Dr Harish Chandra's article in Vedoday2050 - February 2011
Vedoday2050
No Getting Away from Karma
Last month we discussed that human beings are uniquely different from all other species that we may perform certain karma that are different from the trivial ones that are merely for survival and reproduction. Hence, we are called karma-yoni whereas other species are in bhoga-yoni.
Yajurveda (40.2) describes the Vedic philosophy of karma in all its aspects:
Kurvan-neveha karmani jijivisecchatam samah
Evam tvayi na-anyatheto-sti na karma lipyate nare.
The present article will elaborate on a unique feature of human beings that we are destined to perform karma every moment - evam tvayi naanyatheto-sti. There is no other way but to perform karma. It may sound contradictory to some readers: On the one hand we say that we perform trivial and non-trivial karma when the former are not to be treated quite as karma. And, on the other hand Yajur-Veda (40.2) says that there is no way but to perform karma every moment. This raises a question: If our trivial functions having overlap with other species are not quite in the definition of karma then how is it that we perform karma every moment?
The message of Yajur-Veda (40.2) needs to be understood as follows. We are equipped with the wonderful assets body and mind to perform karma. How we utilize these assets every moment is our conscious decision making and is to be viewed as our choice of karma. It's obvious that we need to function with regard to the trivial karma related to our survival and progeny. All such functions are valid but they are in the nature of 'means'. We must rise beyond the means and towards the end - the end being the non-trivial karma. That too can be positive or negative in nature. If we help others then our karma is positive and if we harm others then they are negative.
Let's understand with an example. Suppose I am driving and I see that somebody has fallen from his bicycle and is hurt. Now I have broadly three options:
1. I call an ambulance or take him to a hospital (kartum)
2. I approach him and take away his watch, money and other valuables because he cannot protect himself being injured (anyatha kartum), and
3. I ignore the accident as if nothing has happened and mind my own business
It's obvious that the first choice is a positive karma whereas the second one is a negative karma. Many people tend to believe that the third choice is a valid and safe choice when we don't get involved in too many things. However, the present mantra says that the third choice will also be treated as a karma even though it looks like 'doing nothing' because it's a conscious choice I have exercised to ignore the accident. In other words, how do I use (or don't use) my body and mind becomes my karma. That's the reason for the title - there's no way I can get away from karma.
In brief, every opportunity needs to be utilized by us. We must rise from trivial functions and utilize our body and mind to be engaged in loftier karma. Every moment comes with an opportunity when we can participate harmoniously with God's functions and become a small link in His design.
- Harish Chandra
B. Tech. (IIT Kanpur)
Ph. D. (Princeton, USA)