A Mathematical Formula for Bhagwadkripa?

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I. Background

My father [1] was a top management consultant and one of the highlights of his workshops was what he would call ‘management of destiny’, since according to him, one cannot be successful in business, among other things, unless one is backed by favourable destiny. Now, destiny according to him is governed by the law of karma [2] and hence management of destiny is nothing but management of one’s karma [3]. He would line up many examples and arguments – fervently and vehemently so – to impress upon them the soundness of his theory. By the end of the session, each invariably would express deep joy at this insight, which they felt was nothing short of revelation. 

II. Bhagwadkripa [4] vis-à-vis the Law of Karma

As part of his exposition on the management of destiny, my father would introduce the concept of Bhagwadkripa. While the law of karma is inviolable and not subject to intervention – even by the Divine [5] – Bhagwadkripa, he asserted is something different. It does not really interfere with the functioning of the law and yet, as is obvious, help one immensely. For instance, if a person’s karmic journey necessitates his suffering an accident, while Bhagwadkripa would not avert the accident, it would nonetheless provide the mental strength to overcome the pain and other losses from the accident, bravely and cheerfully. So, despite not interfering with the law of karma, it is real and effective. From another perspective, Bhagwadkripa could immune one from the phala of their past karma; its significance thus cannot be exaggerated.

In order to explain Bhagwadkripa within the framework of the law of karma, my father would employ two beautiful analogies, one from itihasa and another within the mundane context of business:

1. Draupadi’s Vastraharan [6]

Draupadi’s vastraharan was a defining event in the Mahabharata and perhaps the single cause leading to the grand war. As the story goes, while Draupadi was being disrobed by Dushasana in the royal court of Hastinapur, Krishna simultaneously extended an indefinite length of saree, such that despite all the evil efforts, Draupadi did not suffer public nudity. It however begs the question: ‘If Krishna wished that Draupadi remained clothed, why did He, the very Divine Incarnate, not pre-empt this episode in the first place? After all, He had in His possession every power in the universe. He could kill Dushasana, for instance, before the latter could lay hand on the princess’s robe!’ The simple answer is that Krishna chose not to interfere with the law of karma. Draupadi was destined, under the law, to undergo the humiliation of being subject to disrobement at the hands of her enemy, in full public view and that karmaphala could simply not be escaped. However, at the same time, Draupadi had through her unflinching devotion to Krishna, deserved Krishna’s love (Bhagwadkripa), which he granted in the form of the extended saree. The disrobing and the ensuing ignominy, torture and anxiety represents the law of karma while the extended saree, Bhagwadkripa; both in coexistence and neither violated.

2. A business scenario

Let’s suppose that a person’s karma in the past has destined for them in the present a huge loss in business (of say, Rs 1 crore.) Let’s suppose further that the person has earned, through whatever means, Bhagwadkripa. Would that mean that they would escape the karmaphala in the form of the loss? Obviously not, since the law of karma is inviolable. So, the hapless person must unfortunately suffer the loss and all the hardships that come along with such a loss. So how does Bhagwadkripa come to their aid? As a loan of Rs 1 crore (enough to service the loss and pay off the vendors and other creditors) [7].

Notably, Bhagwadkripa will not generate income to pre-empt the loss, as that would be tantamount to interference with the law of karma. Drawing a debt on the other hand does not alter anything materially – the money drawn needs to be repaid, after all. Just that it will help to tide over the loss and delay the impact to a later date, hence affording the wealth of time. This extra time is an opportunity for the person to earn – through karma – the amount lost. Their business and reputation could both be saved. Hence while Bhagwadkripa does not interfere with one’s karmic journey, its effect is real and favourable.

The two analogies are themselves analogously intertwined:

• Draupadi’s vastraharan = Business loss

• Draupadi’s modesty = Business’s reputation and life

• Saree (saves Draupadi’s modesty) = Loan (saves the business’s reputation and life)

III.   A Mathematical formula for Bhagwadkripa

My father was pragmatic, perhaps to a fault. He would not be satisfied with mere theory and philosophy and would look for ways to operationalise and concretise them into practical algorithms and formulas, such that the philosophy can take form and be manifested in life. Consequently, he would not stop at the theory of Bhagwadkripa but would like it in some concrete form for one to bring it in practice.

According to him, Bhagwadkripa depends on two factors [8]:

1. Satkarma [9]

He would define satkarma, or positive karma, in relation to one’s behaviour towards others and as any karma directed at others’ well-being. Any and all acts of selflessness, furthering the interest of others would be counted as satkarma. It is notable that satkarma feeds into both, the law of karma and also Bhagwadkripa.

2. Samarpana [10]

Samarpana is the second factor for Bhagwadkripa. It is the emotional connect one develops with the Divine, instilling in oneself unwavering shraddha [11].

Why is samarpana important? Does the Divine require and reward your slavishness? The answer is that samarpana or surrender to the Divine is in actual fact the surrender of one’s ahamkara (to the Divine). So, it is not as if the Divine, like a tyrant, rewards the surrender of one’s freedom; it is that surrender of one’s ahamkara begets the change in one’s character, necessary to attain Bhagwadkripa. In other words, samarpana makes one eligible and qualifies one for Bhagwadkripa.

The pièce de résistance however is a simple mathematical formula that could calculate the degree of Bhagwadkripa one has attracted. Here it is:

Bhagwadkripa = Samarpana x Satkarma [12]

So, the degree of Bhagwadkripa one receives is a product of the degree of its two factors.[13] Let us understand through the following cases:

Case 1: 50% satkarma and 50% samarpana

According to the formula, Bhagwadkripa in this case shall be 25% (that is half of half.) Someone who does only half of the possible satkarma and is half devoted to the Divine receives only quarter of the Bhagwadkripa [14]; they should therefore strive to do better on both fronts.

Case 2: 100% samarpana and 0% satkarma

The formula tells us that in this case Bhagwadkripa will be zero. Someone who is totally devoted to their Ishta Devata [15] may be said to have achieved 100% samarpana. However, bereft of satkarma, they fail to receive Bhagwadkripa. Let’s understand it with an example: supposing one is served in a restaurant by a waiter, who is very polite and warm but fares really poorly in his service – slow, casual, awkward, etc. Now despite his likeability, one is unlikely to tip him extra over and above the usual gratuity. Similarly, a one bereft of satkarma, despite one’s wholehearted samarpana is not eligible for any extra ‘divine tip’.

Case 3: 100% satkarma and 0% samarpana

The formula tells us that Bhagwadkripa in this case too will be zero. Someone who does all the possible satkarma but lacks samarpana too does not attract Bhagwadkripa. Again, we could take the example of a waiter – in this case, he is perfectly diligent and adept at his profession – quick, deliberate and elegant – but is cold and lacks basic amiability and pleasantness. Again, he fails to merit any extra tip than the usual [16]. Similarly, the ‘divine tip’ still eludes one lacking samarpana, despite one’s satkarma.

I find this formula simple and elegant and a great heuristic device to assess one’s own stage of spiritual evolution. It also exhorts one – through its reason and its intuition quotient – to excel on the two important parameters, satkarma and samarpana. I hope this will be of service to the reader.

 _____________________

[1]  His name was Purushottam Lal Jalan. A large part of my own personality is shaped after his; while we had some differences of opinion, which we would often discuss and which we both respected, we nonetheless had around 90% convergence of minds, so much so, that I am not sure which of my thoughts is mine and which I borrowed from him.

[2]  One of the central Hindu tenets that every action, karma, one commits returns to oneself as consequential circumstance, called phala or karmaphala (the sum total of which is one’s destiny)

[3]  He would exhort all participants to donate as much as possible, since donation is a concrete, measurable and perhaps the simplest form of satkarma, especially for a busy businessperson.

[4]  Divine grant, a kind of divine intervention

[5]  A case in point is the death of Dasharatha: Ramachandra, the very Incarnation of the Divine, did not save His own father from a distressing, painful death and chose to let him undergo his karmic journey undisturbed.

[6]  An important event in the Mahabharata where the Pandava Princess Draupadi, having been 'won' by the Kauravas in a bet, was subjected to public disrobement by the Kaurava Prince Dushasana, at the suggestion of Agnaraja Karna

[7]  The analogy being strictly in the business context, only the pragmatic aspect of Bhagwadkripa is being considered; psychological factors like self-confidence, optimism, etc. are not being mentioned.

[8]  In support of his theory, he would often quote from the Ramacharitamanasa:

राज नीति बिनु धन बिनु धर्मा। हरिहि समर्पे बिनु सतकर्मा॥

Governance without sound policy

Wealth bereft of dharma

Samarpana to the Divine in the absence of satkarma

(alternatively, satkarma in the absence of samarpana)

[Are fruitless endeavours]

I personally find it truly compelling.

[9]  Good, positive or favourable karma

[10] Surrender (to the Divine)

[11] Steadfast faith in the Divine and (by extension,) in Dharma

[12] All three values are expressed as indices.

[13] The idea behind the formula is not mathematical accuracy; it is more a rule of the thumb. Its purpose is heuristic and conceptual guidance meant to help one to advance spiritually, rather than be stuck in its precision and exactness; that would be losing the woods for the trees.

[14] It might, to some, seem ludicrous what 25% of Bhagwadkripa might mean; after all, Bhagwadkripa is not a finite quantity. However, given the pragmatic context under discussion, it does make sense. For instance, if Bhagwadkripa manifests in the form of mental strength to overcome an adverse situation, in the current case, the person would receive only a quarter of the requisite mental strength. In the earlier example involving the loss of Rs 1 crore, 25% of Bhagwadkripa might be taken to mean receiving a loan of Rs 25 lakh, instead of Rs 1 crore required to tackle the loss.

[15] One's chosen deity

[16] Notably, the diligent waiter shall not be deprived of all the rewards which arise routinely out of his stellar professionalism – promotions, salary raises, usual tips, etc.; just that the more generous tips shall be lacking.  Similarly one’s satkarmas, despite zero samarpana, will still be rewarded by commensurate favourable karmaphala, as per the law of karma; just that Bhagwadkripa will be absent.