Another doubt lingers in our mind: is GOD, as ‘karma-phala-dāta’ any more important than the karma or action itself? It requires a deeper insight and we shall return to this point for a greater analysis at sometime soon. For now, let us take what scriptures declare; the power of GOD can be sought by all on how the dispensation of punyā and papā vary the impact in our lives.

Take for example the effect of papā , which appear inhibitors in our pursuit of goals, leading to aggravation, grief, dread and despair. If papā is what we have earned and therefore to be endured, then GOD, as the ‘karma-phala-dāta’ is not going to interfere as that would go against the ordained dharmā . If GOD does remove the effects of our papā , without any effort on our part to increase our share of punyā to balance the books, then GOD would be seen as unjust.

It is not possible therefore, for GOD to intervene in this law, known as ‘Law of Karma’. The stretch of this rationale, propelled those of the ‘purva-Mīmāṃsā’ or the inquiry of the foremost part of Veda to question the need for God. As you may know, the foremost part of Veda gives the dharmā for leading a life towards the rightful way of the first three purushārthā and therefore called ‘karma-kānda’ . The word ‘mīmāṃsā’ means ‘reverential inquiry’.

Such inquiry once led many people to deem the rituals as the most important and the principle of GOD, somewhat subservient.
But we must recognize that GOD has the control of the context for all our lives and experiences and therefore GOD can alter even the effect of ordained dharmā without deviating from it!

What is the context?

All our experiences are in temporal and spatial (meaning that those occur at some point of time and place) dimensions. This space-time concept is so fine that commonly we simply take it for granted and never bother to inquire about these. However there are Intriguing ideas about this in our scriptures, what the Science is barely scratching on the surface.

For now, the point is GOD can alter the temporal and spatial context in order to either alleviate our grief or to amplify our joy when the karma-phala are dispensed.

How?

(to be continued – Mee. Rajagopalan – 05/06/2017)