Dialogue with Guru
Karma and the science of its Result
No matter how much so ever a man performs tapa (austerity), japa (recitation of mantras), dhyana (meditation), yajna (sacrifice) or donate generously, he can never escape the repercussions of his actions. He has to experience the results of actions; but he who has burnt (destroyed) his klesas (afflictions) by realisation of God, does not have to further undergo the consequences of his actions. One has to undergo the results of not only physical or mental actions, but also has to face the consequences of his oral actions as well. Here, is an illustration-El Once the king of a princely state invited certain brahmanas for a feast. When the royal cook was preparing kheer (a rice pudding sweet dish) a few drops of poison fell from the mouth of a snake that was struggling to escape the eagle that had caught it in its beak and was flying overhead at that time. Upon consuming the poisoned kheer, all the brahmins died. Now, the big question is- Who was responsible for the death of the brahmanas! Who was guilty? Neither the king, nor the cook, nor the snake, nor the eagle was responsible beacause everybody was acting according to their respective dharma. Dharmaraja (Yama: the God of death according to Hindu mythology) faced a big dilemma over finding the real culprit responsible for this incident.
Few days later, some travelling brahmanas visited the same king's kingdom for sight-seeing. They made inquiries about the king. "Oh! that king is very cruel, he kills the brahmanas who come on invitation by mixing poison in kheer", a person answered in response to their queries. Dharmaraja quickly understood the mentality of that person and he laid down the responsibility of the entire incident on that person. Thus, this person suffered the consequences of his oral actions though he was not guilty.
Yajna has great significance. Every action of our's should be done with the spirit of yajna. Actions without the spirit of yajna become cause for bondages, hence man should perform his actions in the spirit of yajna without any sort of attachment. Yajn ar that kama no anya tr alokoay am karmabandhanah. Tadartham karma kaunteya muktasangah samacarah. (S rim a db ha gvadgi ta -3.9) Nobody can transfer the result of his actions to another person. No doubt, one can give happiness and sorrow to any other person based on the result and effect of his actions, but here too, ultimately, God will do justice to the victim and the person responsible for giving happiness or sorrow will develop his own karmasaya (deposit of subliminal impressions of action), the result of which he will get in the future.
The results of actions are mainly decided by the God, but in order to maintain decorum in the family, society and nation punishments are also meted out by parents, teachers, the police, judges or the king. A person can himself achieve the results of some of his actions. God has made this arrangement and given such directions. There is no inequity in the practice of this dharma which is of the nature of karma yoga. Practice of even a little of this dharma will grant freedom from the biggest of fears, as is stated below: N eh ab hi kr am ana so as ti pratyavayo na vidyate. svalpampyasya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. (S rim a db ha gvadgi ta -2.40) The doer of every actions jivatma (soul). Mind, senses and physical body are all insentient and are only the means of actions.
The results of evil actions can never be destroyed or diminished by donations, offerings, oblations, worship, service, recitation, austerity, pilgrimage or meditation. One can never escape the consequences of one's evil actions by the performance of Prayascitta (expiation). But, the samskara (mental impression) of the same can definitely be mitigated, which stops the tendency of repeating the same evil actions in the future. Usually, joy and sorrows experienced by a person are mainly due to his own actions, but one does undergo them as a result of outcome and effect of actions done by others as well.
The spontaneous reaction just after doing an action is the immediate consequence of that action. The impact of physical or mental happiness or sorrow, fear, stress, etc., on self and others after knowing the result or outcome of any action is called as the effect of the action. The lawful dispensation of joy or sorrow or the expedients of happiness or afflictions by God, to the doer as per his good or evil actions, is the result of an action. Doers of evil actions may acquire all possible materialistic wealth, but ultimately, they would never be happy. It is a misconception to consider them as joyous even for the present moment.
The sorrows and difficulties experienced by pious persons are not the outcome of the holy actions performed by them; rather are the troubles, pains given by the ignorant, selfish and unlawful people of the society and state. Normally the results of the good or bad actions done by a person are more, where as the outcome of actions done by influencing other is moderate. The outcome of support to the good or bad actions of other is relatively less, but in exceptional situations, the support to such actions of others may give greater results even if it is not done by the very person.
In most situations the outcome of mental actions is less in comparison to the verbal actions which is lesser than those of the physical actions, but in some specific situations this order is reversed and the results of mental actions multiplies in comparison to the verbal ones, which in turn becomes greater than physical actions. Noble and evil actions though performed in equal numbers do not nullify their results. The principle of plus-minus is not applicable to the vedic system of karmaphala (consequences of actions). The punishment for theft of one rupee is not diminished even with a donation of one lakh rupees.