When I believed that Karma is about punishment, it made kind of sense as I thought those who committed these kinds of asuric acts were born to bear the consequence of what they did, but now, knowing the true meaning of Karma, it makes me wonder about the individuals who commit these kinds of cruel acts out of ignorance. Do they face consequences for their act?
Until today, I was under the impression that Karma is about punishment for our previous deeds, but through your clarification, I came to understand that it was totally a misunderstanding, as Karma is about making mistakes due to ignorance and then moving to learn that we have to discover the true self and move towards bringing the Divine manifestation to this Earth to make it filled with Divine Consciousness, Beauty.
When I hear these kinds of asuric things, it disturbs me even though I know that the Divine is in control, but I really am not equipped yet to see this in a conscious way. I am really confused about how to understand this in my state, as I am still not completely out of my ignorant state and still in the process of growth.
Yes, thank you for the question and your dilemma or confusion, as you call it, is quite understandable. In Indian thought, the root of evil is always considered to be Ignorance, – not ignorance as we ordinarily understand, but Ignorance in its fundamental sense, – ignorance about who we are in reality, of the true nature of the world, of the supreme Reality called God. Of course, we all form some kind of a working concept about these things as frameworks to navigate through the challenges. But the frameworks do not explain everything. It is a helpful pragmatic device, not the truth of things.
Now, if God is there in everything and He is the supreme Master and controller, His dealings cannot be like an irresponsible person apportioning blame and punishing and rewarding us. That may be a small aspect, but not the total truth. A truly omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent Lord and Master should be able to root out from man the very tendency towards evil. In simple terms, the law of karma seems like a reward and punishment on its outer aspect only. But deep down, it is the law of Compassion and Love rather than merely a law of Justice. It is the heart of Love that operates within creation, holding us through the ordeal as well as changing us through it.
How does this happen? Well, we naturally notice the victim and help her. But the evil-doer who escapes the gallows does not go unchanged. He too goes through an inner process, and a time comes when he is ready, like Angulimal, Ratnakar (Valmiki), Jagai and Madhai, Augustine, Constantine, to undergo the inner change. He whom we see as a saint today has simply undergone through this process of inner alchemy. He whom we see as Ravana today is preparing himself to return back as a devotee of the Lord when his time comes. That is why there is hope.
Plenty of literature and stories in Indian thought explain this. It is only the later Hindu thought that got too much mixed up with the idea of reward and punishment, which is closer to the Semitic religions, as there is no concept of inner evolution through rebirth there.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
