Navigating the Real World Through The Gita: Karm, Inaction, the Inevitable Blowback, and Yogakshem

 Navigating the Real World Through The Gita:  Karm, Inaction, the Inevitable Blowback, and Yogakshem

We speak of The Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta often; we even state that it is applicable to modern life. Yet, few of us daily people try to articulate what it means in a real world context. In this small thought experiment, I am attempting this daunting task – please forgive me for any errors – they arise from my own lack of understanding. I am not a Guru – just a learner studying the book daily for at least 10 years. 

When analyzing the Bhagavad Gita, it is easy to get lost in theoretical theology. But the Gita is, when applied, a manual for navigating the real world. In a recent discussion, I found myself categorizing the concepts of Karm and Akarm into four distinct parts:

• .      Understanding karm or akarm,
• Thinking about others' karm,
• Focusing on your own karm, and
• Finally, forgetting (rather than just forgiving) others' karm.

(Before I proceed – there is no readymade path in it; you have to construct your own basis your own understanding – and that is why a true learned Guru is essential.)

In the 2^nd half of this article – I go deep into the application part in real life, focussing entirely on the blowback that will happen – this is a multipart effort- here I focus on our expectations, the concept of yogakshem and the need for continuous effort at it, Manan and thinking deeply on it, and differentiating physical action from true sincere contemplation.

The Anatomy of Karm, Akarm, and Vikarm

To truly grasp this, we must dive deep into what these concepts mean in our daily lives, how we navigate the inevitable blowback of doing good, and how we manage the stress of it all. We talk of karm, the law of karm, its finality and much, much more. But we rarely analyse and interpret it in our own lives: an attempt I have done. (I am not special – perhaps all regular readers of this seminal instruction of God have attempted this).

Karm is your deeds; akarm is a state of evolution that means you act without getting results of your actions bound to you – and is a deep topic; and Vikarm is negative karm. Karm is an investment- put in 100, get 105 or 95 back depending on the initial investment (the core karm itself – good or bad etc). Akarm is, in its most naïve version, doing duty. Doing the right behavior creates true akarma only when all these parameters of duty, ethics, and detachment are satisfied. [This can be an article in itself]- this is the short version, which is enough for us, for now. Next is Sanchit Karm – the sum total of all your karm in all lifetimes; Prarabdh – that karm whose results are coming due in this life, and Agami are those karm which will come to fruition in future lives.

Understanding the Framework of Action

Before we look at the real world, we must define the framework of action. You are in a body that has been placed here, and you are called upon to do your nityakarm (daily duties). If you believe in doing the right thing, walking the path of the Geeta, this is the first step. This means doing what is your responsibility with complete morality, complete ethics, a sense of duty, and without breaking any laws. Karm isn’t just the law of action and reaction: it is far more complex. Read on, please: a request.

This is the basis level of understanding that is needed if we are to successfully implement this great set of instructions in our life. And this requires a set of qualifications and gunas – that come to you only when you start walking the path. You can’t walk it without these, and you can’t get these without walking the path. That is why this path is so tough to walk! How then to do it? Start small is the way – but first comes Manan – cogitating on the content all the time – this will, slowly, over time, translate into your action. Give it time. That is what I learnt

Thinking About Others' Karm

Once you start walking the path of the Gita, this is perhaps the first thing to happen. You will start judging – that is dangerous territory. If it doesn’t evolve to the next segment, it could sidetrack you. Thinking about others' karm ideally naturally evolves into how you manage your practical decisions and behavior in daily life. As this understanding becomes ingrained, you automatically begin to anticipate and think of the other person's reactions. It is not about judging them, but about moderating your own responses and learning to serve with more diligence based on where they are in their journey. This awareness forces you to navigate interactions carefully—like advising someone who is wrong without hurting, insulting, or nagging them—recognizing that their actions are bound by their own karmic cycle, while your duty is to respond with complete ethics and without generating akarm yourself.

Focusing On Your Own Karm

Focusing on your own karm might seem like the easy path on the surface, but it is probably the most complex of all. In my own journey, I found myself deeply engrossed in myself—which is actually a necessary and positive trait in the beginning stages of building this basic clarity. However, it becomes a dangerous negative later on. If you become too self-engrossed in focusing on your own karm without reaching a higher state of spiritual elevation, like the state of the avadut or turia, the sheer weight of that self-focus will inevitably pull you down. It is a very long path that requires you to eventually transcend that self-engrossment entirely.

Forgetting (Rather Than Just Forgiving) Others' Karm

This to me is the final test of your resolve – forgetting and forgiving others for the harm done to you, and forgiving yourself for your sins. This completes the karmic cycle. Forgiveness, if not done right,  often carries a subtle trace of the ego, as it requires you to hold onto the memory of a wrong in order to grant absolution. And from that begins a new karm cycle! Thus, forgetting is a far deeper and cleaner mechanism—it means letting go so quickly and completely that the transgression leaves no residual mental clutter. Rather than dwelling on or constantly processing what someone else did, you simply drop it, allowing their karm to remain entirely theirs without binding your own mental state. This ingrained ability to quickly move past others' actions prevents resentment from festering, freeing you to focus entirely on your own path without carrying the heavy burden of someone else's debts.

 

Some Practical Situations of Karmic Application

Hence it is a long, complex path to master. And the external world’s complexities make it exponentially tougher as we are repeatedly tested with seemingly grey situations with no easy answers. Let us look at a practical example:

You have a fight with somebody close to you, perhaps your spouse or sibling. The other person is wrong. You may think you have done your duty by correcting them, but if you do so by hurting that person, insulting that person, or nagging them, you are not in akarm (detached, pure action).

Despite doing the "right" thing logically, you have created a negative karmic footprint. Your true task is to advise that person without inflicting pain or negative reactions or defensiveness. That is a true life skill, and doing the right behavior creates true akarm only when all these parameters are satisfied. If your action leads to a negative reaction due to the nature or way or tone or content of your communication directly attributable to yourself – it is your karm. You are not responsible for their understanding that is based on their Sanchit karm and their vasanas – but if your communication is contributing directly, you are responsible.

Furthermore, there is Vikarm—forbidden or unethical action. A classic example:

It is your responsibility to provide for your family. But does that mean you have to commit unethical acts, hurt someone, or cause loss to others? In the course of providing for your family, if you are breaking laws or causing damage with an intent to harm or for your own self-preservation, you are creating Vikarm.

Its reaction (pratikar) is definite. Just because it is your duty towards your family does not mean you are not responsible to the other aspects of your life. You have a duty to your nation, your community, and society. There is a beautiful allied concept that states that a man who acts purely for his own self-preservation rather than help someone who has taken refuge with him is a sinner (paapi) – this is categorically mentioned in the Sundarkand. Further, a study of the Brudaranyak Upanishad also indirectly establishes a relationship between self-preservation, fear of loss, and karm – it is binding, as you are not doing your duty; and are attached to the results. Adi Shankar also establishes some prerequisites – among them, a heart purified by the performance of duties without any expectation of reward.

The Great Human Fallacy and The Mechanics of Blowback

This brings us to a challenge central to modern life. Perhaps the biggest fallacy we humans have is the belief that by behaving good, all will be good, and that we will not suffer. There is an inherent expectation: I will not suffer if I am good.

The world doesn't work that way. There is always a blowback. Our fallacy is that we don't expect it. We live in a connected world. The world is, by and large, practical and often unethical. If you behave well, expecting everyone else to behave nicely with you, you are being naive. Naive is the softest word I can think of.

By being good, you are actively obstructing other people in achieving their aims because they are used to behaving in a certain way. Since they meet an obstacle in you, the blowback starts. You may not get promotions, you may lose your job, or you may get sidelined in family and friendly discussions.

Whether you believe in the cycle of reincarnation or not, the mechanics of this consequence are absolute. From a spiritual perspective, there are three types of karm: sanchit, prarabdha, and agami. By not expecting blowback, you are forgetting your past life karm. Even if you dismiss the spiritual, there is Newton's law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If you behave unethically, you will be known as an unethical person. You will constantly be put under circumstances where people approach you for your unethical tactics, and you will be targeted by people wanting to teach you a lesson. That is a direct product of your behavior.

The Two Faces of Stress: Ethical vs. Unethical Living

How you choose to behave directly dictates the kind of stress you will carry through life. Understand carefully how stress works.

If you behave unethically, you will always be under constant worry and tension. You will worry that people may find out. You will wonder, "I have gotten this much through this deceit, how do I continue doing this?" Usually, this involves telling lies. You have to constantly keep in mind what you told to Person A versus what you told to Person B. You then have to set up elaborate systems and structures to ensure that cross-communication of lies does not happen and you are not caught out. This causes immense, corrosive stress.

On the other hand, if you behave decently and as a straightforward person, you don't have this worry. However, your worry is transposed. You begin worrying about what will happen in the future. You may face constant financial stress. You may be under constant pressure at your job because of your straightforwardness. You may face friction in a relationship because your spouse cannot understand why you are being so straightforward at the cost of the family's immediate comfort.

This is where faith becomes a very powerful tool for stress management. Having faith—whether it is in a higher power to believe in, or simply a deep trust in the world that good will eventually happen—helps you manage this specific, ethical burden.

The Trap of Silence and The Responsibility of Action

Let’s take an extreme workplace example. You come across an immoral or unethical action in your career. What do you do? Do you keep silent? Do you follow their path? Or do you ignore them and continue doing the right path?

There are no easy answers, but often, all three are wrong. Even if you keep silent despite having knowledge, because of self-preservation, you are not highlighting it. You are not fighting against the system. By not acting, you are creating an action, and you become responsible for that silence.

Yes, if you fight the system, there is going to be blowback. But understand this: this situation has come in front of you because of some of your past life karms. Otherwise, this situation (prasang) would never have appeared before you - it is a test of what decision you will take. If you choose self-preservation, you create another cycle. That is the fundamental part of the law of Karm – it is about getting the payment for your past deeds – but in those payments lie the seeds of future cycles. You can grow, remain at the same level, or degrow: it depends on your choices. These situations are but a reason for your future development.

This is why detachment (vairagya) and disconnecting from the fruits of your actions are essential. If you behave correctly in that moment, 100% you will have to pay a price. 100% your family will have to pay a price. But your behavior would have been the right thing to do. Think of yourself as a soldier. A soldier cannot refuse to fight because of a threat to his life; he fights anyway. But while paying that price, you will be supported by your efforts, and your faith – thus, you have paid the price of your past karm, and evolved in the process. That is, once again, the law of karm in operation.

There are various ways to handle this. Running away (palayan) is a strategy, as Sri Krishna demonstrated. But remember, Sri Krishna is called names to this day for that retreat. You have to accept that as part of it. Sri Krishna told Draupadi: People will say many things, but this is my karm, I have to do it. There can be no bigger example. But is running away, palayan or silence – for example avoiding unethical office situations – your true answer? Again – depends on the specific situation. Remember- there will be a price, regardless of what you choose to do. There are no free lunches.

Yes, your family has to go through some hardships. But from a spiritual perspective, these are past debts returning. And practically, they are your family; they are supposed to support you in your bad times. If they don’t, and if they leave you – their karm – not yours. Their role was to give you pain in reply to the pain you have inflicted on them. That is the harsh reality. (That does not mean you do not do your further karm relative to them – just that your reactions post the breakup or rejection be dictated by rock solid ethics, legality, morality and detachment and the rest).

Yogakshem: The Continuous Effort

Finally, we must weave in the vital Gita concept of Yogakshem—which translates to aprapt vastu ki prapti (acquiring what you do not have) and prapt vastu ka rakshan (protecting what you have acquired). [This is not precise here - it also requires surrender to Lord Krushn; I am using it to explain a point in terms of practical application]

The practical application of Yogakshem is this: having achieved a level of calm, peace, and straightforwardness by practicing these principles, it is not enough to say, "Okay, now I am a good person." You have to continuously work at remaining good. You must protect the inner peace and morality you have acquired. Focusing on your own karm is the most complex path of all. As I found in my own journey, you can become too engrossed in yourself, which is initially a positive, but if you do not reach a state of deep realization (avadut or turia), that self-engrossment will pull you down. You have to keep walking till Turia – beyond that I do not know. I am very, very far from Turia stage – so can’t say.

Conclusion: The Ultimate Asset

Why, then, should we endure the blowback and the stress of being good, and walking the path? Why should we understand and try to decipher the path of Karm? You don’t have to; it is your choice. And there are three others paths to choose – Bhakti, Dnyan / Gyan, Sanyaas. But if you do – then this is for your understanding so that you can appreciate the path that lies ahead of you based on my admittedly limited understanding.

Spiritually, if you are behaving well, it is guaranteed that something good is going to happen to you – eventually, subject to your past deeds. Practically, you must understand that the world will not give you an immediate response to your goodness. But you are building a reputation of being a decent, straightforward person. Such a person can be trusted. Eventually, situations will arise where even unethical people will look for someone exactly like you. The world will eventually give back to you what you so richly deserve.

Over time, you will acquire the reputation of a straightforward and decent man who can be trusted to do his utmost to keep his word. And that, by itself, is a reputation that is exceptionally hard to acquire, and even harder to keep. That being said, it is your choice – to walk to not to walk. Even contemplating of the path – while not showing any observable change in external behaviour – is a strong positive karm – provided it is done with sincerity. It is a start. A start on a very long but very rewarding path.