Karma--Action

: Karma is otherwise known as ‘action’ or ‘doing’. Action is possible only when there are more than one factor. For e.g. when sun reflects, there are factors viz sun, reflection of the sun, reflector,. and space where these three factors are accommodated. Another e.g. when we eat food, the factors are food, eating and the eater. For action in general there should be an actor, action and a thing acted upon. In the case of a dancer- form there is however a difference. There is a dancer and the dance is his sankalpam – one factor playing two roles. The ultimate truth is that there is BEING only without a second and if at all action is presumed it is possible in the form of sankalpa only, as in the analogy of dancer and dance.

There are various planes of Truth – ultimate, relative and imaginery. When we consider prapancham as real for all practical purposes,, it is a relative truth. Similarly when we consider prapancham as appearance (as existing only in appearance) it is imaginery truth i.e. praathibhasikam. When no prapancham is conceived, only Absolute is, it is the Absolute Truth..

In the relative plane only, action is considered as real, in the praathibasikam, it is dream-like, and in the Absolute there is no action. We do not welcome dreamlike action. In the relative field also the truth is that action is only ‘permissive’ and not’mandatory’ since it isa non-entity in the Absoulte sense.

All concepts like Jeeva, Atmachaitanya (kudastha), avidya, maya and Iswara including, are only an attempt to conceive the inconceivable through our partial knowledge. With this foreword, let us proceed with the subject under discussion – karma -. We may analyse karma in the plane of doing stage and also evaluate it from the witness stage.

As we all know Jeeva is the life giver to anthakarana i.e., mind, intellect, chittam and ego. The anthakaranam drawing power from jeeva is engaged in the performance of action. Jeeva without stopping its main roll as life-giver, unfortunately attachs itself to anthakarana and suffers the likes and dislikes of anthakarana!. This is the crux of the problem with every jeeva – individual!

Once this pronciple of functioning of anthakaranam and the jeeva’s role therein,is understood, it is not difficult to turn the jeeva towards atma-chaitanyam, its source. Jeeva can uplift itself as a sakshi (witness) – ‘Jeeva sakshi’, and observe the doings of the anthakarana, unaffected by its consequences . Till such time this sakshi-bhava is achieved and perfected, one can assume that all karmas are caused in the anthakarana by the jeeva and the results of such karmas are caused by Iswara. This is the initial step advocated in Bhagavad Geetha as ‘karmanyevathikareasthe….’, involving Iswara in all doings as the bestower of result - Jeeva as karmahethu and Iswara as karmaphalahethu!!. Once the sakshi-bhava gets established and jeeva and Iswara get merged relegating the karma and karmaphalam to ‘prakrithy’(‘prapancham’ in the vedanthic sense since Prakrithy is a sankya term)all actions in the field of prapancham assume a higher status as Iswara prasadam and finally everything dissolves in BEING. Thus from karma to karmayoga and from karmayoga to witness and ultimately to the BEING, man travels!

When Jeeva views anthakarana and attaaches itself to karma it is a DOER.
When Jeeva detaches from karma and views atmachaitanya it becomes a JEEVASAKSHI.

When atmachaitanya comes out of avidya and views Iswara it is SARVASAKSHI
When Iswara removes Maya it is one with BRAHMAN.

“Recognise you are the sakshi – witness of the body, the mind and the intellect. You are the non-moving, non-changing, ever present witness. Only this recognition will give you mukthy.”(Ashtavakrs Geetha)

“You do not belong to any caste, creed or asrama. You are unattached. You have no form. You are the witness of the things taking place in the viswam.” (Ashtavakra Geetha)