Gurudev, we have questions come in from across social media, Instagram, Youtube. - Yeah, go ahead. - Aastha on Instagram and many others are asking, “What is Karma and how exactly does it work?” - Well, Karma literally means action.
Action in its impression in the mind, which is latent, will give rise to similar situations. Isn’t it? So, Karma has three dimensions. One is the impression of actions, which you have in your mind, in your consciousness, and then the action that you’re doing in the present, and the possible activity, possible action that may befall you, or which you would attract because you have similar impressions within you. This is also called Karma.
Q Krishna Prachwal on Instagram has asked, “Are bad incidents happening due to my past bad life, past Karma. What is the fastest way to burn negative Karma?”
Listen, Karma is not always bad. You did good Karma means your good action and it gives you good results. Some bad experience in life would be due to past Karma, definitely. And to remove those Karma, bad impressions in the mind, meditation will help. Kriya will help.
Sudharshan Kriya removes many of those impressions. May not be everything, not all, but most of it can be handled, yes, through meditation, through Kriya and through good action.
Q Prakash is asking, “Why do we see bad things happen to good people while the bad people are enjoying life?”
Well, it appears like that because we see in a very small window. Just expand your awareness. This so-called ‘bad people’ have done something good in the past and that’s giving them those good results. Right? And those who are doing good, if something bad is happening, well, knowingly, unknowingly, something must have happened in the past. Isn’t it? See, you don’t get mango fruit from sowing a neem tree.
Right? So, as you sow, so shall you reap. Have you heard that sentence, that proverb? So, definitely this… It’s not because of that goodness of a person that he experiences misery. It could be because of their not being smart or being a little foolish. That is one, could be one reason. Another reason is circumstances, situation would have brought in such, you know, tough and difficult time. You know one thing. Tough times beckon your skill to be in action.
You know, somewhere, the misery in life gives some depth. It brings depth. So, make use of every situation, whether good or bad to your advantage. You know, that’s smart, that’s being smart.
Q Radhika from Instagram is asking, “How much time does it take to finish our Karmas?”
- Karmas can never be finished. Karmas continue. It’s like asking, “When will the ocean have no waves?” Ocean will have waves, but you can rise above the waves. You can surf. You can rise above the waves. That is by being a witness to it. Not being reactive, but to be a witness to your own actions, your own tendencies, it’s possible. And it is possible any moment, any time.
Q Akhilesh and Sweta have asked, “If one is thinking about bad stuff, but not actually doing anything, will it still be a Karma? Which is more important – thought or action?”
- Well, thought, of course, is important, but you know, you have no control over all your thoughts. Do you? Good thoughts come, bad thoughts come. So what? As long as you don’t identify with them, don’t think, “Oh, this is my bad thought”, you’re free. Do you see what I’m saying? Your thoughts come, they come and they go. Don’t worry about them. Don’t chew on them. Don’t resist them.This is the way to sail over those impressions.
Q Vinay has asked, “Is the meeting between two people decided by Karma? Then, is love also just Karma?”
Oh, yes. Of course. Of course. Good Karmas are there. Good Karma is that brings you happiness, brings you joy. Merits in life make you ecstatic. And things you do which hurt yourself and which is hurtful for others too.
But I tell you, you know, good Karma, bad Karma, don’t get stuck in them. Don’t hold on to them. Just move on. It’s okay in life. Both come. They all come.
Sweet experiences come, bitter experiences come. Arguments happen in any relationship. If you go on analyzing it, there is no end to it. Right? And being smart is just taking them all in one go and not being bothered about it. -
Q Hardik is asking, “I’m 27 and I still don’t have a girlfriend. Is that because of some past Karma or am I doing something wrong?”
No, whatever is the past, that is done. It’s already… You cannot repair the past. You cannot now go back when you were 17 and try to have a girlfriend at that time. It’s open to you now. Come on, wake up. You do what you want to do. And that is your current action, right? You are free to do what you want to do now. Don’t think you’re bound by Karma so much that you don’t have freedom at all. Let me give you a simple example. We have this huge confusion in our mind about life being all Karma or there is a free will also in it. I tell you, life is a combination of both free will and destiny. It’s Karma and Karma Swatantra. Both are there with you. Like your height is determined, is destiny, but your weight is your free will. Like that, though you’ve not inherited a huge wealth of the past, but nothing can stop you from dreaming about it and creating it in the future. Do you see what I’m saying?
Q Aman is asking, “People say things happen because of Karma. Sometimes, they say it happens because of planets. Are the two connected? What is really governing a person’s life?”
- What governs a person’s life is your will. Make your will strong and know that you can overcome the past impressions as well. And if you’re not focussed on your will or what you want, of course, what gets overpowered, and your life gets overpowered by the past impressions, the past Karma, definitely.
It’s like this. You have a certain ‘x’ amount of money with you to start a business. Suppose you don’t think about multiply your capital and you just sit with it, what will happen? Whatever you’ve earned, that capital will drain, it will finish over a period of time. Like that, your Karma is your capital, but your present action, the Karma that you do now, can make it grow.
Yes? And if there is a debt, the present Karma can nullify it. So, if it’s a negative Karma, it can be nullified. If it’s a positive Karma, you don’t want to get rid of your positive Karma, do you?
Nobody wants to get rid of their positive… impact of positive Karma, your merits. That will grow. You can make it grow.
Q Michael is asking, “What happens to our Karma when we get a master and what Karma is needed to get one in life?”
- Of course, you need to have certain Karma to get into the spiritual path. No doubt. No doubt about it. But once you’re on the path, you’ll see most of those impressions which you were carrying, which were not conducive, which were not revolutionary in nature, they’ll all fall apart. They will all fall apart. And what’s good, what’s right, what suits your Dharma, your nature only will carry you forward. And that’s what happens coming to a Master, yeah.
Q Devansh is asking, “Is there a collective Karma of the world as well? Whose bad Karma is responsible for Covid-19?”
Of course, there is a collective Karma. There is a family Karma. There is Karma for a group, collective communities have a Karma. Geographical races have a Karma.
You know, and that’s why I said, ‘Gahana Karmano Gati’, one simple word they said. Unfathomable are the ocean of Karma, because this entire creation is filled with action. There is action everywhere. And so, when there is action everywhere, there is reaction everywhere.
And so, just don’t go and scratch your head on this. See the past as destiny, the future as your freewill and live happily in the present. With the Covid-19, yes, I strongly believe, rather I know, it’s a man-made virus. Some people may not agree with it or maybe wondering about it, but time will tell them. In due course of time, they’ll realize it’s a man-made… deliberately or inadvertently, a manmade virus has escaped and it has caused havoc in the world. It has happened. So, well, analyzing it, yes, there are individual Karma connected to it.
Collective Karma is connected to it. And some people have to die with this. That is also part of Karma. No doubt about it.
Do watch these interesting videos:
The Mahakali devi is not scary but the most compassionate
