Tag: Karma

Bhagvad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 47

Action alone is in your control
Not the results ever
Let not the fruit of action be your motive
Nor should you keep company of inaction

———

KARMANYEVA ADHIKAARASTE
Action alone is in your control

कर्मण्य/Karmanya = In the work
एव/Eva = Only
अधिकार/Adhikar = Right / Control
ते/Te = Your

MAA PHALESHU KADAACHANA
Not the results ever

मा/Ma = No/Not
फलेषु/Phaleshu = In the fruit/result (the root word is “फल”/”Phal” here, means, “fruit of work”)
कदाचन/Kadachana = Ever

MAA KARMA PHALA HETUR BHUR:
Let not your motive be the fruit of action

मा/Ma = No/Not
कर्मफल/Karmaphala = Two words, Karma+Phala, कर्म/Karma = work and फल/phala = result or fruit of the work.
हेतु /हेतु = Here it means “motive” (the word “hetu” may mean “reason” too)
भु /bhu = be

MAA TE SANGOSTVAKARMANI:
Nor should you keep company of inaction

मा/Ma = No/Not
ते/Te = Your
संग /Sang =attachment (this word may mean “companion too”, like “satsang”)
अस्तु /Astu = Let there be
अकर्मणि /Akarmani = In action

———–

Example:

The duty of a student is to study. The result of studies could be obtaining good marks. But a student must not study just for the sake of passing his exams. When he studies, he learns. Whether he passes or fails he should not be too happy or too sad about it.

If ever a student studies for the sole purpose of passing his exams, in the end he has not learned anything even if he has passed. But if he studies because he considers learning and studying as his duty, he won’t even need to be worried whether he will pass or fail. And such a student as we have always seen they are most likely to pass their exams, unless they are not able to appear for it for some reason. But still he should not be sad about it. Why? Because the most important is at least he performed his duty well.

Similarly :

When we help someone, we should not do it for the sake of something we will get in return. If we are concerned about the reward for our action, then it not a charitable action at all. And when we help someone without worrying about our own gains, this is selflessness. What is important is for us to realize that as a human being we have been able to help someone.

Laws of Karma

What is Karma? Karma is the Sanskrit word for action. It is equivalent to Newton’s law of ‘every action must have a reaction’. When we think, speak or act we initiate a force that will react accordingly. This returning force maybe modified, changed or suspended, but most people will not be able eradicate it.

This law of cause and effect is not punishment, but is wholly for the sake of education or learning.

A person may not escape the consequences of his actions, but he will suffer only if he himself has made the conditions ripe for his suffering. Ignorance of the law is no excuse whether the laws are man-made or universal.

To stop being afraid and to start being empowered in the worlds of karma and reincarnation, here is what you need to know about karmic laws.

1. THE GREAT LAW

  • “As you sow, so shall you reap”. This is also known as the “Law of Cause and Effect”.
  • Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us.
  • If what we want is Happiness, Peace, Love, Friendship… Then we should BE Happy, Peaceful, Loving and a True Friend.

2. THE LAW OF CREATION

  • Life doesn’t just HAPPEN, it requires our participation.
  • We are one with the Universe, both inside and out. – Whatever surrounds us gives us clues to our inner state.
  • BE yourself, and surround yourself with what you want to have present in your Life.

3. THE LAW OF HUMILITY

  • What you refuse to accept, will continue for you.
  • If what we see is an enemy, or someone with a character trait that we find to be negative, then we ourselves are not focused on a higher level of existence.

4. THE LAW OF GROWTH

  • “Wherever you go, there you are”.
  • For us to GROW in Spirit, it is we who must change – and not the people, places or things around us.
  • The only given we have in our lives is OURSELVES and that is the only factor we have control over.
  • When we change who and what we are within our heart our life follows suit and changes too. THE

5. LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY

  • Whenever there is something wrong in my life, there is something wrong in me.
  • We mirror what surrounds us – and what surrounds us mirrors us; this is a Universal Truth.
  • We must take responsibility what is in our life.

6. THE LAW OF CONNECTION

  • Even if something we do seems inconsequential, it is very important that it gets done as everything in the Universe is connected.
  • Each step leads to the next step, and so forth and so on.
  • Someone must do the initial work to get a job done.
  • Neither the first step nor the last are of greater significance,
  • As they were both needed to accomplish the task.
  • Past-Present-Future they are all connected…

7. THE LAW OF FOCUS

  • You can not think of two things at the same time.
  • When our focus is on Spiritual Values, it is impossible for us to have lower thoughts such as greed or anger.

8. THE LAW OF GIVING AND HOSPITALITY

  • If you believe something to be true,then sometime in your life you will be called upon to demonstrate that particular truth.
  • Here is where we put what we CLAIM that we have learned, into actual PRACTICE.

9. THE LAW OF HERE AND NOW

  • Looking backward to examine what was, prevents us from being totally in the HERE AND NOW.
  • Old thoughts, old patterns of behavior, old dreams…
  • Prevent us from having new ones.

10. THE LAW OF CHANGE

  • History repeats itself until we learn the lessons that we need to change our path.

11. THE LAW OF PATIENCE AND REWARD

  • All Rewards require initial toil.
  • Rewards of lasting value require patient and persistent toil.
  • True joy follows doing what we’re suppose to be doing, and waiting for the reward to come in on its own time.

12. THE LAW OF SIGNIFICANCE AND INSPIRATION

  • You get back from something whatever YOU have put into it.
  • The true value of something is a direct result of the energy and intent that is put into it.
  • Every personal contribution is also a contribution to the Whole.
  • Lack luster contributions have no impact on the Whole, nor do they work to diminish it.
  • Loving contributions bring life to, and inspire, the Whole.