Ignorance-Knowledge: 15

Shankaracharya, the commentator on the Gita, has said—this knowledge burns to ash both accumulated (sanchita) and future karma, but prarabdha karma remains as long as the body exists. For it is prarabdha karma that sustains the body's existence, like an arrow shot from the bow that does not stop until it hits its target. But the wise person is no longer bound by that karma; he knows that action is happening, but "I am not the doer."

This perspective is Vedanta's core teaching—the person who acts in ignorance seeks results, thus bondage arises. The person who acts in wisdom finds that action becomes play—karma remains, but there is no ownership of results.

"The fire of knowledge burns all karma to ash"—the meaning of this is that when the soul knows its true nature, the seeds of karma lose their power to bear fruit. Then action happens, but no bondage is created; results come, but no one owns them. Life's flow then becomes free and selfless, where action itself is the manifestation of knowledge—not result, only play.

In Vedanta, the concept of karma is a profound and far-reaching philosophical doctrine that influences both a person's present life and future. Karma is primarily divided into three types, indicating different stages of an individual's spiritual and worldly journey:

1. Sanchita Karma (Accumulated): This is the accumulated karmic fruits of countless past lives that have not yet fructified or manifested. It can be imagined as a vast storehouse of karma or a 'karmic bank account.' This accumulated karma includes both good and bad karmic fruits. According to their will or divine dispensation, humans select certain karmic fruits from this storehouse as 'prarabdha' for the present life. Sanchita karma is that dormant force which waits to manifest at the right time and circumstances. Vedanta mentions that through spiritual practice, some sanchita karma can be burned away, smoothing the path to liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

2. Prarabdha Karma: This is the karmic fruit that has been selected from the storehouse of sanchita karma for the present life. 'Prarabdha' means 'what has begun' or 'what has started to bear fruit.' Due to this karmic fruit, a person is born into a specific family, receives specific physical characteristics, encounters specific circumstances, and experiences specific joys and sorrows. Prarabdha karma is seen as a person's present life's destiny, from which there is no escape until it is experienced. The very purpose of taking a body is to experience the fruits of this prarabdha karma. As long as a person lives, they must experience the fruits of this prarabdha karma. This is such karma that cannot be avoided; it ends only through experiencing its results.

3. Agami Karma (Future): This is the karma that a person is performing in the present life using their free will, which will bear fruit in the future. 'Agami' means 'what is to come' or 'what will bear fruit in the future.' Every thought, word, and deed creates a karmic result that returns in the future as auspicious or inauspicious fruit. Humans have control over agami karma, and through this they can determine the trajectory of their future lives. Acting with wisdom and following religious principles creates good agami karma, bringing welfare for the future. Conversely, acting thoughtlessly or unethically creates bad agami karma, resulting in future suffering. The sum of this agami karma again accumulates in the storehouse of sanchita karma, influencing future prarabdha karma.

This concept of three types of karma encourages humans to be conscious of their actions and teaches that every action has consequences. It instills responsibility and morality in individuals and helps them progress on the path to moksha or spiritual liberation.

Upon attaining Self-knowledge, both sanchita and agami karma are burned away, but prarabdha karma continues as long as the body exists. Shankaracharya gives an analogy—just as an arrow, once shot, does not stop until it hits its target, so even upon becoming wise, the fruits of prarabdha karma manifest through the body, but they no longer create bondage.

Therefore, "karmic fruits also become destroyed" means—the bondage of karma that keeps the soul bound to the world is burned to ineffectiveness in the radiance of knowledge. Results still come from action, but those results can no longer bind the being. For then the soul knows—"I am not the doer, I am not the experiencer, I am only that witnessing consciousness."

Then action remains, but the delusion of doership is gone; results come, but the notion of being the experiencer is absent; life continues, but it is no longer bondage—it is play. This is why the Upanishad says—"na hi jnanena sadrisham pavitram iha vidyate" (Gita, 4.38)—nothing here is as pure as knowledge, because knowledge alone breaks all servitude to karmic fruits and opens the door to liberation.

This state is jivanmukti—liberation while living. This is a stage where a person lives in the material world yet remains free from all forms of bondage and suffering. He lives at the physical level like an ordinary human being, but his consciousness remains united with Brahman. His mind remains peaceful, serene, and beyond all worldly attractions. The jivanmukta is not affected by worldly joys and sorrows, because he knows that his true nature is beyond this body or mind.

Jivanmukti is the culmination of knowledge. Here knowledge is not merely textual or theoretical, but a deep realization and direct experience. This knowledge alone brings about karma-moksha—complete freedom from the bondage of karma. In this state, the person experiences supreme peace and bliss, which is not possible through any other worldly attainment. The Mundaka Upanishad presents this state of jivanmukti as the highest human achievement, where the soul returns to its true nature and attains infinite bliss and knowledge. This is the ultimate spiritual journey, whose goal is permanent liberation from the bondage of the birth-death cycle.

This state differs from ordinary human experience. Ordinary people become elated by success, praise, or the arrival of loved ones, and become dejected by failure, criticism, or separation. But the jivanmukta is not affected by all these external events. Deep in his consciousness exists a stable, unshakeable center, completely free from worldly ups and downs.

The jivanmukta dwells in transparent consciousness. This transparency means his mind is not clouded by any kind of prejudice, desire, craving, or emotion. In his vision, everything appears clearly, as if no dust has settled on a mirror. Here emotion is absent, because all emotions give birth to restlessness and instability. In jivanmukti, wisdom, which is motionless and stable, is primary. This wisdom is not acquired knowledge, but the soul's spontaneous realization, beyond all doubt and delusion.

The mental disposition of jivanmukti is unshakeable, equanimous, and pure consciousness. 'Unshakeable' means the stability of mind that does not waver in any external or internal turbulence. 'Equanimous' means he maintains an equal vision toward everything in the world—good and bad, joy and sorrow, praise and blame—he sees everything from an impartial perspective. He harbors no favoritism or hatred. And 'pure consciousness' means such a purified mind that is free from all impurities like greed, anger, delusion, pride, and envy. This consciousness is crystal-clear and pristine.

Reaching this state is not easy. It requires deep self-inquiry, self-analysis, and self-control. Through yoga and meditation, one can remove mental restlessness and progress toward pure consciousness. When a person realizes that his true nature is not defined by anything in the external world, but that he is an infinite being in the form of the soul, then he reaches this state of jivanmukti. This state brings ultimate freedom and peace to the individual, where suffering has no place and joy is not dependent on external stimuli, but is spontaneous and internal.

Greed, anger, delusion, pride, and envy—these five terms are described in Indian religion and philosophy as the five main evil tendencies or internal enemies of humans. Sometimes they are called the "shadripu" (six enemies) in the form of lust-anger-greed-delusion-pride-envy—that is, six enemies to human spiritual development.

The Bhagavad Gita (16.21) says—"trividham narakasyedam dvaram nashanam atmanah, kamah krodhas tatha lobhas tasmad etat trayam tyajet." That is, lust, anger, and greed are the three gates to hell that cause self-destruction. Here the Gita declares these three as gates to hell because they disturb the mind and keep knowledge veiled.

Another passage in the Gita (2.62-63) says—"dhyayato vishayan pumsah sangas teshupajayate, sangat sanjayate kamah, kamat krodho'bhijayate; krodhat bhavati sammohah, sammohat smritibhranshah, smritibhranshad buddhi-nasho, buddhi-nashat pranashyati." That is, from contemplating objects, attachment arises; from attachment, desire; from desire, anger; from anger, delusion; from delusion, loss of memory; from loss of memory, destruction of intelligence; and from destruction of intelligence, self-destruction. This clearly reveals the causal chain of lust-anger-delusion.

The Gita (3.37) further says—"kama esha krodha esha rajoguna-samudbhavah, mahashano mahapapma viddhy enam iha vairinam." Lust and anger are terrible enemies born from rajoguna that devour the light of knowledge.

This concept was expanded in later religious texts and puranas. Manusmriti (7.45) clearly states—"kamakrodhalobhamohama-damatsy an samyamya nityashah." That is, lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and envy—these six tendencies must be constantly controlled. In the Shanti Parva of Mahabharata (12.171.21) it is said—"kamah krodhas tatha lobho mohimadyamatsar yam cha shat, esha narakadvarani sharistrani nityashah." That is, lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, and envy—these six permanently reside in the human body as gates to hell.

According to Vedantasara (by Sadananda Yogendra), the main obstacles on the path to liberation are ignorance and these shadripu—lust, anger, greed, delusion, pride, envy. These are the internal enemies that keep knowledge veiled. Shankaracharya says in his Gita commentary (16.21)—"kamalobhakredhah trayo'pi rajoguna-sambhutah, jnanabodhavadhakah"—lust, greed, and anger arise from rajoguna and obstruct the awakening of knowledge.

Kama means the desire for pleasure that arises in the senses or mind, the craving for happiness, or attachment to sensory objects. The Bhagavad Gita (3.37) says—"kama esha krodha esha rajoguna-samudbhavah"—lust is that desire born from rajoguna that devours consciousness. Again in the Gita (2.62-63) it is said—"dhyayato vishayan pumsah sangas teshupajayate, sangat sanjayate kamah"—from contemplating objects, attachment arises, and from attachment comes lust. In Advaita Vedanta, kama means self-forgetfulness—when consciousness forgets its own fullness and seeks joy in the transient, then lust arises. From lust comes anger, from anger delusion, from delusion destruction of intelligence, and from destruction of intelligence self-destruction—this sequence is the psychology of the Gita.