Karma – Satsung 2 (04 April 1999)

Karma is an extraordinary mystery—the journey of karma is profound. The journey of karma is very deep. Even great scholars, and even Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh, do not possess the power to fully understand it. The Vedas themselves do not comprehend the mystery of karma; they only say “neti-neti” (not this, not this), because there is no end to karma. A simple fact regarding karma is that whatever actions this body performs, that is called karma. Whatever the senses do, that is, whatever actions are performed by the five-elemental body, that is what the scriptures refer to by the term karma.

In the last Satsang, it was mentioned that even stealing is karma. Maharaj, I am doing my karma. The butcher who slaughters goats also says, I am engaged in my karma. Nowadays, all of our educated people say the same thing, that I am engaged in my karma. What are you doing, brother? They say, I go to the office, I work honestly, I give my full time. So, the actions a person performs, that is what is called karma. There can be no doubt about this. But my beloved ones! As far as the interpretation of karma is concerned, karma is of three types—sattvic (pure), rajasic (passionate), and tamasic (ignorant). A person who is doing something for their own life and for their children is performing karma, no doubt, but it is termed ‘occupation.’ You never see factories or mills labelled as ‘small karma factories.’ Instead, they are labelled as small industries, large industries, and factories, etc. So, what you do for your livelihood is merely an occupation. Tulsidas Ji also said:

‘Dheeng dharam dhwaj dhundhak dhori’

“Boasting under the religious flag on a hazy, dusty path.”

meaning this is just an occupation. Every living being is engaged in it. Even a pigeon wakes up at 4 in the morning and starts chirping to find out where it will find food. Every creature is doing this. There is nothing praiseworthy about it. Livelihood must be earned, whether through business, jobs, or other tasks, it has to be done. But this is not counted as karma. In what kind of karma? The karma described in the sacred scriptures, as explained by the sacred texts:

Karmanyevaadhikaraste maa phaleshu kadaachana, Maa karmaphalaheturbhoor maa te sango’stvakarmani

“You have the right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions
Bhagavad Gita (2/47)

We cannot include these tasks in the karma mentioned in the sacred texts. The karma that a human does solely for the body is not included in the scriptural karmas. That is just for one’s livelihood, industry, or job. What you call a job cannot be termed as karma because they have different interpretations. This is our occupation, about how to earn our bread; this is also the duty of a human. Though this is indeed karma, it is considered as an occupation. The benefit or profit we get from it will only be here, nowhere else. If we do our occupation, we will get immediate benefits. If our daily wage is 100 rupees, we will receive it in the evening after finishing the work. This is not to say that this is a bad thing, it is good. Work must be done, but it is not included in the karma category. This cannot be included in the karma of a human being. Human karma is to attain the Supreme Being, to move towards Him, to keep His will in mind, to consider Him as everything.

Don’t forget about it. We have children, sons, daughters, a mansion, a car, everything; we must not forget them. We must expand them, not reduce them. If you have one factory, build two, build four, build forty. Why not build more? But do not get entangled in them. Do not forget the reason you are here. It is called karma; the rest are occupations. These occupations will remain here, even if I build an ashram worth billions and then leave, I will take nothing with me. I know this, and I am certain that not even a single brick will go with me. However, I have accepted this as karma, and you have also accepted it because it is for the happiness of people, for the welfare of people. Every being here will find happiness, will be happy, will be peaceful. Whether he is a devotee or an atheist, whether he calls God a stone, he will surely witness the beauty here. We say that he will come just for the sake of seeing it. The Lord will bless him just by seeing it, this is certain.

If a person imitates, even in imitation there is welfare, this is certain, this is the truth. There was a king who was an atheist. His queen was equally devout, she embodied Sanatan Dharma, she was learned in every way, but the king was such that he used to insult saints, curse them hundreds of times a day. He used to call saints fools, frauds, and all sorts of names. The queen was of course sad about this, but what could she do? A wife is a wife, she should not oppose her husband! That’s why she didn’t. One day, her Guru came and said, “Queen! You are becoming very weak.” She replied, “Yes, Guru Maharaj, my husband is like this.” The Guru said, “There is nothing to worry about.”

So, what if he was an atheist? She said that if the wife doesn’t care for her husband’s sorrows, who will? He replied, “Don’t be sad. Do as I say. Let him do this fake thing.” “You keep asking him again and again,” he instructed. The holy men would come and sing devotional songs. That’s what holy men do. A group of devotees was passing by, singing. The king remarked, “Look at those idiots jumping around, dancing in all sorts of ways.” Someone asked, “Were they saying anything?” The response was, “Yes, they were chanting, ‘Govind Jai Jai, Gopal Jai Jai, Sriman Narayan-Narayan-Narayan.'” The questioner continued, “How were those idiots dancing?” “They were dancing like this,” was the answer. “What else were they doing? Was it one person speaking or everyone?” “Everyone was chanting together.” “How long did they chant?” “They chanted for quite a long time.” This practice became a habit, and then at the last moment, he remembered the name of the Lord. The king attained salvation.

The work we do for the happiness and welfare of the people is called karma. What is the point of living if it’s only for oneself? Everyone lives for themselves; they all gather comforts and conveniences. We all build houses. However, our architects cannot build a house as well as the baya bird does. The baya weaves its nest so well that it doesn’t fall even in an earthquake, while our houses might. It builds such a beautiful house. It makes separate rooms for its children and a separate living room for itself. Now, if we lived only for that, what kind of life would it be? In our houses, air conditioners will only cool the space when installed, but the baya builds its nest in such a way that it remains cool even in the hottest months of May and June. Such a well-ventilated nest. She even provides small windows so that no thief can enter. Our birth isn’t just for these things. This human birth is meant for the realization and attainment of the Divine.

Now, let’s discuss the topic of karma. My dear ones! The explanations of karma are numerous and varied—

Karmano Gahana Gati

The path of karma is deep and mysterious
Bhagavad Gita (4/17)

Therefore, we cannot fully understand it. Wanting instant results from karma means that we receive the fruits of our actions immediately. If we always desire immediate results, then our karma gets destroyed. The fruits of karma that we were supposed to store for the future do not materialize. Great souls have endured immense hardships to uphold the sanctity of karma and dharma. This is also mentioned in the Ramcharitmanas, as follows—

Shiv, Dasharath, Harishchandra adi narpat,
Sahasi dukh apar par hitkari

Shiv, Dasharatha, Harishchandra, and other kings,
They bore countless hardships for our welfare

Look at King Shivi, look at Dadhichi, they were emperors. Yet, they had to endure various kinds of sufferings for the sake of dharma. The marvellous example of ‘Karmano Gahana Gati’ is that Lord Ram was about to be crowned king, but he was sent into exile. Even during exile, Ram, Lakshman, and Sita were happy. But then came the misfortune of Sita’s abduction. This calamity grew even more when King Dasharatha died. As the misfortunes continued, the wrath of the demons increased. Now, just think about how deep the workings of karma are. What seemed to be one thing turned into something entirely different. All this happened even to God Himself. King Nriga donated one crore cows every day;

Therefore, he may ascend to the divine realms, to Vaikuntha, by performing good deeds like donating elephants. He continued donating elephants and performing good deeds. He did nothing bad, only good, yet he had to become a chameleon. Just look at the workings of karma. He became a chameleon for two and a half hours, but the Treta Yuga, which lasted 12,96,000 years, passed, and 864,000 years of Dvapara Yuga also passed. Thus, many years went by while he remained a chameleon in a well. In the end, Lord Krishna delivered him. Now, think about how mysterious and wondrous ‘Karmano Gahana Gati’ (the path of karma) is. Who can truly understand it?

My dear ones! If you try to understand it just a little, you will be doing me a great favour. I am only asking for your kindness, not wealth. We often say, “Guru Maharaj! I have done many good deeds in my childhood. I have never hurt anyone, not even a mosquito. So why has this suffering come upon me?” Such questions often arise before us. However, we make a small mistake in our understanding here. The income account is different from the deposit account. When we mix these two accounts together, our error begins here, and we start moving away from our good deeds. This needs a little understanding. In this regard, let me give a small example. There were two friends. One was named Ram Lal, and the other Shyam Lal, let us assume. This is not a scriptural reference, but an anecdote. Ram Lal gave Shyam Lal 100 rupees, and Shyam Lal promised to repay it in a month. After a month, Ram Lal went to ask for his money.

Brother! Give me all the money. The response was, “Come back later.” He waited for several years, but the money was not returned. Naturally, he became angry. Ram Lal hit Shyam Lal with five shoes. Shyam Lal filed a criminal case against Ram Lal. The police arrested Ram Lal and brought him to court. The judge asked, “Did you hit him with shoes?” Ram Lal replied, “Yes, sir, I did. How many times did you hit him?” Ram Lal said, “I didn’t count, but it must have been 5-6 times.” The judge then asked, “Why did you hit him?” Ram Lal replied, “He owes me money and has been bothering me a lot. He made me run to his house a hundred times. I got angry, so I hit him with shoes. Now, government, please deduct 5 rupees for the five shoes and return the remaining 95 rupees to me.” The judge said, “Oh Ram Lal! This is a criminal court. Things don’t work that way here. You will have to face punishment as well. Is this justice?” Ram Lal said, “Sir! I have to pay the money and also go to jail. How is this justice?” The judge replied, “For money matters, go to a civil court and file a case. This is criminal law.”

My dear ones! We forget that although we may have done good deeds since childhood, we have not paid attention to what we have carried forward from our past. We often forget that ‘you must pay for the deeds of your past lives,’ meaning that the karmic consequences associated with this body due to past life’s debts must be endured. If you say, “Why should I suffer for my sins?” then my brother! Since we have committed the sins, we must suffer them. If I want to enjoy the fruits of my good deeds and avoid the consequences of my sins, it doesn’t work that way, ‘Maharaj, for my sake.’ Such people should think that since the concept of ‘bhoga’ (suffering or enjoying the results of karma) is eternal, they must experience both the consequences of their sins and their good deeds. Bhoga (experiencing karma) is bhoga. When you celebrate the enjoyment of good karma, remember that suffering for bad karma is also bhoga.

Why do you cry when faced with challenges? Here, humans make the mistake of thinking that because they have done good deeds since childhood, served saints, and provided them with food, they should not experience suffering.

We make the mistake of expecting the fruits of our actions to be immediate, but that is not how the law of karma works. The rule of karma is that if we serve you for 29 days, wash your clothes, sweep the floor, and do whatever you ask, we will then expect our wages on the 30th day. Similarly, a farmer works hard for five or six months to prepare his crops and then waits for the harvest. The same rule has always applied—that you work first, and then you receive. That is also God’s rule; whatever you have done in past lives, you must now bear the consequences.

My brother! If you ask why you should come here, to this jungle, to listen to Satsang and sweat in the heat, I will tell you that this is a new earning. You must endure the old karma while accumulating good karma for the future. This is why humans go to God, to saints, or to the knowledge found in scriptures. The karma from the past must be endured, but why should we create new bad karma? The old sins are already there, so why should we add new wet sins? Wet sins are difficult to burn away. Dry sins burn away quickly, like dry wood that catches fire immediately. However, new wet sins will produce a lot of smoke when they burn.

Therefore, let us not commit new sins. Worship and service to saints are done so that our future karma may be good. My dear ones! Here, we sometimes make a small mistake. This happens when we suffer some loss or when even a small adverse situation arises, we immediately lose faith in God. We begin to blame Babaji, saying that despite staying in Babaji’s refuge for so many days, what has happened to us? This is something that 50% of us do. They don’t say it to me, but I can hear it. And some people also say that they have been coming to Baba for so many days, to Siddhadata Ashram, but nothing has happened to them. This means that you have begun to treat this place as a shop, like Haldiram’s. Give me kachori, give me poori. But this is your spiritual home. Coming here is never in vain. Even if you believe that it was not in vain, why did the loss still happen? Oh, brother! It could be that you were going to face a big loss, and it got reduced to a small one.

The results of the deeds done must be experienced. Yes, the thorn of the cross is definitely there due to good deeds. We will surely feel the thorn, whether it’s an iron thorn or a babool (acacia) thorn, but it will be felt. If the cross is avoided, that acceptance should be made. Secondly, the scripture of karma says that the results of the accumulated deeds of past lives must be endured. We will endure the results of new deeds later. Right now, we are enduring the results of past deeds in the present, and whatever we do in the present, we will surely endure the results in the future. We misunderstand slightly. The misunderstanding occurs because we don’t give enough emphasis on wisdom. We have become so business-minded that we want the results of our actions immediately and want to forget the results from past actions. Yes, we might forget the past, but when? When the accumulated sins from past lives are resolved through a vow, during the time of a sacrificial ritual (yajna). You people don’t do it, we sages do it. A vow for the expiation of accumulated sins from past lives is made: ‘For the expiation of physical, verbal, and mental wrongdoings, I hereby undertake this sacrificial ritual.’ We say that the sinful actions, evil deeds done by speech, word, action, or even by sight, will be atoned for through this sacrifice, and I bestow the merit of this ritual. If we do this for atonement, then the results of those sinful actions can diminish or be completely nullified. We keep depositing in the saving account but do not deposit in the expenditure account. So how will things work out, tell me? We have opened two accounts in the bank, in one account we deposited, and in the other account, we have some money saved. But the savings are low. We have taken more loans. If we don’t deposit more, how will we repay the debt? Oh, this is a household ritual, tell me, will the debt be repaid? No, it won’t. If we don’t deposit the sinful actions into the account, tell me how they will be reduced by the bank? I’m speaking about the karma of ripening; this is the secret of karma. We do what we do, recite the rosary later, but we make vows to the Goddess first: “Oh Mother! If I have a son, I will come to your pilgrimage, I will come to see you.” And when the son is born, and even when he is three years old, his stomach starts to hurt. The mother goes to Guru Baba and says, “Baba! The child’s stomach is hurting.” Oh, you made a vow to the Goddess. How long will you make her wait, tell me?

Nowadays, people get the work done first, and then forget about it. Then we told them sternly that you made this mistake. You do this, go and have a vision of her. She says that she has prepared many times but, oh Baba! That Mother doesn’t even call me! I asked, will she send a telegram? Will she telephone? Will she send an invitation? Will she send an airplane to you? Or will she send a train? That Devi Mai must be crazy because she didn’t make contact with you. Such is our fate due to karma. Now we ask God again. But we already asked six years ago. And if something went wrong in getting a vision of Mai, we say, “Oh Mai! I came to have your darshan, but my pocket got picked.” If your pocket got picked, does that mean you are doing a favour to Mai? The purpose for which you came to Mai, she had already fulfilled it, what do you want now, tell me. Whether it is God or a saint, why would your work be done in advance? Then you come to them and do them a favour by taking initiation, and after doing that, what more do you want from them? Repeatedly saying, “Oh, we have already taken initiation from here, oh, we come here every day, we serve, oh, we chant Baba Ji’s victory”; this is nothing but arrogance. Oh brother! This is your karma; you must continue to do it. Its result will surely come. It cannot be that it doesn’t. But if you ask for it beforehand, what will you get? People put conditions first. We Baba Ji fulfil the first condition immediately, and even God fulfils it. But man is so clever that he says that the vow he made, what does Baba Ji know about it? The work is already done.

A Jat Baba climbed up a date palm tree, and that tree was 100 hands tall. When he looked down, he feared death. He said, “Thakur Ji! Baba! Hanuman Ji! Baba! Bhairon Ji! Baba! Balaji! Baba! Singh Baba! Please lower me down, slowly.” He promised to feed 100 Brahmins. When he got halfway down, he said, “Look Baba, I am a poor Jat, I will definitely feed 50 Brahmins.” When a quarter distance was left, he said, “Look Baba! I am poor, I will definitely feed 25 with honesty. There’s no doubt about that, I promise.” When only ten hands’ distance remained, he said, “Look Baba! I will definitely feed 5 Brahmins, even if my neck is cut off, even if my children are sold, I will definitely do this work.” When he looked down and saw only two hands’ distance left, the Jat Baba jumped down and said, “Oh God! What favour have you done to me in this? On the contrary, my hands and feet are aching, why should I feed the Brahmins? I got down on my own strength.” The same is happening to us. Whatever good works we did, we claim as our effort, and whatever bad happened, we attribute to God’s doing, or blame the Siddhadata Ashram. Sometimes we hear this. But dear ones! Our karma silently rises. Its fruits are neither received here nor there. So, what I wanted to say is—Karma’s path is mysterious. The workings of karma are very strange. And human beings get caught in its cycle and can’t do anything.

People say, “Oh brother! You are a useless man, uneducated, and have fallen into the trap of Babajis.” But dear ones! Traps are always good! But those who do not come to Babajis do not get trapped in this way—they are in such a trap that they spend their whole life working like oxen at an oil press, earning and earning until they die, and Yama will beat their skin off, and then a bigger trap. What will happen? There is only a small cycle here. A small cycle, after spinning, comes back to normal. If it’s the opposite cycle, Baba connects it back to the normal cycle. But that is a “Ghanachakkar,” and he doesn’t even realize how big that whirl is. In such situations, when we carry the consequences of karma, we get entangled in numerous actions and fail to establish our own system.

Yajna is a karma. God says, “Yajna, Tapas, Karma are not to be abandoned; indeed, they should be performed” (Gita 18/4). Arjuna! Performing yajna karma is very important, so you should perform yajna. But dear ones! Suppose our salary is fifty thousand, one lakh. But even that one lakh rupees is insufficient for yajna because a good yajna requires crores of rupees. Where will we get those crores of rupees from? This would mean that we will end up in hell. But it’s not like that. When Arjuna heard about the yajnas, he became silent, and God thought that maybe Arjuna did not understand, or perhaps he had some argument in mind, so he remained silent. So, God says, “Among yajnas, I am the japa yajna.” Don’t worry about yajna. If you do not have internal conflict or lack of time, don’t worry. “Yajnanam” is plural. Yajnas are not one, there are many, like the numerous material yajnas, knowledge yajnas, japa yajnas, etc. That is why God used the plural for yajnas – “Yajnanam Japa Yagnosmi.” Here, He used a singular term. You, learned people who are well-versed in the interpretation of the Gita, please reflect on this. God said “Yajnanam” in plural. There are numerous yajnas, they cannot be counted. Whether you perform many different yajnas or not, it is your choice. Yajna is meant for the purification of the mind, for sanctity, for the establishment of the Vedas, and for my pleasure. But if you cannot do it, it’s okay—“Among yajnas, I am the japa yajna.” You can perform the yajna of my name. The remembrance of my name itself is like the Dashashwamedh Yajna, the Rajasuya Yajna. You will perform yajna for my pleasure. By performing yajna, you will please me. Therefore, please me by chanting my name. Whether you please me by performing yajna or by chanting my name, I am pleased in both ways. This is why the phrase ‘Gahana Karmanoh Gati:’ (The path of karma is profound) indicates that karma can take many forms.

Giving charity is karma. But suppose there is nothing to eat at home. Then where will I give charity from? And if I don’t give charity, will I go to hell? Isn’t this a doubtful situation? I say, why will you go to hell? The word ‘charity’ does not only mean giving money. Giving clothes, giving wealth, giving gold, diamonds, and pearls is not the only charity. God says, “O Arjuna! My acceptance itself is complete charity.” Offering yourself means that I have accepted your offering. What greater charity could there be than this? Therefore, I am pleased even with that. I am speaking about the profound nature of karma. Don’t get entangled in the complexity of karma, become a resolved person. The meaning of Satsang is to be resolved. Resolve matters. By getting entangled in the consequences of karma, a sense of inferiority will arise.

Charity is of many types. Through your intellect, you can give for a religion, for an institution, for a Baba. If you assist with any deity’s place or for anyone (not just for the sake of fruits), then understand that you have done a great charity. If you serve with your body, perform car seva (voluntary service), then this too is a great act of charity. Serving is itself charity. It does not involve spending our money or even a penny. If you say, why should I do it because my body will get tanned in the sun, I say, don’t do it, it’s okay. Simply nurture thoughts or emotions towards any place, and this in itself becomes the greatest service. Do that alone. Therefore, let’s not get involved in the deep complexities of special karmas. My dear ones! My feelings are that if you do not perform big sacrifices, donations, or meritorious deeds, but if you do, then do them extensively. If God gives you the ability, then why not do it? Do it for society, do it for God, do it extensively. If you do not do it, don’t let a sense of inferiority arise at all. Not doing charity should never create a sense of inferiority. Once we become complete, then what greater charity can there be? Tell me. I want to conclude this mystery by saying that do not get entangled in the outcomes of karma. Whatever your work or duty in this world is, do it to the fullest extent. Put in extra time. God will not be angry with you, nor will the saints be angry.

You may say that I have heard in the saints’ discourses that this world is worthless, wealth is worthless. If this wealth and world are worthless, then Baba! You are worthless too. Why did you come here if the world is worthless? What does Baba have to do with a worthless place? If that Supreme Being is true, then my dear ones! This materialism is also true. If the truth of that Supreme Being exists, then the truth of human beings surely exists.

This cannot be challenged. That is, for earning a livelihood, for serving society, and for keeping the family happy, we will need industry, but it should not be considered as karma. It should be considered as industry. We should carry out the industry with honesty, with effort, and with purity in service. That is industry. Whatever business or livelihood it is, do that. Neither God nor Baba Ji forbids it. Baba Ji serves the ashram for 21 hours out of 24 hours. Serving is our duty; working is our duty. We should perform good deeds. You should do business, jobs, and farming, but do not get entangled in the complexities of various karmic outcomes. Only get involved in one karmic outcome. While watching the outcomes of karma, and understanding the mysteries of karma, read and extract the essence. Ved Vyasa Ji Maharaj extracted the essence of all the Puranas— “Atadartra Puranguru Vyāsasya Vachan Dharmam” and said two things: “For the welfare of others is virtue, and causing pain to others is sin.”

Now, we are making the understanding of karmic outcomes simple. A person should do as much good as they can. It is not about burning down your own house to do good for others. Do as much as you can with your body, speech, actions, and words. If someone asks us for directions, and we say, “Go, go,” or if someone says, “Brother! Where are you going to live?” “Brother, I have to go to Siddhdata Ashram, Surajkund, or Delhi.” “Brother! Go this way.” Now, what did it cost us to say this? But I have also seen that it is said, “Go, go, Baba, we are not your subordinates.” “Are we here just for you? Are we policemen here?” And then there is this, “Brother! The road is going this way, there is no fear of anything, that place is far.”

I am simplifying the explanation of what kind of karma we should perform. This is what we should do. This is what Vedvyasa Ji Maharaj said, and Baba Nanakdev Ji also wrote two words. My dear ones! My followers! My disciples! Just focus on two things—service and remembrance. The word ‘service’ does not mean you should only serve me. It doesn’t mean you should only serve Thakur Ji. Serve Thakur Ji Maharaj and the saints, but also serve your family. Serve the children. Husbands should serve their wives, and wives should serve their husbands. The essence of service is love! We get entangled in the deep nature of karma. I am doing good, but bad things are happening to me. I go to Baba Ji. From that day, I became unhappy. Oh, good man! The sins that were hidden have been revealed by coming here. Until the hidden sins are revealed, how will they be cleared? You tell me. By going to a good place, the hidden sins are exposed, and the resolution happens quickly. If the expense account opens, why won’t the resolution happen? By going to a good place, the sinful deeds come to the forefront. We must remain steadfast in our karma.

Lord Rama emphasizes to Shabari the importance of maintaining firmness and faith, saying—

Mantra japa mam dridh viswasa, Panchama bhakti so Ved prakasa

Reciting the mantra (name of God) with firm faith is the fifth form of devotion,
as revealed in the Vedas
Ramcharitmanas

In other places, the name ‘Veda’ is not mentioned. It is certainly mentioned in the Navadha Bhakti (nine forms of devotion). The word ‘Veda’ is found two to three times in the entire Ramayana, where it is mentioned once in the context of bhakti. Tulsidas Ji has given special emphasis to the Panchama Bhakti (the fifth form of devotion).

Chant the mantra with firm faith.

My dear ones! When you lose faith, when you destroy faith, no karma of yours will work. Even the good karma will wither away before sprouting. Just as if you add two grams of curd to 10 kilos of milk, the entire milk turns into curd. The same is true of firmness and faith. Therefore, you should have firm faith and not add your daily karma to your old accounts. We should continue to perform new good deeds. If we have received a human birth, it should be spent doing good deeds continuously. Those who are closer to us sometimes scold us, saying, “Do this.” They may also say, “Keep serving, but do not forget the name of the Lord.” Pain and pleasure are the results of our bad and good karma. If you perform penance for your bad deeds, then your sins will definitely be destroyed—this is guaranteed. The fruits of bad karma can end here, but only if you make the effort to rectify them. Only then. Hey, you came to Baba for wealth. You got the wealth. What more do you want? You didn’t come here to suffer losses. A person should not come to a spiritual centre with the desire for material gains. This is the best kind of karma. In other words, I am simplifying the explanation of karma. Listen to the works required in this age—

Prabhu taru bharosa rakhiye, santan ko kari preet,
Nij karni kai gati rahiyo, jaise udhi gaye bhreet

Be true to the Lord, show goodwill towards saints.
Live in this world as if you have escaped an ordeal
Vinay Patrika

The Lord is the Supreme Being, whether you worship Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Brahma, or the Mother Goddess. Whether you worship Jagadamba, Vishnu, or the Guru, it is your choice. I am simplifying the explanation of karma. The phrase ‘Gahana Karmano Gati’ (the complex path of karma) is being explained in simple terms. However, for this, even the Vedas, Vedanta, Upanishads, or any other scripture cannot challenge it. Instead of getting entangled in complex interpretations of karma, focus on three things: service, remembrance, and truth. Our life is true, our Supreme Being is true, and this world in which we have come is also true. Therefore, we must perform true actions. Do not forget this. That Supreme Being sees everything, is everywhere, and is pervasive in every atom, every particle, and every root. Understand this as a certainty. Since He is present everywhere, we must remember Him. He is watching us. We should perform such actions that please Him. We should not do anything that displeases Him. Perform service, remember Him, and also follow dharma. I have said, increase these tenfold. We are human. The more we expand our business, the more we will be able to help others. Suppose you have set up a factory where 10 workers work. If you set up 50 factories, you will provide livelihood to 500 people. Expand this, but do not get too caught up in the intricacies of karma and its consequences; instead, focus on service and remembrance. These two actions alone will bring you joy and prosperity. Again, I am speaking about the profound path, not getting entangled. As we deposit these merits in our old accounts, those accounts will eventually close, leading to an experience of supreme bliss. If we keep acquiring new goods in exchange for these merits, the old account will remain as it is. Then you can blame God or the saints if you want.

Give as per your will—give to your family, give to society, it is your choice. Sometimes, say to God, “O God! I offer this merit to You.” It becomes ours. Sometimes after performing a good deed, say, “O Lord! Accumulate the merits and sins of my previous births.” And sometimes say, “Please let me win the 9 lakh lottery.” Don’t you sing this in songs? My beloved ones! Don’t limit your focus to just this, also deposit some in the old account, take some in the new account, accumulate some for our penances, and fix some.

We use money in three ways—we spend it at home, we save some, and we donate some. Similarly, create three accounts for the outcomes of karma. Deposit some good deeds into the account of old sinful deeds. Perhaps, it might work like fire and destroy all sins because virtues are like fire. When the wealth of fire-like virtues is deposited into the account of sinful deeds, it destroys them immediately. Do not always keep asking and asking. Learn to give to the old account as well, otherwise, you will become thieves, and Yamaraj (the god of death) will come and catch you. Human life is made to clear the balance of old accounts. We are not here to create new accounts or to accumulate new debts; instead, we should repay some old debts by donating virtues. By donation, I do not mean gold or silver, or money. Don’t misunderstand this. Donation here means giving a portion of the japa (chanting) and yajna (sacrifices) that we perform. Consider this—if we do this for the remission of our sins, we should sometimes say it out loud. Sometimes ask, sometimes fix it, sometimes dedicate it as an offering. I am revealing the secret of karma vipak (the consequences of actions). My dear ones! If you have understood this secret, then resolve in your mind to act accordingly. I cannot say more because even a tree takes time to grow. Work with such true intentions. Just as the government gives a 60-day grace period to appeal, give me at least 60 days of grace as well. After 60 days, observe how much happiness, peace of mind, and inner strength you experience.

I concluded this discussion on karma vipak because, instead of getting entangled in numerous actions and their consequences, we should focus on grasping the fundamental principles of karma vipak. Just as our social system requires us to engage in business, trade, jobs, or whatever we do, we should do it diligently and even more than necessary. My point is that we should invest extra time, or do more and more. The business class should expand their trade, the working class should strive for promotions. Make efforts, work hard so that you achieve promotions, and Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) resides in your home. But this will only happen if you put in a little effort. So, put in your effort.

Remember, God is not attained through effort. Effort can bring you wealth. Wealth can build houses, effort can build an ashram for Baba Ji. But God is not attained through effort. Keep this in mind for sure. God is attained only through belief. By believing that He is your companion, protector, father, mother, just as a devotee believes in God in prayer…

It is said—

Tvameva mātā cha pitā tvameva,
Tvameva bandhushcha sakhā tvameva,
Tvameva vidyā draviṇam tvameva,
Tvameva sarvam mama deva deva

You alone are my mother and father,
You alone are my relative and friend.
You alone are knowledge, wealth, and everything to me, O Lord of all gods!

My dear ones! In such an acknowledgment lies the realization of God. God cannot be attained through actions alone, although one may attain the eight siddhis (supernatural powers) or wealth through karma (actions). While karma can lead you to perform dharma (righteousness), the attainment of God, and moksha (liberation) comes through recognizing and accepting God. We may perform rituals like yajna (sacrifice), but if we do not acknowledge and accept God, the fruits of those actions will not yield anything significant. The realization of God lies in acknowledgment.

The three worldly goals—dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), and kama (desire)—can be attained through your efforts. The deeds from past lives that come before you must be maintained by regularly depositing something in your old account. Sometimes, after chanting five malas (prayer beads), tell God, “O God! Today’s five malas or ten malas are dedicated to atoning for the deeds of my past lives that are causing me suffering. I offer the merit of these malas for the resolution of these karmas.” Even if you keep depositing in this manner, the Divine Bank (God) will not consider you dishonest. Even if your account balance is low, He will still grant you credit. However, He will not grant you credit if you never deposit anything. We are such good people that we always seek to take advances. We want to act later but demand an advance first. This is the profound nature of karma.

So, try to understand this karma a little, and as I said, do not get entangled in complex and lengthy karmas. Instead, focus on service and remembrance. The human body is priceless; we should keep this in mind and perform the best deeds for society and our family so that no one criticizes us or feels sorrow. We should bring happiness to everyone. Keep these deeds in mind. If you cannot do even this, then God says, what can I do? If you do, I will appeal to God on your behalf; it’s a guarantee. I am not speaking out of ego or exaggeration. I am not saying this to influence you; I am speaking the truth. I will appeal because I am not doing this for my own greed, for my own gain, or to loot wealth. This body is not meant for such deeds.

I am serving Him. You people do not belong to Him, so He cannot say this. The soul is a part of the eternal God. It is pure consciousness, naturally full of bliss.

This means everything belongs to Him. I am doing this for Him, for His children. I am not committing any injustice; I am giving education, and I am doing it for them. If they do not listen to me, I will appeal, I will raise the black flag. I will turn the praise into lamentation. I am such a person that I will say if I have asked you for even a single penny, then take it back. If I have soiled your cloth, then take it back. Take back this body-cloth if you wish; I do not want it. Why? Because we have come to do His work, my dear ones! We have not come for our own work. The Gita says—

Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām,
Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya saṁbhavāmi yuge yuge

For the protection of the righteous, for the destruction of the wicked, and for the establishment of Dharma, I manifest myself age after age
Bhagavad Gita (4/8)

This means that God takes three vows when He incarnates here – I will establish Dharma, bring happiness to the virtuous, and destroy the wicked. However, He only accomplishes two of these tasks and then departs. The incarnations have done only two things – they protected the virtuous and destroyed the wicked, but they did not establish Dharma. If, among the 24 incarnations, this was done, then any knowledgeable and loving person can write to me immediately if God had established any Dharma.

There is no ‘Ram Dharma’ of Ram, nor is there a ‘Krishna Dharma’ of Krishna. Neither established any Dharma; this task remains incomplete. Now, we are continuing their Dharma, explaining what Sanatan Dharma is. Will He not even consider this much from us? If He does not give us a position, then what will be our utility? As we say in Rajasthan – Bhaya Ji, take this key, but do not touch the lock. The lock and the key are yours. What will we break our heads for in this house? If He does not give us even a little authority, then, my dear ones! Why would Baba wear colorful, yellow clothes? Does Baba have any desire? He can roam around wearing diamonds and pearls. Do you have any opposition to this? But this rule is made for him. Everything is being done for him, and that includes you all. I cannot even believe that you people are sitting here. I believe that parts of the Supreme Being are sitting here. The soul is a part of the eternal God, which means that when all beings on Earth are one family – Vasudhaiva, then this is indeed my family sitting here. I am speaking these truthful words, with God as my witness. You are all part of Satsang, but I consider you all my own children. I see the divine essence in all of you. I am appealing to that Supreme Being for you all. But remember the points of appeal. I will make the appeal, and if you start speaking falsely, the lawyer will get into trouble. When a witness is alert and the foolishness is sluggish, then there is no escape. I will give testimony, absolutely I will. I will say that I do not know how many sins they have committed, or what they have done, I do not know. What I do know is that they come to Shri Siddhadata Ashram, they benefit from Satsang, and they accept the teachings of Satsang. Don’t they? They replied, yes, they do. Then complete this task of theirs. I cannot lose in this appeal. But what do I lose in the appeal, my dear ones! When you listen to Satsangs but do not put them into practice. Putting into practice is Karma. If you do this, I will carry it on my head 24 hours a day. I saw a Babaji in Satya Char some time ago. He had a stick. I asked him what it was. He said, this is a Kalpavriksha (wish-fulfilling tree). Now, carrying around such a Kalpavriksha, will it give you the fruit of the Kalpavriksha? Many people say that they are meditating under a banyan tree. They keep a small branch of the banyan tree in their hair and say that they are meditating under the banyan tree. This is foolishness. Ah, benefit only comes from contemplating something deeply. You can gain knowledge from reading, but the benefits of Karma and Dharma cannot be obtained without action.

Dronacharya was teaching his disciples – Dharmam chara, Ahimsa paramo dharmah, Satyam vada, Priyam bruyat. Duryodhana and others were also present. Immediately he asked, “Children, have you memorized the lesson?” They replied, “Yes, we have memorized it. Satyam vada, Dharmam chara, Ahimsa paramo dharmah, Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya.” He then asked Yudhishthira. “Yudhishthira! Why are you sitting silently?” Yudhishthira replied, “Maharaj! They have memorized six lessons, but I cannot remember even one. What should I do? You first said, Satyam vada! But that’s the one I can’t seem to remember. What should I do? In this way, four to six months passed. Then Dronacharya asked again, “Yudhishthira! Haven’t you memorized that lesson?” Yudhishthira said, “Maharaj, now I have remembered it.” “What have you remembered?” “Satyam vada.” “And the rest?” Yudhishthira replied, “I don’t remember the rest. I’ll try to remember it later.” Dronacharya said, “These people memorized six lessons and recited them to me in an hour. But Maharaj! I spent six months pondering whether I could truly speak the truth or follow Dharma. That’s why it took me six months to realize that it was possible, and only then did I say I had remembered the lesson. The benefit of Satsang will only be realized, my dear ones, when even half, a quarter, a tenth, or one percent of what is said in Satsang settles in your heart. Only then will the benefit be certain. Who says it won’t happen? If seeds are sown and they don’t sprout, how can that be? They don’t sprout in barren soil. I have already said this before. Sowing seeds in barren soil yields no benefit. The seeds perish. So, do not immerse yourself in the deep process of Karma Vipak (the law of action and reaction), but come into the path of simplicity.”

In reality, you do not need to perform large-scale sacrifices (yajnas). However, if you have the resources, then by all means, conduct grand yajnas. It’s not that Babaji forbids it. But it is not necessary that you must do it, especially not by taking loans, borrowing from neighbors, or begging. There is no such requirement. You can perform the japa yajna (recitation ritual), which is the best of all yajnas. It requires no expenditure, nor does it waste your time. You can do japa yajna while walking, eating, sleeping, waking, washing clothes, or bathing—there is no problem. If someone tells you that it is prohibited, then let the sin fall upon me. The only prohibition is that one should not worship the deity or approach the deity’s image in an impure state after bathing. There is a need to be clean and wear pure clothes when doing so. However, there is no need to bathe before performing japa yajna. I would even say that if you are in the restroom, keep your remembrance there as well—there is no sin in that. If there is sin, it will be upon me, and the merit will be yours. I will take on the sin—just do it. If God becomes angry, He will be angry with me.

Sarveshu kaleshu mam anusmara

At all times, remember Me (God)
Bhagavad Gita (8/7)

Summary

The text explores the profound nature of karma and differentiates between the types of karma and occupations. It emphasizes that karma is not merely about earning a livelihood but includes actions that lead one toward spiritual growth and realization of the Supreme Being. The Bhagavad Gita’s teaching about karma is highlighted, reminding that the fruits of one’s actions are not the ultimate goal, and karma can take many forms, including service and selfless actions. True karma involves striving for the divine, not just worldly achievements like earning money or building a livelihood.

The discourse further explains that spiritual actions, such as japa (chanting) and yajna (sacrifice), are essential for purifying the mind and attaining higher spiritual goals. The path of karma is described as mysterious, with various interpretations in sacred texts. However, practical spiritual practices like service, remembrance of the divine, and unwavering faith are the key ways to overcome the entanglements of karma. The text encourages individuals to focus on simple, sincere actions rather than getting lost in the complexities of karma.

Important Points

1. Types of Karma: Karma is classified into three types—sattvic (pure), rajasic (passionate), and tamasic (ignorant).
2. Difference between Karma and Occupation: Occupation, like jobs or business, is essential for livelihood but is distinct from spiritual karma aimed at attaining the Supreme Being.
3. Goal of Karma: The goal of true karma is spiritual realization and moving toward the divine, not just achieving worldly success.
4. Bhagavad Gita’s Teaching: The Bhagavad Gita emphasizes performing duties without attachment to their outcomes (Karma Yoga).
5. Importance of Faith: Faith is essential for success in any spiritual endeavor; without firm belief, karma will not yield spiritual progress.
6. Service (Seva): Service to God, saints, and society is a vital form of karma that leads to spiritual growth.
7. Remembrance of God: Constant remembrance of the divine through japa (chanting) is a powerful spiritual practice, equivalent to yajna (sacrifice).
8. Purpose of Human Life: Human life is meant for realizing God, not just for fulfilling material desires and duties.
9. Consequences of Karma: Past karmas need to be endured, but new bad karma should be avoided through righteous actions and spiritual practices.
10. Yajna and Japa: While grand sacrifices (yajnas) are not always necessary, japa (recitation of God’s name) is considered one of the highest spiritual practices that can be done anywhere, anytime.