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488
I am the Soul
learnt that karma is inanimate. How can inanimate karmas be capable of offering any fruit?
In trying to clear this doubt, Gurudev has explained in the previous gatha how jiva is the doer of karma. If the chetan is instrumental in the doing of karma, it is also instrumental in suffering it. Having established this logic, now he goes on to explain how the inanimate karmas can offer results -
झेर सुधा समजे नहीं, जीव खाय फळ थाय; एम शुभाशुभ कर्मनुं, भोक्तापणुं जणा
८३
Son! It is noticed in practice that the effect of inanimate things is quite substantial. Even if we were to consider a commonplace example, we see the effect of the daily meals on the body. The items of food are inanimate, yet they generate strength, blood and fat in the body. A man remains alive on the strength of food consumed. Many food items are opiate too. You begin to feel drowsy soon as you get up from a heavy meal. You may not want to rest, but will be forced to sleep. This is the result of food items on body.
How influenced a person gets after consuming alcoholic drinks! He loses consciousness; even a sane person begins to act absurd, his knowledge giving way.
A patient on the operation table is rendered almost lifeless after the doctor administer anaesthesia. He doesn't realise at all if any of the body parts is cut open. What a tremendous effect on the atma! Where is the atma, which can sense even a minute pin-prick and now cannot feel a thing when the body is fully cut open? The atma is very much there, but the knowledge has been placed in a state of total sleep induced by this substance and thus cannot sense a thing.
In the same way, if a man eats poison he dies, and if he eats a good stuff which is called nectar, it will lead to enhancing the strength of his body and life.
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