Back to the yoga sutras...today's discussion: Karma
2.12 Klesamulahkarmasayo Drstadrsta Janma Vedaniyah
Klesa = obstacles
Mullah = root
Karmasayo = the reservoir of karmas
Drsta = seen or present
Adrista = unseen or future
Janma = births
Vedaniyah = experienced
IOW – The reservoir of karma has its root in these obstacles and karma results in experiences in the current and future births.
There word karma refers to two things – the actions you do and the result of the actions. The actions you do create a reservoir or “bank” of karma, while the results of your actions are like withdrawals from the bank. If you do a good deed, this positive karma goes into the bank and gets repaid with meritorious results. Likewise, your bad actions will result in some unpleasant payback at some point.
Satchidananda talks about three kinds of karma in his discussion –
prababda karma – the actions being debited in this birth
agami karma – the actions being deposited in this birth
sanjita karma – those in long term savings for use in future births
We are able to control the agami and sanjita in the current lifetime, but we just have to accept the prababda karma as it comes. This cycle of earning new karma and depositing it and spending it continues until we realize the Self, at which point we break free from it.
2.13 Sati Mule Tad Vipako Jatyayur Bhogah
Sati = With the existence of
Mule = the root
Tad = its
Vipako = fruits
Jati = birth of a species of life
Ayur = life span
Bhogah = experiences
IOW Karma will result in rebirth in different bodies, and/or different species.
Patanjali is telling us that based on our past karma, our next incarnation will take a different form, and may be that of an animal. Not to worry, though, because we are not our bodies. This is also a good reminder about kindness to all creatures. Someone joked yesterday that Ratty the dog who hangs out at the shala could be Krishnamacharya (Gurji’s teacher), and that he has come back to watch over the shala and observe the teachings and the students. If that’s true, it is a good thing I always stop to pet him!
2.14 Te Hlada Paritapa Phalah Punyapunya Hetutvat
Te = they
Hlada = pleasure
Paritapa = pain
Phalah = fruits
Punya = merit
Apunya = demerit
Hetutvat = cause
IOW = Karma will result in pleasure or pain depending on your meritorious or demeritoriuos actions.
I really like what Satchidananda says in his interpretation of this sutra, so I will quote him:
A happy or unhappy life is your own creation. Nobody else is responsible. If you remember this you won’t find fault with anybody.
Enough said.
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