Meaning of Guru and karma

      MEANING OF GURU & KARMA

 

One friend has asked the meaning of Guru and karma which I so often use in my entries

Nally this is for you

 

Guru means One who dispels darkness. One who dispels darkness of ignorance and lights up the lamp of knowledge inside us.

Equivelent word in  Engish can be teacher, master,  enlightened soul who imparts spiritual knowledge. Anyone who teaches us anything is Guru of that subject.We have to respect the Guru because we can learn nothing without the Guru.

 

Especially we have to go and sit with reverance at the feet of spiritual Guru and listen to him, he helps us transcend the ego and reach our innerself. Only he can help us realize the divinity inside, where all is bliss. He himself is established in oneness and has that unique balance, compassion and love which is an example to follow.

 

Karma means the actions that we perform. We cannot be without karma even for a second, even breathing is karma. Any action like thinking, speaking and activities we do outside are called karma. When we think, speak and do good, we make good Karma. When we think bad, speak  bad and do wrong actions, actions which hurt others we make bad karmas. We have to bear the fruits of karmas that we do. Result of bad karma is unhappiness and result of good karma is happiness.

 

There are three kinds of karma sukarma (good karma), vikarma (bad karma) and akarma (no karma)

 

 

Unhappiness can come to us in any form eg illness, financial loss, mental tension, bad reputation, obstacles, people speaking badly,death of loved one etc

 

Similarly happiness also can come in many ways eg good health, good children, success, good reputation, respect and love of family and friends, good trip etc

 

We are free in performing actions but we are not free in bearing the fruits of our actions. How, when and where we will bear what fruit we don’t know. Thats why we say be very watchful and careful what you think, speak and do.

Karmas become our destiny. Past karmas are our present destiny and present karma will become our future destiny. So we are the maker of our destiny. This is universal law. If we do 5 good karma and 2 bad karma, we cannot subtract and say we have 3 good karma in our account. we will have to bear the fruits of 5 good karma and 2 bad karma.

 

 A wrong thought directed towards some body will have more impact than a wrong action because it is subtler. As a stone thrown will hit only one person but an atom bombs destruction is much larger because atoms are much subtler.. The ignition and explosions going in the sun produce so much energy and heat, they are enough to take care of the whole planet earth for thousands of years. We have to start watching our thoughts if we want happiness and good life…They should be full of love, compassion and beneficial to all. In the beginning we have to really guard what we are thinking as we are used to thinking irresponsibly. Thoughts are most powerful tools, they will become our destiny one day.

 

So we cannot blame anyone for our unhappiness, we are bearing the fruits of our own actions. When guru imparts us this knowledge we don’t get agitated, sad, depressed we just bear the fruits with detachment and finish off that bad account.

 

Guru will teach us that from bad karma we have to come to good karma and from good karma we have to come to akarma. Because the result of karma is bondage, rebirth. Good karma is like golden chain,even a gold chain binds us.

akarma is when we do the karmas without becoming the doer, without feeling,thinking and saying that I am doing. Like when we breathe, its automatic…we are not thinking that I am breathing…we are breathing, its happenning. these akarmas produce no fruits. When we transcend the ego what we do is akarma. When I am not there, when I become the seer and see that this body is doing the karmas then these karmas liberate us. Outwardly we are the same, same actions, but the state from which we are performing is different. Its the state that matters. eg A person who attacks us with a knife is punished but the doctor also does the same thing, cuts us up with the knife, but because the motive is different we punish one and respect one.

 

A guru tells us whatever you have done in past you cannot change, bear the fruits smilingly but become careful now so that you ensure pleasant future. So even when the going is bad outside with the help of the guru we are able to keep our balance and cheer. we know this shall pass away too….There will be changes all the time as there are changes in seasons, though we love spring it cannot be for ever. Some time there will be storms, thunder, chilly winters, scorching heat, all will be there. similar is the life….there will be everything, laughter, tears, hope, anxiety…

 

When their is rain we use umbrella, in winters we wear warm woollens, we have means to keep ourselves comfortable, similarly Guru teaches  how to be comfortable in whatever is happenning in our life and not to become unhappy and lose balance.

 

A Guru is gods blessing to us.