Chapter 10: The Revelation of Karma
Life has revealed itself to Adi—at least partially. But instead of bringing clarity, it has only deepened his dilemma. He now understands that life simply is, without direction or purpose, yet he still finds himself bound by desire, by a need to move forward.
And then, something shifts.
Not in his body, but in his very life energies.
It is subtle at first—a ripple in the currents of his being, an unseen force stirring within him. Then, suddenly, the realization strikes:
Karma.
Not the limited understanding of karma that people speak of—not the simplified notion of good and bad deeds, not the idea of reward and punishment.
No—something beyond all that.
Something independent of life, yet always present around it. Something not attached to life, yet guiding every movement of it.
For the first time, he begins to truly see karma—not as a system of morality, not as divine justice, but as the very mechanics of existence itself.
The Misunderstanding of Krishna's Words
Adi remembers the words of Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra:
"Karmanye vadhikaraste, ma phaleshu kadachana."
(You have the right to perform your duty, but never to the fruits of your actions.)
For centuries, people have interpreted this as a call to selfless duty, to act without attachment to the outcome. But what Adi now realizes shakes him—they all misunderstood Krishna.
It was never about moral duty.
It was never about good or bad.
People, bound by their limited perceptions, twisted Krishna's words into doctrines of morality—constructs of good and evil, righteousness and sin. But Krishna never spoke of morality. Morality is the creation of beings, not of existence.
The True Nature of Karma
Karma is not about good or bad deeds. Who decides what is good and what is bad? Every civilization, every culture, every being has its own definitions. What one calls justice, another may call cruelty. What one sees as virtue, another may see as destruction.
Adi sees it now—karma is not about what you do, but how you do it.
It is not about helping others or serving a cause. It is not about charity, sacrifice, or devotion to a nation, a people, or even the universe itself.
Karma is action that leaves no burden on the self.
And the only way to act without burden?
To witness.
Not detachment in the way people assume—not an absence of care or emotion. Rather, a profound awareness—the ability to act while witnessing oneself act, without seeking meaning, justification, or validation.
People think karma means doing good—helping society, aiding the poor, working for humanity. But Adi sees now that if one does these things with a sense of personal righteousness, with the feeling that I am doing good, then that very thought binds them. Their actions, no matter how noble, keep them within the cycle of life and death.
Because attachment is not in the act—it is in the meaning you assign to the act.
The only true positive karma is an action that does not bring even the slightest disturbance to the self—that does not create a ripple in one's own being.
The moment an action carries even the slightest weight in one's meaning of self, it becomes binding. No matter how grand or righteous it may seem, it is negative karma, keeping one entangled in the endless cycle of existence.
The Weight of Realization
Adi's transformation deepens. His energies shift, aligning to this revelation. He feels as though a great chain has been placed before him—not one that binds, but one that he must decide whether to pick up or leave behind.
For if karma functions this way—if even the most righteous deeds can bind, and only absolute witnessing can free—then what of his own journey?
He had sought the top, the divine, the ultimate realization.
But if that desire itself was karma, was attachment—was he still trapped?
The thought shakes him. He had thought enlightenment was about knowing. Now, he realizes, it is about becoming weightless.
And to become weightless, he must now face something even more challenging than the truth of life—
The truth of action.