A Perfect Action!

One of the biggest mental block for me is how can there by so much cruelty in this world "sanctioned” by the Lord. We study in the scriptures that Krishna is the ultimate doer in the performance of any “action”. The individual soul desires a particular action and the supersoul has to sanction it. Therefore the supersoul is the ultimate doer.

Trying to logically explain these apparent contradictions is a seeming impossibility. The laws of karma are so subtle and precise. In other words, we may not know the exact reason for these “bad” activities. Why God allowed so many children die in the tsunami tragedy? Why God allowed so many people die in the massive Gujarat earthquake? Why are animals slaughtered in the millions everyday around the world….so on and so forth.

We may not know the exact reason for a tragedy but the scriptures teach us that within the material manifestation, the laws are set up in such a way that we will get what we deserve. The laws are precise and very subtle. Therefore…yes, there are problems at an individual level and at a community level. But these problems are just a feedback of our own wrong doing. At the mundane level these tragedies are indeed a tragedy (as we just witness the destruction of the body). However, at the spiritual platform, these are just reactions caused by our own actions (as the soul is indestructible).

So the only way to not suffer (material problems) is by undoing the chain of action and reaction (cycle of karma)...and the way to do that is to "not act" (inaction) at all. But how can we “not act” (inaction) as we have to perform some act daily? Srila Prabhupada comments in one of his purports in the Bhagavad Gita “He (Arjuna) appears not to have understood that work in full knowledge is nonreactive and is therefore the same as inaction”. So any activity that yields no reaction is considered action in full knowledge. What type of action yields no reaction? Krishna explains that to Arjuna

yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaḿ
jñāna-sañchinna-saḿśayam
ātmavantaḿ na karmāṇi
nibadhnanti dhanañjaya
BG 4.41

One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situated factually in the self. Thus he is not bound by the reactions of work, O conqueror of riches.

There lies the secret to all our actions. If our act is an expression of devotion to that Supreme Personality Govinda, then we can be relieved of all our reactions. This to me is a Perfect Action. I would like to footnote that any whimsical action cannot be offered as an expression of devotion to the Lord but should follow proper authority and the scriptures.

As devotees of the Lord, we should try to educate people of this knowledge (by distributing Srila Prabhupada books). Only this can transcend a living entity above the chain of action and reaction (karma). If not there will be tragedy and more tragedy.

Hare Krishna