by Sri Bimal Mohanty
VOL No. 34
December. 2003

ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE BRAMHAN - Part 8

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

QUESTIONS FROM THE READERS

QUESTION 1 from –Sri Karthikeyan

Often in life driven by circumstances we are forced to commit acts which do not conform to 'right conduct'. Under such conditions are we committing religious sin?

ANSWER: This is a very good question but loaded with many hidden aspects and therefore should be carefully understood. Not for nothing, The Bhagavad Gita says 'gahanaa karmanaa gati' -perplexing are the ways of 'action' to comprehend.

Action per se, is neither good nor bad, neither religious nor irreligious, neither right nor wrong. It is the intention, the passion that drives the action, the influence of past sanskaara (derived influence of past deeds), the sensual desire, in other words the entire mental condition that determines what act is right and what is not. The same act may be forbidden under most circumstances, yet can have religious sanction under different circumstances. Inflicting body injury to anyone out of anger or driven by passion of any kind is unjustified. Yet the doctor has full sanction to operate on my body when called for. The motive here is good and beneficial- hitaaya and sukhaaya. In life one finds thousands of such situations all the time. When any act is committed, being forced by circumstances beyond one's control, and when one does not participate in the act with any slightest tinge of motive, there is no sin.

Having said this, one must fully understand one's responsibilties of all actions, lest dangerous conclusions are drawn from above. When anyone says that he or she was forced to an act, knowing it to be harmful and injurious to someone, the important issue is, how much effort did one exert in preventing the act. How often we take a easy way out, to save our skin so to say, without even considering if there was an alternative. If one analyses most such situations that one comes across in life, it will be difficult to justify to one's conscience, as to why no resistance was offered, that why no attempt was made to change the course of action. Why does one succumbed without raising a protest? Granted that one may not succeed always. But to act cowardly, perpetuating an act of adharma (not sanctioned by universal justice) is as good as owning a part of the sin. On the other hand, raising a protest, a sincere try in preventing such an act, even if one fails to succeed, takes away much of the sin that can be attributed to you. Even if one is forced to a misdeed, the extent of one's sincerity to persuade the perpetrator to act otherwise, becomes a measure of one's share in the burden of sin.

A related question is that, why in this world so much apparently wrong acts get committed day in and day out. That is another aspect of the perplexity of karma (action) that has an esoteric meaning behind it. Even such a situation is not without a divine purpose. When fully understood, it becomes the basis for a new order. But not to react and mutely accept adharma is to shut the door to understanding and throw away the opportunity of a human birth, with its gift of a developed 6 consciousness.

In the Mahabharat war, Arjuna's laying down the bow and refusal to fight was not an act of foolishness. It was expected of a man of conscience. But only when the Lord explained to him the justification of this war and more importantly when he rose above personal intention and motive with the Lord's guidance, he knew that he is committing no sin in the act.

QUESTION 2 FROM SRI NIRBHAY GOEL

Respected Sir, when I am besieged with life's problems, teachers like you advise to turn to God and seek divine blessings. That brings no relief to me as what I am seeking is immediate solution to the problems on hand. What good is turning my mind to God when I may not even survive till his blessings arrive.

ANSWER: Yours is a very natural reaction of an anguished mind, common to all of us. Unfortunately, (in fact one must use the word 'fortunately' here), there is no instant remedy for life's problems. There is no tablet one can swallow and all problems will vanish. Those who promise such deliverance and those who go for it are like one blind leading another. When misfortune strikes us, it also does not come all of a sudden, even if we see it that way sometimes. It is always the end result of a gradual build up, depending on our own conducts of the past. In life whenever any mistake is committed, (a mistake defined as that act whichever deviates us from the path of dharma or righteousness), we invariably receive a caution from within. Some listen to it and take precautionary measures and some ignore it and move towards a bigger jolt to bring them to reasoning. That inner voice which some define as 'conscience' is indeed in the spiritual parlance, the voice of God. Our good lies in turning towards this voice of God and that is why all wise men advise to turn Godward.

If misfortune (and same is true for good fortune), is a gradual build up process, it is logical that its remedy will also be gradual. If a series of bad deeds and prolonged bad behaviour ushers in bad fortune, its end will also be through a series of good deeds and prolonged good behaviour. Fools expect instant results. There is no short cut here.

Some people wonder, how is it that another person who is seen indulging in wrong doings, unmindful of God, is leading a happy carefree life and I who keep away from such things am still suffering? Proper understanding of this, lies in the truth that everyone's present situation is still related to past deeds. A person's good fortune in this life, is the result of accumulated benefits of all his previous lives, which are getting exhausted in this life. Unless he continues to earn benefits by living righteously in this life, there is no guarantee that his next life will be a happy one. We all create our own destiny. My past and my future and very much my present, are all connected to my conduct. There is no alternative to constantly living in God awareness and righteous living. That is spiritual approach to living.

As regards the question of surviving till the blessings arrive, none should have any fear. The moment we turn our mind towards God, His miracles start happening. It may take time, but effects of misfortune start getting weaker and weaker. The strength that the mind acquires in aligning himself with the power of God, unleashes positive psychological vibrations, depression vanishes, mind starts having clear vision, solutions are conceived, put into action and success comes. In spiritual context we say, that is how the divine assists you. In the Bhagavd Gita the Lord assures Arjuna:

Kaunteya pratijaaneehi na me bhaktah pranashyati. Oh son of Kunti! Know for certain, my devotee never perishes.

So whether past, present or future lives, the happiness and good fortune can only be assured as long as one remains aware of God and walks the path of righteousness or Dharma.

Naanya panthaa vidyate. No other solution exists.