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But the worldly soul is used to indulge in craving or aversion depending upon the types of consequences. If it considers them favorable, it would crave for their continuance; if it considers them as unfavorable, the soul endeavors to avert the same. By virtue of such craving and aversion the soul incurs new bondage. The earlier bondage is bound to extend its consequences. By reacting to the same with craving or aversion, the soul incurs new bondage. The cycle of old Karma leading to new Karma thus continues to operate.
Karma particles are lifeless. However intense the existing bondage of Karma may be, they have no capability to bring in new Karma on their own. It is entirely due to the inclination of soul that new Karma particles get attached to it.
Let us see examine this with an illustration. By virtue of an earlier wholesome Karma, one may be blessed with a favorable situation. At the time of dinner, for instance, he may be served with relishing food. If he takes it as a result of his Karma and eats the same without any particular preference for the type of food, he can be considered as dispassionately availing the consequence of his Karma. Thereby he would not acquire new ones. However, being used to indulge in likes and dislikes, he may feel elated by the food and crave for getting more or getting the same again. That craving induces fresh Karma particles to enter the soul's province and stay with it. In other words, the soul acquires a new bondage.
Now let us take an illustration of aversion. One gets into an unfavorable situation by virtue of an earlier unwholesome Karma. Suppose he gets an evil-minded neighbor, who starts abusing him for a wrongly perceived cause. Now if the person takes it as a consequence of his earlier Karma and bears it with equanimity, he does not acquire new Karma. However, being used to retaliate he gets angry and fights back. That tendency to fight back induces new Karma particles to enter the soul's province. The soul thus becomes the Karta by virtue of its indulgence in craving or aversion.
Such capability to induce or inspire lies only with soul. The lifeless Pudgal cannot do that. It is therefore said in the second part of the stanza that lifeless objects do not have such capability. They can merely be instrumental to what happens. They can neither induce nor inspire any one to behave in a particular way. Suppose, in the above illustration, the person hits the neighbor with a stick. In that case the stick is no doubt instrumental in giving vent to the anger; but if the person keeps his anger under control, the stick is not going to prompt him to hit, nor is it going to hit the neighbor of its own accord.
Now suppose there is a watch lying somewhere. If someone picks it up, the watch lying in unattended condition becomes instrumental in being picked up. But if the person is not inclined to pick it, the watch is not going to tell him to pick it up. Therefore the Guru states that it is not the property of lifeless objects to induce or to inspire.
Jo Chetan Karatun Nathi, Nathi Thatän To Karma; Tethi Sahaj Swabhäv Nahi, Temaj Nahin Jiv Dharma.
If consciousness does not induce, no Karma occurs; as such, that is neither the innate nature nor the property of soul. (75)
