Every human is born with certain debts to be fulfilled during the course of his/her life. These debts are dEva RuNa (divine debt), Rishi RuNa (debt to sages), pitr RuNa (parental debt), achArya RuNa (debt to teachers) and bhUta RuNa (societal debt).

It is possible that these debts are a sub set of prArabdha karma; therefore some or all of them may be obligatory for a person to fulfill. These debts are fulfilled by the following karma.

(In the vedantic context, karma is used both as an act or the fruit of an act. In unit 2 we studied the fruit of an act, like prArabda karma etc. What we study here is the act itself, which are listed above).

The Nitya karma is the obligatory duties required of a person; for example, the sandhyAvandana is expected of brAhmin, kshatriya and vaishya men following initiation. Learning and teaching vEdic chantings (svAdhyAya) may also come under this category - "svAdhyAya pravachanAbhyAm na pramaditayam - don't stray from learning and chanting vEdas"

The most important benefit of Nitya, Naimittika and PrAyaschitta karmas is the cleansing of the mind. The upAsana will help focus the cleansed mind on the object of meditation. It is also our experience that when we are agitated, we cannot focus on any activity. Sri SurEshvarAchArya has very beautifully described the progression from karma level to realization level in Naiskarmya siddhi as follows;

" Nitya karmAnushTAnAt dharmOtpattih, dharmOtpattEh pApa hAnih, tatah chitta shuddhih,

tatah samsArayAthAtmya avabOdhah, tatah vairAgyam, tatah mumukshatvam, tatah
tadupAyapryEshaNam,

tatah sarva karma-tat-sAdhana samnyAsah, tatah yOgAbhyAsah, tatah
chittasyapratyak-pravaNatA,

tatah tatva samasyAdi vAkyArtha parijnyAnam, tatah avidyO-cchEdah, tatascha
svAtmani Eva avasthAnam "

- The discipline of nitya karma will create dharma, dharma destroys sins (fruits of bad deeds), This helps understand the helplessness of samsAra, this creates vairAgya or dispassion to samsAra, vairAgya leads to intense desire for liberation, leading to ways for achieving it. Then follows renunciation of karma followed by the discipline of yOga, then the internalization of the Shrutis, leading to comprehension of statements like "tat tvam asi" - you are that. The seeker thus sheds ignorance and stays firmly seated in Atman.

The value of the NItya karma lies in that it is said to reduce the impact of PrArabdha karma. If the Nitya Karma is not performed, the undesirable fruits will exert with full force. That full effect of prArabdha is called pratyavAya.

Naimittika karma is the required rituals to be performed on special events, like birth of a child, death of a parent, the annual observance of parents' shrAddha etc.

The Nishiddha karma is the prohibited karma which includes homicide, being untruthful, promiscuity and alcohol consumption etc. While the former two are legally and socially prohibited also, the latter two are socially and legally condoned, if not acceptable. However, they are detrimental to spiritual progress and are listed under Nishiddha karma.

PrAyaschitta karma is the rituals performed to reduce the severity of or eliminate the effects of bad or prohibited deeds. PrAya is austerity and chitta is firm resolution; a firm resolution to take up austerity and following thru with it is PrAyaschitta. As an example from our daily life, if one gets a ticket for traffic violation, he or she can decide to go under court supervision (attend a defensive driving class and pay up a small fee), the traffic violation will not be entered into records. This is an example of PrAyaschitta karma.

KAmya karma is the performance of rituals in anticipation ofr specific fruits of action, like to have a progeny - Dasharatha's "putrakAmeshTi yAga" or yajnya performed for rains - varshEshTi etc. Doing SatyanArAyaNa pUja desiring specific results is also of this category. Rituals performed to attain heaven after death is also KAmya karma.

UpAsana is a mind level activity - meditation or japa - focusing on a deity like Sun, Linga (a proxy for Shiva), ShalagrAma (a proxy fro VishNu), SriChakra (a proxy fro shakti). UpAsana is performed to cleanse the mind, to allow for advancement in the quest for Realization. This UpAsana is called SaguNa ( Brahman visualized with a name and form) UpAsana. Advaita posits that Brahman is NirguNa (that is with out name and form). So, how does SaguNa UpAsana supposed to help in the realization of NirguNa Brahman? This is to be understood as a temporary concession to help seekers in the disciplinary activities to cleanse the mind. Cleansing the mind is equivalent to wash out the sense objects and interaction with them from the mind and replacing those thoughts with Brahman. SaguNa Brahman upAsana may therefore be considered as an initial stage of discipline to aid the seeker in help focus his upAsana. Over time, the saguNa upAsana will lead to nirguNa upAsana.

The most important benefit of Nitya, Naimittika and PrAyaschitta karmas is the cleansing of the mind. The upAsana will help focus the cleansed mind on the object of meditation. It is also our experience that when we are agitated, we cannot focus on any activity. Sri SurEshvarAchArya has very beautifully described the progression from karma level to realization level in Naiskarmya siddhi as follows;

" Nitya karmAnushTAnAt dharmOtpattih, dharmOtpattEh pApa hAnih, tatah chitta shuddhih, tatah samsArayAthAtmya avabOdhah, tatah vairAgyam, tatah mumukshatvam, tatah tadupAyapryEshaNam, tatah sarva karma-tat-sAdhana samnyAsah, tatah yOgAbhyAsah, tatah chittasyapratyak-pravaNatA, tatah tatva samasyAdi vAkyArtha parijnyAnam, tatah avidyO-cchEdah, tatascha svAtmani Eva avasthAnam "

- The discipline of nitya karma will create dharma, dharma destroys sins (fruits of bad deeds), This helps understand the helplessness of samsAra, this creates vairAgya or dispassion to samsAra, vairAgya leads to intense desire for liberation, leading to ways for achieving it. Then follows renunciation of karma followed by the discipline of yOga, then the internalization of the Shrutis, leading to comprehension of statements like "tat tvam asi" - you are that. The seeker thus sheds ignorance and stays firmly seated in Atman.

The necessity of a Guru (Teacher).

The shrutis declare that Self realization is possible only through the support of a Guru. It is our experience that even secular knowledge requires the help of a teacher or someone of a higher knowledge to guide us in achieving the educational objective. It is common experience that a the first step of a Doctoral student is to choose an advisory committee headed by an advisor. So what to speak of Brahma vidya? The seeker during or following his preparatory stage, should approach a Guru. The role of Guru in spiritual quest is described very well in the following
verse

" dhYnamUlam gurOh-mUrthih pUjAmUlam gurOh pAdam
mantramUlam gurOh vAkyam mOksha mUlam gurOh kripA "

- meditate on the form of Guru, worship the feet of Guru; The Guru's statements are the (vEdic) mantras and his grace is the source of realization.

In approaching a Guru, the seeker follows a protocol, documented comprehensively in the shrutis;

the verse (4-34) in gIta sums it up; " Tat viddhi praNipAtEna pariprashnEna sEvaya.."

- know that in seeking a Guru, offer him salutations, offer him service and learn by questioning him; the questioning is not to challenge the Guru, but to understand through clarification. In gIta itself, Arjuna asks questions here and there when he had difficulty in understanding or doubts came up.

The sEva or service develops humility in the seeker. Learning and progress are possible only with a humble attitude. The seeker is also required to take samit - the firewood for sacrificial fire - in approaching the Guru. It is said that when ever we go to see a Guru or king or God, we should take something as an offer. When we go to temples, we offer some donation in the collection box; SudhAma took poha - beaten rice, when he went to see Sri Krishna.

The scriptures say that, if the seeker comes to an understanding that the Guru is unable to help him in the realization of Atman, he should at once reject that Guru and seek the help of a competent Guru.

Success in the Realization of Brahman.

As we may have understood by now, the path to realization of Brahman is a long and arduous path. Even with practice of the pre-requisites earnestly, and performing the obligatory duties, the difficulty of realizing Brahman is captured in the following statement of Krishna in Gita;

"Manushyanaam Sahasreshu Kaschit Yatathi Siddhaye
Yatataamapi Siddhaanaam Kaschin Maam Vetthi Tatvataha" (Ch.7-3)

- Among thousand of men/women, one will try to reach me; Among those, one in thousands will attain me

(To put it in context, there are about six billion people in the world. If we assume that one in a 100,000 people try to seek Him, which makes about 60,000 persons earnestly seek Him. If one in 100,000 of earnest seekers reach Him, then it takes a few generations before one will realize Brahman). Generally recognized realized persons in recent times are bhagavAn RamaNa maharshi (20th centuary) and Sri Ramakrishna (19th centuary)

Om shAntih, shAntih, shAntih ( Om peace, peace, peace).

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