Karma Phal & Vedantic Philosophies (Q/A Sessions with Maaji) – May 29’ 2020.
Sree Pradeep Unni
Dubai, U.A.E
May’2020
Prananam to Maaji.
Humble Prostrations at Your Lotus Feet.
The very first “Hari Aum” from Maaji solves it all! Such an immense bliss flows through our body. The joint online Q/A session of all Dubai study circles was organized by Manishji on May’29 2020 and we thank Manishji for the same and seek for his continuous guidance and support. We feel immensely blessed for the opportunity to discuss directly with our beloved Maa, our questions that were lingering in our mind for quite a while. This write up is a simple attempt to summarize few points of discussion according to my understanding and seek forgiveness for any errors or mistakes. On a question on “Action and fruit of action, of how to keep oneself motivated for progress” (Verse 47, Chapter 2 Sree Bhagawad Geeta), Maaji gave a detailed explanation.
कमÖयर् ेवािधकारèते मा फलेष ुकदाचन |
मा कमफलह र् ेतु भमा ू र् र् ते सङ्गोऽè×वकमिणर् || 47 ||
The fruit of action is going to come automatically and it all depends on the quality of action. Focusing on quality action for whole day will obviously result in good result. We do not have any control of a “futuristic’ fruit of action and moreover it’s impossible match a specific result with a particular action. Therefore focusing on quality action at “present”, which is in our control is the ideal and obvious choice. It’s possible that we may face undesirable results (fruits of action) and these could be the result of some unfortunate action that we may have done knowingly or unknowingly earlier. So accepting and facing the result as it comes is a synonym of a true seeker. At the same time we have to be careful while executing an action in future to avoid any possible undesirable result. That is the best that we can do. Elaborating further, Maaji explained that according to Shastras, fruits (results) of action are three types namely Anishtam (not good / de‐meritorious), Ishtam (desirable / meritorious) and Mishram (neutral). However, human beings are incapable to discern if a particular Karma (action) is meritorious or not. The fruit of an action will primarily depend on the attitude (mind‐set) while doing the action. It is therefore advised to take the name of Lord before and while doing any action. Doing Japa will ensure that we do not get attached to anything wrong in our mind. Merits and demerits that we perceive is never the result of a particular action that we understand. Even a meritorious activity of donating to a needy may not result in the anticipated result if it’s associated with a minute percentage of holding back. On similar context (ref: Chapter 2 Verse 38), Maaji advised that all seekers should strive to go beyond the pairs of opposite. ‘Happiness & sorrow’, ‘good & bad’ are pairs of opposite.
सखद ु : ु खे समे क ृ×वा लाभालाभौ जयाजयौ |
ततो यɮधाय ु यÏयèव ु नवै ं पापमवाÜèयिस || 38||
Pursuit or acceptance of happiness alone can result in extreme sorrow, if the anticipated results are not achieved. Being indifferent to any result will naturally make us unbothered of the other result. It’s the natural tendency of a normal human to run towards positive feeling s like happiness, victory, profit and therefore we feel dejected when the opposite happens. The scriptures advise to maintain an equilibrium of mind at all stages and it is advised that we follow this in our daily routine. For few seekers at initial stages, it is very difficult to calm the mind and even more difficult to meditate with closed eyes. Most times many worldly events emerge to disturb our mind just after few repetitions of a sacred verse. During such times, it is advised, we open our eyes for few seconds and let the thoughts go by and we continue the Japa again. Such ‘stop & re‐start’ technique is best for starters. Stopping the thoughts may result in such thoughts coming back again. Meditation need to be continued step by step to achieve calmer mind. Only repeated and concentrated procedures could lead us to a better level. On another question, Maaji responded that, many times and more often during the current (Covid‐19) environment, we may feel incapacitated to do many things and we are just witness to the happenings around us. Only Bhagwaan is fully capacitated and thus we do not need to be dejected or disturbed for our inability. We only need to be focused and sincere on whatever we are capable of doing and do our best in the action at hand. One of the possible good action may lead us to the Higher ultimately. Being connected with the divine during all our actions will elevate us. The best was reserved for the last. Maaji was kind enough to us consider us worthy to share with us the three Vedanta Philosophies to understand the relationship between the Real and the Unreal. These three formulas are of utmost importance and ought to be remembered at all times of our life. 1. Adhyaaropavaad (super imposition) –This is the erroneous superimposition due to our nescience, because of which, one thing is perceived as another. The best example is mistaking a piece of rope for a snake and thereby attributing the fearful aspects of snake on to the rope. Rope is reality and snake is unreal. This is the first subtlest problem that each human is suffering from. 2. Pratibimbhavaad, (the theory of reflection). The sun in the sky and its reflections in different pots / buckets of water is the best example. The sun remains untainted and unaffected by the ripples in different pots of water which are distorting the reflection of the actual sun. In addition it appears to be many also. Thus one sun which is ‘Real’ appears to be distorted, disturbed, distressed and broken in the reflection. Nothing actually has happened to the sun and only unreal reflection is disturbed. This needs to be applied in our daily life especially when we are disturbed and distressed and be wise enough to understand that it’s the adopted ‘unreal’ self that is getting disturbed and the ‘Real’ Self is intact. 3. Avacchedavaad (conditioning). The space outside and the space inside the pot is an example. The water in ocean and the water in pot is yet another example of conditioning. Humans are conditioned by whatever they have known understood and experienced by them so far in their life and least effort is taken to decondition themselves individually to get elevated to a higher level. Every seeker must pay attention to their own ‘conditioning’ throughout the day and consistent effort must be taken to ‘decondition’ ourselves with the learning that all these are unreal. Leave it! Drop It! Leave it! Drop it! – This is only japa that each one should do throughout the day which will decondition us from all the inhibitions, adoptions, attributions etc. Due to my limited understanding, I have missed / skipped few other discussions in the Q/A sessions and seek Maaji’s blessing to make me capable enough to understand these topics.
Hari Aum