KARMARAHASYA
OR
SECRET OF ACTION


One of the most important, basic canons of Indian philosophy is the Law of Karma. It is also perhaps one of the most misinterpreted of concepts. The Bhagvadgita says, “GAHANA KARMANO GATIH”, meaning it is difficult to understand what Karma really is. Some think it is superstition based, while others maintain it leads to fatalism, passivity, even pessimism and hence to lack of motivation. They assert that the reason for India not occupying place of pride amongst the developed nations of the world is the fatalistic attitude fostered by the Law of Karma, which they further emphasize, is irrelevant in the modern world of science and technology. If properly understood however, the law is the best means to explain variety in creation. It also serves as the most ingenious way to make a person accountable for his lot and assume total responsibility for it. One can realize that one is the architect of one’s own life - make it or mar it.

This article explores the law of karma as well as the types of karma in the light of Bhagavadgita

Rationale for the Law of Karma

Law of Karma is the Law of Causation: every effect must have a cause and every cause must produce an effect. Also cause and effect are inherent in each other. Hen is potentially in the egg which comes from hen, as much as a tree produces seed which in turn has the potential to give rise to tree provided certain conditions are fulfilled. Thus there is a cyclic continuum of cause-effect-cause. I perform an action (cause) that produces result (effect) which is the cause of yet another effect. In Sanskrit the word Karma aptly applies both to action and its result (KARMAPHALA- the fruit of action).

Universal Order

Some say that the universe is chaotic. If we observe the universe intelligently, in its totality, we see that underneath the apparent chaos, there is an order that renders predictability to most of the universal phenomena. There are, of course, cataclysmic events like the earthquake which can be studied but their occurrence cannot be predicted with certainty. The laws that govern the universe have a certain inevitability and immutability about them. They are impersonal and apply equally to all the living and non living beings. Take the Law of Gravitation, for example, which states that an object, unsupported, will be pulled to the centre of the earth at a constant rate of acceleration (32ft per sec per sec). If a person throws himself out of the window of her house they will fall down to mother earth- whether the person is a prime minister of India, a great physicist, a monkey or a saint is immaterial. The law applies equally to all of them. But having understood the law we have been able to predict the movement of heavenly bodies, occurrence of eclipses, meteors, comets etc. We are able to send man to the moon and possibly to other planets in not far distant future. It is these immutable universal laws that sustain the Order or different orders within it. Thus we have physical order sustained by the laws of physics. Similarly we have physiological, biological, psychological and other orders. It is this orderliness that enables various discoveries and breakthroughs to be made in various scientific fields within the different orders. There is also an ethical order that applies equally to entire humanity. No one wants to be taken for granted, taken advantage of or hurt. I do not want that anyone should hurt me. I must remember this while dealing with others that they also do not want to be hurt, taken advantage of. That is Dharma. These universal laws are a manifestation of the ultimate reality on a physical level. Law of Karma, which is a law of causation, operates on a subtler level.

Dharma

Irrevocably linked to the law of Karma are the concepts of Dharma, concept of right and wrong, and the concept of rebirth which need to be understood. Dharma is commonly, perhaps mistakenly, known as religion. Thus we have Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity etc. which are sectarian, following a particular faith, Godhead - Theo - or a prophet (e.g. Islam, Jainism and Buddhism) or a Guru (Sikhism). These sects typically believe in an entity- god, prophet etc. and have relevant literature, scriptures, folklore, which fundamentally is autocratic, degenerating into strictly ritualistic and fanatical form. Dharma, however, has a more comprehensive meaning. The Sanskrit word derives from the verbal root ‘dhr’ and means that which holds or sustains. Dharma should therefore sustain through the universal application of its spiritualistic, as opposed to ritualistic content, the whole of humanity and not a particular section subscribing to a particular faith and following a particular godhead, prophet or guru. Dharma may be defined as a set of laws that regulate and maintain the order of the entire universe including inanimate and animate beings. The set includes the natural and manmade laws. The natural laws regulating the universal order represent the Reality and therefore the real Dharma; man made laws have a lower order of reality and are for maintenance of social order. Religion, on the other hand, is a particular way or style of living one’s life to know Dharma, the reality. Vaidika dharma (Hinduism) subscribing to the Vedas culminating into VEDANTA (literally, ‘end of the Vedas’), in its essence, applies to whole of humanity. It recognizes the universal order and other orders within it as explained above. The ritualistic part (Karma Kanda) of the Vedas conforms to our definition of religion in that it enjoins certain religious disciplines, which, if adhered to in spirit and action prepare man by purification of body and mind to understand the Reality (Dharma) unfolded in the Vedanta. The Reality in Vedanta is non-dual consciousness. The different names and forms, order and apparent disorder are but the manifestations of this consciousness.

Responsibility of Humans

Whatever actions are in keeping with the maintenance of the order are within Dharma otherwise they are opposed to Dharma. The inanimate objects are subject to the physical laws only. Fire cannot but burn, water cannot but wet. So one can say that burning and wetting is the Dharma of fire and water respectively. Similar is the case for plant and animal life. Their awareness is limited and their behaviour is strictly in accordance with the pre programming built into them. Thus we do not have a non vegetarian cow nor do we see a vegetarian tiger. Hence whatever they do for their survival is in keeping with Order. Nobody can punish a tiger for killing a deer for its food. For humans, however, things are different. There is a beautiful verse in Sanskrit that differentiates between animals and humans:

“AAHAAR NIDRA BHAYA MAITHUNANCHA
SAAMAANYAMETAT PASHUBHIRNARAANAAM
DHARMO HI TESHAAMADHIKO VISHESHO
DHARMENA HINAH PASHUBHISSAMAANAH”

It says eating, sleep, fear, sex pleasures are common to both animals and humans; the one factor distinguishing them is Dharma; one who is devoid of Dharma is equivalent to an animal.

Man as compared to animals, is endowed with a privilege to will and faculty of discrimination and choice. Therefore he is expected to be more responsible and mature in the choice of his actions. He may willfully follow Dharma or choose to do otherwise depending on the value he attaches to the fulfillment of his will or act within the bounds of Dharma even though by doing so accomplishment of his will may be in jeopardy. He may also desire for something that may be forbidden, being against the Order and perform acts outside the Dharma. As we have seen earlier, every action must produce result -consequences. The result is of two types: seen - Drishta and unseen – Adrishta. Seen result is generally immediate and tangible. Unseen result is usually in future and is subtle or intangible. When one acts within the precincts of Dharma, reaches out and serves others without selfish ends in view, one attains merit or Punya, otherwise one gets Papa or demerit. One may experience consequences of accrual of Papa or Punya in this life itself or in other births. But experience one will since the consequences of our actions as Papa and/or Punya follow us as our shadows. One English poet writes:

“…. And our acts our angles are
Or good or ill,
The fleeting shadows
That walk by us still”

Punyam gives benefic whereas Papam gives malefic experiences. Punyam bestows joy, luxuries etc. while Papam results in sorrow, pain etc.

As per Vedic – Hindu – Dharma our birth itself is attributed to our Karma. An explanation in brief, how that comes about is as follows:

While leading our lives we perform various acts or commit omissions. While performing action we generate the consequences, which, depending on the factors concomitant to the commission of action may produce unseen results accruing Punya or Papa or a mixture in various proportions of both. Similarly for omissions to perform mandatory action we accrue Papam. There is a continual tally of such Punyam and Papa through various acts or omissions throughout one’s life. This accumulation of Karma is known as SANCHITA KARMA in Sanskrit. Since the accumulation is continuous over a period of time, a composite of Karma containing both Punya and Papa mature for experience at different times even as fixed deposits in a bank mature on different dates depending on commence date and tenure of the deposits. Various permutations of Papa and Punya maturing at a given time are possible. Any particular combination determines the type of body the soul gets born into. If your accumulated Karma maturing at a given time has predominance of Papa you get born in a lower order of non human species - earth bound, water bound or amphibious creatures, plant life etc. A human birth with a healthy body and mind without any defect or disease is rare and that with an evolved mind and spirit is rarer still. Birth in human form calls for Karma of a very high order. Because of the faculty of choice, human being has an opportunity to improve own lot in present birth and in the next by choice of pious deeds etc. and conversely to slip lower down. Consequently one may be born as a more evolved person in the next birth or end up as a crab on the dinner plate of a tourist on board an airliner. The choice is entirely one’s own. The earlier part of the Vedas known as Karma Kanda (Kanda means section in Sanskrit), shows us the way for better life here and hereafter while Vedanta imparts the knowledge to cut the fetters of Karma once and for all and liberates us from the continuous cycle of birth and death, here and now.

Types of Karma

Thus we see that the Karma doctrine is logical and explains rationally the variety in creation and differences amongst and within species. It also makes human beings accountable and responsible

for their destiny so to say. Hence the Bhagvadgita says:

“KARMANO HYAPI BODDHAVYAM BODDHAVYAM CHA VIKARMANAH
AKARMANASHCHA BODDHAVYAM GAHANA KARMANO GATIH”
(BG IV/17)

“One must understand clearly what constitutes Karma, one must also understand what Vikarma – prohibited action- is and one must also understand what Akarma – inaction is. Difficult indeed is to gain clear understanding regarding Karma”

Karma as we have seen above connotes both action and its result. Generally Karma is performed with some intention to get some desired result for oneself. Such desire based - ‘Kamya’ - Karma creates bondage for the doer and is the cause of birth as we have already seen, the type of body depending on combination of various Papa and Punya maturing at the given time. Let us now see what Vikarma and Akarma mean.

Vikarma means prohibited action, an action that is not in keeping with the injunctions of the Vedas or one that is not done in accord with the laid down procedures. Such Karma obviously is to be avoided since it will bring malefic results to the doer.

Most important is the understanding of Akarma. The word is formed by prefixing a negative particle to the word Karma and means non work. But non work does not mean not doing any work or sitting idle or abstaining from work. It is not possible for any person not to perform any work. The very life depends on various kinds of voluntary and involuntary activities. Lord Krishna says in the third chapter of the Bhagvadgita:

“NA HI KASHCHIT KSHANAMAPI JATU TISHTHATYAKARMAKRT
KARYATE HYAVASHAH KARMA SARVAH PRAKRTIJAIRGUNAIH”
(BG III/5)

“Surely none can ever remain inactive even for a moment; for everyone is helplessly driven to action by qualities born out of nature”. Also:

“NAHI DEHABHRTAAM SHAKYAM TYAKTUM KARMAANI ASHESHATAH”
(BG XVIII/11)

“Indeed it is not possible for anyone to give up all actions in their entirety”.

And again:

“NIYATAM KURU KARMA TWAM KARMA JYAYO HYAKARMANAH
SHAREERA YAATRAAPI CHA TE NA PRASIDHYEDAKARMANAH”
(BG III/8)

“Perform your allotted duties; for action is superior to inaction. Desisting from action, you cannot even maintain your body.”

So what does Akarma- inaction really mean? Lord Krishna defines it in the 4th chapter of the



Bhagvadgita:

“KARMNYAKARMA YAH PASHYEDAKARMANI CHA KARMA YAH
SA BUDDHIMANMANUSHESHU SA YUKTAH KRTSNAKARMAKRT”
(BG IV/18)

“He who sees inaction in action and action in inaction is wise among human beings. He is integrated and has finished all actions”. (That means such a person has attained to non action and is not bound though physically involved in action since he does not have the thought ‘I am doing this or I am not doing this’ i.e. the sense of doership.)

This is apparently a rather cryptic perhaps epigrammatic and confusing statement, to say the least. To understand it one must ponder over it. Can one see-understand- inaction in action? Let us see a few examples. A spinning wheel or a rotating top appears stationary to an observer although it is rotating at a great speed. This is inaction in action. We see the sun moving from East to West every day although we know as a scientific fact that it is stationary with respect to Earth. This is action in inaction. But how do we see inaction while we are engaged in all kinds of actions?

We have seen above what Karma- action- is. For any action there is a performer or doer of that action. This is true even of the so called automatic actions. The automat has to be turned on or put into operation by a conscious being who becomes the doer or agent of action. When the doer has AHANKARA- thinking that I am doing this- then he or she also has a vested interest in the result in the same way as one expects the returns on one’s fixed deposits placed with a bank. Such vested interest creates bondage and is the cause for birth as we have seen above. Even when one abstains from action one has this ‘doership’ i.e. the sense of being the author of Karma. Hence willfully abstaining from action with the ego ‘I am not doing this’ also falls under the category of action. Thus when I abstain from action and feel that I am not doing anything it does not qualify as inaction. If Karma is unavoidable in life how can one attain Akarma and avoid the bondage? Lord Krishna says:

“PRAKRTEH KRIYAMAANAANI GUNAIH KARMAANI SARVASHAH
AHANKARVIMOODHATMAA KARTAAHAMITI MANYATE”
“TATWAVITTU MAHAABAAHO GUNAKARMAVIBHAAGAYOH
GUNAA GUNESHU VARTANTE ITI MATWA NA SAJJATE”
(BG III/27-28)

“All actions are done at the body level. The person who is deluded by ego thinks: ‘I am the doer’. The person who has insight into reality knows that it is the GUNAS i.e. the sense organs, mind etc. that move among the objects of perception and does not get attached to them”

AKARMA therefore is action that takes place without a ‘Karta’ or doer. The verses from chapter 3 of Bhagvadgita (verses 27-28) quoted above say that for the one, who understands, the action takes place at the body-mind-intellect level and he does not think he does any action (NAIVA KINCHITKAROMITI YUKTO MANYETA TATVAVIT) and therefore does not get bound by its consequences.






Karma Yoga


Lord Krishna again says in the Gita:

“YATKAROSHI YADASHNAASI YAJJUHOSHI DADASI YAT
YATTAPASYASI KAUNTEYA TATKURUSHWA MADARPANAM”
(BG IX/27)

“Arjuna, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation into the sacred fire, whatever you bestow as a gift, whatever you do by way of penance, offer it all to me”

“SWE SWE KARMANYABHIRATAH SAMSIDDHIM LABHATE NARAH
SWAKARMANIRATAH SIDDHIM YATHAA VINDATI TATSHRUNU”
“YATAH PRAVRTIRBHUTAANAAM YENA SARVAMIDAM TATAM
SWAKARMANAA TAMABHYARCHYA SIDDHIM VINDATI MANAVAH”
(BG XVIII/45-46)

“Devotedly performing own natural duty man attains the absolute. Listen how by performing own duty a person attains that absolute success. The person attains the highest by worshipping through own duty, Him from whom the whole creation has come about and is pervaded”.

Action performed with this attitude of surrender to the Lord is known as KARMAYOGA.

Conclusion

In this article an attempt has been made to make a rational case for the Law of Karma. We have also seen what, according to Bhagvadgita, the types of karma are. There is Karma, there is Vikarma and there is Akarma. Karma that is performed disinterestedly i.e. selflessly, without the sense of authorship is Akarma. A person who does such Karma is said to be a Karmayogi, the person who practises Karmayoga.