In Chapter 28 of the *Guru Charitra*, an important teaching is given — the Karma Vipāka Siddhānta, the principle that every action produces a precise result for the soul. In today’s world, such ideas may appear outdated or restrictive, but this is the nature of Kali Yuga — social conditions change, yet the laws of the universe remain unchanged. Modern society has discarded the old varṇa system; anyone today may pursue any profession or skill. This is appropriate for the age. However, even if society rejects these structures, the subtle laws of karma, recorded by Chitragupta, never change. Thus whatever actions a person performs—good or bad—their results inevitably shape future circumstances, opportunities, joys, and sufferings.
A story from the *Guru Charitra* describes how Śrī Guru called to a passing man. The man replied humbly, “I am from a lower caste.” In ancient times, Brahmins alone recited the Vedas, not due to privilege, but because they were believed to possess the purity of body, mind, speech, and discipline required for sacred work. Śrī Guru instructed two Brahmins to draw seven lines on the ground, applied sacred ash to the man, and asked him to cross each line. As he crossed them, memories of previous births awakened: after the first line, he recalled being born in a forest tribe; the second, a boatman; the third, a wanderer without caste identity; the fourth, a merchant named Somadatta; the fifth, a Kshatriya named Govardhana; the sixth, a Brahmin scholar in his next birth. Śrī Guru then asked him to discuss the Vedas with the Brahmins. This episode reveals a profound truth: the soul travels through many births according to its karma.
The man asked, “If I was once a Brahmin, why am I born lower today?” Śrī Guru replied: “This is Karma Vipāka — the ripening of one’s actions. Whatever you performed earlier created the conditions of this birth.” The principle *Ha Khel Prārabdha cha ki Pūrva-Sanchitacha* explains that as society abandoned the old varṇa structure, people’s actions became increasingly mixed — neither purely disciplined nor wholly immoral. Good actions often require generations of continuity to bear fruit, whereas harmful actions may reveal their results only after several births. Because of these long spans, people fail to see the connection between cause and effect and assume karma does not exist. Scripture warns strongly against moral corruption; hence *Guru Charitra* exalts chastity, purity, and viewing all other women as mother, which protects one’s lineage from suffering.
The *Guru Charitra* states that even a Brahmin loses spiritual merit when he abandons parents or Guru, lies, steals, misuses learning, breaks vows, neglects worship, speaks ill of the Guru, or behaves without discipline. Such conduct brings suffering and may manifest as tuberculosis, skin diseases, gland disorders, anaemia, and more. *Śānti Parva* describes which karmas lead to which births among the 8.4 million species — one who steals becomes a camel, one who misuses hidden wealth becomes miserable, one who looks lustfully at another’s spouse becomes diseased in the eyes, and so on.
If someone commits wrong actions, *Guru Charitra* prescribes remedies such as making donations to worthy Brahmins, offering gold, performing Guru-sevā, going on river pilgrimages, practising prāṇāyāma, fasting, and chanting sacred mantras like Gāyatrī, Purusha Sūkta, Tri-Madhu, and Pavamāna. Some vows include eating only a handful of food daily or living on milk or air for a set period. If a husband or wife commits an error, both must perform the atonement, as marriage binds their karmas together.
Śrī Guru teaches that the soul must experience karmic results through the body — pleasure, pain, disease, old age, and death are embodied experiences. Until the present body’s destiny is exhausted, its karmas cannot be altered. At conception, body and soul become united; therefore purification of the soul must occur through bodily practices. Śrī Guru illustrates this through the story of Viśvāmitra, who purified and transformed his body through intense austerity and solar heat, becoming a *Brahmarshi*. Such transformations, however, are exceedingly rare.
The *Guru Charitra* summarises the cosmic law clearly: Your actions shape your future births. Your present birth reflects past karmas. Universal laws do not change, even if society changes. Therefore every person must consciously choose noble actions and uphold purity of thought, word, and deed. Even if the world behaves differently today, the laws of karma remain eternally the same.