[Advaita-l] Jagadquru Speaks: Your Happiness and Suffering Follow Your Actions Alone

[S Jayanarayanan]

(Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted
on the Chaturamnaya list : http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
 
 
Great sages have profounded several Sastras with the sole aim that 
man must progress along the right course in life. They have outlined 
in detail the kind of actions that will beget welfare and those that 
will give unpleasant experiences. If one does not have time to study 
the Sastras, one must at least attempt to learn them from elders in 
the family. 
 
Man's current stock of happiness and suffering is a consequence of his 
past punya (meritorious deeds) and papa (wrong deeds). Similarly, the 
punya and papa performed by man in the present times will be the 
cause for his happiness and suffering in the future. In essence, it is 
indeed certain that the results of all his actions will have to be borne, at 
the appropriate time, only by him. 
 
Therefore, even if nothing can be done to change our past actions, our 
current karmas must be performed after careful deliberation and under 
the advice of our wise elders. This will ensure our welfare and 
happiness. 
 
Be it punya or papa, one cannot experience the result of karma 
performed by another. Man is born alone. He dies alone, and then 
attains his next birth. He alone experiences his share of joy and 
sorrow. This is what our ancestors have said: 
 
एकः प्रसूयते जन्तुरेक एव प्रलीयते ।
एकोऽनुभुङ्क्ते सुकृतमेक एव च दुष्कृतम्‌ ।।
 
Therefore, our blessings for everyone to understand from elders the 
means for happiness, and perform the prescribed sat karma (noble 
deeds) with faith and diligence.