Psychic Development and Karma

8 October 1978 Morning, Patna

“Annaḿ Brahmeti.” It has been said,

Janmaná jáyate shúdrah saḿskárát dvija uccyate,

Vedapát́he bhavet viprah Brahma jánáti Bráhmanah.

Everybody is a shúdra by birth. Shúdras are primarily engaged

in physical existence. For them, food is Brahma. As human
beings evolve to higher status, they do not only treat food as a
Brahmic manifestation, but also perceive Brahma in other
forms. So Brahma comes to the human being first in the form of
food or grains. This is the meaning of “Janmaná jáyate
shúdrah”.

Later, the human mind realizes that physical food alone won� t
satisfy its hunger. Then what happens? “Saḿskárát dvija
uccyate” – the desire for spirituality awakens in a person. In
ancient times this was known as Vaedikii diikśá. Vaedikii Diikśá
increases the supramundane and spiritual hunger. When
supramundane and spiritual hunger arises in human beings,
what do they do? They go out in search of ways to satisfy that
hunger. In this condition they are called “dvija” which means
“second birth”. In their first birth they only knew the hunger of
physical food, but in their second birth, they come to know
another hunger as a result of the grace of Paramátmá. This
new hunger won� t be satisfied by mere physical food.

“Veda pát́he bhavet viprah.” What should we say of intellectual

hunger? Those who are engaged in the study of Dharma
Shastras and other worthy books to satisfy their hunger are
called intellectuals, vipras.

When, by the Grace of Paramátmá, they receive Tántrikii diikśá

and realize God, they are called bráhmana. “Brahma jánáti
bráhmana.”

In the first phase man realizes Brahma as physical

[[sustenance]], i.e., “Annaḿ Brahmeti”. In the next phase he
regards Brahma as Karma, i.e., “Karma brahmeti karma bahu
kurviita.”

What is karma? Karma implies the change of place of an

object. And what is place? Place is one of the three rudimental
relative factors – time, place and person. Where there is karma,
there are temporal, spatial and personal factors. Parama
Puruśa creates something in His Mind, or withdraws it, at His
will. In creation there is movement. Wherever there is
movement, there is karma. And wherever there is karma, there
are the three bondages of the temporal, spatial and personal
relative factors.

“Karma Brahmeti karma bahu kurviita.” We see that whatever

action is done for the service of humanity or for spiritual
progress involves change. And suppose that, at one time, your
“I”-ness was like an animal� s. Later it is like a human
being� s – and so progressively will one day become like a
devatá� s, a divine being� s, and will finally merge in
Paramátmá. In this process also there is movement, there is
“Karma bahu kurviita.”

What will wise people do then? They will keep themselves

engaged in actions. For one� s own progress and for the
progress of others it is imperative to act.

Now, suppose someone is doing an action but does not have a

proper goal. It is quite possible that the movement in this case
is towards destruction. If someone is stealing or robbing, is this
not Karma? So to do proper karma one must have a proper
target, a proper path. “Karma brahmeti karma bahu kurviita.” So
through karma one may either progress or move backwards.
The cult of karma is not without its dangers. The proper goal is
indispensable for actions to be fruitful.

Then the person thinks, “Satya jiṋánam anantaḿ Brahma.”

What is satya? That which does not undergo any
metamorphosis is satya. And what is jiṋánam? The knowledge
of that limitlessness, that satya, that Brahma, is the true
knowledge, the true jiṋánam. He is satya – the limitless
Brahma.

By this a man comes close to Him. But he realizes that this is

not all. So, “Ahaḿ Brahmásmi so� ham”. Coming close to Him
is not enough. You will have to merge your unit “I” in Him. You
will have to transform your idea of “I am Brahma” into Self-
realization through the process of dhyána. In order to establish
oneself in dhyána, one will have to do ásanas, pratyáhára,
práńáyáma and dhárańá.

The culminating point of dhyána is samádhi. What is samádhi?

To establish oneself in the stance “I am Brahma” is samádhi.
8 October 1978 Morning, Patna
Published in:
Ánanda Vacanámrtam Part 3
Nitya Karma and Naemittik Karma
6 May 1969, Ranchi

The word karma is derived from the root verb kri + suffix man.
Kri means “to do something”, and man denotes establishment.
(Similarly, dhr + man = dharma) So, karma means an action
which is superior to an ordinary action. Both karma and kriyá
mean action in the sense of change of place of an object, yet
there is a difference between the two. An action devoid of
cosmic ideation is kriyá. If we are to live in the world we must
perform actions in order to maintain our physical existence.
Whatever we do with our physical organs without a spiritual
purpose is our kriyá – sleeping, resting, drinking and eating
devoid of cosmic ideation are kriyá and not karma. Actions
performed with cosmic ideation are termed karma. So people
performing karma should be aware of questions such as “What
is my goal? By what means can my goal be attained?” Thus all
karma is kriyá, but all kriyá is not karma. Some human actions
are kriyá while others are karma. The performance of kriyá
leads to bondage, whereas the performance of karma leads to
liberation from bondage. Even rituals and ceremonies are kriyá.

Kriyá is of two types: Nitya kriyá and naemittik kriyá. Those

actions which are essential for the preservation of human
existence are nitya kriyá, whereas those which are occasional
and done with some other purpose are called naemittik kriyá.
For instance, eating, bathing, resting, spiritual practice are nitya
kriyá, because without food, drink, bathing and rest, etc.,
physical human existence become endangered, and in the
absence of spiritual practice human psychic degeneration is
unavoidable. Hence, in the daily lives of human beings, spiritual
practice is indispensable. Regular spiritual practice leads to
psycho-spiritual parallelism. A sadhaka slowly and steadily
advances spiritually and finally becomes ensconced in the
supreme spiritual stance. Naemittik kriyá are actions which are
occasional and done with a set purpose, such as employment,
study, charity, festivals, observances, etc. Naemittik kriyá may
have a certain value in human life but is not as essential as
nitya kriyá.

Human beings often attach less importance to the spiritual

aspect of nitya karma and more importance to the physical
aspect. This is detrimental because one should not forget that
human life is short. From the moment of birth one slowly and
steadily advances towards death with every passing second.
This short period of time from birth to death is human life.
Human beings have come from the world of invisibility and at
the end of this short span of time will return to the world of
invisibility. Those people can be called intelligent who utilize
every moment of their short life engaged in spiritual practice.
Hence regarding karma, the view of Ananda Marga is “Karma
Brahmeti, karma bahukurviita” (“Karma is Brahma so do as
much karma as you can”).

6 May 1969, Ranchi

Krśńa and Prapattiváda – 2 (Discourse 5)
21 September 1980, Calcutta

Prapatti-orientated psychology generally resembles the

psychology behind the science of phonetics. Just as in the
science of phonetics there are three types of pronunciation –
short, long, and drawled (or prolonged) – so in prapatti there
are three distinct kinds of psychological expression.

We started our discussion about Párthasárathi Krśńa and

prapatti. To make the topic clear, we must analyse a few more
things. When people utter something and when that utterance
keeps adjustment with the collective acoustic flow in the
ethereal void, that sound is called pluta [prolonged sound]. In
the Sanskrit language there is the system of pluta sound, but
this is absent in Bengali and the rest of the world� s
languages. If I use a short pronunciation I will say agni-miilre; if
a long pronunciation, I will say agni-mii-i-lre; if a prolonged
pronunciation, I will say agni-mii-i-i-lre.(1) In Bengali there is
hardly any prolonged pronunciation. For that reason,
Rabindranath Tagore spelled the word ráńii as ráni, and ń as n.
Anyway, when one� s psychology conforms to the one vast
flow, one eternal flow, of bliss, flowing from beginninglessness
to endlessness, wherein every entity is inundated, saturated
and drenched with bliss – when I am identifying my psychology
with that flow – this psychology resembles the psychology of
the prolonged phonetic sound, and is called prapatti.
This idea may be explained in another way. An all-pervasive
idea is originating from the universal Nucleus and flowing
towards Infinity. We should bear in mind that this universe of
ours is very vast but not infinite, because it has been created by
three principles – the sentient, mutative and static principles.
The sentient principle cannot be measured, neither in idea nor
in practice. The mutative can be measured in imagination but
not in practice. The static can be measured in both ways;
however, the sphere of the static principle is so vast that it is
difficult to measure it, even in practice. For example, the
Himalayas, though very, very vast, can theoretically be
measured, but practically speaking, it is impossible to measure
them. For such cases, we use the Sanskrit term vishála, which
means “vast but within the scope of measurement”; and the
Entity that is too big to be measured is called virát́a. This
universe is very vast, vishála, but not infinite, virát́a. Though
very big, it has limitations. While people are small, the universe
is very large.

These forces, these waves of different lengths emanated from

that singular, universal hub, that universal nave, are constantly
advancing towards infinity. That is, those waves are not
confined to this world. This should be borne in mind. Whenever
something remains within the scope of this universe, within the
circumference of this universe, we call it vishvagata, and when
it goes beyond the scope of this universe, we call it vishvátiita.
When human beings proceed along these waves – along these
pencils of waves and pencils of rays – their movement,
although vishvagata in the initial stage, becomes vishvatiita in
the end. Those who are clever will identify their limited
individual identity with the Cosmic emanations and they will
thereby finally become Cosmic. As long as they remain
vishvagata, they continue to enjoy the waves of bliss, the
blissful expressions, and when they attain the vishvátiita state,
they remain forever in the ocean of bliss. Then the sádhaka
becomes detached from everything else.

Now whatever Parama Puruśa does, He does for the good of

humanity. Not a single blade of grass can move without His
desire. This very endeavour to obtain bliss by identifying
one� s microcosmic waves with the Cosmic emanations is
called prapatti. I have already said that this prapatti resembles,
to a great extent, the prolonged sound in the science of
phonetics. Those of you who have achieved some spiritual
elevation will hear a prolonged sound – one that is neither short
nor long, but a prolonged sound that continues smoothly
without changing.

Next comes the long sound of the science of phonetics, that is,
a medium sound. The sádhaka feels that he or she is able to
hear that sound by dint of his or her own efforts. If drawn out to
a great length, it may become a pluta sound, and if shortened,
it will be a sound which generally conforms to aprapatti. But
where there is only individual effort regardless of one� s
capacity, to the exclusion of prapatti, aprapatti and thoughts of
Parama Puruśa or the universal acoustic emanation, it is similar
to short pronunciation – it resembles viprapatti.

It has been said earlier that Vraja Krśńa attracted people with
His magic flute. Innumerable sound waves emanated from His
flute, and His devotees rushed towards Him in the flow of those
sound waves. Clearly, this is prapattiváda. Although there is an
element of knowledge and action, devotion is the predominant
factor.

Párthasárathi Krśńa was different. It is a fact that Parama

Puruśa does everything; nevertheless, Párthasárathi Krśńa did
not permit any spirit of inaction. He said,

Karmańyevádhikáraste má phaleśu kadácana;

Má karmaphalaheturbhúmá te sauṋgo� stvakarmańi.(2)

[You have the right to action but not to the fruits of the action.
You must not do actions that will bind you, but you must not be
averse to action, either.]
“You have the right to action but not the right to the fruits of
action.” You have your hands and feet, you have the capacity
to work and hence work you must. Rights may be applied only
in the case of work. One may or may not want to work.

Má phaleśu kadácana [“but not to the fruits of the action”].

Regarding karma, it is said that for each and every action there
is an equal and opposite reaction, provided the three
fundamental relative factors, namely, the temporal factor, the
spatial factor and the personal factor, remain unchanged,
remain unassailed; otherwise, there will be a change in the
reaction. The reaction in that case will not be equal and
opposite in nature. Suppose, for example, you borrow one
hundred rupees from a particular person. If you pay back the
amount then and there, you will not be required to pay back any
additional money. If you pay back the loan after a long time,
however, say a few years, you will have to pay back the capital
with interest. Thus the amount of one hundred rupees returns in
a changed form due to the change in the temporal factor.

In prapattiváda, if the devotees respond in the same manner as

the musical flute calls them, there will not be any change. But
with karma, it is different. Here Párthasárathi Krśńa says, “You
are certainly entitled to action, but you are not entitled to the
fruits of your actions.” The result of action changes with the
changes in time, place and person. Therefore, you have control
over the original action but not over the reaction. Hence it is
said, Má phalesu kadácana.

Here you should remember one thing. There are some

opportunistic people in this world who distort the meaning of
this shloka from the Giitá and thus manage to perpetuate the
machinery of exploitation. This is very amusing. I bring it into
the domain of philosophy because it is highly illustrative. Those
exploiters glibly make their views known: “These poor people,
these toiling people, these intellectuals, they have no doubt the
right to work, but they have no right to the results of their
actions. The results, the fruits, should accrue to us, the owners,
the proprietors. ‘Increase our wages, give us more
remuneration, pay us a bonus…’ – they have no right to say all
these things.”

However, let us get back to the main topic. Párthasárathi says,

Má karmaphalaheturbhúmá te sauṋgo� stvakarmańi [“You
must not do actions that will bind you, but you must not be
averse to action, either”]. Do your duty, your karma. Now, is this
karma in conformity with prapatti or is it antagonistic to
prapatti? The teachings of Vraja Krśńa are clearly consistent
with prapatti. His existence, His actions, the music of His flute,
the way in which He attracts people and gives them shelter – all
these are in perfect harmony with prapatti, because an
individual feels free after surrendering everything to the
Macrocosmic Entity. Here Párthasárathi says, “Do your karma,
for you have an inalienable right to your karma.” Karma is
defined as Karma Brahmeti karma bahu kurviita – “You are
human. Simply look upon karma as a veritable expression of
Brahma [Supreme Entity] and do as much karma as you can.”

Is this in agreement with prapatti or at variance with prapatti? It

seems to be opposed to prapatti but in actuality it is not. If we
go deeper into the subject, we see that this quinquelemental
body, this body of flesh and bones, this mind made of
ectoplasmic stuff, this reflecting plate that acts as the
witnessing entity (known as átman or puruśa in philosophy) –
all these have their origin in Parama Puruśa. It is the Cosmic
desire that is the source of the creation of the human body,
mind and soul. If we utilize this body, mind and jiivátmá [soul,
self, unit consciousness], we are only following the path of
prapatti. That is, we are utilizing the things given to us by
Parama Puruśa. All these things, the body, mind and self, are
His gifts. Had He willed otherwise, they would not have existed.
Without Cosmic desire, nothing can exist, nothing can move,
not even a blade of grass. So in accordance with the spirit of
prapatti, that the body is a machine, we can say that He has
been kind enough to provide the body and mind, to be utilized
for work only. Hence I follow the spirit of prapatti in using them.

In the beginning, karma seemed to be against prapatti, but

karma is not antithetical to prapatti. It is definitely in conformity
with prapatti. So a boy or a girl who does work is surely
following the path of prapatti. Even if there is any room for
indolence while enjoying the flute of Vraja Krśńa, there is not
the least room for inaction in the clarion call of the karma yoga
of Párthasárathi Krśńa.

Footnotes

(1) Rgveda, Mańd́ ala 1, Súkta 1, Rk 1. –Eds.

(2) Bhagavad Giitá. –Trans.

21 September 1980, Calcutta