“Aprārabdha”, “Kūṭa”, “Bīja” and Prārabdha

[Shaurya]

Hare Krsna Prabhuji

Dandavat Pranam

Prabhuji in Bhakti: The Art of Eternal Love, Chap 8, a book by Srila Prabhupada, Prabhupada explains the glories of devotional service. In the first section, a verse from Padma Purana is explained by Srila Prabhupada.

It is stated in the Padma Purāṇa that there are four kinds of effects due to sinful activities, which are listed as follows: (1) the effect which is not yet fructified, (2) the effect which is lying as seed, (3) the effect which is already mature, and (4) the effect which is almost mature. It is also stated that all these four effects become immediately vanquished for those who surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, and become engaged in His devotional service in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Those effects described as “almost mature” refer to the distress from which one is suffering at present, and the effects “lying as seed” are in the core of the heart, where there is a certain stock of sinful desires, which are like seeds. The Sanskrit word kūṭam means that they are almost ready to produce the seed, or the effect of the seed. “An immature effect” refers to the case where the seedling has not begun. From this statement of Padma Purāṇa it is understood that material contamination is very subtle. Its beginning, its fruition and results, and how one suffers such results in the form of distress, are part of a great chain. When one catches some disease, it is often very difficult to ascertain the cause of the disease, where it originated, and how it is maturing. The suffering of a disease, however, does not appear all of a sudden. It actually takes time. And as in the medical field, for precaution’s sake, the doctor injects a vaccination to prevent the growing of contamination, the practical injection to stop all the fructifications of the seeds of our sinful activities is simply engagement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

[Shaurya]

Here I am having some difficulty understanding, “(4) the effect which is almost mature”.

In the second paragraph, Srila Prabhupada writes, “The Sanskrit word kūṭam means that they are almost ready to produce the seed, or the effect of the seed.” and “Those effects described as “almost mature” refer to the distress from which one is suffering at present”.

The confusion is basically what is “almost mature reactions”. Is it “the distress a living entity suffering now” or “those will produce the seed”. If you could resolve this it would be helpful prabhuji.

The verse that Srila Prabhupada explains here can be found in a BG 9.2 Purport.

aprārabdha-phalaṁ pāpaṁ
kūṭaṁ bījaṁ phalonmukham
krameṇaiva pralīyeta
viṣṇu-bhakti-ratātmanām

For those who are engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, all sinful reactions, whether fructified, in the stock, or in the form of a seed, gradually vanish.

Prabhuji for a better understanding it would be helpful to understand the details of what is “Aprārabdha”, “Kūṭa”, “Bīja” and Prārabdha, referred to in the above verse. In the following post, you have very clearly explained Prārabdha. Just wanted to understand it with reference to others mentioned in this verse.

Would be grateful prabhuji if you could resolve.

YS

[Ashish Dalela]

I have explained karma so many times in so many ways that I have no motivation left to explain it anymore. You can search for those things and either be satisfied by what I have already explained or you can please ask this question to someone else.

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