We would continue our discussion from where we last left it. We talked about the Law of Karma in our last article, and how one suffers or enjoys because of what he did in this as well as his past lives. The question was how one can purify one’s karma, so that one would not have to suffer so much in future or even present.
There are 3 different karmas that ancient scriptures talk about: karma, vikarma, and akarma. Karma refers to regulated work. The enjoyment or riches that one enjoys are the result of karma that one performed. Vikarma, on the other hand, is just opposite of karma. Vikarma includes all unlawful and forbidden activities. It is precisely because of Vikarma that an individual goes through different kinds of suffering. The more serious crimes he committed in previous lives as well as this life, the more suffering he would have to undergo; this continues until he has stopped committing vikarmas and has paid for all of his last vikarmas.
The topmost, however, is akarma. Akarma refers to those actions that set you free. They would not produce any reactions, good or bad. That is, when only akarma is left in your account, you won’t be forced to accept another body to enjoy or suffer because of your last karmas. In other words, you would be liberated.
When it comes to purifying our karma, the first step obviously, is to stop performing any kind of vikarmas. That means, you should situate yourself on karma platform. For example, you shouldn’t kill animals, if not necessary, to be eaten as food. By eating, vegetables, dairy products, fruits, nuts etc, you perform karma, but when you kill other living entities just to satisfy your tongue, you perform vikarma, and you are bound to suffer for causing unnecessary suffering to other creatures. Some people may argue that plants and trees are also living entities; that is true, but food that scriptures have recommended for humans are plants and dairy products. Any sensible man can see that picking an apple or cutting a broccoli is different from slitting a cow or a goat.
Another example of vikarma is stealing other’s money to make a living; such actions are bound to bring suffering. You can situate yourself on karma by earning money through honest means. If you seek an answer sincerely and honestly, your conscience lying deep within you can guide you unfailingly on what are the unlawful actions that you are performing and what is the right action. If you really want to know, you would know whether your action is right or wrong, by yourself.
Akarma is the highest platform. It is much more profound, and only a person who is at least on the karma platform can appreciate the philosophy behind akarma. It is simply not possible to teach a student of Class 2 about quantum theory. As the first step of purifying our karmas, it is important that we gradually give up performing all kind of vikarmas, and when we eat right, do right, and think right our mind will be purified to know and appreciate more profound and deep knowledge.
From the time I can recall, I was always interested to know more; not only what we can see with our eyes, but also that what our eyes cannot catch.
