karma — the action

karta — the actor, phala — the result and the interrelationships

Action gives its Results.When a simple search on any search engine for ‘upadesa saram’ yields thousands of results. But only when the actor accepts any of the results as satisfying his need, then only the action becomes fruitful for the actor.

In the above example, if the search engine provider do not want to provide any results to the action, (lets not discuss why?) there will not be any results to choose, accept or reject.

So, Action (karma) yields its results (phala), for so the underlying acting consciousness ordains it.

“Big bang” is the action and the visible universe is its result. It is so, only because the underlying consciousness allowed it. The allowance is called Ajna. There is consciousness before any action starts, the same consciousness lets the action happen. It is the same consciousness ordains the results. It is the same consciousness accepts or rejects the results.

“karmamu phalamiccu kartraajna valana” has been explained till now. “kartruH AjnayA prApyatE phalam” in sanskrit.

So, karma on its own merit can not bestow the results as action itself is insentient. Action is unconscious. karma is jaDam. The cEtana (consciousness) alone can ordain results.

karmamu daivamA? karmau jaDamE is the second line of first verse of upadesa saram. In sanskrit, karma kim param? karma tat jaDam.

So, the underlying consciousness alone is the real actor. The Karta. This Actor is called Iswara or Lord of everything.

I have taken an approach to explain the key words used in the upadESa sAram and linking them together to give the meaning as I experienced. Hope this approach will help some readers differently from those thousands of resources available on the web space! (the approach, experience, hope all form part of the “karma” which is anyway jaDam!!)

Next Post: https://medium.com/upadesa-saram/phalam-the-fruit-its-nature-7506bc75cef3