{"id":591,"date":"2013-07-13T01:29:04","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=591"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:29:04","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:29:04","slug":"38-on-karma-vol-08-translations-volume-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/08-translations-volume-08\/38-on-karma-vol-08-translations-volume-08","title":{"rendered":"-38_On Karma.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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 <\/td>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n


\n\t\tO<\/font><\/span><\/b>N
\n\t\tKARMA* <\/font><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n


\n\t\t <\/span>Action be Man\u2019s
\n\t\tGod<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\t\tWhom shall men <\/b>worship ? The high Gods ? But they<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t        Suffer fate\u2019s masteries,
\n\t\tenjoy and rue. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tWhom shall men worship ?
\n\t\tFate\u2019s stern godhead ? Nay,<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t        Fate is no godhead. Many
\n\t\tfruits or few <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tTheir actions bring to men, \u2014 that settled price <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tShe but deals out, a steward dumb, precise. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tLet action be man\u2019s God, o\u2019er whom even Fate <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tCan rule not, nor his puissance abrogate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t <\/p>\n


\n\t\tThe Might of
\n\t\tWorks<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

\n\t\t <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tBow ye to Karma who with
\n\t\tpuissant hand <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tLike a vast potter all the
\n\t\tuniverse planned, <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tShut the Creator in and bade
\n\t\thim work<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tIn the dim-glinting womb and
\n\t\tluminous murk;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tBy whom impelled high Vishnu
\n\t\thurled to earth <\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tTravels his tenfold depths
\n\t\tand whorls of birth;<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tWho leading mighty Rudra by
\n\t\tthe hand<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tCompels to wander strange
\n\t\tfrom land to land, \u2014<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tA vagrant begging with a
\n\t\tskull for bowl<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tAnd suppliant palms, who is
\n\t\tyet the world\u2019s high Soul.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tLo, through the skies for
\n\t\tever this great Sun<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\tWheels circling round and
\n\t\tround by Karma spun.<\/span> \n\t\t<\/p>\n

 \n\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t*There is a distinction, not always strictly
\n\t\tobserved, between Fate and Karma. Karma is the principle of Action in
\n\t\tthe universe with its stream of cause and infallible effect, and for man
\n\t\tthe sum of his past actions whose results reveal themselves not at once,
\n\t\tbut in the dis\u00adpensation of Time, partly in this life, mostly in lives
\n\t\tto come. Fate seems a more mysterious power imposing itself on men,
\n\t\tdespite all their will and endeavour, from outside them and above\u2014
\n\t\tdaivam,<\/i> a power from the Gods.<\/span> \n\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\tPage\u2013 199<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


\nKarma<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It is not beauty\u2019s charm nor lineage high, <\/span><\/p>\n

It is not virtue, wisdom, industry, <\/span><\/p>\n

Service, nor careful arduous toil that can <\/span><\/p>\n

Bring forth the fruits of his desire to man;<\/span><\/p>\n

Old merit mind\u2019s strong asceticism had stored <\/span><\/p>\n

Returns to him with blessing or a sword, <\/span><\/p>\n

His own past deeds that flower soon or late <\/span><\/p>\n

Each in its season on the tree of Fate.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nProtection from behind the Veil<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Safe is the man good deeds forgotten claim,<\/span><\/p>\n

       In pathless deserts or in dangerous war <\/span><\/p>\n

Or by armed foes enringed<\/span>; sea and fierce
\nflame<\/span><\/p>\n

        May threaten, death\u2019s door waiting swing
\najar;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nSlumbering
\nor careless though his foemen find, <\/span><\/p>\n

\nYea,
\nthough they seize him, though they smite or bind, <\/span><\/p>\n

\nOn
\nocean wild or on the cliff\u2019s edge sheer <\/span><\/p>\n

\nHis
\ndeeds walk by his side and guard from fear;<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThrough death
\nand birth they bore him and are here.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nThe Strength of Simple Goodness<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Toiler
\nascetic, who with passionate breath <\/span><\/p>\n

Swellest<\/span><\/span> huge holinesses, \u2014 vain thy faith! <\/span><\/p>\n

Good
\nact adore, the simple goddess plain, <\/span><\/p>\n

Who
\ngives the fruit thou seekest<\/span> with such pain. <\/span><\/p>\n

Her
\ntouch can turn the lewd man into a saint, <\/span><\/p>\n

Inimitably
\nher quiet magic lent <\/span><\/p>\n

Change
\nfools to sages and hidden mysteries show <\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond
\neye\u2019s reach or brain\u2019s attempt to know, <\/span><\/p>\n

Fierce
\nenemies become friends and poisons ill <\/span><\/p>\n

Transform
\nin a moment to nectar at her will.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\nPage\u2013 200<\/span><\/p>\n

\n


\nForesight and Violence<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Good be the act or faulty, its result<\/span><\/p>\n

        The wise man painfully forecasting first <\/span><\/p>\n

Then does; who in mere heedless force exult,<\/span><\/p>\n

         Passionate and violent, taste a fruit
\naccursed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\nThe Fury keeps till death her
\nbaleful course <\/span><\/p>\n

\nAnd blights their life,
\ntormenting with remorse.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nMisuse of Life<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

This
\nnoble earth, this place for glorious deeds <\/span><\/p>\n

The
\nill-starred man who reaching nowise heeds, <\/span><\/p>\n

Nor
\nturns his soul to energy austere, <\/span><\/p>\n

With
\nlittle things content or idlesse<\/span> drear, \u2014 <\/span><\/p>\n

He
\nis like one who gets an emerald pot <\/span><\/p>\n

To
\nbake him oil-cakes on a fire made hot <\/span><\/p>\n

With
\nscented woods, or who with golden share <\/span><\/p>\n

For
\nsorry birthwort ploughs a fertile fair <\/span><\/p>\n

Sweet
\nsoil, or cuts rich camphor piece by piece <\/span><\/p>\n

To
\nmake a hedge for fennel. Not for this <\/span><\/p>\n

In
\nthe high human form he walks great earth <\/span><\/p>\n

After
\nmuch labour<\/span> getting goodliest birth.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n


\nFixed Fate<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dive if thou wilt into the huge deep sea,<\/span><\/p>\n

       The inaccessible far mountains climb, <\/span><\/p>\n

Vanquish thy foes in battle fierily,<\/span><\/p>\n

        All arts and every science, prose and rhyme, <\/span><\/p>\n

Tillage and trade in one mind bring to dwell, \u2014<\/span><\/p>\n

        Yea, rise to highest effort, ways invent <\/span><\/p>\n

And like a bird the skies immeasurable<\/span><\/p>\n

        Voyage; all this thou mayst<\/span>,
\nbut not compel <\/span><\/p>\n

What was not to be, nor what was prevent.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\nPage\u2013 201<\/span><\/p>\n

\n


\nFlowers from a Hidden Root<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

With store of noble deeds who here arrives, <\/span><\/p>\n

Finds on this earth his well-earned Paradise.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The lonely forest grows his
\nkingly town <\/span><\/p>\n

Of splendour<\/span>, every man has friendly eyes<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Seeing him, or the wide
\nearth for his crown <\/span><\/p>\n

Is mined with gems and with rich plenty thrives. <\/span><\/p>\n

This high fate is his meed<\/span> of former lives.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage\u2013 202<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n

\n

 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  ON KARMA*  Action be Man\u2019s God   Whom shall men worship ? The high Gods ? But they         Suffer fate\u2019s masteries, enjoy and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-08-translations-volume-08","wpcat-12-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}