Harish Chandra's article in Vedoday2050 January 2011
Vedoday2050
Since March 2010, we have been discussing the faculty of knowledge within the three-dimensional human pursuits, called Prasthana-Trayi (Jnana, Karma and Upasana – Knowledge, Karma and Communion with God). The preceding article last month concluded our discussion on Jnana (knowledge). Now we begin discussion on Karma. Vedas tell us that humans are in karma-yoni whereas all other species are in bhoga-yoni (species undergoing the rewards of their karma that they performed in their human life). Now the question arises - is it not that only humans perform karma and other speicies don't perform karma? The answer to this question requires a deeper understanding of the Vedic philosophy of karma. This will be attempted in the next few articles devoted to karma.
Let us attempt a preliminary answer to the above question. Our answer is no. That is, we humans perform karma in our day to day life and so do other species. We have the organs for action (karmendriya for manipulation, locomotion, speech, procreation and excretion - hasta, pada vak, upastha and payuh) and so do other species. Our activation of these organs result in karma as they do. However, this is a superficial answer though not an incorrect one. A more truthful answer to the above question is yes. Indeed, we humans alone perform karma and other species don't. In deciphering this answer, some maturity is required to interpret the word 'karma'. The present article attempts to do so.
We humans perform two types of karma. The first one are trivial ones - the ones performed by animals too. The first type includes - gathering, preparation and consumption of food; sleep; procreation and rearing of children; other acts of survival, etc. This is where we humans and other species exhibit a great deal of commonalities though we may do certain things in a more sophisticated and aristocratic manner. For instance, we may consume elaborate dishes, eat at a grand dining table with silver utensils and cutlery and so on. however, the entire exercise falls within "consumption of food" and doesn't differentiate us from other species though the latter may be doing so in a simplified manner.
We are different from the species in a marked manner where we exhibit a great deal of freedom. For example, we humans may eat meat or refreain from meat consumption. Animals don't have this freedom. No cow will ever eat meat and no lion will ever refrain from meat consumption. They are designed to be so and will ever remain so. However, we humans are born with this freedom. Some of us choose to eat meat and some of us hate to eat meat. Those who eat meat have consciously chosen to do so and is "their karma".
Henceforth, in the next few articles we will use the concept of karma for the understanding of the second type of karma - that are not trivial ones. In that respect, we are karma-yoni whereas other species are merely living in a programmed manner as bhoga-yoni.
- Harish Chandra
B. Tech. (IIT Kanpur)
Ph. D. (Princeton, USA)