Why bad things happen to good people like me
By Purushottam Kumar
Most of the time we complain. Sometimes we may be vocal about it but most of the time we silently complain. Why did it happen to me? Why always bad things happen to good people like me? We always consider ourselves a victim of an unjust system. Occasionally we console ourselves philosophically that may be its happening because of my some previous bad karma which I might have done unknowingly! Whatever may be the situation we are never ready to accept any blame. One person started having lung problem due to excessive smoking. When reminded that he had been advised to give up smoking several times then instead of accepting his mistake he blamed God saying that why did God create tobacco.
Understanding the laws of karma
Srila Prabhupada explains that karma is like a knot. As a person tied with ropes loses his independence; similarly laws of karma completely bind and controls a person. It’s a control mechanism which ensures that nothing gets unchecked. If such a mechanism would not have been in place then neither the wrong doers would had any fear of punishment nor there would have been any motivation to do something good. Laws of karma ensure accountability. It makes an individual completely responsible for the action he performs.
But why do infants suffer? What wrong did they do? Skeptics use this reasoning to argue against karma philosophy and gullible people get bewildered by this challenge. The answer is too simple. This life which we are presently living is not all in all. We have lived several such lives in the past. We are also accountable for our past lives actions and will also face the reaction of the action of our present life in this very life or in next life. But I don’t remember my past life so why to suffer for it now, people generally ask. True we don’t remember our past but Krishna remembers it. Bhagavad Gita 4.5 confirms this, “The Personality of Godhead said: Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot”. It is because of past karma only that someone is born in the family of a beggar and someone takes birth in the family of a billionaire.
When Dhritrarashtra asked Krishna that why he had to witness the death of his 100 sons then Krishna informed him that his past life’s sins had fructified in this life. 50 lifetimes back he was a hunter and had killed 100 offsprings of a bird and so in this life his 100 sons got killed in the Mahabharat war. But why after 50 lifetimes, Dhritrarashtra asked. Krishna then said that it was because it took 50 lifetimes of pious activities to get 100 sons.
Both the Svetashvatara Upanishad (5.12) and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.45) states that the gross and the subtle bodies which we acquire in this life is based on the activities which we have performed in our past lives. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad further explains that if we act saintly then we acquire saintly qualities and if we act immorally then we will have to bear the karmic consequences of our actions.
Laws of karma are very complicated and it is very difficult for us to understand (Bhagavad – Gita 4.17). Our previous sins are present as seed, it can fructify any time. The only way to burn our sins is by taking shelter of Krishna and Krishna promises us that He will completely burn all our previous sins. “Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear”. (Bhagavad – Gita 18.66)
Our choice decides our destiny
Our previous karma does not necessarily seal our future; our future mostly depends on how we react in a precarious situation. During the recession period, a person in Kolkata lost his job and was not able to find one quickly. He became so upset and mentally disturbed that once during an altercation with a shopkeeper he lost his cool and stabbed him. This not only landed him in prison but completely ruined his life and career. A person with a balanced mindset might have used that period to upgrade his skill or to go for higher studies.
Krishna has bestowed upon us sufficient intelligence to convert any problems into an opportunity. So, whenever we find ourselves in an unpleasant situation then instead of giving a knee – jerk reaction we should contemplate for a while and then make the next move. During those perilous times, if we judiciously use our spiritual intelligence then that insidious situation may even become a springboard to reach closer to Krishna. The altitude which we will reach in our life depends on our attitude.
When Vidura was rebuked, humiliated and was practically forced out of the kingdom by Duryodhana then Vidura did not lament and said that why did it happen to me. He did not grumble that although he was on righteous path and on the side of truth then why did miseries impinge him. Instead of getting caught in all these negativities he simply went on a spiritual mission – on his spiritual sojourn he met sages like Maitreyi and devotees like Uddhava; he practically used all his time to get closer to God. Similarly, when Vibhishana was humiliated by proud and lusty Ravana then Vibhishana immediately took refuge of Lord Rama. On the other hand we see that when Karna faced unpleasant situations in his life then his reaction was appalling. He went into a confrontonist zone and sided with evil Duryodhana. Karna initially thought that his miseries will get mitigated but actually his miseries got aggravated. Along with Duryodhana he also lived in constant anxiety and fear.
Vidura, Vibhishana and Karna – all three had the option to choose. What then followed in their lives was the outcome of their personal choices. Life always presents us with various opportunities. Our reaction to the situation determines our destiny. We can choose to be Krishna conscious or we can decide to be ego conscious. We are independent to choose our path but we become utterly responsible for the path which we chose. So before taking any decision in our life we should introspect and see where we are heading towards – are we getting closer to Krishna or are we moving away from Him. So, when next time we come through any unpleasant situation and circumstances then let us not simply feel like a victim and complain “Why bad things happen to good people like me?” but instead let us try to do something outstanding and meaningful. And the best is to utilize it to get closer to Krishna.
Cutting the knots of karma
How hard we may try but cutting the impregnable knot of karma is impossible. The vicious cycle of karma sometimes brings joy in our life and sometimes makes us miserable. When will the seeds of karma fructify in our life none of us know. It may happen now or tomorrow or after 20 years or it can be in next life also. But it will definitely fructify.
After celebrating a festival in the morning, the elder brother of our maid servant decided to meet his friend. He was about to board a local train but somehow he lost balance, slipped and came directly under the wheels of the train. At that very moment the wheels of the train moved severing his leg.
This world is a very dangerous place to live. Every sane man who is serious about his future should endeavour hard to get out of the clutches of karma. And the only way to come out of karma’s vicious cycle is by taking shelter of the Lord. “With sword in hand, intelligent men cut through the binding knots of reactionary work [karma] by remembering the Personality of Godhead.” Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.15. And the only way to cut the knots of karma is by chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Srila Prabhupada explains that “The contact of the spiritual spark with material elements creates a knot which must be cut if one wants to be liberated from the actions and reactions of fruitive work. Liberation means freedom from the cycle of reactionary work. This liberation automatically follows for one who constantly remembers the transcendental pastimes of the Personality of Godhead. This is because all the activities of the Supreme Lord (His lila) are transcendental to the modes of the material energy. They are all-attractive spiritual activities, and therefore constant association with the spiritual activities of the Supreme Lord gradually spiritualizes the conditioned soul and ultimately severs the knot of material bondage.” Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.15 purport.
Chanting Krishna’s name and getting completely engaged in His devotional services will free us from all karmic reactions and will help us to return back to the spiritual world where life is eternal and full of bliss. “After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.” (Bhagavad Gita 8.15).
: By Purushottam Kumar
(A member of congregation at ISKCON Kolkata. Working as a senior executive in Tech Mahindra, Kolkata)
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