Balance sheet called life

S V Ramanan

The world is going through unimaginable pain, suffering and fear of the unknown.

At an individual and family level this manifests as a struggle to remain positive and to understand the
gnawing question. Why me or Why Us?

I have been through tumultuous, frightening and troublesome times in my life -albeit nothing compared to
what many are going through now.

At some desperate personal moments questions have sprung up. Why am I burdened with difficulties
heaped on me alone? I also started questioning the belief that God takes care of the devout and pious, having
seen my pious, devout mother’s pain and suffering during her final days.

I did what troubled souls do, search for answers in the individual belief systems and its philosophical
underpinnings. My personal belief system is Hindu. Not in a ritualistic or dogmatic sense at all but in my
sensibilities and cultural upbringing. Therefore, greater readiness to accept the philosophical underpinnings
of the Hindu belief system.

I am sharing my simple understanding and answers to my troubling questions.

We Hindus, believe in Karmaphala (fruits of Karma) and rebirth. Our life is believed to be divinely
ordained. It is a predetermined destiny based on our past deeds and misdeeds.

We can attain the state of moksha or Mukthi (salvation) and get relieved from the cycle of life and death if
we are good. The good should outweigh the bad. This is cleansing of the soul over generations.

The cleansing happens by way of troubles appearing at every step of the way.

Karmaphala also means that our past sins in past life also must be paid for and the past dues cleared. Nothing
can be left outstanding.

Life is a balance sheet of good deeds and sins that we have committed over generations. When the assets
(good deeds) even out with liabilities (sins), the there is “balance” in the balance sheet!! This means you
are in equilibrium.

The logic is, if you face difficulties now you are repaying the debts of the past. Which means that your past
misdeeds are written off. Your liabilities column in life’s balance sheet becomes lighter. To that extent the
balance sheet is healthier. A small irritation in this life may clear a liability from past life and increase the
asset (good) in the balance sheet. By doing so, you get closer to mukthi which is the aim of the soul.

We need to look at difficulties and difficult times in a positive way. It is painful paying off debts in any
balance sheet of any company to make the balance sheet “clean” and “healthy”!!

This leads us to Mukti.

We should look at troubles and face them and overcome them. Because, you are lessening the burdens of
past misdeeds. In addition, do better in this life to accrue assets in the balance sheet.

If you believe in the Hindu way of life, the above explanation is meaningful. It relieves you of tensions.
And helps you face troubles more candidly.

Our wise ancestors used to go through troubles with deep sense of sacrifice. Some Sages would go in search
of difficult paths to cleanse themselves and attain moksha.

My parents physical (health) sufferings took on a new dimension for me. All the testing times they faced,
though troublesome and painful, took him closer to the final tally of balance sheet.

Now, I can face the travails and tribulations in my own life with more courage and equanimity. There is a
sense of fulfilment and contentment. I am at peace with myself and the difficulties that come my way.

This has been my personal experience. Never shun troubles and difficulties. Do not run away from them.

Many may say it is a load of bunkum. But it gives me an incentive to do good and be good!

Too philosophical. But thought I would share with all.

If we orient our thinking about Earth as an interrelated and interdependent system, it is futile to single out
any specific entity for pitting the blame. If we imagine the Planet Earth as an individual human entity and
apply the above logic it is suffering the past misdeeds essentially defined by Societal behaviour (materialism
and Selfishness) which impacted Ecology, Economy and wellness of the person called EARTH.

This pandemic is a cleaning of the Balance sheet of EARTH and it will shed its liabilities and become a
“Healthy” balance sheet. Provided we as humans does not go back to its old ways again and allow EARTH
to remain a healthy balance sheet!!

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