1. NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Bhagavatas,
The following is an abstract of the talk given by me on 'Karma, Janma and Dharma" delivered at the Satsangam Conference at Buffalo. This forms part of my book "Hinduism Rediscovered".

Hope you will find it interesting. It is presented in 3 parts this being the first of the three. Hope you will find it interesting.

Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy

2. EXCERPTS from CHAPTER 11
PART III THE JEEVATMA ( INDIVIDUAL SOUL)
(ITS PAST ACTIONS, PRESENT LIFE AND FUTURE DUTY) KARMA, JANMA AND DHARMA
KARMA & PUNARJANMA (ACTION AND REINCARNATION)

SECTION 1 : KARMA (ACTION)
1. 1 GENERAL
"The Sanskrit term 'KARMA' has been adopted in English dictionaries as the all embracing term for that universal law, the harmonic law of adjustment, of compensation, of action-reaction to which all natural processes are subject."1
Let us take a few experiences in our daily life A man was convicted of first degree murder and was sentenced to death for a murder which he did not commit. This was successfully fabricated against him by the prosecution due to circumstantial evidence. While on the death row, just before his execution, he confessed that he was not sorry to die though he was innocent in the present instance, because he had committed another murder earlier for which he escaped punishment for want of evidence.

A briefless lawyer, somewhat related to me, was wallowing in utter penury but he was an adroit PR man. Due to fortuitous circumstances he got himself ingratiated into the favor of a political heavyweight. When an occasion arose, the politician helped to get him a job in a federal judicial position. Within a short time, the erstwhile poor lawyer became a multimillionaire by sheer money -laundering and other corrupt practices for which his newfound position had opened up unlimited opportunities while offering a protective shield from public gaze, an advantage even his mentor did not command. He was on the bench for a good 20 years. His conspicuous consumption and vulgar display of wealth had to be seen to be believed. This was only one side of the picture.

I became aware of the other side when I stumbled upon him after about 2 decades. Inspite of his opulence, maybe because the way be got it, he was a melancholy figure sans peace of mind and in constant fear of intelligence sleuths and investigative reporters following close on his heels. He and his wife became victims of nervous breakdown and crippling health problems. Name the disease from diabetes to heart to kidney - And, they had it all in ample measure with the result that they could not eat, sleep, walk or enjoy even any of the creature comforts which became too much of a luxury for them to afford. Ultimately, they succumbed to an ignoble death.

Another close relative of mine sought to dispossess me of my ancestral properties by resorting to a bogus will purported to have been left by my father's brother. This gentleman had no wife, no issues. Suddenly he disappeared, may be got drowned in a river and not heard of since. None could establish whether he was dead or alive. My father was to initiate action after the 7 year period laid down by the Indian Evidence Act. But, a few days before the expiry of the 7 year period, my father died. The false will presented for probate contained a clever clause saying that my father was named as one of the beneficiaries but the legacy of any beneficiary would be shared by the other legatees in the event of his predeceasing the testator. Since my father had died before the 7 year period, it was argued that he should be deemed to have predeceased and his portion also should go to the other legatees who were none other than the perpetrators of the impugned will. Though I entered a caveat and my Attorney tore to pieces all the witnesses, solely due to the personal intervention of the briefless lawyer - turned judge. mentioned above (who was also one of the 'other' legatees) the court ruled that the will was genuinely made but left open for 'appropriate proceedings' questions as to whether the properties involved were ancestral, whether the testator had the right to will and even the actual point of time of his death. Except for the ruling of the genuineness of the will the court did not concede any other claim. I did not want to throw good time and money after bad since any litigation means just that and also because the substantial issues were left untouched and did not proceed on appeal for the 'appropriate proceedings'. The result was that the legatees took possession of part of the properties and to this day enjoying the same.

But, let us look at the other side of the picture. Today, the impostor legatees are in their eighties and nineties, have been purblind for over 20 years with all their eight children suffering from rheumatic heart to congenital deformities, either never married or were divorced or dead. The old couple blind enough to vegetate with sight enough to witness the traumatic drama of devastation of their progenies unfolding before their very eyes with a vengeance, as it were, since God would seem to have given them such longevity only to experience this sorry spectacle for the rest of their lives.

A poor old widowed mother brought up her only son by toiling all day and all night. Due to utter poverty, she gave him away in adoption to a wealthy person. The boy grew up and forgot his biological mother who gave him birth and sacrificed her all for the sake of his happiness. But, the mother could not forget. One day, with a hungry stomach and a worn out frame the poor old lady walked a long way in the hot sun just to meet with her son. She was not let inside the son's house and her son bluntly refused to see her or hear her pleadings just to meet with him. She was literally driven out. After some days, the son was afflicted with a stroke which plucked away his eyesight and hearing- the eyes that refused to see his mother went blind, the ears that would not listen to her went stone deaf.

We have just traced some events from probable cause to effect. Let us see some instances which could be construed as results and let us try to figure out the probable causes :

Let us assume that you go to a new place where you have lost your wallet, your belongings and have been stranded and you do not know anybody there. And, you are compelled to go without food. Supposing a solitary resident in the area also turns you out while you seek his help. How this situation could come about? The cause may be traced to a similar event in which the roles were reversed and you turned out a hungry man beseeching your help - maybe in this or in some previous life not necessarily the same person.

If , on the other hand, a good samaritan had extended his helping hand, think how you have deserved such help when you had done nothing to him. In this case, the cause may be traced to a similar event in this or some previous life when you had generously helped a needy person without expecting a reward, again not necessarily the same person. If we really look into why a person suffers of hunger, you will find that he must have driven away somebody with hunger seeking his help, while enjoying food himself 'like a crane eating fish alone'. When you feed an orphan, you satisfy not him but HIM (Paramathma).

Whether you do any good or bad to anybody at any point of time - it will return to you in the same measure at any future occasion and not necessarily from the same person.
The moral is that even if someone is ungrateful to you for whatever good you have done to that person - don't despair. You should never stop thinking good, speaking good and doing good. You may not able to relate exactly the two events as cause and effect but the inexorable law of 'Karma' does inter - relate them in some inexplicable way.

I am going to tell you a popular story now; a story of another mother and son. The son was a womanizer and was infatuated with a prostitute. When he had run out of funds, she spurned him as usual. The poor fellow pleaded with her that he would bring whatever she wanted in return for her favors. She jocularly asked "Bring your mother's heart". He rushed to his mother and told her the situation. The mother conceded and asked him to take her heart after killing her. He did just that and ran back to the prostitute's place. But, unfortunately for him, he stumbled on a stone and fell down. The heart slipped, fell down, and lay smashed to pieces a few feet away. The heart began to speak. "O! Son! my beloved son! Did you hurt yourself? Is it paining? How unfortunate that I am not alive to attend to you and nurse you when you need it?". The son realized his folly. With the name of his mother on his lips, he died.

These real life situations and the story situation just narrated have one thing in common. A person may seem to be successful, prosperous at the moment, when out of ego, arrogance, power, pelf or lust might indulge in atrocities - but sooner or later, retribution for his actions visit him unerringly and unfalteringly. In some cases, even during one's own lifetime and in most cases in subsequent births. This is the 'LAW OF KARMA' which permeates the Hindu philosophy of life.

Westerners in general and even many Hindus themselves think that 'Hinduism' is fatalistic because of the emphasis on what is known as the 'Karma' theory. Several sayings lie scattered in scriptures all over the world to support this presumption (e.g.) "Not a blade of grass moves except by his grace" "Nothing is in our hands, 'Everything is God's will". In Sanskrit and Tamil the same sentiment is expressed. In Sanskrit, Thena vina thrunamapi na chalathi In Tamil , Avananri oranuvam asaiyadhu

And, one has to take in one's stride whatever one is destined. Whether one is catapulted to glory or condemned to eternal damnation without any apparent justification it is one's destiny and nothing can be done about it except to enjoy or suffer as the case may be. This is further confirmed by statements that liken human beings as no more than puppets in the hands of God- 'the Sutradhari' (the string-puller), the string being his yogamaaya (illusion)

We also see in real life innumerable instances which go to confirm the impression. If this were so, it is genuinely asked, how man could be held responsible for any right or wrong move on his part - which is another name for 'karma' or action? Is it not cruel and unjust to punish a frail human being for an 'Act of God', as it were? Is it not true that if at all anyone is to be punished, it is not the poor, weak, incapable, worthless and maybe misguided human being but the all powerful, almighty God who is behind all actions and who is instrumental to all such actions?

Intelligent and quite natural as the questions might appear, they miss a fundamental fact which our scriptures proclaim. When an event which happens is referred to as God's will, it is only a way of saying that it is one's past Karma that has brought about this event. When a bad thing happens, we are tempted to say, it is God's will; But when a good thing happens to us we don't say it is God's will. We grab the opportunity to corner all the credit to ourselves.

What you get without effort, you take for granted. If anything goes wrong you are quick to disown responsibility by creating an 'Alibi' for yourself and blaming others or God-for he will not protest! The teaching of Hinduism is :

Either learn to accept both as God's will or in the alternative learn to take responsibility for both. Don't blame only the unpleasant things on God. When Hinduism declares that everything is God's will it is only to teach you a certain humility lest you should become puffed up with arrogance and conceit implied in taking credit for what you have achieved; and in the alternative, to lift you up from despondency at a misfortune and to encourage you to take heart reassuring that "when winter comes, remember that spring is not far behind".

Throughout the Upanishads have been emphasizing that every human soul is essentially divine. But, this divinity is covered and enveloped by the cloud of dirt accumulated by the mind. Mind is attached to the soul in a subtle way (sukshma) all along the soul's transmigratory career.

"Just as wind carries the pleasant smell of the rose garden or the obnoxious smell of putrid matter as it blows over them, the 'Vasanas' carried by the soul may contain the pleasant and obnoxious 'Karmas' from our past lives"2

A 'thief' tends to carry the 'Vasanas' or the propensity of 'thieving' into his next birth and a 'pious' person his propensity to be ' pious.'. Karma arises from one's Samskaras - the thoughts, impressions and attitudes accumulated over lifetimes that make up one's character.

When Duryodhana and Dharmaputra set out to find the nature of people, Duryodhana returned to report that he could not spot a single good soul while Dharmaputra reported that he could not spot a single evil soul. Their respective findings were mere projections of their respective 'Vasanas' which they had inherited from their past lives.

It goes on accumulating impressions, memories and habits of thinking. These are called 'Vasanas', Vasana means 'smell' - which imparts a mental personality to the individual. Vasana means subconscious proclivity from the root 'Vas' 'to live, to remain'. It refers to the subliminal inclinations and habit patterns, experiential motivations, attitudinal tendencies and subconscious impressions (Samskaras). You can do nothing about what is past. It determines both your 'evolution' as also your 'tendencies' and 'behavior'. If they are bad, you inherit a bad load which you have to get rid of. You are totally free to create new Vasanas for yourself. But if you allow yourself to be swayed by the bad Vasana existing in your system they can lead you into undesirable destinations, thereby accumulating more and more dirt - it is your own fault. In this sense , YOU ARE THE ARCHITECT OF YOUR FATE.

But the tendencies that are born with you are those over which you had no control - To this extent, you are governed by fate. Destiny is not in our hands, but precaution against falling into pitfalls is in our hands. It has been said that nothing follows the soul on its onward journey except the fruits of the good and evil deeds performed by it during its current life. " Sukritam dushkritam chaiva Gachantam Anugachadhi"

1.2. SANCHITA, PRARABDA & AGAMI KARMAS
Our Scriptures speak of 3 kinds of KARMAS (Actions or Deeds) SANCHITA, PRARABDA and AGAMI (OR KRIYAMANA ). We saw that souls with mind integrated into them in a subtle manner take different bodies from beginningless time - all the time accumulating Vasanas - both good and bad. This total accumulation is called 'Sanchita karma'. This is like the opening balance in a Bank account at the time of birth of the current life.

A portion of this Sanchita karma' starts yielding results to be experienced by the soul in the current life. This is called 'Prarabda karma'. This can be said to represent a Bank withdrawal for current use. No force on earth can change this or its course. The Prarabda decides our parentage, sex, time and place of our birth, whether and if so, whom we are destined to marry, the length of our life span, the time and place of our death and even the manner of our death. In other words, it constitutes the limitations under which we are born and are destined to live and work. It determines the initial conditions under which this life has to be carried on. It contributes to our character and tendencies according to the Vasanas of our previous births - which have been brought into this life for being experienced. And, this is called 'fate'.( Incidentally, the word 'fate' is derived from the Latin 'fatum' which means ' a prophetic pronouncement' like the 'oracle')

While nothing can be done about 'Prarabda', the 'Sanchita Karma' can be modified by what is called the 'Agami karma' (i.e.) the future Karma a.k.a. Kriyamana karma (Oncoming or accruing) or 'Varthamana karma ( that which sets in motion) just as we can alter the Bank balance by deposit or withdrawal. Agami karma is entirely in our hands.

Every action and every thought of ours today contributes to this 'Agami karma'. It is for us to think and act in a way that our Agami Karma opens up a better future for us, if not in this life, certainly in our future lives.

While 'Prarabda Karma' regards initial conditions as determined, 'Agami Karma' determines the future as amenable to being conditioned. Human beings are not just mechanisms of instincts. The spiritual elements in man can help in trampling over the forces that try to enslave him.

In a game of cards, the cards are provided to us and we don't select them. But, with the cards provided we can play well or ill and as we play, we win or lose. There is freedom to play. Similarly, in the game of life, the cards based on past Karma are provided to us - we don't select them. But if we play our part well, and according to the rules, we can win; otherwise, we might lose. The freedom to play is present with equal validity in the game of life. Thus, Hinduism gives absolute freedom in the realm or thought while it enjoins a strict code of conduct.

Another analogy compares 'Sanchita' to grains harvested and stored in a granary, 'Prarabda' to that portion of it taken out for being husked and got ready for current consumption and 'Agami' to the grains germinated and set aside for being planted for future cultivation.

If 'fate' were to decide everything and man has no free will at all Sastras would not have taken pains to proclaim such commandments as 'Satyam Vada' - 'speak the truth', of 'Dharmam Chara' - 'Do your duty' etc., These commandments would be meaningless if we do not have the free will either to follow or flout them. That is why God waits until we have shown at least an iota of interest in him.

'Prarabda karma' no doubt commences our life with some initial conditions, enforce certain limitations on our mind, our intellect, our environment. But, for every subsequent action that we take, it is our own free will that is responsible and we mold our destinies ourselves. By his actions, man can to a certain extent direct his destiny. The acceptance of Prarabda is only an acceptance of the past - of what has gone already into our making.
Karma theory Says :-

Acknowledge the sins of your past lives; Acquire spiritual merit in the present life; Achieve the glory you deserve in your future life.

1.3 ICHA SAKTI, CHITTA SAKTI, KRIYA SAKTI
In order that the souls may discern the way to shape their future, God has provided them with 3 kinds of powers Icha Sakti, Chitta Sakti and Kriya (Or Pravritti) Sakti.

1.3.1.'ICHA SAKTI' is the power to desire - essentially the function of the mind (manas) - Desire for Life, Health, Wealth, Power, Sex, Food, Enjoyment etc. When the mind comes into contact with the 'Bhoga vishayas' (objects of enjoyment) it develops Icha or desire. Desire is not bad in itself. But, the objects of desire and the means to obtain them may not always be good. If they are good, it will lead to a chain of action that would create good Agami Karma and this would modify the Sanchita karma. If they are bad, it will lead to a different chain of action resulting in adverse 'Agami Karma' which in turn would affect adversely the Sanchita karma.

1.3.2 'CHITTA SAKTI' ( power of wisdom) This refers to the 'sixth sense' in human beings which differentiates them from beasts. This is also called 'Buddhi'( Intellect).. In common parlance it can be defined as the power to discriminate between good and evil (i.e.) Intellect as distinct from mind. The mind is subject to moods or Ahankara (Deceit) which blinds one's vision to right and wrong. The Chitta sakti is also assisted by conscience "Antahkarana" in weighing the pros and cons in any situation - whether good or bad. And, the Sastras provide the guidelines as to what constitutes good and what constitutes bad and helps in regulating conduct.

Mind is said to be a conglomeration of 4 faculties : MANAS: The receiving agent of all impressions coming through senses directly and may be called the 'antenna'. BUDDHI: Plays the role of sorting, sifting, analyzing and concluding. AHAMKARA or Ego which is the feeling of "I-ness" that which claims agency for every thought and deed.
CHITTHA: The 'subconscious' which stores up all impressions and keeps them ready for retrieval in action.

This Chitta is also called the 'little inner voice' as Gandhiji would put it. In other words, it is the manifestation of the 'Antaryami' -( the divine presence residing in the heart of every soul). It is this Chitta which definitely indicates what should be done and what not in given circumstances based on the analysis and conclusions provided by Buddhi.

Mind is a reservoir brimful with dirty Vasanas which cannot be wished or washed away or sublimated by waving a magic wand or ordered to vanish by crying 'Avaunt'. The only way to neutralize the toxic effects of its contents is by pouring in 'Vasanas' of the opposite kind (i.e.) pure, ennobling, elevating thoughts, words and deeds which alone can uplift and lead the soul on to the path of divine perception.

Mind is not a sinner by itself. It is a sinner on account of its Vasanas. Mind with the sense or ego (Self deceit) in him is a sinner. Rid of these impurities, the mind is divine.

Mind is said to have three tendencies:- First, it leaves the present and constantly dwells in the past or in the future.
Second, it desires to have something which is not available Third, once it gets what it desires, it develops a strong attachment to it and undergoes a syndrome of 'possession' and if it does not get it, it generates within itself a disappointment and consequent anger.

1.3.3 'KRIYA OR PRAVRITTI SAKTI':( Power of Action): That which allows a world of freedom to the soul either to accept or reject the dictates of conscience and proceed with action. If it decides to act according to the injunctions, such acts result in 'Punya'. If it decides to act against the injunctions such acts incur 'Papa', the consequences of which the soul has to suffer either in this life itself or in future lives.

When we buy, say, a computer or any gadget, they provide us with the User's Manual with a list of "Do's and Don'ts". If we follow the instructions, the gadgets work all right. If we do not, and misuse or abuse the gadgets, they might not work but might even explode causing damage. The Sastras are like the user's manual and our lives are like gadgets. It is upto us to save or ruin our lives by the proper or improper use of the Saktis endowed to us with reference to the Sastric codes of conduct.

A father gives his two sons one million each. And instructs them as to how to use the amount so that they can become billionaires and also cautions them how if they squander the capital, they will go down the drain. One follows the instructions and prospers; the other does just the opposite and ruins himself.

God in his infinite mercy has endowed us with a body, soul and intelligence and has provided us with the 'Do's and Don'ts through the Sastras which govern every conceivable situation in life, like the father mentioned above. Since the father is to be praised for the money and the advice he gave and cannot be blamed for the plight of the prodigal son which was his own making, the conduct or misdemeanor of individual soul rests with it and it will have to reap the consequences.

When a cow is tethered with a rope, it can graze whatever is within its reach. It cannot move beyond the limits imposed but is quite free to graze grass or poison ivy or weeds which may lie within its ambit. Assuming also, that it has the power to differentiate between the edible and the in-edible, it will be for it to choose and enjoy or suffer as per its choice. This is another analogy which explains the role of man in the day-to-day affairs and the overall supervision of God.

The more one understands and follows the Sastric injunctions, the sharper one's intellect would become and the movement towards God would be that quicker. It is here that ethics finds its place in religion where human effort at first appeared to be woefully inadequate.

Man has freedom to obey or disobey God. Fate is only an infinitesimally small segment that has been blown out of proportion. We are born with a particular parentage of Vasanas, in a particular environment, in a particular sex. Our fate influences our tendencies acquired through the past actions. (e.g.) If I am not able to resist smoking, it is because my system is tuned to the smoking habit. And every action has a reaction. - People continue to smoke knowing full well that it most certainly kills -because of habit. This is the VASANA theory.

Similarly, we come across the instance of a person convicted of counterfeiting currency, continued to discover means to procure infrastructure to use his 'know-how' in counterfeiting within his prison cell itself! This is the 'Vasana' which he has refused to shed in spite of the punishment. 'Once bitten' by a scorpion one becomes 'twice shy' and looks for scorpions in every nook and corner. One who finds a gold ring on the way, gets habituated to looking for a golden treasure all the way.

But, Fate does not act anything beyond conditioning tendencies. All else is in your hands in this life. You have total free will to turn to God or away from God. But if you do surrender to him wholeheartedly and unconditionally, He promises that he will take care of your "Yoga" and "Kshema"

"Those people who not being mindful of anything else, think of me and worship me well - the prosperity and welfare of those who are desirous of being ever united with me, I look after and carry on"3.

(To continue)