Karma

Karma is a law of nature just like gravity postulated by Hinduism. Karma regulates the consequences to the actions that we do. According to the law of karma, all our actions reap consequences that are equal in nature to our original action, which returns to us at the most appropriate time in our life. To put it simply, the law of karma states that if one does good, good experience of equal measure is received; if one does bad, bad experience of equal measure is received. Sometimes teachers equate karma to Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that, for every action there is and equal and opposite reaction. However, karma does not govern motion, instead it governs our deeds.

Karma like the law of gravity affects everyone equally. It does not matter whether you believe in karma. Just like the law of gravity doesn't discriminate whether you believe in it or not. Certainly a person who doesn't believe in gravity is not going to become weightless all of a sudden and float away.


According to the belief of karma, one shapes ones own destiny through deeds. Thus the happiness or sorrow that we experience in life are the cause of our previous actions. Karma spans through lifetimes. In other words the consequences of our deeds don't necessarily return to us in the same lifetime, instead it can come back to us in a future life. Karma explains many of the anomalies in life. For instance why should one child be born a natural genius and another mentally challenged. Sure one can say it is because of their genes. However, if you look for deeper purpose and ask why should God allow such a situation, endowing one with a much more superior quality compared to the other, then, only an understanding of the law of karma can give an adequate solution. Reasoning that one's past deeds determines situations in current life.


This also means that we are the masters of our destiny. That by every deed we do to others and even unto ourselves we are shaping our future. Karma puts the responsibility of our lives squarely on our shoulders. Though sometimes it may be difficult to accept that we have to pay for actions (the bad ones that is) we do not remember from past lives, karma, when understood in the right perspective is an ally to our spiritual life. Karma is the teacher. This teacher creates situations (based on our own doings) in our lives for us to derive lessons from and therefore enjoy or suffer in the world. It is through this process that we grow spiritually. I cannot go into much details about the working of karma or how we can use this God given power within us to our positive advantage, in this brief session. However you all should know that Hinduism is all about karma management. The goal of karma management is to maximize the creation of good karmas and minimize if not avoid altogether the creation of bad karmas. This is Sanatana Dharma.

http://www.myhindupage.org/index.php/9-common-qs-on-hinduism