Every action has an equal and opposite reaction
This law states that every action you exert has a result. Good actions lead to sweet fruits, whereas bad/negative actions lead to bitter results—or do they? A lot of times, it helps with no proper result of your action. Living honestly, e.g., happily, is often interrupted by a good guy. You never know what the problem is.
This is commonly known as karma. Karma is also a huge element in the unseen bonds triggered by every movement that occurs in reality. Every action performed in our reality sets off a chain reaction. That chain sets off a pattern of fruits/results. These fruits are called karmic threads. Until fulfilled, these karmic threads cannot be snapped. The threads always sting—meaning you cannot escape karma. Karma might strike as soon as you perform your action or often after a long time. For example, when you slap someone, they instantly slap you back most of the time because they might also “wait” for the right moment in the future and then slap you. Sometimes, the person might not slap you.
The result of your actions might not come straight from the victim of your actions. You might receive the fruits for your actions through other sources, though. For example, after the slap, you walk back home, while eating, you stub your toe. This might be the result of your actions. In the same way, the result of your hard work might not reach you now, but it eventually will. Thus, keep working hard.
In terms of Moksha, karma is an enemy. The more karmic threads you have, the lesser the chance you have of attaining moksha. Karmic threads, both good and bad, prevent you from attaining moksha. It is like the velcro on a blanket that binds you to Maya (the illusion). This can be visualized like debt. The more you owe someone, the less freedom you have. The more karmic dues you owe, the more you run behind them to pay. We say that both positive & negative karmic threads hold you back from attaining Moksha.
The only solution to free yourself from all karmic threads is Nishkama Karma—detach yourself from all exercises/work without expecting or even wanting the fruits of your actions.
“Karmanye vadhikaraste
Ma phaleshu kadachana
Ma karma phalahetur bhur
Ma te sango ‘stv akarmani“
You might wonder if you can just detach yourself from work altogether because that way, you won’t get results and no karmic threads. But no, this isn’t detachment. It’s ignorance.
Your karmic threads stick to you, following you to your following janmas (births). You continue to take birth in maya until you clean yourself from all karmic threads. This can be done by offering all your work & results to God. This way, he will receive all the results, the karmic threads. This can’t be done by just doing it physically. Your intentions have to be pure too.
But remember, killing a butterfly is as much a sin as killing a human or a mosquito. You are killing souls, not bodies. So next time, think twice before killing any organism.
