Irodia Evelyn

01 Chapter WHAT IS LIFE? How many of us pause to understand the true meaning of life? We all live, but soon we die. Very few people discover the purpose of life. Why did we come to planet earth? Why were we given this human birth? What is life all about? We breathe, but what makes us breathe? What is the Power that makes us walk and talk? How did this amazing creation of the human body come about? How many of us pause to ask questions? Do we investigate to Realize the Truth? When a child is born, we celebrate the arrival of a new life. But where did this come from? Our parents create us, but is that true? What causes two cells to fertilize and grow into a zygote? Procreation is certain, but the process is fascinating. Then, after nine months, it becomes a baby. Who handles all the magic that is happening in our mother’s womb? How did our heart, lungs, kidneys and our brain form? Then the biggest question – Who gave power to the life that was born on our birthday? We must decode the mystery of birth and understand death. We can fully understand the essence of life only at that moment. One day we will die, but who actually dies? The body dies, but people will say we passed away. Who died and who passed away? Where did the one who departed go? What happened to that life that was throbbing within? Why did the heart stop beating? What caused death, that moment when we lost our breath? Do we have answers to all these questions? The journey of life is understood as starting at birth and concluding at death. But what is life and where does it come from, remains a mystery for most of humanity. Very few people go in the quest to Realize the Truth. We believe in a God who gives us life, but we don’t understand who God is, where God is, and what God is. We believe in the fairy tale that we will go to heaven, but who will go to heaven? Don’t our loved ones destroy our body as they burn or bury it? What do we all do? We pray, but we don’t understand that everything that happens in our life is the result of Karma, the Law of Action. There are Universal Laws that govern the earth and control our life. Nothing happens by chance. We have a choice to control our destiny. But unless we go in search of the Truth, we will never realize the true meaning of life. Life is all about Karma. Karma means action. Everything in life unfolds as a reaction of our own action. like the seed we plant decides the fruit on the tree, the deed we plant will decide our destiny. Our past Karma determines our birth, and the Karmic law will decide our death. Everything in life that is happening, is happening because of Karma, our actions. Unfortunately, we don’t realize the simple truth- Life is Karma. What if Life? It’s a journey from Birth to Death, But it’s our Karma that controls every Breath 02 CHAPTER WHAT IS KARMA? The word Karma means action. But the world knows Karma more as law - the Law of Action and Recreation. It is the Law of the Boomerang – What goes around, comes around. The principle states – As you sow, so shall you reap. The Law is very simple. What you give is what you will get. Whatever you do, will come back to you. The Law seems simple, but it’s actually quite complex. No one can fully decode the mystery of Karma. Who created this Law? How does it unfold for 8 billion people around the globe? How does it control the reaction of every action? The Law of Karma puzzles many. We must accept it, but few truly understand its operation. We know that the fruit on a tree appears not by luck. It depends on the seed that we planted. That is why we don’t find apples growing on mango trees. Just as fruits on trees depend on the seeds, whatever is happening in our life, depends on our deeds. But how does this happen? Who controls this? To understand Karma, one must go on a quest to realize the connection between life and Karma. One must pause and ponder on the magic of creation. We must recognize the many Universal Laws that guide our planet. What causes day and night? What makes the Earth spin on its axis, day in and day out, without stopping or needing help? What causes seasons to unfold with such beauty? Why do dogs not give birth to cats? A law governs everything happening in our world and creates order on earth. A Universal Law—the Law of Karma—controls even our death and our birth. Where we were born, when we were born, and how we were born, was not our choice. But it is our own Karma, our past actions that decided our birth. Death is Certain. Every ‘body’ will die. But who decides when we will die? Again, it is Karma. Everything in our lives, not just birth and death, happens because of Karma—our past actions. Karma is life and everything that unfolds in life. People who understand Karma choose their actions wisely. They realize that their destiny is in their hands. They don’t blame God or luck for their miseries. They live their life doing good Karma, knowing that Karma controls everything. Many people today accept the Law of Karma. The word ‘Karma’ means action. It has also taken on a broader meaning. Some of us are lucky to understand Karma beyond the usual ideas. Only a few people know that good Karma leads to a better life. They also see how Karma links to rebirth. They decode the mystery of how Karma will control their next journey on earth. Few people understand how to rise above Karma. They don’t see how to break free from death and rebirth. This path leads to unity with the Divine. This is our ultimate goal- to realize we are the Divine Soul and to be free from all Karma. Karma means action, but in fact. It’s a Law… It settles every Deed; it works without a Flaw. 03 CHAPTER HOW DOES THE LAW OF KARMA WORKS? The Law of Karma is a Universal Law. Nobody escapes it. You may belong to any nationality, follow any religion, but you cannot escape Karma. It is the Law of the earth, and it starts at birth. Breath controls everything in your life, even your death. Whatever you do, good or bad, every action performed will come back to you. People wonder who controls the Law and how it operates. The Creator seems to have instituted Karma as one of the many Universal Laws to keep the world going. If there is no Karma, then this amazing show that is unfolding on our planet would come to a standstill. Every day, we human beings wake up and we have to perform Karma or actions. They may be inspired by our desires and passions, just as they may be influenced by our morals and ethics. Nobody can escape from action. We have been created in a manner that we have to wake up, eat and drink, walk and talk, live and die. However, what controls our actions? We human beings have been given a free will, a power to choose. We have been blessed with an intellect that discriminates thoughts from our senses. These thoughts become feelings, that ultimately become actions. These actions get recorded. They lead to reactions based on our life circumstances. To grasp how Karma works, we should ask why things happen as they do. What causes everything to happen. Many of us think it is luck, fate, chance, or serendipity. Some people think it is the Will of God. We even pray for God to change our sorrows into joy. We don’t realize that God is not micromanaging the millions of actions of the 8 billion people on earth. Everything is controlled by Karma. Once we perfume an action, an inner mechanism within each one of us records the deed. It may be good or bad. But we have to pay for it. The Law of Karma says that if we don’t get something back in this life, it carries over to our next one. An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He had built many houses for his boss. His Boss requested him to build one last house. The carpenter resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. When his boss came to inspect the house, he handed the key to the Carpenter said, “This is your house. It’s my gift to you. Everything that happens in life is due to our Karma.” Karma means action, but it also refers to a law that cannot be avoided. Based on the principle – As you sow, so shall you reap, this Law makes no mistake. Just like it is in any game, our Karma seems to earn us a positive and negative score, which then has to be settled. If we have sinned, then, we have to redeem our sins, not in a distant hell but right here on earth. If our time is over, then we have to settle it by taking a rebirth. Some people are born into good situations, while others face tough ones. This is neither luck nor God’s Will. It is the Law of Karma unfolding. It makes us come back to the earth stage and the drama of life continues to unfold day after day due to Karma. Karma controls everything that happens on Earth. Whatever is not settled continues after Rebirth 04 CHAPTER WHAT IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN KARMA AND LIFE? Life is Karma. Unfortunately, if the human race understood this truth, they would live with grace. Today, we are driven by greed. We don’t just work to meet our needs; we also have desires and passions. These cravings stay with us until the end. The Ego thinks – ‘I am responsible for my life. I can make the impossible possible.’ What we don’t realize is that every action of ours controls our life. We might have performed some actions in the distant past, even in a previous life, but they will not leave us. Circumstances in our lives will unfold. They can create challenges or problems that block our dreams. So often we see people cry. They look up at the sky and question ‘Why?’ Why do bad things happen to good people? Somebody lost their job. ‘Why me?’ they question. Another is diagnosed with cancer. ‘Why is God unfair?’ is the question. Still another loses a dear one. ‘Why did death have to choose my life partner?’ that person asks. We human beings have questions after questions, as we watch the drama of life unfold. We don’t have answers. We don’t realize that everything that is happening in this world is unfolding as per the Divine Law of Karma. Life doesn’t always go as a distant God might want. Events unfold in their own way, not strictly by divine command. It would be impossible to govern the world like this. Our life is a result of Karma. If everything depends on Karma, then are we mere puppets? If everything is pre-destined as per our previous actions, then what is the point of this life? People who understand the Law of Karma see that past actions shape our present. Likewise, our current actions will determine our future. But our past Karma is recorded in the diary of our life, and it causes our life circumstances, good or bad to appear. One day the body will die, but our Karma is not over. Karma does not belong to the body. The body is like an instrument. It acts and feels the effects of our Karma. But the ME, the Mind and Ego, carries the Karma forward into new life. It is Karma that controls the continuous cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Everything in the cycle of life is controlled by Karma. Karma can be our past actions recorded in our lives. It can also be our present Karma, shaped by our thoughts, choices, and actions. Our past and present Karma shape our actions. These deeds plant the seeds of our destiny. We control our own life. Through our actions, our Karma, we are the master of our destiny. Our prayers to God, along with our acts of love and kindness, create good Karma. This Karma leads to our happiness. So also, our bad Karma, our sins, become the reason for our misery and sorrow. Not just today, Karma controls everything that will unfold in the future. Karma controls our life. Life is Karma … Everything depends on Action Whatever is happening is just a Reaction. 05 CHAPTER DO WE CONTROL OUR LIFE? Those who believe in Karma, the Law of Action and Reaction, differ in opinion as to who controls our life. They do not understand how the Law of Karma unfolds. Are you in charge of your actions or is it somebody else? Each one of us is blessed with a free will. We can do what we do. We cannot choose what is happening around us, just as we cannot choose other people’s actions. We can choose our actions and our reactions. By doing so, we advertently control everything that happens in our life. Shyam was a blessed man. It seemed like he was blessed with good luck. Everything he touched turned into gold. Every investment was successful. His marriage was blissful, His children were beautiful, happy children. When Raju, his best friend used to look at him, he used to be jealous. ‘Why is Shyam’s life so sorted? Why am I miserable in every aspect of life?’ Raju had a broken marriage and disgruntled children had left him. He struggled to survive. While he thought he was smarter than Shyam in all ways, he had not learned about Karma, the Law. So, he kept ignoring his actions. As a result, his life grew more complicated. Shyam believed in the Law of Karma. He invested his deeds to become seeds that unfolded in the destiny of his dreams. Shyam understood that any unpleasant event was likely due to his past Karma. He never reacted to it negatively. Instead, he accepted it gracefully and moved forward doing good Karma. Just like Shyam and Raju, we all experience life with what seems like good luck and bad luck. We don’t realize that there is nothing like luck. It is our own actions that control our life. We control our actions, but we often forget that our lives unfold based on our Karma—our past deeds. We are the masters of our lives. If we understood this, we could control our actions. This would let us shape every aspect and circumstance of life as it unfolds. Unfortunately, we don’t realize that we cannot control circumstances. While we can control actions, we cannot control past actions. Those deeds have already happened, either long ago or in a past life, so they must bear fruit. However, we are in command of our present actions. These result in how our future will be. Those who understand the Law of Karma take charge of their actions, just as they take charge of their life. Instead of wondering why our life is what it is, we must understand the Law of Karma. We need to see how it shapes our joy and sorrow, our birth and death, and everything in between. Understanding Karma helps people take control of their actions and lives. This awareness helps them transcend Karma. It leads to the ultimate goal: liberation from the cycle of pleasure and pain. They learn to go beyond Karma. They find freedom from suffering. In the end, they unite with the Divine. Life is like a road….as per our past Karma, it is paved, But the present is like the car which can be swayed 06 CHAPTER WHY DO WE CRY WHEN SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS? Because we don’t truly understand the meaning of life, whenever something goes wrong, we cry. We gaze at the sky and ask, “Why?” We struggle with acceptance and surrender. We haven’t realized that everything happening stems from our own Karma. Everything is fair. God is not being cruel or unjust. It is just the Law of Karma that is unfolding. But most people don’t understand this. They ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" They don't see that bad things can't truly happen to good people. The Law of Karma will not permit it. Whatever is happening, is just a reaction of our own action. Then, why should we cry? We must learn to accept whatever unfolds in our life. We must realize that if we keep doing what we are doing, we will keep on getting what we are getting. If we do not want to cry, then, we should not question, ‘Why?’ Instead, we must change what we are doing. Then, our life can change. Our life is in our hands, we can make our life what we want to make of it. When things are happening around us, we must realize that these are the results of our past deeds. We cannot change these. We must accept. But we can change our present actions and so, we can control what is going to happen in the future. Most of us don’t realize that our future, our destiny is in our hands. Because of our ignorance, we are zapped by life, and we consider life to be a mystery. In reality, our life is unfolding as per our own history. It is our past that controls our present, just as it is our present that will control the future. Sheela used to constantly cry and complain. ‘I am doomed with bad luck’, she could scream. ‘God is so unjust, so unfair! Why should all the misfortune come in my life only?’ She did not understand the Law of Karma. Sheela lived with the myth and would have died with it. She learned from Mary not to cry when something bad happens. Instead, it should be celebrated because our past Karic score has been settled. We have redeemed some of our negative Karma. Hopefully, now our positive Karma will unfold. Nothing in this world happens other than our own Karma, unfolding in our life. We shouldn't cry or ask, "Why?" To live joyfully and peacefully, accept how Karma unfolds. Surrender to what comes next. What will unfold will be as per the Karma we have already done. Now it is time for us to do good Karma, and to control our destiny. We must do our best and leave it to Karma to unfold as per the rest. We must learn that everything in life is Karma and nothing but Karma. When something bad happens, we cry and question, ‘Why?’ Because of ignorance, we blame the Power in the sky! 07 CHAPTER IS IT KARMA OR LUCK? Most people believe that life is luck. They believe in fate and serendipity. They even pray for good luck to unfold in their life. Can you plant apple trees and then pray for mangoes to appear on them? Ridiculous! However much we pray, the fruit that will appear on the tree will depend on the seed that we plant, not our prayers. So also, the deeds that we plant will determine our destiny. It is neither luck nor prayer. Many people believe in astrology and palmistry. They go to fortune-tellers and believe in the mysticism of crystal balls. What they don’t is that all this only adds to the confusion about life. We often focus on myths and superstitions instead of taking action. These stories have no truth but can control our lives. We should concentrate on our deeds and Karma, which truly shape our destiny. How can planetary positions affect the life of a human being, when man has not even been able to step out of the earth? He gazes at the planet and assumes many things. Because of ignorance, he makes others also believe, and in turn, they lose sight of the Truth of Karma. People who believe in luck show their palms to fortune-tellers. They hope to learn their destiny from the three main lines on their hands. People often focus on key lines in palmistry, like the heart line, money line, and marriage line. They believe these lines reveal important aspects of life. It’s sad that we often read the lines on our hands and let them control us. Instead, we should use our hands and the strength we have to shape our own destiny. When will man realize that life is not all about luck? We must use Karma to pluck our destiny. Raj believed in all these fairy tales. He surrendered his life to fortune-tellers. Thus he lost control of his life. He wasted his life on mysteries. He didn’t see that our actions and Karma shape our lives. He spent hours staring at a crystal ball, hoping to glimpse his future. Instead of doing that, he could wake up and take steps to make his dreams real. How can a parrot pick up a card from a pack of printed destinies to reveal our future? Raj kept complaining about his bad luck over the years. He turned to fortune-tellers for answers. He lived his life believing in horoscopes, rather than in Karma. One day he died. Should we live like Raj and let our life be controlled by myths and superstitions? Should we not realize the science behind the Law of Karma? Is it difficult to understand that it is action that controls reaction, nothing else? This entire universe is unfolding moment by moment, not by chance, but by choice of our actions. Everything that happens in this life is like a boomerang. Don’t we see that what goes around comes around? We still want to believe in astrology, palmistry, fortune-tellers, and crystal balls. But by doing so, we often lose control of our lives, caught up in these mysteries. When will we realize that life is not all about luck? It is all about Karma. When will we take charge of our life, rather than handing it over to fortune tellers? Many people believe whatever happens is luck, They don’t realize the seed they plant is the fruit they will pluck. 08 CHAPTER DO THOUGHTS CREATE KARMA? Many people wonder about evil thoughts becoming sins. There is no doubt that thoughts are very powerful. Thoughts create feelings and feelings can become actions. But thoughts by themselves do not create bad Karma. They are not capable of interfering with the Karma Law. While many in the world believe that bad thoughts are equal to bad Karma, let us understand the simple logic. We get thousands of thoughts every day. Thoughts are beyond our control. If we permit these thoughts to become actions, they become Karm, both good and bad. However, we have been given the gift of intellect. The intellect is that domain which discriminates thoughts. It is that aspect of our life that permits us to choose what to do and what not to do. It is only human beings that have been given this free will, this choice and intellect. If we don’t use this gift, we risk becoming slaves to our minds. Then, our bad thoughts may lead to bad deeds, planting seeds for a miserable fate. Kamala had a crooked mind. She got jealous of her friend's success. Then, she'd seek revenge at the smallest chance. Her mind motivated her to do these evil deeds and Kamala suffered. Every evil deed, every sin became a Karma that was recorded in the Karmic account. The Law of Karma makes no mistake. She had to pay back for every bad deed. Everybody could see Kamala suffer. But Shamala, her friend, had learned the art of not letting her evil thoughts become sins. Whenever a bad thought appeared, she would shoot it down with her intellect. Because there were no bad actions in Shamala’s life, there was no bad Karma recorded. She lived a happy and peaceful life. While Kamala and Shamala reveal how a bad thought in itself is not bad Karma. If we have doubts, let’s consider this: Wanting to help others and be kind is great. But if we don’t act on those thoughts, can they truly shape our future? A beggar used to trouble an old woman every day requesting for a chapati. The old lady had a son who had gone to war and had disappeared and she was very anxious and irritated. The beggar kept on asking for a chapati every day. One day, being frustrated she thought of putting poison in the chapati and ending this. Somehow her conscience inside stopped her from putting the poison. She did not want to kill the beggar. After a few days, her son came back. He told her that he was on his way home when he was hit and badly injured. A poor beggar had taken care of him and had given him a chapati every day. The woman found out later that it was the same beggar whom she was planning to kill. The Law of Karma is very clear. It is deeds not thoughts! Just like people who talk, but who don’t walk, achieve nothing, so also thoughts are of little use. Surely, thoughts influence action, but by themselves, thoughts do not create any Karma. We must pay a lot of attention to our actions. Thoughts are thoughts. They will appear. But just as they appear, we can use our intellect to make them disappear. Every thought does not become an action. People who understand this take control of their thoughts, actions, and destiny. They do not let their mind become their master. And so, they do good Karma and to their destiny, they reach faster. The Mind is like a monkey, jumping from thought to thought …. But Karma depends on action, not thought, you forgot? 09 CHAPTER CAN WE CHOOSE OUR ACTION? Is man a robot who is controlled by remote control or does man have the freedom to choose his actions? Unlike many living creatures, man is free to be who he wants to be. Man can do what he wants to do. Unlike a tree that is bound to the ground, man has the liberty to choose his actions. He can walk, he can talk, and he can go where he wants to go. But once he does, he is responsible for his actions. This is the reason that only human beings create Karma. Animals, trees, birds or fish do not create Karma. Many Eastern philosophers think all living creatures are facing their past Karma. However, one thing is clear: they are not creating new Karma. Maybe a cockroach or a lizard is paying for its sins. But animals and other creatures do not have an intellect, a free will to choose their actions. Only man is blessed to choose his own actions. While man is blessed to do what he wants to do, he is also blessed to create Karma of his choice. It is a blessing no doubt because it is through this Karma that man can create the destiny of his dreams. It is through the choice of his actions that man can execute good deeds and stay away from wrong doings. Unfortunately, we don’t realize this. We do not understand the true implications of the Law of Karma and we often blame luck for what is happening. We do not realize that it was our deed that became the seed that is now bearing fruit in our life. While our body performs actions, the Mind and Ego. ME, is the director of all actions. It is not only responsible for our actions, but it is also the recipient of the fruit of action. If the deeds are settled in this lifetime, then we do not have to suffer them in a new life where the ME appears in a new body. In the Law of Karma, living creatures are of two types – the doer and the receiver. All living creatures are receiving their past Karma. Nothing in this world is happening by chance. What’s causing this isn’t luck, chance, serendipity, or destiny. God is not an authoritarian figure. He isn't up in heaven, controlling everything like a remote. What happens to 8 billion people and trillions of creatures comes from their own actions. The Law seems to be designed in such a manner that it is only conscious actions that become Karma. Any action that is not done purposely or consciously, doesn’t come under the Law of Karma. Therefore, man is the only doer of an action, not other living species. A man who is mentally challenged cannot tell right from wrong. He simply receives Karma. He doesn’t do any Karma, because he is not choosing his actions. Therefore, we must be careful in choosing our actions. Because, once we do, we have to pay for our deeds. An arrow shot from a bow can't be pulled back; it hits its target. Similarly, a deed done is like a seed planted. It will bear fruit. Such is the Law of Karma! We cannot escape from it. We must thus be aware that our actions are the most important aspect of our life. They control our present circumstances. They also determine our death and what comes after. Man is not bound to the ground like a tree…. He has the willpower to choose to be free! 10 CHAPTER DID WE CHOOSE OUR BIRTH? Did you decide to come to earth? Who decided the circumstances of your birth? It doesn’t matter if you are a man or woman, American, Chinese, or Indian, Hindu, or Christian. We human beings do not stop to ponder over this most important question about our existence. Why were we not born as a dog or as a cat, as a bird or as a fish? Does our birth depend on our wish? Some people think that birth is a matter of luck. It is by chance that we are born where we are born. But this is not true. Our birth is controlled by Karma. The Law of Karma tracks our deeds and actions. We create Karma in this life, and it can carry over to the next. It is Karma that decides our birth. Peter wondered why he was born in the Philippines. He questioned why his parents were so irresponsible. He also thought about why he had to grow up in an orphanage after they fought and separated. He questioned God on why it was given such a miserable life. Peter then learned about the Law of Karma. He realized that it was not God who was to blame. It was his own past Karma. He realized that his past actions created Karma. This Karma shaped his current life and the suffering he faced. However, there was hope. He couldn’t change his birth or upbringing, but he could control what he did now. By controlling his present Karma, he could create a new destiny. He didn't choose his birth, but he can choose his actions and his future. Stop and reflect – why were you born where you were born? How are billions of people around the world taking birth? What is the mystery that unfolds on earth? It is not a mystery. It is a Law. Just as the Law of Cycles makes the Earth spin, creating day and night, the Law of Action and Reaction also plays out through each birth. Nobody can escape from it. Not only does it control our birth, but it also controls our death. Our death depends on our Karma, our actions. Our body will die, but our Karma will continue in a new body as we, the Mind and Ego, ME that directs all action, does not die. When the body dies, the ME is reborn as per its Karma. Thus, it is Karma that decides our birth. The next time you see a new born baby suffer, don’t blame God. We are responsible for our birth and its circumstances, just like we are for our actions and our Karma. Everything that unfolds, from birth to death, doesn’t happen by magic. It unfolds as per Divine logic. Our birth is a reaction, actions of which were performed when we lived in another body. The body died, but the Karma was not redeemed. The only way to redeem our Karma, good and bad, is to take a rebirth on earth. People who believe in the fairy tale of heaven and hell should understand that what our parents and teachers say isn’t true. Heaven and hell exist, but nit far away in the distant skies. We experience them when we take birth, a birth that is decided by our past Karma. Who decided your parents and the date you were born? Indian, American, Hindu, Christian…. Or that you are Sheela or John? 11 CHAPTER IS EVERYTHING PREDESTING? Man is ignorant. He is so enchanted by astrology, palmistry, and crystal balls that he ignores logic. This keeps him from seeing the truth about life. He surrenders his life to his luck and makes the astrologer a god! If somebody can look at his palm and foresee his destiny, he is willing to pay any price. Thus he looks in awe at the magician who looks at a crystal ball and tells him that his tomorrow is going to be. There is no doubt that some aspects of our lives are predestined. This is not magic. It is logical. We are destined to experience certain circumstances, but not because of chance. It was our choice of deeds that became our Karma that will appear as our life. It is not luck! We pluck our destiny depending on the deeds we plant, just as we pluck a fruit on the tree, depending on the seeds we plant. The question is - what is predestined and what is not? Is everything predestined or only some things? The following analogy will clearly explain the same. Suppose you are driving a car. Is your destination predetermined? You may have a plan and you may be using a GPS to go where you want to go, but finally, the steering wheel is in your hand. You can choose to make the car go fast or slow, turn left or right. You can change your direction and choose your destination. But can you change the road? It is already paved. You can do nothing about the road. If the road is blocked due to repairs, you have no option but to take another route. If there are speed breakers, you have no option but to slow down. Our past actions, like a paved road, are set in stone. We can’t change them. We can’t change them. These past deeds will unfold, no matter what. These are predestined. They are like the road that appears in our life. We have to accept it. However, our present actions are in our hands, just like the car. We can choose to drive the car the way we want to, just as we can choose to live our life and create a new destiny. By changing our direction, we can choose a new destination. So, by changing our actions, we can create the destiny of our dreams. However, we must not forget that there are things that will happen in our life depending on our past Karma. Some things are predestined, and they will unfold. We have to accept it. But we don’t have to submit to what seems to be unfolding as our destiny. This is happening because of our past Karma. However, our present Karma is in our hands. By taking charge of our present Karma, we can, in a way, change a life that seems to be pre-destined based on our past deeds. Therefore, we must realize that everything that is happening in our life is not predestined. We are the masters of our destiny. We can choose our deeds, our Karma, and we can even change the effect of our past Karma. However, if our past Karma was deadly, it will be that much difficult to reverse. Is everything in our life predestined? Are we just robots that live? Or can we choose our actions and our Karma, So that we can give and forgive? 12 CHAPTER CAN APPLES GROW ON MANGO TREE? Have you ever seen apples growing on a mango tree? You will read the question again and wonder if you have made a mistake in understanding it. How can apples grow on mango trees? It is just not possible! Whether it is in India or Africa, in Europe or America, only apples will grow on apple trees! Why? Because there is a Universal Law that states, ‘As you sow, so shall you reap.’ If you plant potatoes, you can’t get tomatoes. We all know that seeds grow into fruit on trees. But we often overlook the law of our actions and how they shape our destiny. How often do you hear people ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” It's common to hear this when sudden death, disease, or disaster strikes someone close. Sam was a very kind and gentle man. One night, he slept and never woke up. He was just 40 and he left his wife and 3 children without any corpus or support system. His sister Pamela cried to the Lord, and she questioned, ‘Why?’ This family was made of such good people. They would go to church every week. They would pray and also care for the blind, the orphaned, and the poor with their modest earnings. Then, why did God choose them to face the tragedy of sudden death? Now, they would suffer poverty, insecurity and face the world with problems. What we don’t understand is that ‘bad things don’t happen to good people.’ The Law does not permit it. If something bad is happening in somebody’s life, it is because of a past deed. It may be a deed of the distant past, a deed done long ago beyond the recollection of our memory. It may also be a deed done in our previous life. The account of Karma does not finish at death. We carry our Karma forward, life after life and we have to pay the price for the deeds not settled. Many Universal Laws exist, and we must accept them. Yet, we often live in ignorance of the simple Law of Karma. Life is Karma. Everything in life is Karma. Nothing that happens in life can happen just by chance or by the will of the devil. When will we realize this? We know apples can't grow on mango trees. Yet, we often forget that bad things can’t happen to good people, just as good things can’t happen to bad people. The Universal Law will not permit it. But our ignorance leads us to think that the rascal mind is true. We start to believe that bad things often happen to good people. If we understood that the Law of Karma guides our lives, we’d focus more on our actions and shape our own future. We will take a step further to understand the Law. This will free us from suffering, release us from Karma, and unite us with the Divine. Very few are blessed to reach the ultimate truth and transcend all Karma to be united with our Lord. Is the any place on earth Where apples grow on a mango tree? Impossible! The Universal Law won’t permit it and this we can see. 13 CHAPTER DOES THE LAW OF ATTRACTION ACTUALLY WORK? The world is enamored by the secret of manifestation. We are made to believe that everything happens in this world through the Law of Attraction. But is this true? Let us analyze. You're in your car on the highway. You crave coffee. You picture it, think about it, and even pray for it. Do you think a truck selling coffee will pass by and bring you the coffee of your manifestation? Absolutely not! If a coffee vendor happens to pass by, which is very rare, and you get your coffee, it’s not the Law of Attraction at work. It’s just a slim chance unfolding. The law is different. A law will work every time for everybody. And therefore, to call the theory of attraction a law is wrong. What does attraction do? It creates a thought. It goes a step further and puts passion and power behind the thought. There are good chances that this will become a feeling and translate into an action. If we perform the right action, then the Law of Action kicks into play. Therefore, it is action and not attraction, that is a law. Sit in a casino, dreaming of a jackpot, and you might empty your wallet. By the end of the day, you could lose all your money. The Law of Attraction does not work. The casinos of this world make big money by making us foolishly believe in the concept of good luck. They promote manifestation. This gives people hope that what they wish for will come true. If you look carefully at the word ‘Attraction ‘. You will find the word ‘Action’ embedded in it. From Attraction, if you remove ACTION, what is left is ‘tetra’ -it is just some noise! Attraction means little without Action. The Law of Attraction is pointless without the Law of Action. If there is no action, there is no question of us manifesting our dreams through attraction! Some philosophers have led us to think we can attract anything we desire. So, rather than just working with our hands, we use our minds. We think and hope those thoughts will help our dreams come true. Thoughts matter. They spark feelings and drive actions. But if the thought does not become an action, the Law of Attraction cannot work. The next time you want mangoes, don’t sit in your garden and sing the song, ‘Mangoes, mangoes, come my way! "Apples, apples, go away!" You can sing the mango song all you want, but your garden will still have apples. You need to move from attraction to action. If you plant mango seeds, sure your seeds will bear fruit. Such is the Law of Action. The Law of Attraction may work, but only if it is complimented with the Law of Action. People who trust in the secret of manifestation think they can attract what they want while lying in bed. They will carry the Law of Attraction with them to the grave. We must wake up to the Truth that it is the Law of Action that works, not the Law of Attraction. Next time you hear about a secret or the Law of Attraction, speak up. It’s Action, not Attraction, that gets results. Maybe this Action will reap you some good rewards! The Law of Attraction says, You can make any dream come true…. But without Action, Can there be attraction … Don't you get the clue? 14 CHAPTER DOES KARMA BELONG TO THE BODY? As we drive along the highway of Karma, we should think about who creates it and who it really belongs to. As onlookers to the law, it is the hand that does, that owns the Karma. Little do we realize that the hands are just an instrument of action. The hands are directed by the mind. If there was no thought, there would be no action, no Karma. Therefore, does Karma actually belong to the body or to the mind? People who study the Law of Karma often think that Karma is tied to the body. This is because the body is the one that suffers. A deeper look into this, questions the observation. Is it the body that suffers or the mind that also becomes miserable? To Realize the Truth, all this makes us delve deeper into Karma, the Law of Action. No doubt, Karma means action. Without action, there is no Karma. But the action is only performed by the body. It is conceived and directed by the mind. Along with the mind, there is ‘I’, the ego. When ‘I’ want something, ‘I’ creates a thought in my mind. The thought of the Mind and Ego, ME, translates into an action through the body. While it seems like the body is doing the action, we should not be deceived by what appears on the outside. Let us learn that Karma belongs to ME, the Mind and Ego. Not to the body. How can we understand this Truth that Karma belongs not to the body, but rather to the mind and ego? The body acts and practically Karma should belong to the body as it also suffers its sins. There is no doubt that the body is part of the ‘Karma story’ Without the body, the mind and ego cannot exist. But to believe that Karma belongs to the body is wrong. The hand may use a gun to kill. Does the Karma belong to the hand or the gun? The gun is only an instrument. The deed is directed by ME, the Mind and Ego. One day, the body will die. But the account of Karma doesn’t end. The mind and ego carry forward into a new birth, in a new body. That is why we see some children born in deep suffering and some in the new lap of luxury and joy. Is this luck or fate? No, it is the Law of Karma unfolding. The newborn baby will grow into a new body of the same mind and ego that lived in the previous body that created Karma. This Karma is carried forward, life after life, by the same Mind and Ego. ME. It appears in a different body and uses the body as an instrument to do Karma and to experience the fruit of Karma. However, let us know beyond doubt that Karma does not belong to the body. It belongs to ME, the Mind and Ego that directs all actions. While we remain unaware and think Karma is tied to the body, we won't uncover the Truth about rebirth. We will never realize how profound Karma is. It is Karma that is responsible for deciding our new birth on earth. The body only experiences the result of Karma, just as it follows instructions to act. It does not own any Karma. If Karma belongs to the body, What will happen after we die? Who will be rewarded and punished When there is no ‘I”? 15 CHAPTER HOW DOES UNFOLD EVERYDAY? Have you ever wondered how actors perform in a theatre? Do they show up whenever they like, wear what they want, and say anything they choose? Of course not! Everything unfolds in the theatre as per the storyboard of the producer and director of the play. So also. The drama of life unfolds as per a Divine storyboard. The only difference is that the storyboard of life is dynamic. It is constantly changing, depending on our present actions, our Karma. Along with our past Karma, the dynamic storyboard makes life unfold the way it does. Things don’t happen by chance. If you believe your problems are just bad luck, you're mistaken. Nothing happens by chance. Everything that is unfolding on the planet, has a Divine reason. That is why, the earth rotates around its axis precisely, once in 24 hours. Do you find that the earth sometimes spins faster and sometimes slower? This clue shows us that everything in the universe is well organized by Divine Laws. The Divine Law of Karma plays out in our lives daily. Others act in ways that reflect our own past actions. Things that are happening are not a matter of chance. When good things happen in our lives, it often means a past good deed is paying off. If a tragedy befalls us, there is no need to cry and look up at the sky and ask ‘Why?’ God is not causing it to happen. Karma is. We cannot escape the law. If there are bad deeds in our Karmic account, they will unfold as circumstances in our life. Our life unfolds just life scenes in a drama. Every scene that unfolds is a product of Karma. Our past Karma is the cause, our life circumstances are just the effects. There is no mystery. Everything is unfolding as per our own Karma. Therefore, when something bad happens, we should celebrate, because it is a Karma that is redeemed. The sooner we delete our past negative Karma, the earlier we will be free from the tragedies of life. Of course, we have a choice to do good Karma. Our good actions of today can delete our sins of yesterday. We must not leave any stone unturned in doing good Karma. However, we must learn to accept whatever happens, because we have no choice. These are the fruits of our own deeds that we planted. Now, good or bad, we have to accept. Suhas had learned the nuts and bolts of Karma. He knew, ‘Whatever you do, will come back to you.’ So, whatever was happening in Suhas’s life, he gracefully accepted it. Never did he regret or cry. In fact, he was prepared to accept whatever Karma would unfold, knowing it was beyond his control. But Suhas lived with kindness, love, and compassion. He took charge of his actions and planted positive seeds. Each day, he faced circumstances shaped by his past Karma, which he couldn't control. If we learn to live like Roger, we will count our blessings. We’ll do good deeds and embrace acceptance and surrender. Life is just a show. When we realize everything happens due to the Law of Karma, we can smile and laugh through the drama of life. Have you ever wondered Whether life unfolds by chance… No! It is Karma that makes us cry or dance. 16 CHAPTER DOES EVERYTHING DEPEND ON OUR PAST KARMA? Another question that confuses people is what all does our past Karma control? Some believe that everything in our life depends on our past Karma. Such people wonder, ‘What is the purpose of life? Are we just robots in a puppet show, with Karma pulling the strings? What is life really about? Many don’t see that our lives aren’t solely shaped by past Karma. Karma works in a twin method. Our past Karma and our present Karma, together are responsible for what unfolds in our life, day after day. Does it mean that past Karma is not important? Of course not! Our past Karma is very important. It decides our birth, just as it decides our death. But the concept of Karma itself is based on free will and choice. We have been given a mind to think and an intellect to discriminate. Thereafter, our thoughts and feelings crystalize into action. These actions are recorded in our Karmic account. Can these present actions undo sins of the past? Yes, they possibly can. The Creator has given us an opportunity to undo our deeds by doing good deeds. We can change our past Karma if our present Karma is strong enough to fix it. If not, then the past Karma will dominate in our life. We might feel like we're just unlucky or lacking God's grace. But really, it's our past Karma coming back to us. Charlie lived a miserable life. He learned Karma and tried to do as much good as he could to as many people in as many ways. But all he received in his life was misery and suffering. Charlie did not realize what was happening. He prayed to God daily. He followed rituals and superstitions. He went on pilgrimages. But his prayers didn’t seem to work. One day, Charlie met a sage, who explained to him the Law of Karma. He made Charlie understand that God is good, not evil. God does not want us to suffer. However, God is operating this universe through the Universal Law of Karma. We can’t escape the Law. If Charlie has many sins in his Karmic account, they will grow like seeds. One by one, the thorns will prick him until he settles and redeems all his bad deeds. Charlie cried and asked the sage, ‘What is the way out of it?’ The sage shared two ways to beat suffering. The first method is easy: do as many good deeds as possible. Let past Karma unfold happily. Don’t resist whatever happens. Know it is your own deeds returning to you. "Keep doing good deeds and aim for peace and joy." The sage then shared the second method, the deepest secret of Karma, with Charlie. He said that if Charlie realizes he isn't the doer, body, mind, or ego, then his past karma won't be his anymore. Charlie wondered how he could make his past Karma vanish. It would drop like a bag of stones into the ocean and sink away. He learned he must rise above Karma. He needs to go beyond his past Karma by attaining the Enlightenment of Truth. Whatever we did in the past, It has unfolded till now. But what will happen from now, will depend on what we Sow. 17 CHAPTER CAN WE CHANGE OUR DESTINY? Can we change our past? Don’t we know the answer? We can’t! Nobody can. The past is over, it’s gone! But what about the future? Have you ever stopped to wonder how the future will unfold? Do we have control over the future? Is our destiny a matter of luck, chance? Is the Divine, our Lord in heaven, deciding the future, the destiny, of each of us 8 billion people? We know the answer, don’t we? Therefore, is there something like destiny, and if there is, can we change it? Those who understand the Law of Karma are very clear that their destiny is in their hands. They realize that this world is in the hands of a GOD – Governor of Destiny. But how does this God govern our destiny? In fact, how does the Creator of this universe manage everything that is happening? Sunrise and sunset mark the day. The earth spins and orbits, creating seasons. Life and death follow in their rhythm. Have you ever thought, “How does God govern life on earth?” Everything here follows Universal Law. One key principle is the Law of Karma. Those who Realize the Truth about Karma, do not wonder about their destiny. They know that things don’t happen by chance. Their so-called destiny depends on their past Karma. The future will unfold from it. Their past deeds and actions become the seeds that will depend on their seeds. At best, they take care of their deeds so that they do not plant any sins which will sprout as suffering in the future. What about those who don’t understand the Law of Karma? They cry and wonder why when misery knocks at their door. They don’t realize that their destiny is unfolding by their own past actions. Being ignorant of the law, they continue to sin and then wonder why they don’t win. They don’t realize the simple principle – What we give is what we get! Therefore, if we are experiencing something in the destiny that is unfolding, there is no magic in it. It is simple logic. If they see it and change their actions, they plant seeds and shift their destiny. If they don’t, they will continue to suffer. Therefore, can we change our destiny? Yes, we can! We can change our destiny on earth. We can influence our birth. We can continue to smile till our last breath, but we will ultimately face death. Then, as per our Karma, we will be reborn. Everybody, who is born on earth experiences the triple suffering of the body, mind and ego. Our main goal isn't to shape our fate in this world. Instead, we aim to understand Karma and rise above it. When we go beyond Karma, then, we can attain the ultimate destiny that man must achieve. It is known as Nirvana or Moksha, Enlightenment or Salvation. It is Liberation from this world and Unification with the Divine. How can we arrive at this destiny? How can we become one with our Lord? It is by being liberated from all Karma, not by just doing good Karma. If we change the seeds we plant, We can change the fruit on the tree… So also, by changing our deeds, We can change our destiny. 18 CHAPTER HOW IS KARMA SETTLED? Karma is the Law of Action and Reaction. It is very simple. If there is an action, there will be a reaction! The reaction may happen immediately or in the near future. It may also happen many years later when we have forgotten about our actions! Or it can happen in our next life when it is impossible for us to relate to what action is this reaction happening for. For one to understand this, one must realize that Karma has 3 accounts. The First Account is a lasting record. It goes on, even after we die, life after life. It is from this account that our birth happens. We bring some Karma from our corpus or warehouse and we start to live. Whatever is happening, is happening because of this Karma we bring to the earth. This is the Second Account. Then, we create new Karma. We do many things in life. These actions mix with what we brought to earth. This is the Third Account. Based on both our present actions and what we started with, our life unfolds. Everything that is happening in our life is Karma. We only know our current Karma—the actions we've taken in this life. Unfortunately, we can’t see past Karma. What is unfolding may not seem fair to us, but we do not realize that Karma is settling our old dues. We can’t escape from Karma. Whatever actions we do, will continue to be recorded in the book of Karma. Whatever is happening in our life, is nothing but Karma. One day, we will die. But only the body dies. Don’t people say that we passed away? The one who directs actions, ME, the mind and ego, carries its Karma and is reborn in a new body. Why does this happen? This is the only way for our Karma to be settled. Some people believe we go to a distant heaven or hell, but how is this possible? When the body dies and returns to dust, who will go to heaven or hell? We need a body to suffer or to be rewarded and the only way to get a body is to return to earth. To settle Karma, the Law causes our rebirth in such a manner that it matches our past actions. A birth on earth is not luck. Some new born are fortunate, some unfortunate. What does this depend on? Karma! Karma is settled not only as we live on earth, but also as we take rebirth. If a person thinks about this Truth, they will see that God has created life, death, and rebirth. This cycle helps the world continue, this Samsaar. Remember, all your actions will be settled. If they are not settled in this life on earth, know beyond doubt that they will be settled in a rebirth. We cannot escape from Karma. Every action is recorded and redeemed. Good or bad, every deed will be settled, if not in this lifetime, it may be in the next or the one after. This cycle of life, death, and rebirth will go on and on. Therefore, what is the way to escape from death, rebirth, and all the suffering on earth? How to be liberated from all Karma? Is there a way to do it? Yes, if we are enlightened, we can transcend all Karma and be united with God. We must understand that we are not just our bodies. We are not even the Mind or Ego that carries our Karma. We are the Divine Soul. Once we see this, we can be free from all Karma. Karma is a Law, What you do will come back to you. We can’t escape it, What we give is what we will get 19 CHAPTER WILL WE BE BORN AGAIN AND AGAIN? The mystery of rebirth confuses most of humanity. Even scientists with brilliant brains have been unable to decode the mystery. But those who understand the Law of Karma, know beyond doubt that we will be born again and again. We will keep being born again and again until we break free from death and rebirth. Our ultimate goal is to realize that we are the Divine Soul. Does anybody deny birth? We all know how we were born. Will anybody refuse to accept the reality of death? Death is certain. Every ‘body’ will die. We know the truth about birth and death. However, we often miss the connection that we will be born again and again. The Law of Karma such that we cannot escape from rebirth. We have to come back to earth to settle our Karma. When we die, death is abrupt and sudden, and we don’t settle all Karma. Therefore, our deeds, good and bad, need to be redeemed. How will we settle our Karma once we are dead? Those who Realize the Truth understand that only the body dies. The one who was alive departs. Don’t we say, ‘He passed away’? In fact, we are so sure that the one who died passed away leaving the body behind, that we cremate the body. Would we burn somebody who was sleeping in their bed? Never! Unless the doctor pronounces somebody dead, we will not burn the body. But once we depart from the body, the body is destroyed. Where do we go and what about our Karma that is not settled? People who explore the Law of Karma see that when someone passes away, they return to Earth in a new body. They come back either to face the consequences of their actions or to enjoy the rewards of their good deeds. Birth is not a matter of luck. Somebody is born blind and somebody else in circumstances that are very kind. This is because of Karma. Those who think that we are the body, must ponder on the fact that the body is created much later. Nine months before our birthday, our Mind and Ego, plus our unsettled Karma, are conceived in the womb as a zygote. What causes this conception? Is it luck? Nothing in this world happens by luck. Everything happens as per an organized plan and as per Divine universal Laws. When we connect the dots of birth, death, and unsettled Karma, we see that rebirth is real. We will be born again and again. Everyone born on Earth faces physical pain, mental distress, and ego struggles. The main goal for people is to escape suffering on Earth. They want to break free from the cycle of rebirth. How can we escape from rebirth? It is through Enlightenment, through Realization that we are not the body, mind and ego. We are the Divine Soul. Once we realize this, we are free from the cycle of rebirth. Karma is the way that the Creator makes this world go on and on. Because we have to settle our pending Karma, We are reborn. 20 CHAPTER CAN WE ESCAPE FROM REBIRTH? This world is amazing, and we're mostly grateful for life. Still, there's one Divine Truth we can't escape. This world is full of suffering. Buddha, the Enlightened One, found the Truth after he left his palace and family. His quest was based on the fact that this world is Dukkha, or suffering. Ultimately, everybody in this world suffers physical pain. We all feel misery in our minds. The Buddha, known as the Enlightened One, taught that Nirvana is the ultimate goal of life. 5000 years ago, Sanatana Dharma, the ancient Hindu faith, called it Moksha. The Western world calls it Enlightenment, Liberation, and Salvation. In essence, most religions advocate that the ultimate goal of man is to become one with God. For this, we have to escape from taking birth on earth. How can we escape from rebirth? There is a way to escape from this constant cycle of death and rebirth. Rebirth is caused because we carry Karma or unsettled deeds. Therefore, if we want to escape from being born again and again, we have to make our Karma zero. It is not possible to make Karma zero as long as we live as the body, mind and ego. To be free from all Karma, we must realize that we don’t own it. We are not even the doers of action. We are not the body, nor are we the Mind and Ego, ME. When we realize we are the Divine Soul, we become free from all Karma. We are free from the Karma of this life. Also, all past Karma tied to our Mind and Ego, ME, is erased instantly. This happens because we realize that we are not the body nor are we the Mind and Ego, ME. When this realization occurs, where does the idea of carrying karma and being reborn fit in? We are free from Karma, and attain that state of Moksha, Enlightenment or Nirvana. Very few people realize the Truth: we are not just body, mind, or ego. Escaping rebirth is possible, but it takes enlightenment. We are the Divine Soul. Only realized souls escape rebirth. They do this after experiencing death in their current body. They realize they are not the doer of actions. They are not the mind or ego tied to past Karma. This understanding frees them from being reborn on earth. While this is possible, is it easy? It is the most difficult goal for a human being to achieve. We human beings believe that we are the body, mind and ego. We live and die with this ignorance. We need self-realization to understand that we are not just our changing body or our elusive mind. Only then can we rise above the ego that constantly says "I" until we die. We are not just ourselves; we are part of the Divine. Each of us is a tiny dot of Divine Energy, made up of 30 trillion cells. This realization can free us from all suffering and rebirth. It can also unite us with God. While we can escape from rebirth, still most of us return to earth because we don’t Realize the Truth. Is it necessary for us to come back And suffer on earth? No, if we are Enlightened, We can be free from Karma and Rebirth. 21 CHAPTER DOES KARMA CONTROL OUR DEATH? Death is certain. Everybody must die. We all know humans are born 280 days after conception, or 40 weeks after the zygote forms. But do we really know when we will die? Who controls death? By now we realize that our birth is not a matter of chance, that Karma controls when we were born and where we were born. Then, we have a free will to choose our Karma or actions. But do we have a free will to choose our death? Those who think that they can commit suicide, do not realize that this is the biggest mistake we can make in our life. Causing an unnatural death means we must return to face the suffering that led to suicide. We also pay an extra price for the bad karma of taking that step. Death is in the hands of the Divine. We must not interfere or intervene in the unfolding of life. Life must go on till the Divine decides that we must be gone. What then decides our death? It is Karma. We know our birth is shaped by past Karma and our current Karma influences our lives. So, we should understand that death is also planned by the Divine. God. GOD is not just Governor Of Destiny, He is also, Giver Of Death. It is the Divine who, through the Law of Karma, decides and inflicts death upon us. Every living creature must die. The mountains and oceans are eternal. They don’t have a soul that is born or dies. But we humans are different. We live and die like other living beings. Even dogs and cats, butterflies and bees, birds and trees, must live and die. Each has a different lifespan. For instance, human beings can live up to 100 years, and dogs between 10 to 15 years only. Some trees live for 500 years while some, for 5000 years only. The Creator has created a lifespan, after which, a living organism must die. For a mayfly, the Creator has given just 24 hours, but a butterfly has two weeks to live. We human beings know that we can live up to 100 years. Some even cross a century. On average, the life expectancy of man is about 75 years. Some may die a little earlier, and some may die a little later. We don’t understand how, but the moment of our death is controlled by Karma. In fact, everything is. God created an automatic universe. So, we can infer that He isn’t controlling the deaths of 8 billion people. Don’t we know that about 4, 000, 000 people are born everyday and about 1,50,000 people die every day? All this is not controlled by a God sitting in heaven. All this is controlled by Karma, the Universal Law of life and birth, of death and rebirth. Karma is life and Karma also controls our death. Therefore, somebody who is 3 months old may suddenly die, and somebody may be stillborn. Can we explain this? Nobody can explain death. Thus, we surrender to Karma and let our Karma continue till our last breath. Who knows we will die today or tomorrow, or we may live for another 10 years or even 50? Remember! Life and death are in the hands of the Divine, controlled by the Universal Law of Karma. Two things in life we don’t control – our Birth and our Death, Karma decides how we were born and when we will lose our breath. 22 CHAPTER WILL WE GO TO HEAVEN OR HELL? Isn’t this question on top of our mind many times? What will happen after we die? Our life has been a mix of good and bad deeds. We all sin sometimes, living in this material world. We seek answers to these questions -Will we go to heaven or hell? Does God love me? Will God be kind to me? Will He Forgive me for my sins? If I pay a part of my earnings to a temple, or a church, or in charity, will I be forgiven? These are the complimentary questions that haunt us when we contemplate death. However, we don’t investigate the Truth about heaven and hell. Where are heaven and hell? Have you seen a picture of any of the two? Has anybody been there? Has anybody given us a first-hand account of it? Never! There is no place like heaven or hell. These are not physical locations. Of course, we imagine that they exist and for sure our religion advocates that after we die, we will go there. But what does this actually mean? Once we die, what happens in reality? The body returns to dust. We cremate our dear ones and even immerse their left-over ashes in the river. Thereafter, we imagine that they have gone to heaven. But how could they go? Who would go? Where would they go? Heaven and hell are fairy tales. They are a figment of man’s imagination. Does it mean that we will not go to heaven or hell? Of course, we will experience heaven and hell, they will be experienced right here on earth. We will experience both heaven and hell when we take rebirth. This is the Truth. As kids, we often ask our parents what happens after we die. They often say, “Do good deeds, and you’ll go to heaven. God will reward you.” But if you sin, your bad deeds lead to hell, where you suffer. Yet, no one tells us that heaven and hell exist here on earth. We will feel them at rebirth. Those who understand the Law of Karma, realize that heaven and hell are a result of Karma. If you're facing tough times now, it means your past Karma is revealing itself. This is a chance to make up for past mistakes. Suffering doesn’t happen randomly. Every outcome of our life is a result of our Karma. Therefore, whatever actions we perform, get recorded in our Karmic account. Ultimately, when we die, our Karma, both our current account and corpus that remain to be redeemed, jointly cause our birth. If there is good Karma, we will be born in a heaven on earth. There will be luxury and love, joy and good fortune. If our cumulative Karma is negative, we will face consequences. This can happen if we have sinned in this life or previous ones. Negative Karma can lead to being born in hell, where we will suffer. Therefore, both heaven and hell are experienced right here on earth. We don’t ‘go there’. They do not exist, except in our imagination. When we transcend Karma, then we escape from rebirth, from heaven and hell on earth, and become one with God. Because we believe in the fairy tales that our scriptures tell, Though the body returns to dust, We believe we go to heaven or hell. 23 CHAPTER WHO IS REBORN? Some people cannot fathom the concept of rebirth. They wonder how somebody can be reborn. To them, death is the end. It’s over! The body returns to dust. We cremate the body or bury it. It has no life. They think that rebirth is another fairy tale. Those who understand Karma and how the Law operates. Realize the Truth about rebirth. They know beyond doubt that rebirth is a reality. Once they see that no one can escape Karma, they understand that rebirth is inescapable too. This continues until we achieve enlightenment and recognize our true selves. As long as we live as the body and mind in this material world, we will create karma. Nobody can escape from action. Every action, good or bad, is recorded as our Karma. Ultimately, one day, we will die. But who dies? Don’t we say that the deceased passed away? This is only the body, the mortal remains of the one who is dead. While the dead body lies on the bed, we are sure that the one who was alive has left. That is why we destroy the body. Who leaves the body at death? The believers of Karma know that Karma is never settled at death. There are always residual Karmas that need to be settled. Death is sudden and it does not happen after we square off our good and bad deeds. Therefore, the pending Karma is carried forward by the one who leaves the body at death. So, who leaves the body at death? It is ME, the Mind and Ego. In fact, it is the mind and ego that direct the body to act. Some people misunderstand the Law of Karma. They think the body does the Karma and gets rewards or suffers. The reality is that the body is just an instrument. The mind and ego need a body to face its past Karma and to create new Karma. But Karma does not belong to the body. It belongs to ME, the Mind and Ego. That is why, when the body dies, the Karna does not dissolve. Further, the same body does not appear in a new birth on earth. The body returns to dust. It is game over for the body. Who is reborn? It is the Mind and Ego, ME who takes birth again and again. Just like we change our clothes, the mind and ego, is not the end. It is just a bend. At death, the ME—Mind and Ego—leaves the body behind. It carries pending Karma and is born into a new body to settle that Karma. This cycle will go on and on, till we are enlightened and liberated from the cycle of rebirth. It is a myth to believe that the Soul is reborn. The Soul is birthless and deathless. It is Divine Energy. It arrives at conception and departs at death. Therefore, neither the body nor the Soul is reborn. The Mind and Ego, the ME takes rebirth as per its Karma. The body dies but do we know Where has the deceased gone? The Mind and Ego, ME gets into a new body as it is reborn. 24 CHAPTER ULTIMATELY WHOM DOES KARMA BELONG TO? To understand the A to Z of Karma, one must be very clear, therefore, as to whom the Karma actually belongs to. The doer of Karma is the body. Does Karma belong to the body? The director of the action is the Mind and Ego, ME. Is it ME who owns the Karma? Some people even believe that Karma belongs to the Soul. They think there are good souls and bad souls, that our Soul will go to heaven or hell based on its Karma. They don’t realize that the Soul is a particle of God Energy. It does not do Karma, accumulate karma or is reborn based on Karma. The Soul is birthless and deathless. It gives power to the one who takes birth and gives breath and life till they are alive on earth. The moment the Soul departs, there is death. Karma isn't tied to the Soul, but who does it really belong to? We understand birth and death, yet this question remains. It seems like Karma belongs to the body, because Karma is action, and it is the body that is doing an action. But in reality, does Karma belong to the body? Suppose I, the ego, am very upset, very angry and feel like taking revenge on somebody who has wronged me. I sent my office boy to my enemy, with some poisoned food. The delivery boy delivers the package and my anger is avenged. Who does the Karma belong to, the delivery boy who delivered the poisoned food, or to me? Not me, the body that I seem to be, but the ME, the Mind and Ego that directed the sinister action to poison and to kill. Therefore, we must realize beyond doubt, that while Karma is done by the body, it is owned by the mind and the ego. Karma may seem linked to the body, but it really belongs to the Mind and Ego, or ME. This part of us directs all our actions. Is this the ultimate Truth or is there something beyond? People in the early study of Karma know well that the body holds no Karma. It does Karma for the Mind and Ego, ME, just as it suffers along with ME. Karma belongs to ME, not to the body. Those who go into an in-depth study, also realize that Kama does not belong to the Soul. They are enlightened with this realization. Living in ignorance means we create Karma. This Karma is tied to our Mind and Ego, which leads to repeated suffering. Of course, we will also on earth, we will experience the triple suffering of the body, mind and ego. Even though we may do good Karma, there is no way of escaping suffering on earth. The only way to escape suffering is to realize we are not just the Mind and Ego, or ME, that directs our actions. When we realize the truth of "Who am I?", we free ourselves from karma and suffering. This also frees us from rebirth. When we understand that we are not just our body or mind, we see our true nature as the Divine Soul. At that moment, there is no Karma in our account. We become a Karma Yogi, an instrument of God, our actions. In this case, we are liberated from Karma, from suffering and from rebirth. Karma does not belong to the Body, at Death, the body is Free… Karma belongs to the Mind and Ego that says, ‘it’s me!’ 25 CHAPTER WHY DOES A NEWBORN CHILD SUFFER? Have you ever wondered why there is so much suffering in some newborn babies who have done no Karma? They are just born. Then why are they blind, deaf, dumb, physically handicapped or even born in utter poverty? What has this little child done? Many people ask this question and wonder. Those who understand Karma, they don’t. They accept and they surrender. Those who are ignorant about the Law of Karma even blame God for being cruel, unjust or unfair. They don’t Realize the Truth about Karma. They don’t realize that this little child is not the one who has done Karma. The Mind and Ego, ME, formed in this child's mother nine months ago. They carried unsettled Karma that needed redemption. Therefore, it is not fair to blame God. If we do not pay for our Karma forward and take a new birth in the circumstance of a real hell right here on earth. It seems to us that the newborn child is suffering. No doubt it is. But suffering of the body is a part of this drama called ‘life’. Every ‘body’ that is born will suffer all kinds of aches and pains. From the time we grow up, we fall as we grow tall, and we experience diseases as part of living in a body. Ultimately the body will decay and die. Suffering is a part of human life. Life swings between joy and sorrow. We all face suffering, and it’s part of our journey. So, people who understand Karma know the only way to avoid suffering is to not be born as a child who will suffer. They know they will face suffering in body, mind, and ego. So, they seek freedom from Karma and the endless cycle of death and rebirth. Not only does the newborn child suffer, but the parents also suffer great misery. ‘Why are the parents suffering for the child’s past Karma?’ people wonder. The parents are not suffering the child’s Karma. If the parents are suffering, it must be because of their Karma. Suffering doesn’t appear without a corresponding Karma. When we see a newborn in pain from birth, we should think about how Karma affects everything. It makes no mistake. If our Karma is not settled now, we cannot escape from our Karma, and this may last for several lifetimes. The answer is simple: we are not our suffering body or our reborn mind and ego. We are the Divine Soul. In that moment of Realization, all our past Karma dissolves. It might be the Karma we've built over many lifetimes. But when we understand the Truth of who we are, we become free from Karma. Such is the Law. Unfortunately, every tiny fraction of humanity goes deep into understanding Karma. Those who don’t understand Karma often see a newborn child suffer. They look up at the sky and ask, "Why?" They won’t grasp the truth until they find the real answer to, "Who am I?" Why does a newborn child suffer? Why is it born blind? Is it because God is cruel or Incompetent or just unkind?