Karma Phal Siddhant states that whatever one gets are the fruits of his own actions. But to an inquisite mind, many questions arises about “Karma (Actions)”, “Phal (Fruits)”, “One (Atma / Soul)”, “Gets”, and many questions arises out of the answers.
This subject is heavily dealt with in the Vedic Literature. Different Granths have explained it in different ways, perhaps because any one explanation cannot answer all the questions of the inquisite minds of different tilts, and perhaps Bhagvad Geeta specialises on it. The enlisted below is one of the ways to explain the same, pointing out some basics.
The subject has been in detail in the book "Karm Phal Mimaansa" authored by Satish Arya ji. The audio of the book is given as attachments (chapterwise).
Note:-
The terms as defined and concepts as enlisted below are interwoven, so one may suggest a different sequencing of the points given as below.
It’s just a matter of language that we are writing the God and Atma as He; one may like to call them as she.
The three different entities are Prakriti (nearest English – Nature), Atma (Souls) and Parmatma (God). There existence and characteristics has been explained in the page “Trinity”
The creation of universe and its objectives has been explained in the page “Cosmogony”
To understand the Karma Phal Siddhant in detail, one should read Vedic Granth, particularly Bhagvad Geeta.
Karmas are the actions performed by Atma (soul). Actions mean anything that we do including thinking and inaction.
Atma (soul) is different from our body, say I am an Atma and I have a body in which I reside. The actions are performed by the Atma with the help of the body. All living things in this universe, both plants and animals, are living because they have an Atma in them. There are innumerable Atmas in these Universe of which some reside in a given body and some reside free of any given body. All Atmas are bound by Karma Phal Siddhant.
The human body is the best form of body in which in which an Atma can reside and attain Moksha. The body includes brain, heart, mind, senses, intelligence, etc which are the tools through which the Atma analyses the situation. Atma is the one who takes the decision and act. Atma acts with the help of the body. Atma is eternal, but body is not. Atma is conscious, body is not. A body lives till an Atma lives in it and it dies after the Atma leaves it. After Atma leaves one body, he acquires another body (or takes rebirth), unless he has left so because he has gotten Moksha.
The body is made of Prakriti. The nearest explanation of Prakriti would be the matter and energy present in the Universe. Prakriti is also eternal but it does not have consciousness.
There are various forms of Prakriti detailed in the cosmic sciences given in the Vedas. The body is comprised of the Biological form (like cells and hence the organs), Material form (like elements and chemicals) and the Subtler forms (like mind, intelligence, etc)
Moksha is a state where the Atma resides free of any given body.
There is a third entity (other than the Atmas and the Prakriti), God, who is eternal and conscious. He is the one who is present at all times and at all places, pervading into the full Prakriti and all Atmas. He is the controller of the Karma Phal Siddhant. He possesses all the knowledge about Prakriti, Atma and himself.
An Atma’s anand (nearest English – Happiness) is limited by the Prakriti in which he resides. Residing in his body, he will have to experience all – anand, happiness and sadness. Unlimited anand can be attained only in Moksha.
Atma has limited knowledge, strength, self control, etc. He is mostly free in his action but dependent for results / fruits. Whilst being free in action, it is appropriate for him to perform actions which are intended for and results in the general well being. Due to his limitations an Atma may not perform the desirable actions. Again, there are ways to increase one’s knowledge, strength and self control, which also requires action in that direction. An Atma is expected to evolve over various births and someday become apt in his actions. Only then he would be eligible for unlimited Anand, which he gets with Moksha.
The objective of Karma Phal Siddhant is Justice, that only the deserving gets Moksha. And the main objective of creation of this World is to enable the Atmas to attain Moksha. That also explains that the ultimate goal of Human Life is also to attain Moksha.
Actions (Karma) are of three types:- Good, Bad and Mixed. Mostly all the actions are mix of some good and some bad. A good action is one which is done with intentions of well being of other Atmas and Prakriti and / or an action which results in such well being. Well being of oneself is also a good action if it is done with an intention to increase one’s potential to be able to perform good actions. A bad action is one which is done with the intentions of ill being of others and / or action which results in such ill being.
The Fruit (Phal) is of two types: Sukh (Happiness) and Dukh (Sadness). This is situational and not emotional. Dukh is being faced with a situation where one would be restrained / limited in achieving well being. Sukh is being faced with a situation where one would be liberated from a Dukh or achieve well being. There is one more type of Phal which is called Anand. This is a kind of happiness which one receives on communion with the God. A knowledgeable / pious person would have experience instances of anand. Unlike happiness, Anand has got no antonym.
Then there are emotions – i.e., feeling of being Sukhi (Happy) and Dukhi (Sad). An ignorant one may feel very sad even on the face of slightest Dukh, or may become very rejoicing on the face of a small success. A knowledgeable one tries to attain a situation where he controls his emotions on the face of even substantial situations of Sukh and Dukh. A state of Atma where he narrows down the differences in emotions on facing the Sukh or Dukh is called Nirvana. Nirvana is one of the essential steps to Moksha.
Each Action done by an Atma, depending on whether good or bad, earns him credit of Sukh or Dukh. With each experience of Sukh or Dukh, his credit gets deducted. Depending on his balance (and may be other factors) at the time of a death (leaving a body), he receives another birth. It is interesting to note that each experience of Sukh or Dukh instigates further action, which is mostly a mixed one. Hence, it is a spiral, which is why perhaps some learned people have called it Maya Jaal (Illusion Trap)
The full accounts of Karmas performed and Phals received is maintained by the God, not really meaning in pen and paper.
Phal is received by an Atma in the three ways. …………………
The Phal is given by ….
Direct and Indirect relationships between Karma and Phal………………..
How does god help us in doing good karma
What should we do to do good Karma
Does God forgives?
Does God favours?
How do we know how evolved are we
What is death
What is rebirth
Till what time it will go on
What is the path to Moksha?
What are the stages to Moksha?
What happens during Moksha
Why should we try for Moksha
In the present day set it seems that the GOD does not punish the oppressers? Does he?
A.~ 1. He punishes the corrupt in many ways. One, they do not get the mental peace and bliss as one who is on path of God. Please do not consider those who are on right path out of fear and not reason.
2. Corrupts make waste of their lives. If you consider life to extend beyond these hundred odd years, you will understand that it would be foolhardy to make any conclusion out of only 100 years.
3. You were born in this corrupt world because as per your previous spiritual evolution, this earth and this yuga was best for your further growth.
4. He does not sit like a king and orders punishment for souls. Instead every moment he works with you and for you to help you grow and improve. Thus if you think evil, adverse hormonal reactions start in your body, you start feeling uncomfortable. But if you refuse to pay attention to these signals, you dig grave for yourself. Yajurveda 40.3 states that such people pave their path to enter darkness.
5. The simple approach to God realization is to follow one’s minutest instincts – avoid any task which gives feeling of shame, confusion or guilt. And proactively seek urges that bring feelings of happiness, satisfaction, alertness of mind. These have to be done at minute level and not coarsely. Thus you would see that putting efforts, gaining knowledge, helping others, meditation etc give utmost satisfaction that no material thing – wealth, political power, sexual craving etc can compare. Most material enjoyments are illusions because of debilitated mind that has lost his capability to think properly like an alcoholic losing control over senses.
6. We have created our own assumptions that money, wealth, power, sex etc in themselves bring happiness. And hence assume that those who get it are most happy. We feel disheartened that some people do all wrong things and get easy access to these. But only those remain happy who use these only as tools for a higher purpose. And right happiness can come through right goals and right means, both. Here by right means, I do not imply complying by human-created laws. But complying by laws of nature/Ishwar. Do you think a Netaji Bose or Bismil was unhappy in his pursuit. No! Instead the satisfaction that they derived from following their conscience is beyond any comparison with those who consider petty things like wealth, power, lust as goals in themselves. Do you think a Shahrukh Khan can be more happy in life than a Dayanand Saraswati or Shivaji? If you think, you are in illusion.
7. To understand these laws, we need to introspect and study. And that will help us redefine our definition of success and happiness. This will resolve your doubts.
The goal of life is to seek happiness. That is evident in each act of every living being around.
Prove yourself that worldly gains are biggest determinants of happiness and your assertions may be right. But this is only a myth. Wordly gains are necessary to an extent, and only as a tool. The moment they become goals in themselves, they become seeds of misery. Many may get easy access to them due to past karma and present efforts. But unless you are driven by a higher goal, it will only add to misery.
This is law of Paramatma and it ensures that He remans just and kind, always.