The workings of karma

[Arindam Banerjee]

> I believe, there is such a thing as velocity in economics that implies your purchase is so consequential that it multiplies manifold. Suppose you spend $10 on shoes made in India in USA. Your purchase pays for the shoe makers, shipping, power, sales people and so on. This is how I can understand karma. Thank you for the example. While there may not be a negative velocity, karma can be paapa or punya, right? It can be aagaami, sanchita, praarabda, etc. That's as scientific as it gets and beyond that it is a quagmire.

As I said, it is not a science. It is an evidential fact accepted by Hindus and Buddhist, who share this same approach to the moral basis of the universe. Science is about understanding facts on some objective basis. Karma is not objective. So it cannot be subjected to any scientific analysis

> > > This is not an exact science.
> > True, it is not science as understood; it is philosophy, from the Vedantas. It is a philosophical approach accepted by Hindus and Buddhists as the way to understand the cause of suffering, and how to evade it. The whole universe to Hindus and Buddhists thus runs on a moral basis. Karma from the examples of the Puranas extends to the Gods as well. So Lord Krishna too had to pay for his crime in His earlier incarnation as Rama. Rama had killed Bali, and for that bad karma Krishna too had to die in a similar fashion.
> The story of Lord Venkateswara of Tirupati has karmic dimension. Every avatar experienced karma. Actually can one say karma is experienced in martya lOka only? Is there karma in swarga? Guess not.

There is karma everywhere, even in the afterlife. Stay in Heaven or Hell is finite. Of course, some would say that mortal existence is Hell, it does not get worse. You come back as a low life form if you do bad. Incidentally the notion that their exacting bosses could turn up as their pigs or ducks after they died, or their ancestors were now pigs, rats, etc. appealed greatly to Chinese peasantry who took up Buddhism, much to the disgust of the Chinese elites.

> > > Yet people have been promoting it as a great law or principle for eons.
> > Indeed they have, in the East. So in the East they believe that the universe runs on moral lines; and betterment comes from morality. Which is why Indians are often surprised by the cool brutalities exhibited by the Western peoples, whose main creed is piracy. Grab all you can. They do not believe in karma. They believe in leading a good life, anyhow. Money is king. Power is good.
> I think, karma is one way to soften the impact. They say here 'you win some, lose some' or 'lost a battle, not the war', etc. Sometimes, like Russians, they might want to recapture something of the past by expending their karma. It is like cashing out of the market and purchasing an antic.
Bad karma was done to the Ukraine by the Holodomir, or mass starvation, in the Stalinist era. That effect lingers. The Soviets tried to make up, and Russians too, afterwards. But memories persisted leading to the Ukrainiains doing bad unto the Russians till they were invaded. Complex system, no end to it. Forgiveness works for good karma. Most do not forgive; they seek revenge.
> > > Do we have a better system? With blockchain technology we might get there.
> > Best of luck. I don't know what you are talking about. Hope you do.
> > The self-forgiving prostitute-driven Western styles suits many. Getting pleased by prostitutes, etc. is the way to go, as an alternative to leading a moral life they find boring.
> > > But for now we are stuck with this inexact, tedious, error-prone, non-linear system of assigning credit or blame.
> > Talk for yourself, not me. Karma works beautifully for me, as I have no vices nor intend any harm. I dedicate my works to the Gods and Goddesses, and They in turn give me what I need, in Their own way.
> Well said. A yOgi is supposed to have burnt up all sanchita karma, has no aagami karma and lives off praarabda karma. This is how bard Tyagaraja has been described by many of his music lovers. It is an elegant system even though antiquated and looks somewhat like barter trade.
I don't see it as a trade. I see it as a fact of existence, to set a positive attitude which when implemented socially has to lead to social good. It is an accounting system, not a trading system where there is no morality involved.
> > > If the creator didn't explain it -- just as the origin of the universe was left out in all religious texts--then how does He expect us to obey it?
> > What creator? If we are talking karma we are not talking Jewish mythology as presented in the Genesis.
> > Karma is about sanatana dharma (the way of eternity in time and space). No Jehovah-creator here.
> > So in the karmic paradigm:
> > Nobody will help us except ourselves from our own efforts, which could mean sincere repentance, good works, good behaviour, doing the right and brave thing.
> > The Gods and Goddesses are supernatural spirits Who will help us in such efforts (sadhana, tapasya).
> I could've said Brahman instead. The question is, when we don't understand something, how can we live up to it. One has to be aware of the pancha paapaas, vidura neeti, chaanakya neeti, manu saastra, etc. to steer clear off bad karma. This is
> all easy if all one does is sit under an apple tree and meditate day and night. For someone like Ramana maharshi this will work. For a samsari like you, I presume, this is not so linear. You may still need to be answerable for some of your karma.

When you don't understand anything, pray. If you are a theist, you will get your answer. That is how it works for me.
I am not sure if meditating day and night is good karma. One may call it escapism, or laziness.
My notion of karma helps me beautifully when I follow the examples from the Puranas, the Vedas and the Upanishads, expressed in our epics and works and ways of great Indian men.
I could give examples, but never mind.
Point is, I get the results of the good karma I have done, when I dedicate my karma to the Mahadevi.

> > > Oh, you say, that is simple....just follow dharma and use your intelligence.
> > Oh, absolutely. Do your dharma intelligently. Then life is one long dream leading to Heaven.
> > > What about young kids suffering from terminal illness and aborted fetuses?
> > In a proper karmic environment as in the fabled satyayuga bad things simply cannot happen. We have high technology, high compassion, great quality control, fantastic education, superb morality, as we are 100% good. That is the state to which all should aspire. When realized souls understand the Puranas, Vedas and Vedantas as they meant to Indians 10000+ years ago, there will be no more miseries. People will live long, to 400 years, leading a joyous and fulfilled life.
> > In the meantime bad things will happen, yes. That is sad. It comes from ignorance and greed, pride and stupidity. This is kaliyuga - at best people are only 25% good. But, the glow of satyayuga could be rekindled if only at the individual level to start with.
> When a foetus is formed, according to bhAgavata, it starts repenting for its past karma and makes resolutions to live like a Satyayugi. It grows as it suffers in the womb contaminated with refuse of the mother. Almost every guru says the time spent in the womb with suffocation is something to regret and should inspire us to turn into mumukshus. At the same time, no one remembers anything about the womb. So what is that the gurus are selling?

Gurus are not bunny-ahs, we are not talking about Americans are we. Gurus do not sell, they grant; - out of love for their junior. "Pyar mein sauda naheeN". No bargaining in love. My Gurudev did not sell me anything, did not take anything, just granted me my diksha (lesson for direction) non-verbally when I was an infant. The payment He got was respect of the highest kind from myself.