A much slandered and often misunderstood concept of
Karma is closely interwoven with Hinduism. Karma literally stands for
human actions performed by a human being in his/her lifespan. The ever
thirsty human soul is believed to have accumulated knowledge through all
human experiences. So, the human being tries to gain more and more
experience through his/her Karma irrespective of their types.
Mainly classified as Good Karmas and Evil Karmas, the former are
supposed to take the human soul near Brahman whereas the evil ones
hinder His recognition misleading the soul. With an experience of the
divine bliss, all the desires of the soul become redundant.
This ancient theory of Karma -- which is more about living a balanced
life than fatalism or vengeance -- deserves another look. Karma is a
vibrant and ingenious process. It is known to produce incessant order
out of chaos. It essentially also is a harmonizer that can restore the
cosmic balance.
Described in such a deep and rich manner, 'Karma' is regularly seen
popping up in films, witty strips, TV soaps and even in the discussions
of ordinary people. But as a concept it yet remains misunderstood and
even misused at times. Despite a wealth of material available on the
subject, Karma juggles up an array of images ranging from a severe law
of merciless retribution to deterministic fatalism leaving no room for
human free will in mass consciousness.
Some people deplore Karma as such a canon which was fashioned to
validate social inequalities, like the Hindu caste system. It also
served as an apology to shrivel from creative engagement with life. The
essence underlying the doctrine of Karma states that we all live in a
unified, inter-reliant universe where everything exists in a complex and
dynamic web of interrelationships.
This upcoming holistic archetype is overlaying the accommodation of
Karma in the modern world-view. This concept -- along with its
implications -- is being studied currently by scholars, psychologists,
astrologers, economists, and open-minded scientists from all over the
world.
Karma or human actions are important because they are believed to leave
an indelible imprint on the soul. They are known to affect and caste an
impending effect upon the form and circumstances of life in the next
cycle of its birth.
