Invest In Karmic Deposits

By Girish Deshpande


Just as matter cannot be created or destroyed but merely transformed into another form, our body after our passing away from this life is transformed into another form. There is no end, no finality, to our lives. There is just transformation.
It is proven in Buddhist tantric experiments that the natural elements of nature – earth, wind, fire, water and space – have qualities of the mind and also support vital systems of our body functions. It is also proven that there is continuity of our mind from one birth to another. There have been reports of instances where a child quite naturally yet vividly remembers the place of birth and some of the critical happenings of her past life. Therefore, there could be direct linkage of elements to our psychophysical state.
If we conclude that there is afterlife, the question arises: What kind of births could we take? According to Buddhist teachings there are six realms in which we can be reborn. As hungry ghosts, animals, humans, demigods and god realms. It is not to say that there are different worlds that we are born in or anything like that. All these countless rebirths are the direct effect of our afflicted emotions. The reason for being born in these realms is driven by the resulting karmic accumulations. Being born in the hell realm is due to our afflicted emotions of hatred, being born as hungry ghosts is due to greed; envy and jealousy leads us to birth in the asura realm, pride into the god realm, confusion as animals and ignorance as human beings. Even for those born in god realm, there is intense suffering as the good effect that has given them this birth will be worn out someday and they will have to be reborn in lower realms. This is because they are not in a position to neither accumulate anymore good karma nor clean their accumulated bad ones, being in a state of mental blankness.
Now the good news. It is birth only in the human realm – with its freedoms and advantages of being born with sense faculties at a place where dharma teachings can be obtained (perhaps obsolete in this internet era) and with the right intent and faith – that spiritual trajectory and, therefore, possibility of good rebirth is possible.
All this simply means that if we wish to be born in higher realms we can undertake practices in this life to achieve the end we want. We can tweak the stacked-up causes before us to our advantage to have the desired good effect. And these practices essentially lead us to doing good deeds of body, speech and mind, in the process accumulating deposits of good karma in our spiritual bank account.
Accumulate good karma by doing good deeds without an ulterior motive of personal gain or gratification or to show-off. However, the true fruit of this merit is deposited into your account only after such deeds are dedicated to the wellness and Buddhahood of every sentient being. While it is good to increase the ‘bank balance’ in this way and add to credit, it is important to keep an eye on the debit side of the entries as well!
What better investment can we think of in this materially driven world than investing in the mother of all investments, where accomplishment and returns are guaranteed – the investment in good karmic deposits?

Krishna Consciousness In Happiness Or Distress

"In difficult time we do not give up our devotional service, we stick to it and in good times we also do not give up our devotional service, now it is okay and I will make hay while the sun shines kind of attitude and I will enjoy life now and worry about death later. But if we know that death can come at any time, someone who has always been engaged in Krishna's service 12 months a year, 365 days, does not matter whether there is life or death doesn't matter, all are auspicious, because everything is in Krishna consciousness.

So the devotees, they always remain moderate, in distress or when they are in opulence. They are moderate in their existence and keep Krishna as their top priority in their life. Now in the world we ..were you know . things were a little bit looking difficult economically, but not that bad but like now there is war and so many people who are senselessly killed in terrorist attacks. This could make somebody very much down or depressed about the whole future of things. Whether there is some difficulty or there is something good we need to do our duties, we need to do our proper Krishna conscious thing."

By HH Jayapataka Swami

Atma is sometning that exist in the Creation

Atma is sometning that exist in the Creation, so is Prakriti. Atma has certain chracteristics, so does Prakriti. Both must therefore be created by the Creator, the ultimate single source from which everything can be traced back. So, if Atma and Prakriti are the creation of the same source, the Creator, they would by defintion have some affinity of ultimate source.

The chracters of Atma and Prakiti are also derived from the same source So, these two would have chracteristics that would draw them into some relationship of attraction and/ or repulsion or none interaction or inter-relation. If we observe that that they have interaction because atma is everywhere and even in a human body and so is prakriti. So, one can influence the other or be influenced by each other. The affinity is therefore is tge very design of the of their same ultimate source, the Creator.

If Creator is God and God is the ultimate source of everything including Atma and Pakriti, it is God who has designed the affinity of Atma and Prakriti. If Atma was not influenced by Prakriti, Atma would be nothing but the Creator, it source. Prakriti plays its dance as per the properties imparted to it by the Source, the ultimate God. Atma, according to the properties imparted to it by Creator, the God, can just witness Prakriti's dance. As a witness it may seem to get overwhelmed by the dance of prakriti, though in reality it remains totally unaffected. When Atma is totally unaffected by the dance of the prakriti, Atma assimed the exact property of God the Paramatma. Leberation from the ipact of the forces of Prakriti or Self Realisation occurs when the the individual realizes that he/ she is the Atma, unaffected by the Pakrit, the ego and desires vanishes and equanamity rules: the gross physical body is still subject to Prakriti but Atma rules makes the senses and the mind rest in equnimity without being affected by Prakriti's impact in the form of desires or eogo. Body does not act any longer due the influence of ego or mind. The illusion that Prakriti helps generate in the form od developing identity of ego and desires to drive the mind and senses, no longer operates.

That is liberation or Salvation that the Sadhaka had been concentrating on as the only desire. When Salvation occurs ven that desire also goes because that is the property of Atma or the Self.

why God has created such a complicated design, only God will tell you one day.

But it seems when Atma is always happy, Prakiti causes senses to feel both happinss and sorrow depending on whether desires are fulfilled or not.

extremely significant verse in Bhagavad Gita

An excellent explanation and commentary of what I consider to be an extremely significant verse in Bhagavad Gita, one that points out the subtle but unambiguous distinction between Sanyasa and Tyaga. between Renunciation and Non-attachment, which is essentially that it is the content of action that counts, not with the pattern of action. Gita emphasizes the motive of action, not so much the manner of activity. Renunciation deals with the outer pattern of behavior while Non-attachment is an inner, a condition of mind.

Bhagavan is alerting us to the occurrences of superficial displays of piousness and devotion while harboring thoughts and desires of a worldly nature. Swami Chinmayananda had some strong words in his commentary on this verse:
" To give physically a show of morality and ethics, while mentally living a shameless life of low motives and foul sentiments, is the occupation of a man who is not a seeker of spiritual fulfillment, but, as is termed here, a self-deluded hypocrite! Certainly we all know that, even if we can physically discipline ourselves, it is not easy for an average man to control the sensuous tendencies at his mental level."

Man's spiritual nature is to be judged from the condition of his mind and not from his demonstrable code of behavior. In fact, a really spiritual man is unostentatious; there can never be a display or demonstration in a life that is truly spiritual. Any display, whether of material possessions or of spiritual accomplishments is essentially vulgar. Surely there is nothing more crude and vulgar than the display of one's so-called virtue. Sadly, we observe so many who are well-intentioned but engage in ostentatious displays and self-righteous proclamations of perceived religious and spiritual superiority of themselves, their families and those in the congregation.

The more one displays one's spiritual conduct, the less spiritual content is there in the inner make-up of such an individual. Bhagavad Gita calls such a man a hypocrite, a man of false conduct. Swami Prakashananda once described it as religious arrogance.

We are humans, we err, we may not be doing this intentionally but it becomes habitual and if not checked becomes a permanent part our character and lifestyle. Bhagavan is telling us in this Gita 3-6 that in spirituality, it is the condition of mind that matters, not the colour of one's robe.

An action, in itself, cannot be good or bad because action is never an isolated from its circumstancesAn action, in itself, cannot be good or bad because action is never an isolated from its circumstances

An action, in itself, cannot be good or bad because action is never an isolated from its circumstances.
We know many cases where an action is "good" under a given situation whereas, the same action in a different context is "bad". Telling truth is good in a court of law but telling truth where an innocent person can be harmed by someone's evil action is bad! For example, Krishna advising Yudhisthira not to give straightforward answer to Dronacharya when the elephant named Ashwasthama got killed, giving him the impression that it was his son by the same name may have been killed, just to render him ineffective in the war to save Pandavas, where righteousness belonged! Another example, if killing, Per Se, is "bad", why its alright to kill in a war?

The reason for such a complexity is our solid interdependency on each other and nature that no thing in itself can be considered as "always good" or "always bad". Circumstances surrounding events determine relative goodness or evilness! Again "good" and "bad" are only in minds of people, and hence they are relatively good or bad, not in absolute sense!
Having said this, we must be aware of its practical implications:
Engage in those actions without being a doer, and with the best of intentions and skills that will result in greater good even at relative level. And above all, Trust God, HE/SHE/IT knows better!

Understanding comes from the Absolute while living happens in relative world!

Last point: Only as an individual, we don't have freedom or have some freedom limited by our conditioning! However, what we really are is Freedom itself, not that we have freedom, Just as God IS all freedom!
That which IS without limit, how can it not have Freedom to go on existing in infinite ever-changing forms including the freedom to be limited?

Bhaktas must place full confidence in Bhagavan Sri Krishna

The prosperity or adversity a person experiences depends on the noble deeds or sinful acts he had committed . Based on this theory, even good Bhaktas are found to be immersed in grief, while unscrupulous persons are seen enjoying comforts which they may not deserve. But the Bhaktas will take steps to get their problems solved through ardent prayers to their Ishta-deva . On His part, Bhagavan Sri Krishna when worshipped as Ishta-deva, is ever willing to help His Bhaktas.


It is absolutely certain that those who remain devoted to Bhagavan will be enabled to get over the complicated problems. Prayers are bound to diminish their anguish. The caprices of wicked likewise will be short lived, particularly when they continue to ridicule Bhagavan. Bhagavan is ready to welcome into His fold and embrace any one who repents for his sinful acts and seeks His guidance. Sanatana Dharma highlights this aspect that the only way to get rid of our sins and to obtain redemption is to repose unflinching confidence in Bhagavan and beg His protection. The greatness of Hinduism lies in that its strength is derived from Vedas which have delineated Bhagavan and have suggested the study of scriptural texts to realise Bhagavan.


Among them, Srimad Bhagavatam is considered outstanding as it brings out the essence of Bhakti (Vedopanishadam sarath jatha Bhagavathi katha) - meaning Bhagavatam has emanated from the essence of the Vedas and the Upanishad. Those who listen to its exposition will derive peace as their minds will be cleansed of all impurities and they will desist from committing sins (Janmantare bhaveth punyam Thada Bhagavatam Labheth)- meaning, one gets to hear Srimad Bhagavatam only when there is virtue earned in one's past lives. (Srimadbhagavati varta suranamapi durlabha)- meaning Srimad Bhagavatam is a rarity even for the Gods). It was the final work of Vyasa Maharishi and deals with forms of Bhakti exhibited by eminent devotees who had realized Bhagavan .


Bhagavatam with Kunti Stuti in which she makes a strange appeal to Bhagavan Sri Krishna - to keep her ever immersed in grief to ensure her that she would not forget Him, ends with Markandeya Stuti.


In Kali era, where moral decadence and decline of spiritual values make people stray away from the path of virtue, the only solution is to study Bhagavatam. (Kalau thu kevala Bhaktirbrahmasayujy akarini)- meaning in Kali however, Bhakti alone effects unity with Bhagavan .

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!! !!