Reading sample

As Expounded by Dada Bhagwan

The Science of Karma

Originally Compiled in Gujarati by : Dr. Niruben Amin

Trimantra

The Three Mantras That Destroy All Obstacles in Life

Namo Vitaraagaya

I bow to the Ones who are absolutely free from all attachment and abhorrence

Namo Arihantanam

I bow to the living Ones who have annihilated all internal enemies of anger, pride, deceit and greed

Namo Siddhanam

I bow to the Ones who have attained the state of total and final liberation

Namo Aayariyanam

I bow to the Self-realized masters who impart the Knowledge of the Self to others

Namo Uvazzayanam

I bow to the Ones who have received the Knowledge of the Self and are helping others attain the same

Namo Loye Savva Sahunam

I bow to the Ones, wherever they may be, who have received the Knowledge of the Self

Eso Pancha Namukkaro

These five salutations

Savva Pavappanasano

Destroy all demerit karma

Mangalanam Cha Savvesim

Of all that is auspicious

Padhamam Havai Mangalam ||1||

This is the highest

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya ||2||

I bow to the Ones who have attained the absolute Self in human form

Om Namah Shivaya ||3||

I bow to all human beings who have become instruments for the salvation of the world

Jai Sat Chit Anand

Awareness of the Eternal is Bliss

Who Is Dada Bhagwan?

In June 1958, around 6 o’clock one evening, amidst the hustle and bustle of the Surat railway station while seated on a bench, ‘Dada Bhagwan’ manifested completely within the sacred bodily form of Ambalal Muljibhai Patel. Nature revealed a remarkable phenomenon of spirituality! In the span of an hour, the vision of the universe was unveiled to him! Complete clarity for all spiritual questions such as, ‘Who are we? Who is God? Who runs the world? What is karma? What is liberation?’ etc. was attained.

What He attained that evening, He imparted to others through his original Scientific experiment (Gnan Vidhi) in just two hours! This has been referred to as the Akram path. Kram means to climb up sequentially, step-by-stepwhile Akram means step-less, a shortcut, the elevator path!

He, himself, would explain to others who Dada Bhagwan is by saying, “The one visible before you is not Dada Bhagwan. I am the Gnani Purush and the One who has manifested within is Dada Bhagwan who is the Lord of the fourteen worlds. He is also within you, and within everyone else too. He resides unmanifest within you, whereas here [within A. M. Patel], He has manifested completely! I, myself, am not God (Bhagwan); I also bow down to the Dada Bhagwan who has manifest within me.”

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The Current Link to Attain Self-Realization

After attaining the Knowledge of the Self in 1958, absolutely revered Dada Bhagwan (Dadashri) traveled nationally and internationally to impart spiritual discourse and Self-realization to spiritual seekers.

During his lifetime itself, Dadashri had given the spiritual power to Pujya Dr. Niruben Amin (Niruma) to bestow Self-realization to others. In the same way, after Dadashri left his mortal body, Pujya Niruma conducted spiritual discourses (satsang) and imparted Self-realization to spiritual seekers, as an instrumental doer. Dadashri had also given Pujya Deepakbhai Desai the spiritual power to conduct satsang. At present, with the blessings of Pujya Niruma, Pujya Deepakbhai travels nationally and internationally to impart Self-realization as an instrumental doer.

After Self-realization, thousands of spiritual seekers prevail in a state free from bondage and dwell in the experience of the Self, whilst carrying out all their worldly responsibilities.

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Note About This Translation

The Gnani Purush, Ambalal M. Patel, also commonly known as ‘Dadashri’ or ‘Dada’, gave spiritual discourses that were in the form of answers to questions asked by spiritual aspirants. These discourses were recorded and compiled into books by Pujya Dr. Niruben Amin in the Gujarati language.

Dadashri had said that it would be impossible to translate His satsangs and the Knowledge about the Science of Self-realization word for word into other languages, because some of the meaning would be lost in the process. Therefore, in order to understand precisely the Akram Science of Self-realization, He stressed the importance of learning Gujarati.

However, Dadashri did grant His blessings to translate His words into other languages so that spiritual seekers could benefit to a certain degree and later progress through their own efforts. This book is not a literal translation, but great care has been taken to preserve the essence of His original message.

Spiritual discourses have been and continue to be translated from Gujarati. For certain Gujarati words, several translated words or even sentences are needed to convey the meaning, hence many Gujarati words have been retained within the translated text for better understanding. Where the Gujarati word is used for the first time, it is italicized, followed by a translation explaining its meaning in parenthesis. Subsequently, only the Gujarati word is used in the text that follows. This serves a two-fold benefit; firstly, ease of translation and reading, and secondly, make the reader more familiar with the Gujarati words, which is critical for a deeper understanding of this spiritual Science. The content in square brackets provides further clarity regarding the matter, which is not present in the original Gujarati content.

This is a humble attempt to present to the world, the essence of His Knowledge. While reading this translation, if there is any contradiction or discrepancy, then it is the mistake of the translators and the understanding of the matter should be clarified with the living Gnani to avoid misinterpretation.

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Special Note to the Reader

The word violence generally conveys some form of physical aggression. However, the spiritual definition of himsa, which is roughly translated as violence, is much broader. Any speech or thought that hurts any living being is also considered violence. Similarly, ahimsa, or non-violence, is defined as the practice of not hurting any living being even to the slightest extent, through thoughts, speech, and action. Thus, rather than using the English words ‘violence’ and ‘non-violence’ in this book, the respective Gujarati words himsa and ahimsa have been used.

The Self is the Soul (Atma) within all living beings.

The term pure Soul is used by the Gnani Purush for the awakened Self, after the Gnan Vidhi. The word Self, with an uppercase ‘S’, refers to the awakened Self which is separate from the worldly-interacting self, which is written with a lowercase ‘s’.

Wherever Dadashri uses the term ‘we’, ‘us’, or ‘our’, He is referring to Himself, the Gnani Purush.

Similarly, the use of You or Your in the middle of a sentence, with an uppercase first letter, or ‘You’, ‘Your’ in single quotes at the beginning of the sentence, refers to the state of the awakened Self or Pragnya. This is an important distinction for the correct understanding of the difference between the awakened Self and the worldly-interacting self.

Wherever the name ‘Chandubhai’ is used, the reader should substitute his or her name and read the matter accordingly.

The masculine third person pronoun ‘he’ and likewise the object pronoun ‘him’ have been used for the most part throughout the translation. Needless to say, ‘he’ includes ‘she’ and ‘him’ includes ‘her’.

For reference, a glossary of all the Gujarati words is either provided at the back of this book or available on our website at:

http://www.dadabhagwan.org/books-media/glossary/

Editorial

Countless unimaginable and unexpected events such as plane crashes, bombings, fires, earthquakes and tornadoes causing innumerable deaths, have been known from television and newspapers! Many people have met their death in accidents or from diseases and hunger. Many have died right after birth and many have committed suicide. There have also been dark scandals involving preachers. At the same time the evolved souls of saints, devotees, and Gnanis (Self-realized) have been experiencing the bliss of Self (nijananda). When scandals arise, people become curious. Why are babies born disabled? One does not find any consolation. People’s minds are silenced because they cannot resolve and understand the true nature and laws of karma. What is karma? How does one bind or accumulate karmas? Where does it all begin? What was the very first karma? How can one be liberated from karma? Can one avoid experiencing karma? Is God the doer of karma or is he the instigator behind them? What comes after death? Who binds all these karmas? Who experiences these karmas, the Atma (Soul) or the physical body?

What do our people call karma? According to people in general, karma means going to work, performing meritorious deeds, charity, and religious activities. The Self-realized however, call these ‘karmaphala’ (resultant karma) instead of karma. The gross karmas, which can be seen and experienced through the five senses, are all karmaphala or discharge karmas. That which was charged in the past life is being discharged in this life. It is manifested and becomes visible. The karmas performed at the present time are done at the subtle level. The charging point is very difficult to grasp or recognize.

A businessman, pressured by his relatives, donates five lakh rupees to a charity trust, while his friend asks, “Why did you donate money? Don’t you know that they are all thieves and embezzlers?” The businessman tells his friend that he knows that. If he had his way, he would not have given even five rupees, but he was forced to donate the money due to pressure from the chairman who happens to be his relative. Now that he has donated five lakh rupees, people praise him for his generosity, which in fact was his discharge karma. What did he charge? He has charged karma by saying that he would not have given even five rupees! On a subtle level he charges exactly the opposite, so that in his next life he will not be able to give even five rupees. A poor man, donates five rupees to the same charity and says that if he had five lakh rupees, he would give it all. Because he gives the money heartily, in his next life he will be able to donate five lakh rupees. So, whatever you see externally, is all the fruit of actions, but on a very subtle level the seeds being sown cannot be discerned. Only if you have inward vision (antarmukh drashti), can you see this. Now, is it necessary to spoil one’s intent and emotions after such an understanding?

The karmas that one binds, such as ‘to eat, drink and be merry, are called sanchit karmas, or accumulated karmas. Such karmas are stockpiled at a subtle level and when they are about to ripen and give fruits, a person is inspired to eat unhealthy food and when he is done eating it is called prarabdha karma (fate). This in turn gives a final result, which is the effect of effect so that he may end up having dysentery and become sick. That is kriyamana (exhausted resultant) karma.

Param Pujya Dadashri shows us that Vyavasthit Shakti includes the principles of karma. Karma is only a small fraction of Vyavasthit, it doesn’t include the total process. Karma belongs to Vyavasthit but Vyavasthit does not belong to karma. Karmas are carried on in a subtle form as seeds from the past life. However, it does not end there. When the karma starts producing fruits, (i.e., trees grow from the seeds) so many circumstances are required. The seed becomes a mango tree and one can receive mangoes. This process involves many other evidences such as, soil, water, sunshine, fertilizer, heat and time. Dadashri has explained beautifully, that these are the fruits of karma. The seeds of karma are active at the very subtle level.

Many people ask how the first karma was bound. Did the body come before the karma? Did the chicken come before egg? It is all the same. In reality, there is no such thing as the first karma in the world. Karma and Atma have existed throughout time without a beginning or an end. Karmas are charged atoms. The Atma is the living or conscious tattva (element). Both tattvas (atma and matter) are always separate. A tattva is an eternal element. How can there be a beginning to that which is eternal? All karmas are charged because of the union of the living (chetan) and non-living (jada). It is the seed karma (cause or charge karma), which gives the fruit of karma (effect or discharge karma) in the next life. Karmas produce circumstances that by nature are temporary. Union is followed by separation. Circumstances come and go, giving rise to various stages of existence and events. When the wrong belief, “I am this and this is mine,” arises it results in the visible and tangible worldly life. If one understands this mystery then there is only the Shuddhatma (Pure Soul) and sanyog (circumstance). Owing to the lack of such understanding we use the gross language of prarabdha and call it fortune, fate, or destiny, etc. The science however tells us this much, that if we remain separate from the evidences, then we can stay in the Atma and only then, karma does not exist.

How does one bind karmas? Karmas are bound by the subtle belief of doership in any action.

What is doership bhaav? When someone else does the karma and one believes that “I am doing it” is called doership-karta bhaav.

Why does the doership, karta bhaav originate? It originates because of ahankar (ego).

What do we call ego? The ego is the belief, “I am that,” when truly one is not that. When the Self is identified wrongly, it is ego. It is ego when one believes, “I am Chandubhai,”, because here one identifies himself with his name and body. “I am this body, I am her husband.” In reality, one is the Pure Soul, but he is not aware of this real identity. Because the person does not have this awareness, he identifies himself as ‘I am Chandulal’ and ‘I am this body.’ This belief is ignorance and it is because of this ignorance that karmas are bound.

If you renounce the identification with the body, then you are not the doer of karmas and neither are you the enjoyer or sufferer of these karmas. That is the ultimate essence of dharma. ~Shrimad Rajchandra

If you are an embodied soul, or jiva then Lord Hari is the doer. If you are Shiva, the primordial Soul, then that is the true essence (meaning you are not the doer).

~ Akha Bhagat.

When one identifies with, “I am Chandulal,” it is called ‘jiva dasha’ (embodied soul). When one becomes aware of the Gnan that, “I am not Chandulal, but I am Shuddha Atma (Pure Soul) in reality,” that is called ‘Shiva pada’. One is Shiva. The Atma is parmatma, whose natural state is devoid of all mundane actions. The Atma by nature has no doership. It is the Gnani who is constantly aware of, “I am the Self,” and “I am not the doer of anything,” and therefore he does not bind new karmas. The old discharge karmas mature, give fruit, and are exhausted.

The seeds of karmas are sown in the past life and give their fruits

Impressum

Texte: Dada Bhagwan Aradhana Trust
Bildmaterialien: Dada Bhagwan Aradhana Trust
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 07.07.2017

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