Ethics Series 4: Mano Vakkaya Karmalu

The thrikaranas mentioned in shastras are Manas (what one thinks), Vakku (what one speaks) and Karma (what one does). It is not unusual for humans to think some thing, say something else and do something completely different. That is what makes an individual ordinary. The real extraordinary people are those who have thrikarana sudhi, ie., all three karanas in agreement and in agreement with the righteousness. Of course the other extreme is the extreme wicked who also have all three karanas in agreement but in agreement with most wicked thing.

What it takes to have the thrikarana sudhi? Firstly one should have stark belief in the righteousness and virtue of righteousness. Then one should have strong hold on Manas which is pretty wavering material and always dragging individual towards mundane temptations and other wrong deeds. Then one should have courage to utter the right thing with out fear in front of any one in the world. Lastly one should have the will power to execute the right deed even if it has many thorns in the path.

Only those who have got the execution of the entirety of above process qualify for thrikarana sudhi. As one can easily see it does not come easily. First challenge is knowing what is right. We get easily carried away by emotions, circumstances, presumptions etc., and discard what is right and choose what is easy. Then comes challenge of convincing the manas/heart and directing it to think of good thoughts only. It is not an art that is easy to master. Many of us get carried away by mundane temptations. Also other aspect here is as there is no one who can witness what thinks, people don’t have fear factor on this aspect as one has on vakku and karma. They tend to ignore there is a sakshi called God. The challenges in attainment of vaksudhi is fear for what others feel or apprehension that others might get offended or scare that others might ridicule us for being non-contemporary. Also some people get carried away by emotion and utter all non-sense in that state. The execution of the act that is well thought and well spoken/promised gets most times hampered by the lack of will power. The action might require giving up time from enjoyment or going overboard facing hurdles. Many people usually shy away from coming out of comfort zone in doing the right karma.

Uttama purusha is the one who has conformity of thought, word and action. Madhyama purusha is the one who has good thought but fails in speaking it out or acting it out. Adhama purusha is the one who has bad thoughts and knows thatthey are bad butfails to control them. Adhamadhama purusha is the one who has bad thoughts but thinks and argues that they are right.