Suppose an intoxicated person forgets about gravity and steps off a ten-story building. Gravity won’t forget them; it will act and put them out of action. 

Just as the law of gravity is universal and inexorable, so are various other laws that govern the behavior of matter and the interaction of material objects. Indeed, science has discovered that laws govern the universe at every level from the microscopic to the macroscopic. Yet we think, unscientifically, that consciousness is an exception to the scientifically-demonstrated law-abiding nature of nature. We think that actions of conscious beings – our own actions – are exempt from any accountability. Except for whatever moral standards we decide individually or legal standards we decide collectively. 

Gita wisdom stresses that conceptions of moral relativism are hallucinatory. Our actions are governed by stringent laws known as the laws of karma. Whatever goes around does come around; we all have to incur the consequences of our actions. 

What about people who seem to be enjoying immoral indulgences? They are foolhardy, like people falling down, who don’t look at the ground toward which they are crashing, Even if they feel thrilled at their rapid descent through the air, their thrill will last only till they hit the ground. 

What about people who seem to be not getting any consequences? They are like people who have risen to a great height, having done a lot of good karma. By their present immoral actions, they are falling down, but they may not hit the ground immediately. But hit they will, in due course. And when they hit, it won’t be a pretty sight. The Bhagavad-gita (16.07) characterizes as demonic those who don’t consider consequences while deciding what to do and what to not do. 

Understanding that karma won’t forget us even if we forget it, we can choose our actions carefully. 

 

Think it over:

  • How are we unscientific in thinking about the accountability of our actions?
  • How are people enjoying immoral pleasures foolhardy?
  • How do some immoral people enjoy immorally without getting any consequences?

 

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16.07 Those who are demoniac do not know what is to be done and what is not to be done. Neither cleanliness nor proper behavior nor truth is found in them.

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