041. Karma

Karma is inescapable is our tradition. A rich man who had lost the sight in both eyes early in life visited a famous holy man in the hope of gaining his sight.  The devotees who waited for the holy man's darshan were many and they had to wait patiently for their turn. This man's turn came. Suddenly it occurred to him that he might have to offer his diamond ring to this holy man. He removed it from his finger and safe-deposited it elsewhere. The holy man from whom the devotee tried to hide his action could read his thoughts. He did not respond to the prayers for eyesight but laughed saying, "There is no thief here. You can take out your ring and put it on your finger. Your blindness is from KARMA. There is no remedy for karma."

It is true there is no remedy from Karma in the traditional ways of worship. Spiritually the Cosmos is created by the Force that issues out of Consciousness. The Force accumulates Karma, the effects of past actions, not the consciousness from which the Force issues. Consciousness is a whole and cannot be divided. It does not accumulate Karma. Consciousness emanates from Being which is the Spirit. Spirit is not governed by Karma, as it is Timeless. In the plane of Time, cause leads to effect. Hence Karma can accumulate. In the Timeless plane of the Spirit, action is instantaneous. It leaves no room for the play of cause and effect. The touch of Rama's foot relieved Akalya of her sin as Rama, the Avatar, is not bound by the rigid rules of the plane of Time.

The Rishi in his tapas enters the Timeless plane when he is lost in dhyana. One who believes in his own Spirit and invokes it calls the Timeless plane to act on the plane of Time. Hence Karma dissolves.