Karmn Siddhanta - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Karmn Siddhanta" by Hirabhai Thakkar, based on the provided pages:

Book Title: Karmn Siddhanta (The Theory of Karma) Author: Hirabhai Thakkar Publisher: Kusum Prakashan, Ahmedabad

This book is a compilation of discourses by Hirabhai Thakkar on the Theory of Karma. It is dedicated to the memory of the late Vinubhai Ambalal Shah.

Core Message and Purpose:

The book aims to provide a deep understanding of the Jain principle of Karma, addressing common human doubts and struggles with faith when faced with suffering. It asserts that the law of karma is a fundamental, unalterable principle governing the universe, and understanding it is key to navigating life's challenges and ultimately achieving liberation (Moksha).

Key Concepts and Explanations:

The text systematically breaks down the complex concept of Karma into understandable components:

Gahana Karmaṇo Gatiḥ (The Deep Pace of Karma): The book begins by acknowledging the mysterious and often seemingly unfair distribution of happiness and suffering in the world, which can lead to a loss of faith. It reassures readers that the apparent chaos is governed by the immutable law of Karma.
Karma no Atal Siddhant (The Unshakeable Principle of Karma): The author emphasizes that just as every department of the world operates under specific laws, the entire universe is governed by the "law of Karma." This law is described as absolute, with no exceptions or loopholes, applying even to divine beings.
What is Karma? (Karma eṭale śuṁ?): Karma is defined as any action, whether physical or mental, including eating, sleeping, thinking, speaking, and even breathing. These actions create consequences.
The Three Types of Karma:
- Kriyamāṇ Karma (Presently Performed Karma): Actions performed in the current life, from waking to sleeping, birth to death. These actions yield immediate or delayed results and cease to exist once their fruits are experienced.
- Saṁcita Karma (Accumulated Karma): Actions from past lives that have not yet yielded their fruits. These are like a balance in an account, accumulating over countless births. They ripen over time and manifest as Prarabdha Karma.
- Prārabdha Karma (Fructifying Karma): Accumulated Karma that has ripened and is ready to be experienced in the present life. It determines one's current circumstances, body, relationships, joys, and sorrows. These must be experienced before they are exhausted.
Experiencing Karma: The text firmly states that "Kareḷāṁ karmaṁ bhogavavāṁ ja paḍe" (One must experience the karma done). There is no escape from the consequences of actions.
Apparent Injustice ("Dharmīne ghēra dhāḍ, adharmīne ghēra vivāha!"): The book addresses why seemingly virtuous people suffer while unrighteous people prosper. It explains that present suffering might be due to past karma ripening, and present prosperity might be from past good karma, even if current actions are unrighteous. The results of current actions will manifest later.
Karma Bears Fruit and Then Settles: Karma, once performed, continues until its fruit is experienced and it is settled.
The Method of Performing Kriyamāṇ Karma: The book discusses how one's actions, driven by Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas gunas, differ and how these choices influence future karma.
Receiving Only What is in Prarabdha: One receives only what is destined in their Prarabdha.
The Role of Purusharth (Effort): The text clarifies that while Prarabdha is fixed, Purusharth (effort) is crucial in how one responds to Prarabdha and in shaping future Karma. Prarabdha and Purusharth are not opposing but complementary. Effort is in the performance of actions, not the fruits.
Freedom in Action, Dependence in Fruit: Humans are free to act but dependent on the consequences (fruits) of those actions.
The Need for a Body to Experience Fruits: To experience the fruits of karma, a physical body is necessary, leading to the cycle of birth and death.
The Path to Moksha (Liberation): Moksha is achieved when the cycle of birth and death, driven by karma, ends. This requires exhausting accumulated karma through experience and destroying future karma through spiritual knowledge.
Karma, Vikarma, and Akarma: The text delves into these distinctions:
- Karma: Prescribed actions, righteous deeds.
- Vikarma: Prohibited actions, sinful deeds.
- Akarma: Actions performed without ego, attachment to results, or sense of doership, often described as actions done in a state of detached awareness or for the welfare of all. These actions do not bind the soul.
Actions that do not add to Saṁcita Karma: These include actions done in childhood, in an unconscious state, outside the human realm, without the ego of being the doer, for the collective welfare, and selfless (Nishkama) actions.
The Role of Knowledge (Jnana): True knowledge, the understanding of one's true self as Brahman, is described as the "fire of knowledge" (Jnana-agni) that burns away accumulated karma.
The Three Paths: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga: The book explains that these paths, though distinct, ultimately converge. Karma Yoga focuses on duty, Bhakti Yoga on devotion, and Jnana Yoga on wisdom. A balanced approach integrating all three is ideal.
The Nature of Devotion and Knowledge: Devotion is likened to a kitten's dependence on its mother (cat), while knowledge is like a monkey's self-reliance.
The Relationship with God: Through the paths, one's relationship with the Divine evolves from "I am God's" (Karma Yoga) to "God is mine" (Bhakti Yoga) to "I and God are One" (Jnana Yoga).
The Power of Effort (Purusharth): While Prarabdha cannot be changed, conscious effort (Purusharth) in present actions (Kriyamāṇ Karma) shapes future karma and influences the experience of Prarabdha.
The Role of Astrology: Astrology is presented as a guide to understanding favorable and unfavorable times, encouraging righteous actions during challenging periods. It is not a means to escape karma.
The Power of Divine Names and Devotion: Chanting divine names (Nam-smaran) and sincere devotion (Bhakti) can provide solace and support in experiencing Prarabdha, but they are accompanied by strict ethical disciplines.
What to Ask God: True devotion involves asking for the strength to bear karma and understand its lessons, not to escape it.
The Mechanism of Karma: The book explains how karma functions, its impartiality, and the inevitability of experiencing its fruits.

Biographical Information:

Hirabhai Thakkar: A retired Deputy Collector, he dedicated his life to delivering spiritual discourses on various scriptures, including the Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta, Upanishads, and Ramayana, across India and internationally. He authored several popular books on spiritual topics.
Vinubhai Ambalal Shah: The dedicatee, his life story is recounted, highlighting his virtuous character, his struggle with a terminal illness (Septicemia), and the role of a special Puja ("Vedaniya Karma Nivaran Puja") in alleviating his suffering. This experience serves as a testament to the practical application of karmic principles.

Overall Tone and Approach:

The book adopts a didactic and reassuring tone. It seeks to demystify the concept of Karma, transforming it from a source of fear or doubt into a guiding principle for righteous living. By emphasizing personal responsibility, the efficacy of spiritual practices, and the ultimate justice of the cosmic order, Hirabhai Thakkar empowers readers to live a more conscious and meaningful life.