164. Is The Word Karma Making Us Less Compassionate???????

According to Law of Karma an individual is reaping the fruits of his past life. It could be a pleasant one or an unpleasant one depending on the deed done. This is called Prarabdha Karma and is served to us at the time of birth. If not how could one explain the fact that a person who is ruthless lives in a most comfortable lifestyle and a compassionate person live a life of hardship. Also if it were not for karma phalas how can we explain a newly born baby having physical and mental deficiency. Agreed that the life we are leading now is the fruit of the karmas done in our past life. But if we find a person in a very bad state and if we attribute his present condition to his Prarabdha Karma and fail to offer help to him, cansuch an act be justified???? 


We have seen some in need of medical help for their illness, some are in want of financial necessity and some just need a close bond with others. Will not blaming that state of such people to the Prarabdha Karma Phala of their past and distancing from the situation make us less compassionate??? What has to be done in such a situation according to Dharma (Righteousness)???.

Dharma says it is not right to ignore a person who is suffering. If the suffering of the person could be pointed to his Prarabdha Karma, helping that person can be our Agami Karma (actions that are performed during the course of life time). We have noticed wealthy people donate lots and lots to temples but are least bothered about the street kid and orphans. It is ok for them to say that the street kids and orphans are reaping the fruits of the past. If it were to be so, why has Lord ingrained Daya (Compassion) in us, is it not to fulfill His absence here. The twelfth century philosopher and social reformer Jagajyothi Basaveshwara declares,  

“Dayavillada Dharmadyavudayya
Dayave beku sarva pranigalelleralli
Dayave dharmada moolavayya
Kudala Sangayyananthalladollanayya”

Meaning: Can Righteousness be without Compassion. Compassion is must in all living things. Compassion is the root of Righteousness. Koodalasangamadeva will not appreciate what is otherwise.

One day on the pavement corner was a small girl begging for food, money or whatever she could get. She had an ailing mother at home. She was in tattered clothes and dirty. A few people were giving her a few coins and some were giving her food to eat. As it happens, a rich young man passed that corner without giving the girl a second look. But when he returned to his expensive home, his happy and comfortable family, and his well-laden dinner table, his thoughts returned to the young girl and he became very angry at the Lord for allowing such conditions to exist. 

 He rebuked Absolute, saying, “How can you let this happen? Why don't you do something to help that poor girl?” 

Then he heard the Lord in the depths of his being respond by saying, “I did. I created you!” 

Being compassionate is recognizing the sufferings and pain of the other person and making a sincere effort to lessen them.