Passage 8

Tap any word for its meaning.

In plain words

So the sway of place, time and circumstance becomes the cause of so many differences for us. The whole country is joined with karmas and duties in time. The body is that which is joined with time. The body is that which is joined with karmas. So if we would make the body worthwhile, we must perform sacred karmas and put time to good use.

'Karmānubandhīni manuṣyaloke': this whole world of men is bound by karma. No one can stay even a moment without doing karma. We think karma means the work done with the limbs, hands and feet. No, no. All is karma. A small example. If you ask what he is doing, he is doing nothing. Doing nothing, what is he doing? He is sleeping. Doing nothing, what are you doing? That he is sleeping is a karma. Doing nothing, what is he doing? He is sitting. Sitting is itself karma. When we enquire more subtly still, we are breathing in and breathing out. All this is the working of karma. Inside our body, without our knowing, blood circulation is going on. All this is karma. Though we make no effort, our heart goes on beating. All this is karma. Some things happen with effort, some happen without effort. Some karmas we take up with effort. Some karmas go on happening without effort. You may be talking. You may be sleeping, quarrelling, grieving, laughing happily; whatever work you are doing, these in-breaths and out-breaths do not wait for you. They go on doing their own work. What effort does man make for this? What effort does man make for the heart to beat? In whatever state he is, it goes on doing its own work. This is what is called adhidaivika. Adhibhautika is what is joined with the body. Adhyātmika is what is joined with the mind. Adhidaivika is what is joined with divine power. So the principle of these three, adhibhautika, adhyātmika and adhidaivika, is the Virāṭ form, Hiraṇyagarbha and Avyākṛta. These three, each in its own time, experience each its own state and, under each its own name, do each its own karma. Because they recognised the inner meaning and inner secret in all these, all the ṛṣis gave up every attachment and strove to attain the true Ānanda of the Ātma.