Shri Krishna Loves You: The theory of karma

 

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|| जय श्री कृष्ण ||

 

॥ श्रीमद्‍भगवद्‍गीता ॥ 18.12॥

 

_अनिष्टमिष्टं मिश्रं च त्रिविधं कर्मणः फलम्‌ ।_

_भवत्यत्यागिनां प्रेत्य न तु सन्न्यासिनां क्वचित्‌ ॥_

 

भावार्थ :

कर्मफल का त्याग न करने वाले मनुष्यों के कर्मों का तो अच्छा, बुरा और मिला हुआ- ऐसे तीन प्रकार का फल मरने के पश्चात अवश्य होता है, किन्तु कर्मफल का त्याग कर देने वाले मनुष्यों के कर्मों का फल किसी काल में भी नहीं होता (कर्मों के होने में सांख्यसिद्धांत का कथन)॥१२॥

Meaning:

The three fold fruit of action, undesirable, desirable and mixed, goes after death to the atyaagees, but never to the sanyaasis.

 

Explanation:

Shri Krishna elaborates on the theory of karma in this chapter. Every action has a reaction, and this reaction is also known as the phala, result or fruit of the action. When we cross the road to catch a bus, we could get one of three results. We could catch the bus, we could miss the bus, or we could get into a packed bus with no room for seating. The result could be desirable, undesirable or mixed. This is a law of the universe, no different than the law of gravity. The fruit always comes to the performer of the action, with the same certainty as the bill collector comes to collect a debt, per the words of Sant Jnyaneshwar.

Any fruit that is found in nature contains seeds. These seeds can create trees that can generate many more fruits. Similary, every fruit that results from an action has the potential to create innumerable desires that result in even more actions. This infinite chain of action, reaction, fruit, desire and action is nothing but bondage or samsaara. One who is an atyaagi, one who has not given up attachment to fruits of action, is bound in this chain. By practicing karmayoga, by giving up attachment to the fruit of action, we can break this chain.

Now, let us proceed to the next phase of karma yoga. As long as we hold the notion that we are performing all actions, we cannot proceed further in the journey of a seeker. Performance of action is falsely superimposed on the eternal essence which is beyond all action, beyond all change. The second chapter made it very clear that there can be no change in the aatmaa, the eternal essence. Unless we fully internalize the notion that our "I", our self does not perform action, we will remain entrenched in samsaara. Shri Krishna says that only a sanyaasi, only one who sees that Prakriti really performs actions, can destroy current, past and future fruits of action. This topic is elaborated in the following shlokas.

Chant the mantra you have faith in

Hare Krishna

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is composed of three Sanskrit words, which are “Hare”, “Krishna” and “Rama”. According to the scriptures “Obstruction or problem can’t come into their lives, who do chant this mantra continuously”. The Great Mantra is:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण , कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे |

हरे राम हरे राम , राम राम हरे हरे ||