Karma, gunas, rules and regs

KARMA
GUNAS
RULES ANG REGS
‘REGS’ STANDS FOR
‘REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES OF PURE LIFE STYLE’

nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta-swamin iti namine
namas te saraswate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha shunyavadi pashchatya desha tarine
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita
gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine
Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who
is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at
His lotus feet.
Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual
master, servant of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of
Lord Caitanya deva and delivering the Western
countries, which are filled with impersonalism and
voidism."
Pranama mantra to His Divine Grace A. C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

KARMA - CAUSE-CONSEQUENSE ISSUE
GUNAS
MENTALITY
REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES
HOW DOES IT ALL BENEFIT ME?

SELF WORLD
STAGES OF CAUSE-CONSEQUENSE
RELATIONSHIP
KNOWING THE LAWS OF KARMA IS
NECESSARY TO REALIZE THE PLACE AND
TIME WHEN THE SEEDS ARE PLANTED,
AND PREVENT THE “UNDESIRABLE KARMIC
REACTIONS”
2-3 REPEATING SITUATIONS,
DISTURBING MY LIFE.
Can I fix them?
WHY DO I NEED TO
KNOW THIS?

SELF WORLD
2-3 REPEATING SITUATIONS,
DISTURBING MY LIFE.
Can I fix them?
THE JORNEY
WITHIN
full and partial
WORLD MODEL
IF THERE IS ONLY ME AND THE
WHOLE WORLD AND NO ONE
BEYOND, HOW DO I FEEL?
WHY I CANNOT SOLVE MY
PROBLEMS, AM I ALONE?
WHERE PROBLEMS COME FROM?
HAVE I CREATED THEM?
WHAT IS CHOICE?
IS IT FATE?
The Power of Destiny or Power of Krishna?
AIM:
 LEARN TO INTERACT
HIS QUALITIES:
 HE IS EVER KIND AND JUST
HOW – 5 “$$$$$” RULE
 BELIEF, TRUST – SHRADDHA
 KNOWLEDGE AND DESIRE – SVADHYAYA
 ASSOCIATION WITH DEVOTEES – SAT-SANGA
 APPLYING RULES AND REGULATIONS - SADHANA
 ACCEPT POSITION OF SERVANT/STUDENT
Consciousness matters

The Low “As you sow, shall you reap” or
Newton's 3rd Law of Motion:
“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”
TWO TYPES OF PHILOSOPHIES ACCORDING TO “CAUSE AND CONSEQUENCE LAW” PERCEPTION:
SAT-KARYA-VADA
CAUSE AND EFFECT ARE
IMPLICIT. EFFECT IS A CAUSE
SEEN IN A DIFFERENT STATE.
“CAUSE IS EFFECT
CONCEALED, AND EFFECT IS
CAUSE REVEALED”
ASAT-KARYA-VADA
CAUSE AND EFFECT
ARE SEPARATE

TO PUT IT SIMPLY
KARMA IS ACTION.
PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE
THERE ARE:
1. KARMA
2. VIKARMA
3. AKARMA
What is KARMA
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT DIVISIONS COULD BE DONE

KARMA-VIKARMA-AKARMA –
BHAGAVAD GITA
Bg 4.16 — should be known kim karma kim akarma - Even the intelligent are bewildered in
determining what is action and what is inaction. Now I shall explain to you what action is,
knowing which you shall be liberated from all misfortune.
Bg 4.17 —karmanaH vikarmanaH bodhavyam - The intricacies of action are very hard to
understand. Therefore one should know properly what action is, what forbidden action is and
what inaction is.
Bg 4.18 — …being in transcendental knowledge, one may be engaged in activities without
Bg 4.19 — One is understood to be in full knowledge whose every endeavor is devoid of desire
for sense gratification - akarma. He is said by sages to be a worker for whom the reactions of
work have been burned up by the fire of perfect knowledge.
Bg 4.20 — na kinjit eva karoti - Abandoning all attachment to the results of his activities, ever
satisfied and independent, he performs no fruitive action, although engaged in all kinds of
undertakings.

TYPES OF KARMA
1. Sanchita Karma (Sum Total Karma or "Accumulated actions" or the
Arrows in the Quiver)
This is accumulated past actions or karmas waiting to come to fruition.
Sanchitta is the storehouse of every action you have ever done, in all the
lifetimes you have ever lived. These are all of the unresolved past actions
waiting to reach resolution.
total cosmic debt – many seeds waiting to come to fruition

TYPES OF KARMA
2. Praarabdha Karma (Fructifying Karma or "Actions began; set in motion"
or Arrows in Flight)
That portion of the Sanchita Karma destined to influence human life in one or
the present incarnation is called Praarabdha.
3 DEGREES OF PRAARABDHA KARMA:
- dRdha – fixed (fate)
- dRdha-adRdha – flexible – could be fixed by will power
- adRdha – unfixed – could be altered easily

TYPES OF KARMA
3. Aagami Karma (Future Karma)
Future actions that result from your present actions are called agami karma.
As you attempt to resolve past karma, you unavoidably create new karmas
that you may or may not be able to resolve in your present life. If you don't
resolve them now, they will go into the storehouse to be resolved in a future
life.

TYPES OF KARMA
4. Kriyamana Karma (Instant, Current Karma or "Being made" or Arrows in Hand)
Kriyamana Karma is the daily, instant Karma created in this lifetime and that we create in
our life because of our free actions. It refers to those which are currently in front of us to
decide or act on. This contributes to our Future Karma in a big way. They can also be
worked off immediately. These are debts that are created and worked off - i.e. for
example, you park your vehicle in a 'No Parking Space', you get caught and you are fined
(punished) immediately.
While some Kriyamana Karmas bear fruit in the current life, others are stored for enjoying
in future births. Thus the Kriyamana Karma is classified into two sub-categories:
- Arabdha Karma - literally, ‘begun, undertaken;’ the Karma that is ‘sprouting’- and
- Anarabdha Karma - ‘not commenced; dormant’ or ‘The Seed Karma’.
An example : two persons commit a theft and one of them get caught - Arabdha Karma -
and the other one got away - Anarabdha Karma. The thief who got caught, immediately
starts to feel the effect of the cause or the reaction to his action; he gets caught and goes
to jail. The other robber who escaped, will have to experience, in this life or in a future
one, the effect of this wrongful action.

How to avoid creating new KARMA – new
cause and consequences?
BG 2.47 - karmany evadhikaras te // ma phalesu kadacana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur // ma te sango 'stv akarmani
You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.
Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached
to not doing your duty.
1. Perform duties.
2. Don’t think of results.
3. Not being a cause. (do not consider yourself “”)
4. Not being a doer. (do not consider yourself “”)
5. Abhyasa.
6. Vairagya.
7. Dedicate everything to Krishna

How to do it?
By following your duties and nature:
oSB Mama sva-dharmena bhajet
oBG 3.35, BG 18.47 shreyah sva-dharma vigunah…na apnoti kilbisham – better to do your duty, this way you
will not get sinful reactions
oBG 2.31 sva-dharmam api caveksya // na vikampitum arhasi - Considering your specific duty as a ksatriya, you
should know that there is no better engagement for you than fighting on religious principles; and so there is no
need for hesitation.
oSB 3.27.1—3, BG 2.47, BG 3.27 – do not consider yourself the Cause and the Doer
How to avoid creating new KARMA – new
cause and consequences?

How should I behave if someone treats
me wrongly?
Story about Dhruva Maharaja
SB 4.8.17
…….mā-amaṅgalaṁ tāta pareṣu maṁsthā
bhuṅkte jano yat para-duḥkhadas tat
…..She said to her son: My dear son, don’t wish
for anything inauspicious for others. Anyone
who inflicts pains upon others suffers himself
from that pain.
Story about Dhruva Maharaja
SB 4.8.29
Daiva-upasāditaṁ The process of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead is very wonderful. One
who is intelligent should accept that process
and be satisfied with whatever comes, favorable
or unfavorable, by His supreme will.
SB 4.8.33
…. daiva-vihitaṁ ..sa tena sukha-duḥkhayoḥ
ātmānaṁ toṣayan
One should try to keep himself satisfied in any
condition of life — whether distress or
happiness — which is offered by the supreme
will. A person who endures in this way is able to
cross over the darkness of nescience very easily.
Thus, do not hurt anyone.
Just accept everything as a Krishna’s mercy and try to serve
Him with your mind fixed on Him. With a time you will
understand, every things happens for best.

SB 3.28.43
As fire is exhibited in different forms of wood, so, under different conditions of the modes
of material nature, the pure spirit soul manifests itself in different bodies.

SATTVA GUNA
RAJO GUNA
TAMO GUNA
balance, harmony,
goodness, purity,
universalizing, holistic,
constructive, creative,
building, positive attitude,
luminous, serenity, being-
ness, peaceful, virtuous
passion, activity, neither
good nor bad and
sometimes either, self-
centeredness, egoistic,
individualizing, driven,
moving, dynamic
imbalance, disorder,
chaos, anxiety, impure,
destructive, delusion,
negative, dull or inactive,
apathy, inertia or lethargy,
violent, vicious, ignorant

BHAGAVAD GITA CHAPTER 14
GUNA-TRAYA VIBHAGA YOGA
 5 – gunAH dehe dehinam nibadhnanti – ALL gunas bind living entity
 6-10 Characteristics – how each guna binds jiva
- Sattva – sukha-sangena, jnana-sanghena – binds by sense of happiness and knowledge
- Rajas – karma-sangena – binds by fruitive actions
- Tamas – pramada-alasya-nidrbhiH - binds one to madness, laziness and sleep
 HOW TO TRANSCEND THOSE MODES AND BECOME GUNA-ATITA???
 BG 14.26
 माां च योऽव्यभिचारेण िक्तियोगेन सेविे ।
स गुणान्समिीत्यैिान्रह्मिूयाय कल्पिे ॥२६॥
māḿ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa (1) bhakti-yogena sevate (2)
sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate
 One who engages in full devotional service(2), unfailing in all circumstances(1), at once transcends the
modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.

SHRADDHA-TRAYA VIBHAGA YOGA
 1-10 faith, worship and food in the Modes
 11-22 Sacrifice, austerities and charity in the Modes
FAITH ITSELF WILL BE CHARACHTERIZED BY GUNA WHICH YOU LIVE IN:
 BG 17.4 worship to demigods, yakshasas, pretas (ghosts) yajante sāttvikā devān - in
sattva they worship demigods
 BG 17.5-6: Some people perform stern austerities that are not enjoined by the
scriptures aśhāstra-vihitaṁ ghoraṁ , but rather motivated by hypocrisy, egotism etc.
 BG 17.8-10: food in 3 gunas
 BG 17.11-13: Sacrifice that is performed according to the scriptural injunctions without
expectation of rewards, with the firm conviction of the mind that it is a matter of duty
is of the nature of goodness… for material benefits (raja), contrary to scriptures (tamo)
 BG 17.20-22: charity in 3 gunas

 19-40 Gunas of Material nature
20-22 JNANA
- S Sees Supersoul everywhere
- R sees difference
- T attached, doesn’t see Truth
23-25 KARMA
- S regulated, no dualities
- R desires, false ego
- T illusion, violate, no rules
26-28 KARTA
- S no attachment, no ego, dhriti
- R for fruits, greedy, envy
- T no rules, lazy, insulting others
30-32 BUDDHI
- S knows proper acts and duties
- R cannot distinguish right and wrong
- T adharmam dharmam manyate
33-35 DHRTI – DETERMINATION
- S fixed, controls mind, senses and life
- R holds to duty, pleasures, and wealth
- T dream, fear, lament, illusion
36-39 SUKHAM
- S poison=>nectar=>self-realization
- R nectar=>poison=>sense-enjoyment
- T derived from sleep, laziness, madness

Mentality of
Abundance
and
SCARCITY

MENTALITY OF SCARCITY
sakama
MENTALITY OF DEFICIENCY
WHEN WE ARE CONVINCED THAT
WE ARE SEPARATED FROM
KRISHNA.
We THINK THAT WE EXIST ON
OURSELVES, NO ONE CAN HELP US,
WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ON
OURSELVES, WE USE ONLY THOSE
RESOURCES THAT ARE PLEDGED IN
US, AND THEY ARE INSUFFICIENT.
QUALITIES - MOROSENESS,
ALOOFNESS, DISTRUST. BENT TO
TAKE FROM OTHERS,
FEAR AND TENSION, AVARICE
(GREED)

MENTALITY OF ABUNDANCE
nishkama
WHEN WE ARE OPEN TO
THIS SUPREME SOURCE,
DEVELOP RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIM, WE START TO
HAVE THE SAME QUALITY AS
HE DOES.
QUALITIES - CONFIDENCE,
OPENNESS, OPPORTUNITIES,
JOY. DESIRE TO GIVE
OTHERS, HARMONY,
SELFLESSNESS

MENTALITY OF
ABUNDANCE
Nishkama-karma-yoga
MENTALITY OF SCARCITY
Sakama-karma-yoga
Buddhi-yoga
BG 2.49 those who act
in expectation of
results is indeed
krpana - miser
Sattva guna or Generous mentality itself are not yet
a yoga, but we can do them as a karma-yoga by
dedicating actions and results to Krishna

CAN I TEAR APART THE VICIOUS CIRCLE
AND CHANGE MY DESTINY/KARMA?
MENTALITY OF ABUNDANCE and SCARCITY
WE ARE OPEN TO KRISHNA,
TRUST HIM IN ANY
CIRCUMSTANCES, THINK OF
HIM AND BEGIN TO POSSESS
SUPREME QUALITIES.
QUALITIES - TRUST,
OPENNESS, OPPORTUNITIES,
JOY. BENT TO GIVE OTHERS,
HARMONY
MENTALITY OF DEFICIENCY
WE ARE CONVINCED IN OUR
SEPARATENESS. WE THINK WE EXIST
ON OUR OWN, NO ONE WILL HELP
US, WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING
OURSELVES,
USING THE ONLY INSUFFICIENT
RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR
LIMITED PERSONALITY.
QUALITIES - ALOOFNESS, DISTRUST.
TENDENCY TO TAKE FROM OTHERS
WITHOUT GIVING OR EVEN DO NOT
ASK FOR HELP
FEAR AND TENSION
3 MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE - GUNAS
IGNORANCE
SPECIFICATIONS:
• LAZINESS
• APATHY
• EXCESSIVE SLEEP
• FOOD WITH NO
TASTE OR OLD
FOOD
• DISCONTENT
• HOPELESSNESS
• DEPRESSION
ACTIVE
SPECIFICATIONS:
• TOO MUCH
WORK/EFFORTS
• TENSION
• FAST FOOD, COFFEE
• LACK OF SLEEP
• HIGH AMBITIONS
• QUERRELING,
ARGUING
GOODNESS
SPECIFICATIONS:
 UNDERSTANDING THE
HIGHER GOAL
 HARMONY WITHIN AND
WITH OUTER WORLD
 FOOD IS NICE, FRESH,
PROPER QUANTITY
 WAKING UP EARLY
 LOVE EXCHANGE
 HARMONY, HAPPINESS
AND SUCCESS
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS CHOICE
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS CHOICE

4 REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES
Follow 4 principles
 No eating meat, fish, or eggs etc
 No gambling
 No use of intoxicants
 No illicit sex
WHY THESE FOUR?
सूत उवाच
अभ्यर्थितस्तदा तस्मै स्थानानन कलये ददौ ।
द्यूतं पानं स्त्स्िय: सूना यिाधमिश्चतुर्विध: ॥ ३८
॥
sūta uvāca
abhyarthitas tadā tasmai
sthānāni kalaye dadau
dyūtaṁ pānaṁ striyaḥ sūnā
yatrādharmaś catur-vidhaḥ
Sūta Gosvāmī said:
Mahārāja Parīkṣit, thus being petitioned by the personality of
Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where
- gambling,
- drinking,
- prostitution and
- animal slaughter were performed.
SB 1.17.38

YAMA (यम, yama) - ethical restrictions or universal
moral precepts
AHIMSA - non-violence (including vegetarianism);
SATYA - truthfulness;
ASTEYA - non-appropriation of a stranger (non-
stealing);
BRAHMACHARYA - temperance; control lust and
preserve chastity before marriage; internal
concentration, not dissolution;
APARIGRAHA - non-binding (non-acceptance of
gifts), non-accumulation, non-attachment.
 NIYAMA (ननयम, niyama) - spiritual principles; acceptance, cultivation,
fulfillment and development of positive virtues
 SAUCHA is purity, both external (cleanliness) and internal (purity of mind).
Saucha is considered on three levels:
1) The purity of the body is the practice of kriya, asana, pranayama; hygiene,
wearing clean clothes, cleanliness of food, maintaining a home clean and tidy.
2) The purity of speech. This is observance of the norms of the language, good
diction and morality of statements.
3) Purity of thought. This lack of negative emotions, such as hatred, anger, fear,
greed, pride, lust, etc.
 SANTOSH - modesty, satisfaction with the present, optimism.
 TAPAS - self-discipline, diligence in achieving spiritual goals.
 SWADHYAYA - cognition, the study of spiritual and scientific literature, the
formation of a culture of thinking.
 ISHVARA-PRANIDHANA - the adoption of Ishvara (God) as its goal, the only
ideal in life.
YAMA-NIYAMA

How does it all benefit me?
SO FAR WE HAVE DISCUSSED GUNAS, MENTALITY AND RULES WITH REGULATIONS
Higher Guna –
- for social purpose - benefits me with higher achievements. By developing higher qualities I will
ingratiate the universe to treat me nicely.
- for spiritual purpose – sattva guna is a trampoline to shuddha sattva
Mentality Of Abundance –
- for social purpose - the low of energy conservation. What I give away that only will return to me.
- for spiritual purpose – I will develop qualities what God Himself has, this way I will achieve Him easier.
Regulative Principle.
Why I ever have to follow these sooo difficult rules and regulations if I may not even looking to become
“spiritual” or what else! I want enjoy my life.
- for social purpose – following yama-niyama will eliminate heavy karmic reactions and sins. It will give
you more opportunities to achieve your desires.
- for spiritual purpose – only upon purifying your mental existence, behavioral attitude and subtle body
you can proceed to the following steps (asanas etc). Also, your mantra will have power only if your mind
and senses are under control
GUNAS
MENTALITY
REGULATIVE
PRINCIPLES

Methods and techniques How to CORRECT the CAUSE-AND-CONSEQUENCE-ISSUE?
THE UNIVERSE/PRAKRTI LOVES ME UNCONDITIONALLY. ALL WHAT SHE DOES FOR ME IS HER LOVE FOR
ME AND UNCONDITIONAL HELP, SHE ANSWERS MY PLEAD TO BE HAPPY!
IN ORDER FOR ME TO BECOME UNCONDITIONALLY HAPPY, I NEED TO DEVELOP SEVERAL HIGHER
QUALITIES AND REMOVE THE LOWER ONES, PAY ATTENTION TO SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND SELF-
IMPROVEMENT.
THE UNIVERSE EVERY MOMENT HELPS ME TO BECOME BETTER. WITH EVERY HUMAN AND EVENT SHE
SPEAKS TO ME. SHE GIVES ME SITUATIONS THROUGH WHICH I WILL GROW AND BECOME CLOSER WITH
UNIVERSE LOVE AND GOD. SHE HELPS ME TO DISCOVER MY OWN SELF AND THE LOVE INSIDE!
NO ONE IS GUILTY. I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND BECOME HER STUDENT
EVERY NEW SITUATION IS NOT SIMPLY HAPPYNESS OR DISTRESS - THIS IS OUR CONVERSATION WITH
HER! THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO DEEPER AND INCREASE JOY IN OUR RELATIONS!

Methods and techniques How to CORRECT the CAUSE-AND-CONSEQUENCE-ISSUE?
ACCEPT THE ATTITUDE OF DISCIPLE/STUDENT:
 CHOOSE THE EVENT YOU WANT TO CORRECT. IT MIGHT BE SOME
REPEATED SITUATIONS. YOU CAN EVEN FIND A SCENARIO.
ACCEPT THE SITUATION WITH GRATITUDE AND FORGIVENESS,
REPENTANCE. IT MEANS, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND TURN TO THE
ATTITUDE OF DISCIPLE/STUDENT (INSTEAD OF THAT ONE WHO
COMPLAINS).
 ANALIZE THE NEGATIVE LESSON - WHAT NEGATIVE I CAN LEARN FROM
THIS SITUATION?
ANALIZE THE POSITIVE LESSON – WHAT POSITIVE I CAN LEARN FROM
THIS SITUATION?
THANK THE SITUATION/PERSON
CHOOSE YOUR OWN BEHAVIOUR QUALITY WHAT YOU NOTED FROM
NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE AND THAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE. WRITE NEW
QUALITY/BEHAVIOUR TO SUBSTITUTE THE PREVIOUS NEGATIVE ONE.
START APPLYING FROM NOW ON. WHENEVER YOU ARE IN YOUR
SITUATION, TRY TO TRACE WHEN YOUR PREVIOUS
BEHAVIOUR/EMOTION/THOUGH IS UP TO EXPLODE. APPLY NEW
BEHAVIOUR YOU DESCRIBED ABOVE.
BE PATIENT. IT WILL TIME WITH PRACTICE
KARMIC LESSONS’ REALIZATION
METHOD:
 BE OPEN – ACCEPT AND TRUST –
UNIVERSE IS FAIR AND PERFECT, SHE
WANTS YOU AND EVERYONE TO BECOME
HAPPIER
 ASK, REQUEST, PRAY – THERE IS NO
PUNISHMENTS OR DEFICIENCY. GOD IS
LOVE AND OPULENT. SO DO YOU.
UNIVERSE TEACHS US LOVE. SHE
TEACHES US TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS IN
ORDER TO GROW. BY OVERCOMING
PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WE WILL GET RID
OF LOWER EMOTIONS SUCH AS GRIEF
AND OFFENCE THAT THREATEN OUR LIFE.
MY BUSINESS – TO HELP HER TO MAKE
ME AND EVERYONE AROUND HAPPIER BY
WORKING ON MY PROBLEMS.

…THANK YOU
PLEASE, CHANT
AND BE HAPPY

Karma, gunas, rules and regs

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