Karma principle

This whole universe works on Karma principle. The creation also is based on collective karma (samisti karma). if we suffer from certain physical or mental pain, we have to understand that this is the result of our own past actions. These actions could be from current life or from past lives. We can find faults in other people for our problems but in reality this is a consequence of our own past karma. If we blame other people then we are committing another sin. That's why we have to understand the principle of Karma and put this into action also. Here we can remind ourselves one of the important verses in Bhagavadgita.

Karmanyevaadhikaarasthe maa phaleshu kadaachana!
Maa karma phalheturbhuh maa te sangostva karmani!!

Our right is to work only; but never to the fruits; let not the fruit of action be thy motive or attachment to inaction. 

We have to first understand how the law of Karma works. 
The laws of karma dictate all our actions and results. These laws are universal and fundamental, they do not change from person to person. They do not change from situation to situation.

Link between Karma and results: 
No one else is responsible for our status. Our past karmas determine our status. Every action will yield corresponding good or bad results based on our actions. But the intensity will change based on how well this action performed and with what intention it was done. This is true in any circumstance. These actions will not only give us the consequences but create some impressions. These impressions will lead to more future lives (Janmas). we need to have ideal conditions if we need to go through a result from certain past karma. We might say why good people go through so many difficulties? But these consequences are from past lives.

For every action, there will be proportionate and appropriate results. 
The results of an action (karma) could be visible or invisible. 

For some of the actions there will be a visible consequence and an invisible consequence which cannot be understood by the mind. The outward consequence could be because of out right action. But the invisible result is because of our intention.

A robber cuts a person with a knife and a doctor cuts a patient for an operation. In both cases the cutting is there but the intentions are different. So consequences are also different.

Sometimes we do not even realize that we are doing some thing wrong through our actions. When we eat our food, we are also part of certain sins that are called "Panchasoonas". In the process of obtaining these food items, people have caused harm to so many living beings. So who is going to bear the consequence of these actions?This is part of our samisti karma (collective action).

How do we perform our actions? 
These karmas need to be based on our scriptures. If we do not know what our scriptures say, then who is going rescue us? We got used to doing so many things because other people in the society are doing. We developed a thought process and started rationalizing, justifying our bad actions. Lord Krishna reiterated that we need to perform our actions through Karma Yoga.

Lord Krishna asked Arjuna to fight in the war. This fight should not be for revenge or for kingdom but mainly to preserve Dharma. Then this fight becomes karma yoga. In a similar way in our daily life we have to perform every action with the similar intention. A school teacher may get salary for teaching kids but if his intentions are to make these kids useful to the society, then this action becomes Karma Yoga. This applies to all the parents also. We have to question why we are educating our kids? They need to be a productive part of the society. This gives mental peace instead of imbalance in life.


We may not be able to change the results of an action or action itself once we perform that action. Once we click that send button in the computer that E-mail will reach the other person. If we have to correct this mail we have to send another mail that means doing another action. The solution is to use our Buddhi (Intellect)before we perform any action. This is like computer asking us second time before we click that delete button.

If we mistreated someone and said sorry immediately. Here we have to go through the consequence of first action that is "mistreating". But the second action saying sorry and realizing that we made a mistake, will give us the strength to endure the pain caused by first action or the intensity will be less. Sometimes we can detect some illness in the beginning stage and this will make us suffer less. This is the Fairy-tale of karma theory.

Points to be learned from above verse:

We have to perform our actions through karma yoga.

We cannot resort to inaction but we have to do these actions based on our scriptures. 

We have the right to do an action but not on the result. 

We have to perform our actions with duty oriented attitude. 

OM SRI SAI RAM!