Karma (Action and Deeds)

All of us, without exception, are curious to know what the future holds for us. This is so because we believe that the events in our lives are predestined. But who predestined. But who preordained our futures God or the planets or our ancestors? Vedic scripture trill us that it is none of these; it is we ourselves. Our destines are self-made, shaped by our past Karma (actions and deeds). 

The principle of cause and effect applied to human life is nature’s law of Karma. Man’s present life, which includes his physical features, place and family of birth, success and failures, affluence and poverty, happiness and sorrow, is the direct result of what he has done in his past lives –(As you sow, so shall you reap).

How do we know there is such a law? When some undeserving persons get favorable results and deserving people get unfavorable results; when good things come the way of evil persons while bad things happen to good people, we conveniently attribute such happenings to good and bad luck.

But how does one explain inequalities at birth? When one child is born healthy, intelligent and into an affluent family, while another is born diseased, mentally retarded and to poor parents? Inequalities at birth are incompatible with an all-powerful, all-loving, all-benevolent and all-just God. Should not God provide everyone a level playing field to start life with? Why then are there such glaring discrepancies? Because, say the Shastras, upon birth one inherits, along with his good or bad look and color of skin, the consequences of his God and bad past deeds.

Reincarnation is central to the karma doctrine. If a person is born blind, it must be due to something before his birth, which means previous lives. Karma provides lives. Karma provides us with the only rational explanation for our plight in this world.

The law of karma is strict, uncompromising and relentless, and as precise and impartial as other natural laws of, say, gravity and motion. Even the Devas (demigods) cannot do anything to alter Karma’s Mata Parvati once asked her consort Lord Shiva to help a destitute devotee of his, who was unable to even sustain in himself. Lord Shiva said that it was impossible. But Mata Parvati insisted, saying that nothing was impossible for him. To prove it Lord Shiva placed some gold coins directly in the devotee’s path. However, as the devotee was approaching the gold pieces, he chanced to close his eyes and missed the gold!