Understanding Karma- Meaning Part 1

It is of utmost importance to first understand the meaning of Karma thereby developing a suitable condition for spiritual evolution to take place. This understanding brings about a significant consciousness or awareness about
both the macrocosmic and microcosmic meaning of creation and its functioning. All philosophies, religions, and their various schools of thought like Sānkhya, Yoga, Vedānta, Sanātana Dharma (Hinduism), Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, etc which were developed in the east, mainly in present-day India, place a high value for understanding Karma.

Since the Vedic period, it has been in the day-to-day language of people in their spiritual and samsāric life, in their individual life, family life, and social life. Karma is a complex subject to come to terms with and like any other spiritual practice has to be consciously worked upon and progressed. We in samsāric existence casually remark ‘it must be Karma’ whenever some occurrence goes beyond logical comprehension or if it is impossible to find a link of cause and effect. When we see the suffering of an innocent being (innocent within our limits of understanding) we lack the awareness of why this is happening but hesitatingly attribute it to Karma.

Creation is Dhārmic in nature. If we do not become aware of this we will suffer from coming to terms with existence. It is this Avidya (~ignorance) that causes deviation from the natural spiritual movement. This along with other avidyas causes the separation of the Jivātma from the Paramātma. Once separate we then exist in a state of duality and therefore cannot experience the Pūrnam (~fullness) of the Brahman (~ true self).

Om; Pūrnamadah, Pūrnamidam, Pūrnath Pūrna Mudachyate.

Pūrnasya Pūrnamādāya Pūrnamēvā Vashishyate.

Om; Shanthi Shanti Shantih.

(Refer Peace Mantra from the Ishāvāsya and Brihadaranyaka Upanishads for meaning)

When Karma is understood and worked upon, the duality is thus reduced and eventually eliminated thereby causing the Yogam (~ union) of the Jivātman and Paramātman.

Karma is one of the most fundamental principles of the Sanātana Dharma. Like any other principle of Dharma, Karma also has different layers for us to understand. Some are, as simple as, every doing leaves an impression which results in a consequence. And, some are as complex as, conditions passed on through existence in various births or lives.

Let us first go directly to the subtlest or the highest layer of Karma and start our process of understanding from there: Vedāntic wisdom says that when any existence is void of Karma, good or bad, that is when there is union with the ultimate, the attainment of Brahman or using the yogic parlance the attainment of Kaivalya – Liberation. We now know that to be truly liberated one has to be free of Karma. Simply taking this as our hypothesis helps us to understand the process of functioning and arrive back to the same point where we started but this time with validation. One can put forth a question here: Why is it necessary to validate something which is experiential in nature? Sure, it isn’t necessary to validate something which is spiritual or something which has to be experienced, but, understanding a spiritual experience, just like any other experience either physical or mental, requires validation if one intends to communicate or share the experience or even if one wishes to make the process easier for the self. To further this understanding, consider this: The Universe or Creation is set forth in motion with the interaction of various energies. These energies are constantly being used by the elements present in the creation in order for these elements to attain Yogam. Jnānam (~ knowledge) is one of the various energies that the elements used in order to arrive at Yogam. Whatever Jnānam is created by the individual is thrown into the creation as energies. So it is the dharma of every individual to draw from and contribute to this energy. When these energies accumulated (not just Jnānam but various others like Karma also) goes beyond a certain threshold there is a transformation in the whole guna (~ characteristics) of creation. For example that is when there is a transformation in Yugās (Kali Trēta Dwāpara and Satya).

This is the reason why we always express our gratitude to the individuals who have set forth these energies in motion. In our existence when we claim or believe that we are individuals and independent, we must be aware that there is no such thing as being independent and we are only creating further separation from the Pūrnam by even providing scope to such a thought let alone action. With this understanding, we can come back to the question and say that building a validation becomes necessary for the jivātma to draw and synchronize with these energies effectively and at the same time to be involved in the Dharma of contributing to the creative energies. Sometimes during the process of spiritual practice, we are faced with the doubt – there is this individual who is spiritually so evolved but doesn’t read any scriptures and doesn’t even have a Guru. This being has no inclination to vāda and prativāda (~ theorizing debate and countering) and is purely immersed in the bliss of experience thereby experiencing Ānanda (~bliss). What we aren’t aware of here when this doubt comes to us is our ignorance about the way in which this being has interacted (Karma) with the energies that are present around us. This is not possible to understand by logical reasoning and involves total Bhakti (~ devotion/surrender/also closely related to Karma) in order to merge with this jivātma. Only then the true nature of this individual ātma’s (jivātma) path to Ānanda will be revealed.

The Vedas, which is the fountainhead of all dhārmic jnānam has therefore mentioned the three layers of Karma Kāndam: the part involving doing, Jnāna Kāndam: the part involving awareness and knowledge, and finally Upāsana/Bhakti Kāndam that which is beyond doing and knowledge. All of them are deeply connected layers and will be understood with further contemplation on the subject.