Doctrine of Karma

We all are well versed with Law of conservation of Energy. According to this law the sum total of energy in this Universe is constant. It only changes from one form to another i.e. from light to heat or electricity etc. In the same fashion in the moral world, the Law of conservation of Moral Energy prevails. Every act good or' bad has its energy level that is never lost. It may remain stored for a shorter or longer period, but at some point of time it emerges and gets activated. Thus no act of ours, morally right or wrong gets lost. This principle if understood, can help us keep ourselves on track. We may understand it properly through the following components: 

1. A cause at present must produce an effect in future.

2. An effect at present must have had a cause in the past.

3. The effect returns to the source of the cause.

4. Like cause, like effect.

5. Each cause produces its own effect; there is no mutual cancellation.

Thus it is well said, "As shall you sow, so shall you reap". 

This gives us a higher motivational theory, encouraging to do right and discouraging to do wrong. A bonafide cause now brings a bonafide effect tomorrow. And an undesirable cause (doing) today is bound to bring an adverse effect tomorrow. 

Further, each cause has its own effect. A businessman using unfair means to earn more knows very well that he is doing wrong and tries to get rid of this burden by giving a portion of such earning in charity. But as there is no mutual cancellation, he has to face an adverse effect of wrong doing separately and a pleasant effect of the charity separately. 

This doctrine of Karma is also found operative for a group of individuals also. A collective cause brings a collective effect. We do see the impact of right or wrong doings at the level of family, society, organisation or the whole country. For the given right or wrong deeds practiced at individual, family, society or country level; the effect is also seen at individual, family, and society or country level respectively. For example, sons paying debts of father or inheriting property, innocent citizens suffering consequences of wars or prosperity of the country. 'Gahana karmo Gati' or dense are the ways of karma- what trait will they take, and when, is unknown. 

We may at times have a feeling that no one bothers for this law. Or the effect may come or may not. But we say so, with reference to the immediate surroundings. We tend to look at results in near future-least understanding that the effect is a net result of following factors: 

-  The above five components taken together,

-  The time factor-the past, the present and the future (nearer or farther), thus the effect may come  immediately or after a long time.

-  The form or shape in which the effect may come. 

All these make a network of permutations and combinations, and so we may not many a times be able to witness the results of given cause or be able to relate an effect to a past cause. But when we say that effect may or may not come; we definitely acknowledge that effect is there though seen in some cases, not all. 

The Indian explanation of fate is Karma. We ourselves make our own fate through our actions, but the fate created by us binds us; for what we have sown, we must reap in this life or another. Still we are creating our fate for the future even while under going old fate from the past in the present. That gives a meaning to our will and action and does not, as European critics wrongly believe, constitute a rigid and sterilizing fatalism.