (deliberately) to check and correct our thoughts.  Feel and think positive about everything. 

This is called living in total awareness.  This is path of Self Realisation i.e.,  Knowing myself,  my true nature.  When we know who we are, we experience our oneness with our SOURCE.

We realise that there is no outside source running our life, we ourselves have created this life and invited our so called family and friends into it and vice versa.  Source is same.  In actual we are responsible. Our internal actions are controlling our results.

This is spiritual law.  Understand it properly and utilize it effectively.   It will never fail you.


Vandana Ritik Mulchandani
Noida




July 18, 2014

The Science of Karma

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The book 'Science of Karma, ' published by Dada Bhagwan Foundation, states that in the Cause & Effect Cycle, the Effect is result of Cause set by us in motion.  Therefore whatever happens in our life is our own individual responsibility.  This Cause or Seed is our inner intention behind any Action. Action is visible but intention behind that action is not. It is this intention which brings out results. 

This intention is in our hands, our free will. This intention creates our destiny. For example two persons may be giving 100 dollars in charity - one with the intention of getting good publicity/ praise while other person may be giving the same amount but intention is just to help quietly and move on. For same actions our intentions could be different. Therefore results too would be different.  The first one will get mention is some newspaper while the other will be helped when he needs it ( not necessarily by the same person he helped).  But effect will always be there.

One person may take bribe and feel good about it however, the other person is taking bribe but internally repenting about not being able to correct himself. The first one will have to pay back in future because he is sowing seeds for negative result  while the other person is setting up a good intention which will ultimately make him a better human one day.  If these two reincarnate, in the next lifetime, the first one will have to pay back in someway for taking money where not required.  He will pay and feel cheated (he caused this suffering to other and had rejoiced) while the other person will not be accepting any undue payment(he had set an intention of not taking bribe).  This all is happening internally but world will say for the first 'poor fellow had to pay unnecessarily even when it was not required' for the second person response would be 'this man won't take what doesnot belong to him'.   

Have you not wondered when you see, a good man is suffering despite doing all good while a wicked man is successful and not getting caught.  This law explains behind the scene causes/reasons for this. However nature catches with wrong without fail.  So while good man  has an option to bear the effect by taking all his sufferings with internal knowledge of why it is happening. He may take all necessary action to stop his suffering which will stop the moment his account is settled.  But If he cribs and complaints, he will be caught in whirlpool of suffering.  Ancient Indian saints have therefore advised mankind to take all events in life with equanimity because of this reason.  

No body else is doing anything to you.  You are reaping result of your own actions.  Since you are ignorant about working of this law you feel cheated.  But once this law is clear you can check and control your inner working for a better future.

Effect of different intentions is different. This is where our free will comes in. 

Our intellect is supposed to be used, to discriminate between right and wrong and take necessary appropriate action. Because law of cause n effect takes note of it. None is controlling it. We ourselves are controlling it. In fact we are one of the controlling elements in entire scene. So many things are required for any event to take place. We are just one instrument who can make an important change. We have power to change our future. We are also part of this nature, made up of energy. We have advantage of intellectual faculty which other species like animals do not have. They understand love, are smart but their intelligence level is not as high as human. 

A human can think and control his thoughts and intentions. But off late we see many humans have stopped using their intellect and sense of discrimination.  They are going on sense less killing and other crimes. Their behaviour goes down to animal level. They could escape from courts of this world(because of their past accumulated good causes)  but natural laws ensure that they pay for their wrong doing either in this lifetime (if this accumulation is big) or in the next lifetime(then they will wonder what wrong did I do since they cannot remember what they did in previous lifetime). 

Payment is heavier if crime was done willfully and without remorse. Little less if it was not done willfully and happened accidentally. But payment is heavy for sure.. If you keep your hand on hot coals unknowingly does your hand not burn.  

As per this book, intense feelings of Anger, Hatred, Pride and Greed towards any person or thing will definitely bring a result in the next lifetime.  In current lifetime you are settling old scores with your present family, friends, neighbors, even strangers due to effects set by you  in motion in previous lifetimes.  No body meets you accidentally.  Everything around you is due to a reason.  Since you do not remember you remain ignorant.  Strong emotions form  'sticky karma' which you cannot escape even if you are in different body garment now. Look around for sticky karmic entanglements with your own family members.  You cannot escape them.  

These explanations had a bid impact on me.  This is a very deep science and cannot be explained properly in few lines. In all the above discussions my view is simple...no argument...no disputation with views of others .....I AM OK, YOU ARE OK.

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani
Noida

April 18, 2014

Laws of Karma

Dada Bhagwan has explained the science behind the law of Karma which I found to be very simple and easy to understand. I am making an effort to revise the same here under.  When we use the word Science, it means it follows certain rules and regulations.  It is in our interest that we understand the rules of karma so that we are more cautious and can regulate ourselves for a better life ahead. This is how we create our destiny.  

Our ancient scriptures tell us that life becomes easy with renunciation. This renunciation is not renunciation of worldly possessions, relations or enjoyments but this renunciation is of EGO. The sense of My-ness which creates inner instability. Ego is that subtle ‘feeling’ that makes me think that ‘I’ (the physical body with a given name) is doing this. For instance, ‘I have done very well in life and am holding the top most position in my office’ or ‘I have always been cheated in life and my life is full of sorrow’. The moment we take credit or discredit for something in our life we are said to have created karma. This is because when we make these kind of statements internally we are feeling pride or low. These feelings have been majorly categorized into four – Desire, Anger, Greed, Attachment. During our worldly interactions these feelings are always behind our thoughts and statements and subsequent actions. This binds karma. Once bound, we have to pay back. Good for good, Bad for bad. Nature of law is such that both these have to be paid back separately. Its not a case of bad karmas cancelled against good karmas. Both are to be settled separately. 

If whole life you have been good than you have to come back(REBIRTH) to enjoy the fruits of these good deeds in next life time. While enjoying this fruit in form of a better life, if you do something bad, you again come back. Because as human being whatever we do, we do love to take credit for the same. It is always ‘I did this’, I did not do that, I settled their fight etc etc. The burden of this ‘I’ with the intention of taking credit is very heavy and it never leaves us life after life. And why is it so????? Because we are using ‘I’ where it doesnot belong. The trick is to use this ‘I’ and be aware simultaneously that here ‘I’ is not my name or my body but the real me i.e, the soul that is ruling my body. If this awareness is present than no karma is bound. In every lifetime, whether we want it or not, if we are not in awareness we bind karma – good as well as bad and then we come back to enjoy its fruit and while enjoying this fruit bind new karma and the cycle goes on. 

Saints have explained it very well that there is great difference between 'I' and 'My'. It is I – the soul which is the inner world whereas My means attachment with the external world including my body and sense organs and everything perceived and understood there of. For example we say, ‘my dress’ and not 'I, the dress", my pain not I the pain. Here dress and pain are different from I. Dress and pain are separate from my true self. It is the EGO, that experiences the pain or enjoys the pleasure of wearing a good dress on the body and soul is merely the witness. We have to be aware of this state of being a witness – look at the world around us from the soul’s point of view and not get entangled. Our body/Ego is the instrument (the nimit). The Planner and the Do-er is the Supreme Power(the 'I' within) - the life force that permeates each and every atom in the Universe -whether manifest or unmanifest. The moment we understand this difference, things become easy. 

Therefore always live in a state of awareness that I am a Soul with my beautiful innate qualities. However, I have taken this body garment to play out a role assigned to me by the Supreme Power(that is giving life and power to the soul) on the stage of earthly drama so that I pay off the karmas created by me in previous lives thinking of myself as Ego/body garment I was wearing in that life time. 

All the karmas are result of thoughts occurring inside our mind – those thoughts on which we lingered for longer duration and developed ‘aasakti’(attachment). Therefore it automatically follows that if I want to breakfree of this karma created cycle, I have to change internally and simply watch what is happening inside me and try changing feeling of 'attachment' to that of 'detachment'. Assimilation of knowledge in this way is the key to attaining liberation. Wise men say this is best we can do, understand this knowledge and than with its ‘light’ continuously contemplate on what we learnt. Try to observe own actions in day to day life from a position of detachment. 

Feel like God and watch what your ego( wrongly placed I-ness) is making you do. So are the actions of others we meet everyday. All are working at the wrong level of I-ness. Therefore, all are innocent because none knows what account they are creating. When an actor performs his part on the stage, he is supposed to play his role well and yet retain his original identity. He is not supposed to get emotionally involved with the role of the character he is playing. He won’t be able to have a normal personal life otherwise. Same with us, we cannot get attached to the other characters in the play. If we do, then our act is spoiled and we come back once again to perfect our act – with same souls who also made the similar mistake and need to pay back or with different souls who have similar karmas to settle. 

Souls of my scene have almost same vibrations as me and in my day to day life I meet so many such souls. With some I am given such a relation that I cannot get rid of it till I pay back my previous debt. Once that is done, either of us is removed from that scene by play of situations. We do have such ‘sticky’ relations in life with whom we do have large karma to settle. Some of these bring pleasure and some pain. All high level souls have given importance to act of forgiveness for this reason. And this makes perfect sense because if we remain attached to negative people around us, they will continue to appear in our subsequent lives. So forgive your offenders as an act of favour to your own self. Needless to say that forgiving SELF too is important.  

We all are various nimits (instruments) in grand scheme of the Universe - like different shaped and sized petals that make a flower complete and beautiful.

Vandana Ritik
Noida

December 5, 2013

Laws of Karma




All the visible actions that take place through our body and five sensory organs i.e., eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin, in spiritual terms, is actually karmaphala – effect of a cause (and also effect of past life karma) set in motion by us. Real karma is not visible but subtle. The intention (bhava) that we create in us while partaking this effect creates karma which will bring its effect in the next life time. In this lifetime we are repaying and receiving the effect of all our bhavas we created – knowingly or unknowingly – in past lifetimes. We are reaping rewards of all our subtle thought processes. Natural forces arrange themselves in such a manner that ultimately we get whatever we had really intended for. However, due to ignorance of this law we are left wondering as to why things did not happen the ways we had planned to do.

Karmic law is a naturally occurring scientific spiritual law. It works as per certain specified rules. It is metaphysical in nature and cannot be proved in a laboratory. After understanding laws of gravitation, electricity, etc., human being used it to their own advantage. Similarly once we understand laws of karma, we can use it to improve our future and create our own destiny. Otherwise, we are like puppets in the hands of nature and flow with the current and go in whatever direction life takes us.

Only a foolish would close his eyes and cross a busy traffic road saying “I will be saved if it is in my destiny.” As an intelligent human being, we are supposed to do our best, as per our own standards, and also make efforts to improvise. If despite all best possible efforts things do not work out, then take it as destiny; wait for some time and try once again because only human being has 'Will Power' and 'Consciousness' which can be invoked to create or change one’s own destiny.

Why not take the remote of our life in our own hands? Make efforts to be the Master Karma Creator.

Vandana Ritik
Noida

March 5, 2013

Understanding Law of Karma


What are most of us doing in between Birth and Death - paying off our karmic debts, creating more karma and thereby ensuring that we get reborn again. Is this what life is all about. What is the difference between an animal and a human being. Persons seeking moksha are those who are disgusted of being caught in the cycle of birth and death and want to get out of it. We have to bear the fruit of all our actions good or bad. Even if we do all good work, we have to take rebirth to enjoy its fruits. Now that most of us in this spiritual path, know that as a soul we are eternal and cannot be destroyed, we do not end up in some trash after we die, we continue to live on in some form or the other, therefore, we have to be clear what we want after our present life - another life?(of what kind?) or enough is enough? In case we choose the first option we should know that the life between birth and death is determined by our karmas. In the later option, we need to know ways to erase our past karmic accounts and stop creating new ones with mind focussed in one final direction. As per religious scriptures, this kind of desire is over and above material desires. Lord helps to fulfil this desire provided we take the first step. In either case, understanding of the Karmic law is must because obedience to this law and using it intelligently holds the key to our future life.

How Knowledge of Karmic Laws helps us - Knowledge of Laws of Karma makes us realise that everything happening around us is not arbitrary, nothing is happening by chance.. Each and every event of our life, is due to the operation of certain natural laws, the Karmic Laws being one of them. Therefore knowledge of these laws is necessary to place our future under our control. It is simple, once we understand the law, we are equipped to use it for our advantage. This use of laws will be dependent on the amount of knowledge we have about these laws. All laws of nature are expressions of the divine nature, and we have to learn to live and move within them. Otherwise they move us as per their nature. We cannot stop working of these laws by any force. These are certain preset conditions, once we know them, we gradually learn to master them and work according to forces of nature and get the desired results accordingly. Otherwise we remain in control of these laws and move around as puppets.

There are natural laws and there are artificial laws. Artificial laws are local, variable and may have a penalty that can be escaped. These are man-made, could be enforced legally. Man likes to work within laws set by him since ancient times. Earlier Kings made laws and now we have Governments making laws which are to be obeyed in order to live in the society. However, even the King and the Government too have to in turn abide by certain higher mental and moral law, the law which acts automatically and is in nature of things as are the laws of electricity or law of gravitation which man has understood well and has learnt to use to his own advantage.

Karma is second most important universal natural law after the Law of reincarnation. Past life regressions and NDEs recorded by modern doctors are a proof of working of this law. Just because you cannot see it, it does not mean that it does not exist. We all have mobiles, laptops, satellites doing so much for us and their mode of operation is through signals. We know there are signals but have we seen them???? But they are there for sure and are connecting all of us. A mobile in my pocket receives a signal and I get a call. There is definitely an invisible world operating around us. We are mostly concentrating on visible world and what can be proved in a laboratory. Law of Karma solves mystery of rebirth and reincarnation. Karmas have a direct effect on our mind and consciousness. If we understand it well, it refines our intelligence which we can use to create our own destiny instead of becoming a mere product of destiny. Morever, it increases our faith, provides us security and makes us fearless. To know and believe that everything around us is working in order is a relief to human mind which is mostly full of doubts so far as his future is concerned.


Karmic law is a Natural Law. Natural law is a sequence of conditions, such a condition being present, such another condition will invariably follow. If you want to bring about the second condition you must find or make first condition and then the second will follow as an invariable consequence. These sequences vary when left to themselves, but if a new condition is introduced the succeeding condition will be altered. The first condition is called the Cause and the resultant second condition is called the effect. Karma is law of cause and effect. It is a natural law of justice. A person may escape getting penalty under the Artificial man made law but he cannot escape from the effect of cause it set into motion knowingly or unknowingly. Whether you put your hand in fire knowingly or unknowingly, it will surely burn your hand. So is this law. And as they say it, ignorance of law is no excuse.

Yes, natural laws are eternal, changeless, undying, everlasting, unbreakable and existing in the nature of things. As we learnt to reckon with law of gravitation similarly we have to learn to reckon with Law of Karma. And Nature can be won over only by obeying to it. It needs to be understood that people on earth may not be aware of each and every karma of a human being. But there is a natural universal force which keeps track of every thought, word and activity of each and every individual on earth. Some say it is Self judging Self and then deciding what action to be taken to pay off karmic debts in the next reincarnation. Thus, whether we are judging ourselves or some natural force is judging us, a man can control his own future in proportion to the amount of knowledge he has about the working of this law.

It is not so simple to understand the main concept of karma, 'As a man soweth, so shall he also reap'. One has to go deeper into its meaning. Karmic laws do not mean an eye for an eye always. Newton's third law of motion states that to every action there is equal and opposite reaction. Similarly, this law works on principle of Cause and Effect. Once a man sets a cause in motion, it will bring back its matching effect eventually. If you put your hand into a running fan, it will cause injury irrespective of whether you did it knowingly or unknowingly. If you helped someone you will get back the result sooner or later, though not necessarily from the same source. The result 'effect' will be as per the intention with which you 'caused' help to someone


It is not Punishment - The word Karma sounds like a punishment...because first thought that comes to mind is of fear. That I will get back what I have given out and as a human we know we have given out many negativities around us. We may have hidden our fears, insecurities and low opinion of self from the world but we cannot hide them from ourselves. And most of the human beings do not have good opinion about themselves and they love everything in the world but themselves. Inwardly, all are insecure and fearful despite being a huge success outwardly. Most of us have no relation at all with our own self. We do not have time to interact with ourselves...to check out what is going on inside us and what we really want. We are so very busy in life.

We as a human being give out so many things to the world. Some say Karma is interaction of our inner world with the outside world. Simply speaking Karma..it means action. Action of what? Of everything...our thoughts (yes thoughts, intentions), words and activities. Thought is the foundation of it all. It is said that about 70,000 thoughts cross our mind in a day and we do not remember most of them. However, some thoughts do catch our attention. Negative or positive, if we linger longer on few these thoughts, it persists and changes our attitude accordingly and then inspires us to take necessary steps to accomplish the same. Once desired result is obtained, we find mind dwelling on another thought. when our mind is dwelling on so many thoughts simultaneously it creates stress and if desired results are not obtained the result is horrendous. Most of us do not realise the importance of monitoring our thoughts. Some thoughts we cannot see because we do not want to see them or acknowledge them. They are not gone. These thoughts get stored in our subconscious mind. For example a smoker reads the warning on cigarette pack but he doesnot want to see or acknowledge it. Where does that go....It is stored inside his mind and keeps making him guilty and produce 'not feeling good' kind of feeling within him on and off. Now this needs to be dealt with by the smoker. Brushing away the dust under the carpet doesnot help in wrong run. We need to do inner cleaning everyday but we avoid. Some of us won't even think in terms of inner cleaning because our vision is so badly covered that we feel that none knows meaning of 'morally right' better than us.

Swami Vivekananda has said that it is very difficult to live with a clear conscience. If anyone has ever lived with a clear conscience throughout his life than that person is the most successful person in the world in spiritual terms.

Each of our thoughts has energy and the moment we think, we start giving out vibrations in the atmosphere around us and draw a response from the Universe. If we continue to think same thoughts again and again and that too intensely and with emotions, the outcome manifests itself sooner or later...this lifetime or next lifetime...but could be spoken or unspoken, conscious or unconscious.

We do not abuse a person openly but if there is an intention/thought of doing so in our mind, then it is karma. We are sowing a seed and if we continue to abuse this person mentally in our mind and not conveying it thinking ourselves as holy or victim (since the person holds a strong position in our life and we are not able to retaliate) we are mistaken. Karmic laws, like any other laws are real, existing and natural. Newton found them way back when he said 'to every action there is equal and opposite reaction'. How it works? Today A buys some food for B in order to help him. B will do it for someone else, who will do it for another....and one day someone will buy some food for A to help him out. It may happen in few hours or months or lifetimes, but it will happen. A will get back what he gave out.

Karma is what is actually going on inside us and not what we am doing outside. 'Why' we are doing something is more important and relevant in karmic laws than 'What' we are doing. In karmic philosophy our outwardly activities are of least importance. The most important thing is our inner intentions and reasons of thinking, speaking or doing something. We get results based on our real intentions behind any of our actions - thoughts, words or activities. If a mother is feeding her baby thinking in her mind that 'today I am taking care of you, tomorrow you take care of me' then she is sowing a negative karma. This is not karma of service and love to baby but karma of selfishness. Many parents hit out at their small children in name of discipline without realising that they were hitting out knowing fully well that the small child is dependent on them and is unable to retaliate. The same child when grows up rebels against his parents because now he is in a position to retaliate. We normally do not hit out at person who is stronger than us, isn't, then why a child? No wonder we have elders complaining that their children do not take care of them in old age. It is result of karmic seeds sown by them. If a donation is made with the intention of getting publicity, the publicity will be got but it will be much lesser compared to result of what the person had got if the donation was made with pure heart with the intention of help. You give our help you get back help. Not necessarily from same person but from someone else, whom the Lord chooses (who owes you from some past karmic account). This is called Cause and Effect.

The karmic laws are always precise and unpartial. However there is time gap between cause and effect. For example, we plant different variety of seeds, some of them give fruit immediately, some years later and some wither away. The food of these seeds are our true intentions. We may cheat the world but we cannot cheat forces enforcing karmic laws. A Hitler will have to pay for his 'wrong intentions' this is ensured by karmic laws. None is spared. Haven't we seen good people suffering in life. It is their time to endure effect of the causes they set in force. Tomorrow it could be our time to endure the effect. Therefore we should not look down upon people who seem to be going through bad times because today it is their day, tomorrow it would be ours. To err is human and we all have made many mistakes knowingly and unknowingly. So many times we don't even realise that we have hurt someone simply because we are looking at the situation from our point of view. We do not check our intentions. Mostly we are saying and doing things as per prevalent fashion, social customs and traditions. People with strong conscience know it in their heart that they have done something which they should not have but they say ' I didn't want to do it but I had to do it despite knowing that it was wrong(as per their own conscience)'. This will give back a negative effect.


How to break free this Karmic Cycle - The Bhagvad Gita advises us to (1) do work without any desire for its fruit; and (2) do not have feeling of do-er ship in mind. Do it for God as we are instruments of God. Wise have advised us to take everything with equanimity. Offer all our thoughts words and activities to God. We create karma when we do things for 'I', my family, my relatives, my livelihood. This type of thought binds that karma to us. In order to be free, ancient scriptures have advised that we should do all our activities thinking them to be done in service of God and not for ourselves. Sai has advised us to watch the show of the world as third person. HE wants us to be the 'drishta' (the witness) of the whole drama around us where we too are playing our part due to karmic reasons.

We have to love ourselves and others too. However, being kind and sweet to all does not mean that we have to become a 'doormat'. We have to maintain our dignity, respect and love ourselves, act out in our best possible way (trusting our own inner instincts instead of taking advice from all and sundry everytime) and then leave the result to God. Maintaining a caring and helping nature does not mean that I need not be stern with wicked and manipulative people. God doesnot want us to cross a busy traffic signal with eyes closed. God wants us to use our own mental faculties, follow our heart and keeping wise intentions carry out our day to day activities. Each one of us have different level of intellect, we have to act according to our own intellect if we are convinced that it is correct. We may seek advise in case of doubt but ultimately decision has to be ours because it is our karma and therefore our responsibility. None else is responsible for my karma. Whatever is happening in my life is my own responsibility and shirking from it and blaming someone else will not help. Laws are Laws and ignorance of law is no excuse. However, a mentally challenged person will suffer less for a negative karma compared to the same karma performed by a person of normal intelligence because he chose to ignore reasoning.

For this reason only, Lord Buddha said ' Believe nothing, no matter who said it, not even if I said it, unless it agrees with your own reasoning, your own common sense'. Karmic laws pay accordingly. A blind person did not see a frog in grass and stepped over it and killed it while a person with perfect eyesight saw the frog and still stepped over it. If he immediately regretted, he might get less severe return but if he shows no remorse, he is likely to pay back strongly for causing suffering to the frog. Whether we knowingly or unknowingly put our hand in fire, it will burn our hand. So is the working of karmic accounts. The karmic accounts are settled no matter what. If you helped someone unknowingly, you get help back from a person who did not actually intend to help you. If you harmed someone unknowingly, you will be harmed similarly.

Swami Sadanand said that "Intense tapas(austerity), samadhi(spiritual absorption), mantra sadhana(repetition of name), the (obtaining) grace of God, selfless service, satsanga(company of saints, sages, pious people) create a powerful positive karma in a short period of time and this can neutralise the effect of previous negative karmas". These include Sanchita Karma(accumulated ) and Kriyaman Karma(potential). However it is difficult to get rid of 'sticky karma', the Prarabdha(active karma) which are like arrows already in flight and will get exhausted only after we bear them.

All Spiritual Masters of the World teach us the same thing.  Even our own Ascendent Master Sadguru Saibaba of Shirdi has tried to explain the same thing to us.  If we follow and practice words of Holy Masters, they can help us invisibly and transcend us from all the Karmas and free us from the karmic bonds. In an instance in Sri Sai Satcharita, Sai gave an assurance in this regard by effecting a gift of 'dhotar' to his dearest devotee. We too are his devotees. However, it is our choice what we want. Do we want better circumstances in our next birth or we want no rebirth at all but want complete freedom from the cycle of birth and death. Sai has said that his treasury is full and he can give so much but people do not want liberation instead they want worldly comforts and thereby they get stuck up in the cycle of birth and death. If like Arjuna, the seeker, we neither want to enjoy pleasures of this world nor do we crave for honor of the heaven, Sai just wants two pice of Faith and Patience to take us out of this Cycle.

Sri Sai Satcharita is full of incidences where in the above aspects of laws of karma are contained. Saibaba often advised his devotees that to do karma is in your hands but the fruit is not in your hands. Give up the feeling of Doership because wire puller is some other higher force....the SELF which lives in each of us. As human we could be lacking in the Will Power to use karmic laws to our own advantage. Sai has advised his devotees to leave aside the cleverness and just remember him. 'Sai Sai' mantra will help us wherever we are. The story of Chenbassapa and Veerbhadra is a proof how Sai came to help Basappa (frog) from the jaws of Veerbhadra(snake). But we have to do our part of being a good devotee. What can Shirdi do if 'devotee is sleeping indolently' and not following and practicing the advise of his/ her chosen Sadguru, who is always working on us and changing us internally.

Knowledge backed with intelligence should be practiced while performing duties of the various stations of the life. When faith and patience is added to it, then the devotee is totally under the protection of Sadguru Sainath (spiritual master) for he loves us unconditionally. No doubts about that.



Vandana Ritik Mulchandani

Noida