Malaria is a horrible disease. You get high fever; you are practically dying; you have chills; sometimes you freeze and sometimes you burn; you cannot stand up, you cannot walk. The doctors come and put pills in your mouth and you vomit it out. It is a very learning experience. I have also suffered from malaria. So now, if someone asks me, “Which mosquito bit you? On what date? Where were you? And what part of the body?”. There is no way for me to know that.
But I know the principle. If I have malaria that means I was bitten by a mosquito. I don’t know when, I don’t know why, I don’t know who, but I know I got bitten by a mosquito. Otherwise, I would not have malaria. We all accept it with our college trained intelligence.
Similarly, if you are suffering, you know the principle. “I am getting suffering because I have caused suffering to someone. I am suffering because I defied my real duties in life as servant of God. I may not know exactly what I did when, or how or to whom, but I know the principle.”
And do you know what I did after I got malaria? I decided that I was going to use a mosquito net from then on. And I also took the medicine. Similarly when we are suffering, we may not be able to understand exactly why and how it happened, but we know we have done something. So we should take the medicine and avoid doing those things that will cause it again. That’s how we deal with the laws of karma.
Whenever we engage in sinful activity we are going to suffer. It may be today, it may be next year or it may be next life time. But it’s going to come. The principles of karma are to be understood properly if we want to progress, but the details of karma are often times inconceivable and incomprehensible.
–Radhanath Swami
33 Comments
Swamiji has so wonderully described that instead of cursing & questioning one’s pitiful condition, one should try to find the solution to get out of such condition & never fall again…..
Wonderfully explained Karma (inconceivable and incomprehensible) with analogy of Malaria. I will try to remember the principle all my life.
It is incredible how Radhanath Swami Maharaj can draw such deep lessons even from a mosquito!!
Nice parallels drawn from malaria and law of karma.
As HH Radhanath Swami nicely explains law of karma with a beautiful analogy, its very difficult to understand the depth of karma.
As HH Radhanath Swami says, for every action there is equal and opposite reaction and in case of our Karma time only will tell that.
Its true. What is the use if we go back again & try to find the cause of our degradation. Rather, use the precious time to heal the wound & become blissful again.
Good one.A practical solution is given herein by Radhanath Swami.There is no point in trying to know what and why,instead one should engage self in corrective action which will not cause the thing to happen again.This is the intelligence.Of course one should seek proper guidance from saintly people and should not take curative activities on it’s own,otherwise own curative actions will end up with more reactions and sufferings.
Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj for “Learning from a Mosquito.” The principle is to be remembered although the details of law of karma are often times inconceivable and incomprehensible.
Very nice message from Radhanath Swami about how the law of karma works perfectly under the supervision of Lord Krishna.
We need to have this introspective attitude whenever some undesitable thing happens in our lives. We tend to blame others. Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
The principles of karma are to be understood properly if we want to progress, but the details of karma are often times inconceivable and incomprehensible.
Very very true!!!
hard hitting anology to explain the law of karma
Although details of karma might be inconceivable, but Radhanath Swami makes the principles of karma really easy to understand through these day-to-day life examples.
Such a profound learning from Mosquito. Jai.
The example of mosquito is perfect to drive home the point that we cannot trace out the source of our present sufferings but we can take the necessary medicine and precautions.
Significant lesson from an insignificant creature
A beautiful analogy to let us relate this important lesson. Thank you Radhanath Swami for this wisdom.
Wow! I could never thought of connecting mosquito bites (although getting almost every day) with the law of karma. Therefore we need devotees and acharyas to explain us the scriptures in a way we can understand them.
I may not know the details of law of karma, like a mosquito bite, when, why, how, where, etc. but the principle is there – if I am suffering, I must have caused suffering to others. Mills of the God grind very slowly but exceedingly fine…Thank you Radhanath Swami Maharaj for the wonderful illustration.
Very well said.
Be aware…
When ever we engage in sinful activity we are going to suffer. It may be today, it may be next year or it may be next life time…..
Thanx a lot HH Radhanath Swami Maharaj for giving us insite of Karma theory by such an easy example
Apart from the valuable knowledge from Radhanath Swami, the photographer has done a great job taking this photo of mosquito, Nice photography.. look at the stomach full of blood.
Radhanath Swami has provided such a simplified explanation through an analogy of mosquito , on the complicated subject of KARMA. Rather than becoming paralytical in trying to analyse the situation, one will save much valuable time, in trying to focus on the medicine and things to avoid in future, in order to get cured of the disease.
Very nice! It made me go through suffering with a smile on my face remembering its my activities in the past is the the cause of suffering no one else.
Such a clear understanding of karma from such a small creature. Lord Himself says in Bhagawad Gita that “Karmana gahani gati” even most intelligent person get bewildered by incidents happening in and around them which are results of actions performed in this or previous life times.
So similarly when we are suffering, we may not be able to understand exactly why and how it happened, but we know we have done something. so should take the medicine and avoid doing those things that will cause it again. That’s how we deal with the laws of karma.
We must take corrective actions based on the indications in this material world…
Jay…
Very good analogy. All glories to HH Radhanatha Svami Maharaja.
your example is outstanding and exactly suits for the context………
Hare Krishna.!
Prevention is better than cure. Therefore we must stop our nonsense activities immediately by taking guidance form a sincere soul and then guide others so that they may not commit the same mistakes.
Thank you Maharaja.
It is really the truth of life we sometimes face situations that are difficult to comprehend why we are put into it .This is comforting and also gives the necessary precaution to take
Highest truth in simple language. that’s the beauty of a simple hearted saint.
Thanks maharaj for the story !!!
Such a wonderful explanation of the principle of karma with the analogy of a mosquito. Maharaj explains in a very simple way- how we have to suffer for our past karma and also how we can avoid doing things that cause the suffering.
wonderful…..I liked the paragraph which says ‘If you are suffering, you know the principle. “I am getting suffering because I have caused suffering to someone. I am suffering because I defied my real duties in life as servant of God. I may not know exactly what I did when, or how or to whom, but I know the principle.”’