Supplement II : Eradication of Asa (The Adi Karma) is essential for escaping from the impulse of actions

II.  KARMAS AS EXPLAINED IN THE VARIOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF REVERED LEADERS OF RADHASOAMI FAITH, RADHASOAMI SATSANG, DAYALBAGH.

(Compiled by DR. PREM SARAN SATSANGI)

ERADICATION OF ASA¹ (THE ADI KARMA) IS ESSENTIAL FOR ESCAPING FROM THE IMPULSE OF ACTIONS.[1]

(Discourse No.31 from SATSANG KE UPDESA, Part I by Param Guru Sahabji Maharaj)

Although great importance is attached in this whole world to the theory of Karma², it should be understood that Karma (action) is subservient to Manasa³ and Manasa is subservient to Āsā⁴. It is easy to avoid Karma (action) and it is not impossible to check Manasa (desires) but as long as the seed of Āsā is there within us, our troubles do not come to an end. In fact, the root cause of all mischief is Āsā. It was Āsā⁵ that brought about our descent to this creation in the beginning and it is Āsā that leads to our birth again and again. It is Āsā that produces desires, the fulfilment of which causes so much trouble in the entire world and leads man to perform actions. It is therefore necessary for every person who seeks freedom from the cycle of births and deaths to eradicate all Āsās lying hidden in the innermost recesses of his mind. As soon as these Āsās are eradicated, Manasas will automatically lose their force and the impulse of Karmas will automatically cease. An example is given to explain the meaning of Āsā, Manasa and Karma and their mutual relationship.

Suppose you happen to go to the house of a friend. He receives you with great warmth and cordiality and offers you fine sweet mangoes⁶ to eat and you start eating them in ordinary course. As soon as a slice of the mango has passed down your throat, you quite naturally remark “O! what a fine mango!” When you utter these words, apparently no harm is done to you and your friend also is pleased to hear your appreciative remarks, yet in the innermost recesses of your mind, the seed of Āsā for enjoying the taste of mangoes has unknowingly been sown. The entertainment comes to an end and shortly thereafter you return to your place and apparently the matter has ended there. But it is not so, for the seed of Āsā which took root in your mind begins to sprout in the fullness of time. After some two or three weeks, the Manasa (desire) to obtain mangoes of the same quality arises in your mind repeatedly and you adopt various measures and make every effort to fulfil that desire. Ultimately you get the mangoes and satiate your desire by eating them and apparently the trouble seems now to be all over. It is however not so, for with the fulfilment of your desire, the Āsā for enjoying the taste of mangoes gets stronger and more firmly rooted. As Āsā gains in strength, desires become more powerful than before and it becomes much more difficult now to resist or suppress them. Impelled by these desires, you perform all sorts of karmas and suffer pain and pleasure as a result thereof. If you think over the matter properly, you will find that the whole world is firmly held in the chains of Āsā and the entire civilization, all inventions and discoveries, in short, the whole working of the world is motivated by Āsā. Hence, if any one wants deliverance from this illusive world, he should give greatest possible attention to the eradication of all traces of Āsā from his mind.

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[1]  In the beginning of the creation the spirit-entities came down to this material region because they had a tendency to associate with matter (i.e. with spirituality of lower order). This tendency has been spoken of in this Discourse as Āsā (vk”kk). Elsewhere it is spoken of as ‘Ādi Karma’ (vkfn deZ). This tendency or Āsā gave rise to many cravings or simple desires e.g. craving for food, for wealth, for fame etc. These cravings or simple desires have also been spoken in this discourse as Āsās, wherever the word ‘Āsā’ has been used in the plural. There is no exact equivalent in English for the Hindi word ‘Āsā’ in either of the above two senses, though the second meaning of Āsā has been expressed to some extent by the words ‘appetence’ or ‘appetency’ used by Sir William Hamilton, 19^th century Philosopher of Scotland. The word ‘Manasa’ (eulk) means ‘desires as springs of action’ as distinguished from simple desires or cravings or appetences. These ‘desires as springs of action’ directly lead to Karma or action.  2.  The theory of Karma briefly stated is that all Karmas or actions, good or bad, produce their result and one cannot get liberation or salvation as long as he has to enjoy or suffer the result of any action or actions of his. In order therefore to achieve salvation, one must exhaust all his karmas so that he may not have to be reborn to undergo the result of any karma. Hence either one should cease to perform karmas or perform them without any desire for their result.  3.  See Note 1 above. Mansa stands for ‘desires as springs of actions’.  4.  See Note 1 above. Āsā stands for simple desires and also for the original tendency of the spirit-entities to associate with matter.  5.  Here Āsā stands for original tendency of the spirit-entities to associate with matter. 6.  An Indian luscious juicy fruit.