Vedanta

shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM

phalahrAsastu vidyate |

sarvAtmanA phalahrAso yadi nArabdhakarmaNaH |

syAt kAmyavidhivaiyyarthyam || A.V 3.4.4

Previously, we spoke of upamarda of prArabdha karma phala bhoga for aparoxa j~nAnIs. But some say that the prArabdha karma phala bhoga is compulsory. There is no upamarda of prArabdha karma phala bhoga as stated.

To this we reply. This is not true. The shruti passage “OM ityuccAryAntarimamAtmAnamabhipashyApamR^idya puNyaM ca pApaM ca kAmamAcaranto brahmAnuvrajanti” spells out that after the seeker gets the darshan of Brahman, and after gaining upamarda of karma phala (by the power of his knowledge) he performs actions without any compulsions and reaches the abode of Brahman. By this we come to know that there is definitely a reduction in karma phala due to knowledge.

But one may argue that the shruti only talks about reduction of aprArabdha karmas and not about prArabdha karmas. So, this cannot be a proof for claiming that there is a reduction in the phala bhoga of prArabdha karmas. To this we reply - It is not correct to assume that prArabdha karma phala bhoga is non-reducible. There are injunctions in the smR^itis such as ” ‘brahmahA dvAdashAbdaM vrataM caret’ - one who kills a brahmin should observe a vow for 12 years”. Observing such vows to cleanse oneself from previous sins is called prAyashchitta. If one does not agree that there can be upamarda of prArabdha karmas, then all such injunctions to perform prAyaschitta to cleanse one’s past sins should be considered as useless.

One cannot escape by saying that prAyashchittAs are useless and the smR^itis as invalid. It has been an observed fact in the past that diseases such as kshaya roga etc, can be cured by performing such prAyaschittas. We learn from this that upamarda of prArabdha karmas is possible due to prAyaschittas. Therefore it is not correct to say that the prArabdha karma phala bhoga is compulsory and there is no upamarda of prArabdha karma phala bhoga.

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