Science of Karma

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Dada Bhagwan Foundation

Page 47

The Science of Karma
The Science of Karma
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pain you caused him. All you have to do is pratikraman, you are not responsible for anything else.
If you do pratikraman for any of your actions, seventy five percent of the effect of that act is dissolved. The other twenty-five percent remains like the image of a burnt rope. In the next life, it will disintegrate easily. Every cause has an effect. By doing pratikraman, karmas can be shaken off in the next life. Are Karma Bound Or Released Through
Chanting and Penance? Questioner: When we do chanting and practice penance, do we bind karmas or do we release ourselves from them?
Dadashri: Karmas are bound. Karmas are bound in everything. Even in sleep you bind karmas. When you do chanting or penance, you bind heavy merit karmas, for which you will receive material happiness in next life.
Questioner: So how much strength does religion (good deeds) have to free you from karma?
Dadashri: Dharma-aharma (good and bad deed) are both effects of karma. They keep you bound in the world. If you know the science, karma can be destroyed immediately. With dharma (religion, morality) punya karma are bound and with adharma (non-religion, immorality) paap karma are bound. With Atma Gnan (knowledge of Pure Self) however, karmas are destroyed and burnt to ashes.
Questioner: If one is discharging both the good and the bad, then how can it be called dharma?
Dadashri: With dharma, karmas of punya are bound and with adharma, karmas of paap are bound. What would you do if someone were to slap you? Would you not slap him back? Double
the number and give him back. It is because the unfolding of your effect karma that the man slapped you. He is simply the instrument'. Just accept it as a return of your debt and deposit it. Do not give it back. If you do not want to repeat this scene in the next life do not give it back.
The State Of Doership And Nondoership
Questioner: I believe that anytime you do something wrong, you bind karma.
Dadashri: Then do you not also bind karma for good deeds?
Questioner: Both good and bad deeds, bind karma, right?
Dadashri: You are binding karma right at this very moment. At the present time you are binding karma of very high merit. But there will never be a day when you don't bind karma at all. Why is that?
Questioner: We are always engaged in some form of activity, whether it is good or bad.
Dadashri: Yes, but should there not be a way by which no karmas are bound? How did Lord Mahavir manage to liberate himself without binding karmas? As long as you have this body, karma are going to be bound. Do you not have to do certain kinds of activity, such as going to the toilet?
Questioner: Yes, the fruits of the karmas that were bound have to be experienced.
Dadashri: As long as you are binding karmas, there will always be a next birth for you. If you bind karmas, you will have to experience the effects in the next life But the fact that Lord Mahavir did not have to take another birth, proves that there has