Facets of Karma

Understanding karma, akarma (inaction or reaction) and vikarma (prohibited action) is very difficult. Krishna says that this is an intricate issue and even the wise are confounded about the subtleties of karma and akarma (4.16). He further says that the nature of karma is very difficult to know. Certainly, to fully understand the nature of right and prescribed action, one must also understand the nature of vikarma (forbidden action) and of akarma (4.17). He concludes that one who beholds karma in akarma and akarma in karma has attained the goal of all karmas (4.18).

A contemplative person once observed an animal escaping into a forest. Moments later, a butcher comes by and asks him if he has seen the animal. The person is on the horns of a dilemma, as the truth would result in the death of the animal while uttering a lie is immoral. If we sum up all forbidden actions of all cultures and religions, living would be impossible. Hence, Krishna indicates that these issues are intricate and even the wise get confused.

Sins and karma

The question of vikarma (prohibited action) or sin is very intriguing. Arjuna is also in this very dilemma and says that sin alone will accrue by killing relatives and teachers in the battle (1.36). All cultures have defined various karmas (actions) as sins and the list changes with time. In the modern context, countries have their penal codes which mandate some actions to be crimes or sins and thus punishable when committed. In any case, we keep punishing ourselves through guilt, regret and shame when such perceived sins are performed by us.

In this context, Krishna says that “One hoping for nothing, with controlled mind and body, having relinquished all possessions, doing mere bodily actions, incurs no sin” (4.21). Krishna earlier talked about sin and told Arjuna, “To treat pleasure and pain; profit and loss; victory and defeat alike and fight the battle, whereby he would not incur any sin” (2.38).

Krishna says, “Even if you are the most sinful of sinners, you shall safely cross the sea of sin by the raft of wisdom (4.36). Just as a blazing flame reduces firewood to ashes, the fire of wisdom reduces all actions to ashes” (4.37).

For Krishna sin is like darkness, which is dispelled by the light of wisdom and awareness. The darkness may have been there for a long time, or it could be pitch dark but the light instantaneously dispels it.

However, this is contrary to religious preachings dealing with actions, thoughts and feelings which are labelled as sins and conclude that all our sufferings are because of these sins. Religions preach penance for sins both in terms of quantity and quality through various practices and rituals to get rid of the sins. Depending on whether sins are simple or severe, penance varies. If it is committed over a long period, greater repentance and remorse are required.

But for Krishna, the duration or magnitude of sin doesn’t matter. We need to know ‘that’ by which we will see all beings in the self and also the Lord (4.35).

From Bhakti yoga point of view Krishna says, “Whoever realises Me to be the unborn, beginningless and supreme Lord of existence, conquers delusion and is liberated of all sins” (10.3). The key is conquering delusion by realising HIM so that one gets liberated from all sins.

Life presents us with many difficult situations that have no easy answers. While religions thrive on our guilt of committing sins, spirituality is about gratitude and awareness that sins and virtues are part of the same oneness. It is realisation that karma happens because of interaction between gunas and live with choiceless awareness does clarity descend.

Selflessness action -yajna

Water is essential for life on Earth and Krishna uses rain as an example to explain selfless actions (3.14). Basically, rain is a part of a cycle where water evaporates because of heat and forms clouds. It comes back as rain under right conditions. This process involves selfless actions and Krishna names them ‘yajna’. Fire ritual is usually taken as yajna, but it is the process of giving something which leads to getting something back. Oceans let the water evaporate to form clouds and clouds sacrifice themselves to turn into rain. Both the actions are selfless actions -yajna.

Krishna indicates that the selfless action of yajna holds the supreme reality or supreme power (3.15). In the beginning, using this power the Creator created (3.10) and advised everyone to use it to further themselves (3.11). This is nothing but aligning ourselves with the supreme reality to tap its power through the selfless action of yajna.

In this interconnected water cycle, if clouds were to feel proud and hoard water, then the cycle would collapse. Krishna calls such hoarders who disturb these cycles thieves (3.12). On the other hand, clouds keep forming when they continue with the selfless action of rain. Krishna uses the word ‘dev’ (shining ones) for the participants of this cycle helping each other (3.11).

These selfless actions give many things back, like the ocean getting water back through rain. Instead of hoarding, one should participate in this cycle, and this will free us from all sins (3.13) - hoarding being the original sin. Krishna cautions that non-selfless actions bind us and advises actions be performed without attachment like yajna (3.9). 

This world rests on shared existence, interconnectedness and interdependence, where each entity is a part of one cycle or another: dependent on something or someone. It’s like a part of us exists in others and a part of others exists in us.

Krishna reveals a secret that the remnant of selfless action of yajna is the nectar of Brahma (Supreme God) (4.31). The subtle indication is that all blessings we receive stem from the selfless actions we perform, whether consciously or unconsciously. Another inference is that if we take contentment as the parameter, the rich become richer and the poor poorer. This is an assurance from the Lord about the nectar of contentment from yajna.

It is the motivation that makes an action a sin and when the same action is performed like yajna, it becomes a virtue which is nothing but the nectar of liberation and contentment.