Phalam — the fruit. Its nature.

Cause of infinite ocean actions

As karma is the seed, so phalam is its fruit. The result of action in the form of a fruit is not permanent. It expires, it starts expiring as soon as it appears. The karma-phalam i.e, the fruit of action has more seeds of actions as its core.

First important feature of results of any action are their impermanence. There is no action which produces a permanent result. Time consumes all the results and leaves more actions behind. More actions lead to further results and they lead to further more and more actions. This is called infinite ocean of actions. (karmAbdhi)

What is the problem with this? The second important feature is: It hinders the progress on the path. It will not only slow down the progress. It takes the focus away from the original source and puts into a wrong trajectory of unknown destination. So, Bhagavan RamaNa says: (2nd Verse of upadesa saram)

karma-phalamu ceDi kAraNambagucu, karmAbdhi paDadOyu gatinIyadayya.

In Sanskrit,

kRti mahOdadhau patana kAraNam, phalam aSAsvatam gati nirOdhakam.

The (attachment to the) perishable results hinder the progress by deviating path away from the original goal (source) and pushes one into the ocean of actions.

For original Sanksrit text of upadesa saram with expert translation see: http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/upadeshasAram1.pdf

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