Is there Karma?

"What is the purpose of doing good deeds if we end up like everyone else as ashes and dust?"

For me, that question was settled for me by my own uncle who was the medium for the elephant diety, Ganeshan. I have known this uncle for some years and I know it for a fact that he only helped people to overcome their problems and sicknesses and had never asked anything for himself. As I have written in an earlier posting, he even sacrificed his own marriage to be a medium to help others. When he died, it was in abject poverty as when the mouth does not open to request for donations, only the barest amount will be contribute by the grateful. I know this to be a fact as in my own way I have helped others with their pain.

Yes, it was such an uncle who told me why he had to sacrifice everything he had to assist Ganeshan cure those sick people. It was karma! It was karma that brought Ganeshan back to him. And that was what he told me. If I cannot believe such a loving 'saint' who gave his life so that others may be helped, then who can I believe?

The other day, I was with a Sai Baba devotee when she told me a story. It's an interesting story; so I wish to share this with you. She told me a priest once asked a Sai Baba devotee how he knew there was such a thing as karma.

The man asked the priest," You believe in God, brother?"
And the priest replied, "Yes, of course."
"Do you agreed that God is all loving and He created all of us?"
"Yes, I agree."
"Then, please follow me to a place and I shall show you proof of karma."

So saying, the man took the priest to an orphanage.
"Brother, do you see the people here? Some are blind. There are those who are crippled. Some are fine but they have lost their parents at an early age. Why did our beloved God make them thus? Were they not supposed to be innocent when they were born?"

The priest looked and the children and thought about the situation. He could only drive out the troubled thoughts in his mind with the words,"God works in mysterious ways. The man comes into this world with a purpose only God knows."

"Brother, if all the blind and crippled were to eventually have their roles to play and through their imperfections motivate others, then we can say they have a role to play. But you and I know that there will be some among them who goes through life suffering from their imperfection. Why does it have to be this way?"

There was no answer. The only possible answer, the Sai Baba devotee told him could be karma. That those people were paying the penalty for their wrongs. And if those people could understand this truth, they would attempt to be better people and strive to do right always.

Well, whatever it is that you believe in, everyone has to admit that karma is a great motivating force for good. And with karma, everything in this world come through as fairer and it agrees with our 'You reap what you sow.'