We often wonder why karma is not instantaneous; then, people would fear doing anything bad and go all out to do everything good. After all, what is the fun in getting benefits or retribution long after the deed is done and forgotten and no connections can be drawn to learn lessons?
Actually, Kriyamana karma is the almost immediate fruit of our everyday simple acts as in the cause-effect situation of our results after a good or bad preparation for and performance in an exam. And, Prarabdh karma – a part of Sanchit Karma is the result of accumulated good or bad depending on the repercussions of the deed.
When a person helps someone get a well-paying job, the latter’s financial condition improves with good food, education and resultant improved lifestyle for the children and eventually future generations.
So, the overall resultant goodness over the years adds to the brownie points to bring fruits likewise. The same applies in reverse situations.
This story from the Mahabharat will help explain it. Highly grieved by the death of his 100 sons, Dhritarashtra lamented his luck since birth – being born blind and therefore the throne being passed on to his younger brother; he asked Lord Krishna what great harm could he have possibly caused to anyone knowingly in his state, to experience such a tragic loss. Krishna enabled him to regress to one of his previous births, numbering 50 and see for himself.
Dhritarashtra saw that he as a ruthless hunter who threw a blazing net over a tree with 100 birds, killing most of them and blinding some with this act – just for fun. He understood why he was born blind and why he lost 100 sons; but still wanted to know why he had to wait for 50 births to be punished thus, instead of immediately or in the birth after the act.
And Lord Krishna explained, he had to first accumulate that many good deeds as to get a hundred sons together which could happen only over many years and births. Only then could a befitting and justified punishment be meted out for his heinous sin.
So, we have to account for all our actions – both the good and the bad – there is no escape; and there is no scoring off or compensating to offset one for the other.