________________
[ 179 ]
karmas of previous birth and that of this birth before the dawn of knowledge are destroyed on the attainment of knowledge but prārabdha karmas, the basis of the present birth, on the attainment of knowledge are not destroyed by Jñāna. In the case of karmas which have not begun to fructify, knowledge has its action but in the case of prárabdha karma - whether good or evilbhoga is inevitable to consume it. The Brahmasūtra emphatically says that prārabdha karmas are destroyed only by experiencing their fruits.1 The Upanişadic texts and others of the like nature confirm the above view.
From the above, it is clear that the immediate knowledge of Brahman destroys all karinan right or wrong excluding the prārabdha which has to be experienced and is uneffected by the original knowledge.
VIDYARANYA ON PRĀRABDHA · KARMA . We have alrcady dwelt at some length on the triple nature of karma in our analysis of Patañjala yoga and in that connection we shall state the current view-point of philosophers and the special features of prārabdha karma but Swami Vidyaranya in his standard work "Jivan Mukti Viveka”, on which Achyuta Roy Modak has written an excellent commentary, has brought together a good deal of useful material on the prárabdha karma, its nature and varieties. Swami Vidyāraṇya in his standard Vedānta work the Pancadaśī has referred to the triple nature of Prārabdha.3 But in his Anubhūti Prakasat entitled Sanatkumāra Vidyā he has himself written very elaborate note on Prārabdha karma having classified it into four forms. He has been quoted in extensive by Achyuta Roya Modaka in his commentary on Vidyaranya's Jivan muktiviveka.
1. Brahmasūtra IV. 1.19. 2. Chāndogya Upsnişad VI, 5.14.2. . 3. Pancadast, Trptidīpa Chapter, 3 314Tazt a graforati FETEI 4. Pascadast Anubhūti Prakāśa, chapter IV.
