Sanchit karmas are the deciding factor for rebirth. We need to extinguish them to get freedom from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Sanchit karmas are those karmas (deeds) which got accumulated over past births without giving any results to us for our sinful and virtuous deeds. These karmas wait for an opportune time to extinguish themselves by giving us pain or pleasure through a situation mostly unconnected with our present deeds.
Whenever you face a pleasant or a painful situation which you cannot attribute to any of your deeds in the present life, then know that they are the result of your deeds from your previous births and are a part of your sanchit karmas.
Pleasant situations, even though unconnected to our present life deeds, are accepted without thinking, but unpleasant ones are not easily accepted and result in disappointment. Some examples where the situation may be unconnected to your present life deeds are: If you incur unexpected loss or somebody scolds you for no fault of yours; or you meet with an accident despite being on the right side and were made to pay damages to the other person.
You will not remember having done anything to anybody in this birth, which may lead to this suffering and this fact agitate you more than anything else.
We never realise that all that happens to us and which cannot be attributed to any karma in the present birth is related to our sanchit karma from the past birth. That’s why, we get bound to some new karmas by emitting vibes of revenge, blaming others or blaming God for the situation and remaining depressed.
Even though sanchit karmas were trying to extinguish themselves through a painful situation, you, by not accepting it as the result of your past karma, did not allow them to extinguish. Moreover, through your ignorance you have further bound yourself to new karmas and added to your sanchit karmas.
You need to do three things if you wish to extinguish your past karmas and free yourself from its effects. Know that all unpleasant situations which cannot be attributed to any karma from the present birth are the result of karmas from the past birth and are part of sanchit karmas. Accept the situation as it is without cribbing. Instead, thank the person to have become the medium for bringing an unpleasant situation in your life and for helping you extinguish your sanchit karmas.
Seek forgiveness from the person who became the medium for these unpleasant situations in your life, for all the troubles he had to take for your cause. Pray for that person’s happiness and prosperity even though s/he humiliated you, duped you or misbehaved with you. These actions have the power to free you from sanchit karmas and protect you from getting unconsciously entangled or bound to new karmas.
If the process is followed from the depths of your heart, you will experience getting rid of some unknown load from your head and experience attracting pleasant people and situations in life.
Sadguru Rameshji is a modern age spiritual guru and founder of Poorna Ananda, a centre for spiritual evolution and joyful living. Visit www.poornaananda.org
