Doctrine Of Karma

Author(s): Abhedananda Swami
Publisher: Ramkrishna Vedanta Math

Page 81

DUTY OR MOTIVE IN KARMA
socalled divine commands, and when a man has read all the scriptures of the world, he does not know which to follow. Why, then, should we obey the decrees of God? There are many who do not believe in punishment; what is left for them? They will not be impelled to observe God's commands, since they have no fear of His wrath; therefore such persons will have no duty.
The word duty is an abstract term, and, like all abstract terms, it cannot be defined. We can, however, get some idea of what is meant by it if we study the different scriptures and reduce their teachings to their simplest forms. In the commands of God, we observe that all those which say: 'Do not do this or that,' may be summed up in the admonition: 'Do not be selfish, be unselfish.' Let any divine command be analyzed, and this will be found to be its basis. Any action that leads one from selfishness to unselfishness, that broadens
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