Human Evolution through the Law of Consequences — A Synopsis
A cosmic feedback mechanism governs the human evolution towards complete liberation from all physical and metaphysical limitations
Karma is the Law of Consequences happening at the cosmic level that impacts every human being. Nature inevitably drives every soul towards complete liberation termed as Moksha. It achieves this using a combination of destiny and willed self-effort. The law is designed to motivate people towards good actions, which puts oneself on the path towards spiritual evolution. Thereafter, it encourages selfless actions without the agency of the ego, so that the evolution towards the ultimate purpose of a human being, is accelerated and achieved.
In this article, few Sanskrit terms will be used and marked in Italics. The nearest English equivalent meaning will be explained first with the Sanskrit term in parenthesis or vice-versa.
The ultimate purpose of every human being is to eventually achieve complete liberation (Moksha) from all physical and mental limitations. For the extremely focussed ones, this can be achieved in one life. But for the many, the soul (Jeevatma) may need multiple births.
A free will (Svecchacharana) combined with willed self-effort (Purushartha) are necessary concomitants to being a human being. Consequently, human beings can evolve only consciously. Animals have neither free will nor willed self-effort and hence they are driven by unconscious evolution only.
Unfortunately, a free will can lead an individual astray from the ultimate purpose in life. It can enable one to think, speak and act in a way, which may not be in consonance towards the path of Moksha.
How does nature resolve the contradiction between free will of an individual and the cosmic goal of conscious evolution directed by willed self-effort?
Nature achieves this through the cosmic law of consequences called Karma. In our daily life, we come across force-fields like the earth’s magnetic field, which is a type of force that can be experienced but not seen. The law of Karma is similar to a force-field but existing at higher dimensions in the cosmos. It affects every human being and non-human being, though only a human being is capable of coming out of its influence, successfully.
Broadly speaking, how does the Law of Karma work ?
The law of Karma enables each individual’s action (in thought, word or deed) to be stored, processed and the action reflected back to the individual at an appropriate time. These reflected actions create circumstances for human beings to experience which is typically called destiny.
The law ensures that each and every person is free to act, using one’s free will. But every action of the individual, will be reflected back on the same person in a certain period of time than can range from an instant, a day, a month, a year, this lifetime or subsequent lifetimes. In short, one will be made to understand the consequences of one’s actions, like for like.
The word “actions” in this article include actions of thought, word and deed. The action of thought is more impactful (from a Karmic point of view) than the action of word. The action of speech is more impactful (from a Karmic point of view) than the action of deed. If a word is uttered with a corresponding thought behind it, the impact is increased multi-fold. If a deed is performed with a corresponding thought and word behind it, the impact is even more.
Dharmic actions are those actions whose intent and goal is the larger good of the human society. Every circumstance in life, good or bad, throws a challenge at a human being. If one responds in an optimum way in line with Dharmic action, then this action is called Sukarma. Sukarma creates a positive force called Punyam in the karmic field. Punyams at an appropriate point of time, create positive circumstances of pleasure, happiness, joy or bliss in one’s life, depending on the magnitude and nature of the Punyams.
Similarly, if the response is not in consonance with Dharmic action, then this action is called as Vikarma. Vikarmas create a negative force called Paapam in the karmic field. Paapams at an appropriate point of time, create negative circumstances of misery, grief and sorrow in one’s life, depending on the magnitude and nature of the Paapams.
These Punyams and Paapams are stored deep in the subconscious karmic memory of one’s consciousness. Consequently, they survive death of the body, as the soul (individual consciousness) moves on to adorn itself with a new body, which in some cases could be a non-human body. The combination of Punyams and Paapams is what we call as destiny.
The law of Karma helps people to lead responsible lives knowing fully well that one will invariably face consequences for one’s actions, in this life or in subsequent lives. Irresponsible actions outside the dharmic envelope (Vikarmas) will have bad consequences.
The mechanism works through a negative feedback mechanism which uses the positive and negative circumstances in life as inputs to an individual so that course corrections in one’s life can be done using willed self-effort (Purushartha).
How should one direct willed self-effort towards conscious evolution?
The Law of Karma when understood correctly, helps one avoid the victimhood complex and blame game, as the circumstances of pain and pleasure are of one’s own doing. It motivates people to rise above the circumstances of their lives and contribute positively towards society.
Because it is a negative feedback mechanism, it strives to maintain the cosmic evolutionary balance.
During the experience of misery, grief and sorrowful circumstances in one’s life, the law of Karma expects an individual to adopt a constructive approach:
- By accepting these circumstances as just reflected actions of those actions done by oneself in this life or in the previous lives.
- By not repeating actions that can again generate similar Paapams (not doing Vikarmas).
- By reacting to these circumstances consciously, thereby creating Sukarmas or by consciously creating new Sukarmas.
For others outside the experience envelope of the individual, it is a lesson not to do Vikarmas that generate Paapams and to create Punyams for themselves through doing service to the individual(s) affected by Paapams.
During the experience of pleasure, happiness, joyful or blissful circumstances in one’s life, an individual needs to adopt a cautious approach:
- By reducing one’s level of ego through humility and gratitude.
- By continuing those actions that will generate Punyams (by doing Sukarmas).
- By reacting to these circumstances consciously, thereby creating more Sukarmas or by consciously creating new Sukarmas.
For others outside the experience envelope of the individual, it is a good demonstration that good actions (Sukarmas) generate Punyams, that create circumstances for happiness in the present or in the future.
Specifically speaking, how does the Law of Karma work?
The Punyams and Paapams are stored in the deep subsconscious karmic memory and carried over from birth to birth. This accumulated store is called Sanchita Karma.
In a particular human life, only a portion of the Sanchita Karma is chosen to be discharged. This specific portion is called as Prarabda Karma. Prarabda in Sanskrit means that the activation has happened at birth and it cannot be deactivated, which means that the selected quantity of Punyams and Paapams will play themselves out completely in this life. Prarabda Karma is destined to happen in this life, but it can be modified or modulated.
However, a human being will create new actions in the current life. It can be a self-willed conscious action. It can also be a conscious or unconscious reaction to life’s circumstances.
These new actions, whether Sukarmas or Vikarmas, create their own Punyams and Paapams, some of which will be discharged in this life itself (Kriyamana Karmas) and some will be carried over into subsequent lives (Agami karmas).
When the individual soul moves out from its body in the current life, the Agami Karma bucket will empty its contents into the Sanchita Karma bucket. This also means that a constant stream of Agami Karmas, will never allow the Sanchita Karma bucket to get empty.
Most importantly, unless the Sanchita Karma bucket is empty, complete liberation (Moksha) is not possible.
Nature tries to help in the reduction of Sanchita Karma by giving the soul, multiple lives in different bodies, so that the stored Punyams and Paapams can be discharged. Consequently, nature determines the next best body the soul should move into, to best optimize its evolution in that body, through the impact of the carefully selected Prarabda Karma. The body itself can be a human body or a non-human body (say animal body). Only in cases of extreme Paapam accumulation, does a human soul take on a non-human body.
The animal soul cannot evolve or devolve while in a particular body, but will evolve automatically when it moves into the next animal body and this process goes on and on until it moves into a human body. This is also similar to the Darwin’s theory of evolution.
The human soul, on the other hand, can only evolve consciously while in a particular human body by performing Sukarmas. Similarly, the soul can also devolve, if Vikarmas are done consciously. This evolution or devolution then determines the next body.
If Prarabdha Karma is fixed, is everything pre-determined in one’s life ?
No. Prarabda Karma can be modulated or modified by Kriyamana Karma and Sadhana.
Kriyamana Karma (explained above) are the actions that we consciously do in this life, that are also reflected back in this life.
Sadhana is the conscious effort made through spiritual practices like Yoga to purify oneself, physically, mentally and intellectually.
Human circumstance = Prarabda Karma + Kriyamana Karma + Sadhana
Human experiences are based on the discharge of Punyams and Paapams, which can get modulated or modified by Kriyamana Karma and Sadhana.
If the magnitude of Paapams are high, they can be reduced in intensity by increasing the magnitude of Kriyamana Sukarmas and Sadhana. If the magnitude of Punyams is not so high, they can be increased in intensity by increasing the magnitude of Kriyamana Sukarmas and Sadhana. Both Kriyamana and Sadhana require Purushartha (willed self-effort).
This clearly shows that our circumstances are pre-determined by Prarabda only when we do not use our Purushartha. If our life is a boat on a lake, Prarabda is the wind and Purushartha (willed self-effort) is the rowing oar. Without rowing, the boat will go where the wind takes it. But using the oar, the boat can be taken to a specific destination. The wind can be headwind or tailwind. If it is a headwind, we may need more rowing effort as compared to when it is a tailwind.
Human beings are not automatons, where everything that happens is pre-determined.
If Sanchita Karma is constantly getting refilled in each life, is it even possible to empty it, to gain Moksha?
The issue with the Punyams and Paapams is that they bind oneself to repeated births and the accompanied cycles of pleasure and pain. The soul is in a sense, trapped. This is because, even though the Sanchita Karma is emptying itself into an individual’s life through Prarabda, some of the new Punyams and Paapams generated in this life will get added back to Sanchita Karma through Agami Karma as explained above.
In a new birth, one may try one’s best to generate only Punyams. Eventhough the Punyam and Paapam mix has changed for the better with the addition of more Punyams, rebirth is unavoidable due to Sanchita Karma. A better Punyam and Paapam mix, means a life of more pleasure. But a life of pleasure tempts oneself to do Paapams and the cycle repeats. This cycle is called the Karma Trap (Samsara).
What is the way to come out of the Karma Trap?
One way to deal with the issue of Karma Trap is to reduce the production of both Punyams and Paapams in one’s life. But since every action generates either a Punyam or Paapam, and since actions in one’s life are inevitable, is it even possible that we do not generate Punyams and Paapams?
Yes. There is a way. To begin with, in the first stage, the production of Punyams should be increased and Paapams should be decreased. This will help the soul to put itself in more and more favourable environments for spiritual practices to begin.
In the next stage, selfless Sukarmas (Nishkama Karma) should be performed consciously by using will power. Selfless Sukarmas, instead of generating Punyams, will now elevate the soul upwards towards Moksha. So Punyams are traded for soul evolution. Selfless Sukarmas are performed without a sense of ego or agency, as an act of sacrifice.
The following Sanskrit verse* says that work must be done as an act of sacrifice; otherwise, work causes bondage in this material world through the Karma Trap. Therefore, perform your prescribed duties, without being attached to the results.
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धन: |
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसङ्ग: समाचर || Gita 3.9||***
If the soul keeps up its journey of spiritual evolution, it will one day reach the final destination of Moksha, even if it takes multiple lives to achieve it. At Moksha, the Sanchita Karma bucket is completely burnt up, which means no rebirth will ever happen and the soul has been liberated.
However, Prarabda Karma continues for that life, since it has already been triggered. The reason Prarabda Karma does not get burned is for a cosmic reason. It is to show that these liberated souls are human beings who experience unalloyed bliss (Anandam) despite the pain and pleasures of the material world, their Prarabda Karma is subjecting them to.
Is the Law of Karma, an evolutionary force ?
The law of Karma can subject an individual soul to both spiritual evolution or spiritual devolution, based on one’s own actions. It appears as if it is both an evolutionary force and a devolutionary force. However, Karma in reality, is purely an evolutionary force only because even the spiritual devolution it may subject a soul to, is with an intent to evolve it.
Karma gives every soul, an infinite number of attempts to pass the ultimate examination of human life called complete liberation (Moksha).
It is up to the human being, how many examination attempts one would prefer to take. The law of Karma helps by moving the soul from body to body in such a way that the new circumstances corresponding to the new body are the most optimum for spiritual evolution. It needs to be understood and interpreted correctly as a law that combines self-responsibility along with self-willed effort. Human circumstances, instead of friterring them away in pleasure or lamenting over them in pain, should be used as opportunities for spiritual growth.
A mother could treat a well-behaved child and an ill-behaved child differently. However, she treats them differently only because she loves them equally. Her attitude is motivated by her desire to goad them towards a common higher purpose in their lives using different tools.
Nature is like a mother. Like a mother, nature is assertive but compassionate. It condemns no one. It makes sure that every human being achieves the state of permanent bliss (Moksha) by achieving the ultimate purpose of a human being, which is complete liberation from all limits.
*This verse is from Bhagvadgita which belongs to the first Tier of Sanatana Dharma’s holy library.
