31/05/2026
Universal Laws of Karma
Law of Karma is a spiritual law, i.e. a law applicable to the soul. It’s I the soul which has performed the karma, not the body. A soul is on a journey and the body is the costume it wears to perform karma. In every costume we meet other souls and have karmic connections with them. As time passes we both change the costume, but let us remember it is only a costume – the karmic connection is between the souls, and the connection continues. According to Vedanta thought, the effects of karma are controlled by Bhagwan (God).
The earliest appearance of the word "karma" is found in the Rigveda. The term karma also appears significantly in the Veda. Scholars have generally agreed that the earliest formulation of the Karma doctrine occurs in the Brhadaranyaka, which is the earliest of the Upanishads. The doctrine occurs here in the context of a discussion of the fate of the individual after death. The doctrine of transmigration of the soul, with respect to fateful retribution for acts committed, appears in the Rig Veda (Mandala 1, Sukta 24, Mantra 2). Laws of nature are of two basic forms:
(a) a law is universal if it states that some conditions, so far as are known, invariably are found together with certain other conditions; and
(b) a law is probabilistic if it affirms that, on the average, a stated fraction of cases displaying a given condition will display a certain other condition as well. In either case, a law may be valid even though it obtains only under special circumstances or as a convenient approximation.
One must perform the Karma (action) abiding the Shastras (scriptures), for according to the laws of Karma, the consequences of a good action have to be borne in the form of Punya (merit) and that of bad actions have to be borne in the form of Paap (sin). But the fire of knowledge burns out Karmaphal (consequences of action ) when the doer does any act without the sense of doership. There are three different types of karma : prarabdha, sanchita, and Kriyamana or agami. Everything that we have ever thought, spoken, done or caused is karma, as is also that which we think, speak or do this very moment. Hindu scriptures divide karma into three kinds:
Sanchita is the accumulated karma. It would be impossible to experience and endure all karmas in one lifetime. From this stock of sanchita karma, a handful is taken out to serve one lifetime and this handful of actions, which have begun to bear fruit and which will be exhausted only on their fruit being enjoyed and not otherwise, is known as prarabdha karma.
Prarabdha Fruit-bearing karma is the portion of accumulated karma that has "ripened" and appears as a particular problem in the present life.
Kriyamana is everything that we produce in the current life. All kriyamana karmas flow in to sanchita karma and consequently shape our future. Only in human life we can change our future destiny. After death we lose Kriya Shakti (ability to act) and kriyamana (do) karma until we are born again in another human body.
Karma is the energy we send out into the world in the form of thoughts, words and actions. It’s like an arrow which we shoot which will hit the target and then return to us. The energy on the return will be our destiny i.e our health, our career, our relationships, every situations and circumstances which come to us daily.
The Law of Karma – We create Karma with our intentions, thoughts, emotions, words and actions. In order to live in harmony we should resolve our Karma and discover where its focus lies, its purpose is to achieve harmony and balance.
The Law of Dharma – the higher purpose of all things should be in sync with the universal law, that is, the Creator. The harmony of Dharma affects our Karma.
The Law of Wisdom – being wise means to take advantage of the pain and get to know yourself. Wisdom is being aware of what we can and must change, and what we can’t.
The Law of Progress – wisdom is achieved through spiritual development. We have to rise above our emotions and ego, and follow the path of the Soul.
Law of Vibrational Attainment – we’re all made of energy, which is in constant motion. We are a spirit that lives in a body and it never dies. Nothing in the universe is permanent, everything changes.
The Law of One – we are all parts of a larger whole. Your destiny is the sum total of all the things you do and don't do. Sometimes it manifests in dramatic ways, but most often it moves in so slowly that you don't even notice. Be kind to others shapes your destiny. Thousands of daily decisions shape your destiny. The longer you ignore this, the less likely you are to like your destiny. Be proactive and own your destiny.
The Law of Love – love is the answer to everything.It has to be unconditional. It heals us and everybody else.
The Law of Abundance – the Universe makes sure everyone gets what they need.
The Law of Gratitude – it helps the process of creating a healthy Habit to be grateful for everything we have.
The Law of Harmony – we need to appreciate the essential harmony with the universe to live by the universal laws it means not to kill not to lie not to hate not to steal.
The Law of Observation – our reality is defined by the way we think. Thoughts become actions and actions shape our character.
The law of Conscious Detachment – we spend only a certain amount of time on Earth, and we shouldn’t get too attached to people and objects. Having too tight of a bond results in unbalanced energy. Being completely connected to God creates balance.
The Law of Behavior – we should be able to control our actions, which practically means to control our behavior.
The Law of Acceptance – acceptance brings harmony, while resistance comes from fear. People usually become what they resist.
The Law of Duality – there are two forces ruling the universe -yin and yang -the male and female energy. There has to be balance and harmony.
The Law of Trinity – Body, Mind and Spirit. Ego rules the body, intelligence rules the mind and soul rules the spirit. They need to function in harmony.
The Law of Attraction – we attract what we are. Good attracts good. Love attracts love.
The Law of the Divine – when we become aware of the Divine within us, we start to manifest it.
The Law of the Cycle – our lives are composed of different Cycles. Cycles usually cast from 9 to 12 years in our life is consisted of 4 or 5 major Cycles.
The Law of Destiny – destiny is the sum of experiences and lessons we had to go through in life. We all have our destiny and we should fulfill it.
Very often we find our self feeling that we have always been nice to everyone, then why are things not happening right for us. We start questioning the Law of Karma, it doesn’t seem to be very fair. Karma is not fate, for man acts with free will, creating his own destiny. Debts that must be paid, that sums up the concept of karma. But karma is not a burden that you have to carry. It is also an opportunity to learn, a chance to practice love and forgiveness, a chance to learn lessons that are valuable to us.
Karma offers us the chance to wipe our dirty slate clean, to erase the wrong doings of the past. You will be suffering your own reactions after your karmas, any single karma you perform, you have to suffer for it. Good and bad, everything, you have to have this reaction.
यथा धेनु सहस्रेषु वत्सो गच्छति मातरम्।
तथा यच्च कृतं कर्म कर्तारमनुगच्छति॥
Amongst thousands of cows, the calf finds its own mother cow. Similarly the results of our past karma (deeds) when fully ripened, will find us without fail. All the actions done by such a Karmayogi are Akarma Karma (those actions that are non-actions), which means that such a doer does not have to bear the consequences of his Karma.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥
I am not rationalizing our defeat. I wish to observe that our players did not perform their "Karma" neither sincerely nor selflessly. Statistically the probability of simultaneous collapse of Bowling and Batting both was very very bleak.
Complete lessons of Gita are based on this and it is very important to understand that sorrow is coming to you to remind you to turn within, to have a dialogue with your higher self. These sorrows are the results of your past karmas and it is the indicator for you turn within and find the truth behind its appearances. We usually don't turn within unless sorrow comes about in some form.
Our mind and senses tell us otherwise due to delusion arising from ignorance of the truth. Apparent separation from the one reality projects a world of objects which we classify as desirable and undesirable. This drives us to action attempting to “possess” the desirable and “escape” from the undesirable. These actions have consequences.
The biological evolution is studied and understood or rather misunderstood in great detail; but have we ever made an attempt to analyse the evolution of Human Awareness. Awareness of human being does increase if there is a strive to raise to the higher levels of Consciousness. By awareness if we mean “Consciousness”, then consciousness of human being does increase in the cycle of evolution.
Physicists say Consciousness might be a state of matter and there ends our quest. For a physicist the mechanical world is created by human intelligence moulding matter into shape. Creativity arise when matter and intelligence interact, intelligence is born of Consciousness.
Quantum physics says Consciousness is the “observer” upon whom all material observation depends. Hence Consciousness must be distinct from matter and it must pre-exist matter. Also matters are temporary, but Consciousness is never extinguished. Consciousness requires an abode in order to act out and physical body provide the abode. Our life has no meaning if we are born only to die again and take a rebirth again.
पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं पुनरपि जननीजठरे शयनम्। इह संसारे बहुदुस्तारे कृपयापारे पाहि मुरारे ॥ (भज गोविन्दम् :21)
Adi Shankaracharya remarks; Again birth, again death and again lying in the mother’s womb, this life process has no end.) then life has no meaning. If life has a meaning or purpose, then it must be concluded that we do not die, but merely evolve. The purpose of life is to evolve to higher states of Consciousness. Every death is a preparation for the next birth.
Every birth is orchestrated by the power of Consciousness to get another chance to evolve higher. Every unit of Consciousness has its own unique identity which is different from anyone else. Therefore no two living entities act out in the same way, even twins. Even after we have finished our bodily evolution, we continue to evolve.
We all are connected through karma in some or other way. What you call luck is nothing but karmas. Some may have good luck and few may have bad luck, but both are lucks based on past karmas, there's no divine plan behind it. It doesn't matter what luck you are carrying, you should have strength to face it with loving heart. Every incomplete event of your life has to come back to you, if it is not faced bravely.
Karma is your incomplete responsibility and it is your responsibility in this birth to complete your incomplete work which you haven't faced and left halfway. Every moment we are building some karmas and all are getting collected in our account, some have come with us from past births which are known as Sanchit karmas, they are waiting to be resolved. Some we are building in this birth with the present action which is again getting collected into the account, which will need to be resolved. This is called 'Parabda karmas'.
Third type of karmas are called 'Agami karmas', here you attempt to resolve the effect of past karma which is going to effect you in future, through some kriyas or mantras in present, you unavoidably create new karmas that you may or may not be able to resolve in your present life.
Interesting part of these karma is, that you are aware about them before birth. Based on your Awareness, you select all your connections on this Earth to solve issues but somehow we are not happy with our own selection. We resist, we separate, and we postpone the karma to next level. We even push away our karmas by wearing gemstones, by doing some kriyakands. What we think as resolution, is just pushing away our karma results for later years or next birth.
You are connected through karmas with everyone you come across in life, including your servants, enemies, friends, boyfriends, uncles, auntie, mummy, daddy, inlaws and including every visitor at your home. Not to forget that you are still building more due to your resistance with all this relations.
You have problems with what you have selected before entering earth, forgetting that you have selected them to help you solve your past issues but you build more in present by resisting, disliking, avoiding, disconnecting, fighting, revenge, hatred, anger, etc. All these emotions have nothing to do with your past karma, but you are building more for your future for sure.
You are here to resolve the problem you have created in past and you are here with solutions. But you have forgotten your own purpose of solving problems due to conditioning. The world we experience is nothing but the consequences of our innumerable past actions. Its the imprint of past actions that generates new desires and dislikes. Its a vicious cycle. This is karma, this is what keeps the world going around.
Destruction of ignorance and realization of the truth is the only way out of this vicious cycle, we have to undergo the consequences of our own activities. We are mostly satisfied with small desires and are busy involved in fulfilling it, it is the sorrow which comes to take us beyond the addiction of these small temporary desire pills.
Otherwise one would keep sucking these pills and sit satisfied for one’s entire life. But the results of karma comes in unexpected way. It points you towards 'That Supreme Reality' by reminding oneself through sorrows. And it is difficult to run away from these sorrows, you may push it further through some kriyas, but it will bounce back in double force.
Consciousness has the power to retain within it the net results of its actions beyond death. A hundred years is infinitesimal in the scale of evolution and we cannot possibly complete the evolutionary process within this short time-frame. Therefore death cannot be the final end. Death provides us with the opportunity to evolve downward or upward according to our Karma (Actions).
Because we choose to continuously and stubbornly identify ourselves with matter rather than Consciousness so that it gives us the maximum opportunity to exploit matter through our basic instincts. These temporary “highs” that we get from worldly exploitation may be useful for few, while others may see through them by intellectual or intuitive discernment. In our over-enthusiasm to exploit the world for sense gratification, we under-estimate the power of Consciousness and attribute these immense powers to matter.
Therefore we do not see our own purity and eternity. Every living entity is a continuously evolving unit of Consciousness. When Consciousness comes in contact with matter, it develops four basic instincts (tools) that it uses to evolve: Self-Replenish, Self-Rejuvenate, Self-Regenerate and Self-Retain. We humans have a fifth instinct called “Self-Reliance” not present in other forms of life. Because of this we are empowered with superior powers of intelligence and intuition. Hence humans alone are capable of going beyond the basic instincts. Unfortunately most of us do not care about that.
The Gita does inform the head, no doubt and it informs about life’s meaning and purpose far better than does the best university education. You can move from consciousness to superconscious, only by resolving your karmas. For that you need to stay aware. Whatever you do with Awareness, you do not build karmas. In Awareness you are whole and complete. In Awareness, you are going with new, with change. So don't miss a single moment to change yourself to live as new complete you.
#शारदीय
