The Law of Karma

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About the Author Paramahamsa Prajnanananda is the current spiritual leader of the Kriya Yoga international organizations. These organizations were founded by his master, Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who spread the teachings of Kriya Yoga all over the world. Paramahamsa Hariharananda was Swami Shriyukteshwar and Paramahamsa Yogananda's most outstanding direct disciple, one of the greatest realized Kriya Yoga masters in the lineage of Mahavatar Babaji Maharaj and Shri Lahiri Mahashaya.

Born in Odisha, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda was raised in a profound spiritual environment that inspired his search for Truth. He received his higher education in Cuttack and became a professor of economics there. In 1980, while still a student, he met Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who initiated him into Kriya Yoga, then fifteen years later, into the sacred path of sannyasa. After only three years, at the early age of 39, his master conferred upon him the highest title of Paramahamsa, a designation reserved for monks and saints who have attained the summit of realization.

Enriched by his own direct experience, fathomless wisdom, and deep love for humanity, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda guides and inspires spiritual seekers, a living example of how to fulfill one's infinite potential. In addition to running the main ashrams in Puri, Cuttack, Vienna, and Miami, Prajnananandaji spreads spiritual knowledge and the ancient science of Kriya Yoga by holding seminars and retreats all over the world. Prajnana Mission, founded by Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, provides service to humanity with free medical assistance units and centers, residential schools for the poor, and many other charitable and educational activities.

Author of many books on the science of yoga, practical guidelines to the application of the wisdom of Vedantic philosophy. and insightful metaphorical commentaries on the major holy scriptures and world religions, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda binds and bridges Eastern and Western cultures with a harmonious, fresh, and non-sectarian approach.

Introduction Life is a journey. My journey in this life started unusually early because I was born prematurely. Physically, I suffered a lot throughout my childhood. I was conscious of my suffering at an early age and was curious about its cause. While other children my age were busy playing on the village road or in their backyards, I was an onlooker. I was inquisitive and eager to know more. Why couldn't I be like them?

I observed life in the village, the sick and the healthy, the rich and the poor, the tall and the small, the joyful and the gloomy. I wanted to understand the cause of these disparities and diversity. I observed nature, the birds flying, the cow mourning the loss of her loving calf, a frightened mother monkey trying to protect her male child from the wrath of the male troop leader, and a bird making its nest and hatching eggs. I observed the cycle of nature and the beauty in the sky. I tried to understand the laws of nature and the cause of differences. When a beggar or a wandering monk came to our front door to beg, I had more questions.

My mother always told me that karma was the main factor in life; it was the vital cause of success and failure and differences and disparities. My first guru in life was my mother. Whenever my mind failed to find a suitable answer or resolve an issue, she was always there with her wisdom. Her simple explanation of life was karma: suffering is the result of bad karma and serving others is the root of good karma. Her simple word "karma" was the answer to my countless questions and curiosity. What happens to us is nothing but karma. It was a befitting solution to my inner quest.

But why did I have to suffer so much from birth even though I had done no wrong in this life? My mother answered my questions by explaining that karma from past lives was fructifying. Her simple trust in God and the principle of karma gave her inner satisfaction and justified life's events. This trust was the cause of her inner calmness and contentment. As a devout Hindu woman, my mother joyfully accepted death and birth very easily, and the cycle of reincarnation. Her faith allowed her to accept diversity. At the same time the law of karma did not dissuade her from serving others during times of need, without considering that their condition was the result of karma. She told us to help all without discrimination and never hurt anyone's feelings because it created bad karma.

Gradually, my understanding of the role and impact of karma on life increased with the passage of time, from ongoing study. meditation, and experience. Because of their unique bodies and minds, human beings can understand the intricate and complex principle of karma. Human life is a precious gift from God. The lives we are given are distinct from the lives of other living beings. The human physical and biological constitution makes human beings more active and attractive, with infinite potential and freedom, as they act and react and create a new load of good and bad karmas.

Consider a tree. The tree collects food from below, but the essence of the food travels upward toward the tree top, then to the periphery of the leaves. Now, think about animals. Food travels through animal bodies in a horizontal direction. Finally, consider a human being. A human's food moves downward. Thus, there are different directions that the food travels depending on the type of species, and in each case the essence of food is supplied to every limb of the body.

The reverse is true with respect to growth. An animal grows horizontally. Although we think that a tree grows up, it actually grows in both directions, upward and downward. Human beings always grow upward. These differences are part of the process of evolution.

As human beings we have ample God-given freedom with respect to our lives. Life is a process of making good choices and maintaining a proper, positive attitude. Although life is a journey from the past to the present, and even from the present to the future, present karma is more important than past karma. Every effect has a cause, and if we want to change the effect, we must go to the root.

**Contents and Sample Pages**