With a view to understand the principle of Karma that entails Karmaphal, it is imperative to know and assimilate the doctrine of Vedic Trinity. The Vedic Philosophy visualises existence of Parmatma (God Almighty) , Jeevatma (soul) and Prakriti (matter). The existence of this Vedic Trinity is independent of each other and each of the three is Anadi and Anant – that is without a beginning and without an end. Their existence is forever. The Almighty makes use of Matter for Creation where the Soul acts on its own.

In other words, Jeevatma is free to do a Karma or even not to do it. Indeed the result of the Karma will be tasted by the jeevatma alone as it was absolutely free to act or not to act. Parmatma presides over the entire activity and interaction of the soul and the Matter in a detached manner. He does not partake of any fruits of Creation nor does He oversee the Karma of the Jeevatma. Should the Almighty do that, He will become involved with the Karma of the Jeevatma and become disabled as a Judge of human action or for award of Karmaphal. A mantra of the Rigveda makes this part of the Vedic philosophy crystal clear. The 20^th mantra of the 164^th sukta of the First Mandala of the Rig Veda runs thus:

  Tayoranyah pippalam suadvuattyanashnannanyo abhi chakashiti.

The tree is Prakriti and the two birds are Parmatma and Jeevatma. Only Jeevatma is partaking of the fruit of the Matter or prakriti and the other bird, Parmatma, is presiding over the goings on judiciously and with absolute detachment. Indeed the doctrine of the Vedic Trinity is beautifully brought out by this Veda mantra.

It would be appropriate to mention that the Almighty is not the source of inspiration for thieves or robbers or murderers. Perhaps that explains why denizens of the nocturnal world evolved their own mumbo-jumbo and also Deities before launching sinister operations. That explains why such operators and law breakers fell in the lap of Tantriks and not the Veda purohit. Logically speaking, if Parmatma gives inspiration for Karma or Akarma, It is He who will reap what He sows and not the Jeevatma. In that case He cannot preside over dispensation of justice in the form of Karmaphal and will be unable to maintain a detached status.

REALM OF LITERATURE

Delving deep into realm of life and letters one finds that Inspiration was invariably present as the root of creative literature. It was so in olden days and it is so in the present times. Indeed the inspiration is positive in some cases while in others it emanates from a negative source. Let us take a look at the life and letters of some prominent men and women who made a mark on the fleeting sands of time. We recall them and their works of literature because they were themselves inspired souls and also inspired other souls without expecting a farthing in return.

Rishi Vishwamitra is labelled as the aadi kavi or the very first poet that mankind produced. And it was rightly so. One fine morning he saw a bird ( termed kronch pakshi) being shot with an arrow and heard its heart rending cries while it was writhing in excruciating pain.

The plaintive sounds of its mate touched the heart of the Rishi, more than the cries of the dying bird. Rishi Vishwamitra broke into a poetic couplet spontaneously. Indeed it is recorded as the first ever poetic composition in the history of Sanskrit literature. The Rishi said that the Nishad or the hunter would never get peace of mind as by his reckless act he had separated the sexually surcharged pair of birds. Generation after generation students of Sanskrit literature draw inspiration from that event and literary creation.

Kalidas, the evergreen poet and dramatist of Sanskrit literature, drew his inspiration to become a scholar-writer from the insulting behaviour of his wife, Vidyotama, a vidushi or a scholar in her own right, when she threw him out of the marital bed because she had been tricked into marrying an illiterate cowherd by jealous men of letters who conspired to avenge their literary defeat at her hands.

Kalidas took that insulting behaviour of his bride of one night to his heart, prayed for knowledge, acquired it through hard work amounting to Tapasya and matured into a playwright par excellence. That story of a moron maturing into a consummate playwright called Kalidas illustrates what inspiration can do to transform a pygmy into a giant. Never mind the sad circumstances that turned into a source of inspiration that gave Bharat a literary colossus called Kalidas. Shakespeare, the bard from Stratford-on-Avon pales into insignificance before Kalidas, so say some literary critic.

Tulsidas, the great Hindi poet of sixteenth century who composed Ram Charit Manas, drew his inspiration to dedicate his life to the Muse to let the common man learn the story of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram in the lingua franca of rural folks, Awadhi. Once again it was the insulting behaviour of his wife who denied him the exercise of conjugal rights in marital bed and instead exhorted him to think of and write about the life and times of Shri Ram and thus carve out a niche for himself in history. Tulsidas took it to heart, and thus inspired devoted his entire life to composing his epic work, Ram Charit Manas. Kings and commoners respect him alike and draw inspiration from his life of dedication.

It was a lowly mouse eating goodies meant for Lord Shiva in a temple in Tankara that set the ball rolling for search of a real Shiva by a 14 year old boy named Mool Shankar. The inspiration to seek the Saccha Shiva transformed the life of Mool Shankar and made him Swami Dayanand Saraswati, founder of the Arya Samaj.

The inspired Dayanand Saraswati unfolded the Vedas and translated the mantras into Hindi for the common man. Women were the biggest beneficiaries of the celibate ascetic when he decreed that men and women had equal rights to read, recite and meditate on the Veda mantras. Thus the triumph at Tankara led to a social and religious reform of gigantic proportions. A spark of inspiration had developed into a colossal flame that lighted the life of millions of men and women around the globe.

NURTURING INSPIRATION

It is for the Acharya or the teacher to detect the spark in the students. It is for the teacher and the taught to work jointly to nurture that spark. Proper environment, will to excel and providing an opportunity to the bud-like inspiration to blossom into a fragrant flower combine together to make a Man out of the raw material born in the form of a baby. Indeed the Sanskaras of the life or lives heretofore in previous births do come into play. Coupled with the Sanskaras of the present life provide an opportunity to nurture the Inspiration. Let us walk on the path of

Righteousness as shown by the divine revelation called the Vedas and become good human beings that help the human society develop and ever be on the path of progress.

Thus the injunction of the Vedas will be followed and the goal achieved. The Vedas say  MANURBHAV  MANURBHAV and let us obey and be just Manushya.