we find ourselves so fortunate to have the association of a devotee of the Lord

Just as a fish comes from a watery environment and cannot be satisfied unless he is in a watery environment, in a similar way since we are all the emanations of Krishna and therefore share His nature of eternity, knowledge, and bliss, we can never be satisfied unless we are back in contact with Him. Sometimes when a fish is washed onto the beach and cannot get back into the water, he is lying there suffering like anything in complete total anxiety. Despite his desperate flopping motions to try to get himself back into the water, he is not successful in doing so. However if a kind-hearted person happens to come walking along the beach and sees the poor fish's plight, he can very easily pick him up and toss him back into the water. 

This is the kindness of the devotee of the Lord upon those souls who are captivated by this material existence. If we find ourselves in such a pitiable condition as that fish, and if we find ourselves to be so fortunate as to have the association of a devotee of the Lord, we should understand how fortunate we are and take full advantage of our good fortune by learning from the Lord's devotee how we can also become the Lord's devotee. The devotee will teach us to how to perfect the bhakti yoga system, devotional service to the Lord.

There are other processes for elevating the consciousness beyond this material existence such as jnana yoga and hatha yoga. But in order for these other processes to take us all the way to complete spiritual perfection it is required that one have no further dealings with the material world. However, the bhakti yoga system is so powerful that one can remain active within this material world and at the same time become completely transcendental to it.

What is KARMA, how can it affect our lives?

as received in my email

1)What is KARMA

2) how can it affect our lives?

3)Is there anything we can do to change our KARMA?

The answers are as under:-

1) Karma is a matter/substance having physical existence and which fuses with soul and is carried to next life .Bad karma is represented by black matter/substance and good karma is white matter/substance. Karma is a living (alive) matter and attracts similar matter and resists opposite matter. As such, it is difficult for persons having black matter/bad karma to listen to good advice or take action for spiritual development.

2) Persons carrying bad karma (black matter) will be uneasy and unhappy irrespective of financial or social position. Further, persons carrying bad karma (black matter) will suffer physically ,emotionally and mentally to the extent of load of karma .It creates obstacle in path of happiness.

3)Certainly ,we can do a lot to change our Karma, as under:-

a) The first rule for changing bad karma to good karma is not to hurt any one ,not to harm any one so that additional bad karma is not accumulated.

b) The second rule is to practice compassion , kindness and benevolence. Carrying a thought that everybody should benefit from me and doing something for everyone daily reduces bad karma and accumulates good karma.

c) The third rule is patience and tolerance. One must not react immediately in anger. By suffering silently without reacting dissolves bad karma.

The understanding of the above and starting to practice in daily life will produce result immediately. The result will be you will start singing or dancing or both.

Definition of Karma is

Definition of Karma is "any action - physical or mental - done with an attachment of "I" in it". "I" here means the body. In simpler words, Karma means any action that I say "I have done". Here it is important to distinguish between "I" and "Self". "I" means the body and "Self" means the soul.

There is a universal saying "Every action has a reaction". Gitaji seems to accept this. Hence for every action we will get something in return (Karma Phal - Fruit of Karma), be it good or bad. Obviously the fruit of Karma will be good for good deeds and bad for bad deeds.

Now, the question arises, how can one live wuthout Karma. At this point of time, I would like to give an example. I went to a saint and sought her guidance as to how can we achieve God. She most graciously advised that we need not do anything to achieve God. I was baffled. I thought that she may not be considering me worthy to deserve an answer. However, I once again asked the same question at her lotus feet, as to how can one achieve God without doing anything (Sadhan). After a little while, she said "after all what do you do any way". This put me thinking as to what was the secret hidden in her words of wisdom. I then got an answer from my inner self that I am the soul and not the body. Hence all actions done by the body are not done by my true self. This is the crux of Karma. So long as we will do any activity with an attachment of "I" (the BODY), those Karmas will invite Karma Phal.

Since as a beginner, it is difficult to differenciate between "I" and "Self", may I suggest that we may start with Good Deeds. Different people can define good deeds differently. Hence I would like to clarify that there are three "Gunas" - Sattvik, Rasjasik and Tamasik. Sattvik actions lift us up and bring peace in our mind. Examples of Sattvik actions are

- Giving something to a needy, who is completly an unknown person. I say "Unknown" because in his case we will not expect anything in retunn at any time in life.

- Sit alone and read Gitaji and it's Teeka (Discourse)

Similarly, Rajasik actions are the normal day to day actions that we take, keeping in mind that we do not take any action with an intention to hurt anyone. It does not mean that no one should get hurt but the intension should not be there to hurt.

Lastly the Tamasik actions are those that lead to lethargy, sluggishness etc. Examples are - Intoxication, Gambling, Killing for pleasure or food etc.

There in nothing that we can do to change our Karma. What we have sowed, we will have to reap. What we can do is not to have future karmas and also not suffer from our old Karmas. This is a very advanced stage and may be very difficult for a beginner to understand. Hence, my strong recommendation to my fellow sadhaks is to keep on reading commentaries on Gitaji and keep contemplating on same. After all "Krishnam Vandey Jagatgurum"