Are devotees free from karma?

As devotees, we like to see ourselves as transcendental to karma. The truth is that most of us are not. Bad things happen to us and we can't honestly say we are not disturbed by them. What to do?

As devotees, we like to see ourselves as transcendental to karma. In fact, it's said that one who chants the holy names purely even once gets free from an unlimited quantity of sins, therefore one who chants 16 rounds of the Maha Mantra daily should be completely free of karma, right? Well, the truth is that most of us are not, and we can see it practically. Bad things still happen to us and in most cases, we can't honestly say that we don't feel disturbed by it. Such karmic reactions can even have adverse effects on our spiritual path if we can't digest them properly. It is said a devotee sees both good and bad as the mercy of Krsna, but we are not always on this level. Surely, if one chants purely there is no question of karma, but are we chanting purely?

To become free of karma is actually an important step in our spiritual process, as Krsna explains in the Bhagavad Gita (7.28): "Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination".

One who is still under the effects of karma and the three modes of nature will have great difficulty in keeping oneself stable in devotional service since the effects of karma, both good and bad, will continue distracting him in his efforts.

In the Bhagavad-Gita (18.54) Krsna mentions that real devotional service starts after the platform of brahma-bhuta, when we finally become free from the modes of material nature, and consequently free from karma. "One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me."

Of course, we can serve Krsna before attaining such a platform, but this is more like preliminary devotional service, that helps us to elevate ourselves to the platform of liberation, and not directly pure devotional service. We can say that our devotional service is practiced in three levels:

a) First we pass through a preliminary level, where we are trying to serve Krsna while still under the material modes. At this stage, our past karma is still active and we face all kinds of difficulties in our spiritual practice.

b) As we become stable in our devotional service and progress in our chanting, we reach the platform of liberation (brahma-bhuta). At this stage, the effects of our karma cease, and material desires are subdued.

c) After we attain the liberated platform, our practice progresses without impediments. If at this stage we can attain the association of pure devotees, we can finally attain pure love for Krsna, and serve Him in pure devotional service.

In the memories of Srila Prabhupada it's narrated at once when visiting a Kumba Mela festival, he observed that his disciples were not taking a bath in the Ganges. He asked why. A disciple answered that they thought it was not needed since they were already chanting Hare Krsna. Prabhupada disagreed, saying that bathing in the Ganga, especially in that auspicious moment would help them to improve their chanting.

Similarly, we need all the help we can get, therefore we should not minimize the importance of activities like visiting holy places, bathing in the Ganga and other holy rivers, and especially observing Ekadasi and other fasting or festival days. The scriptures are very clear on the power and importance of Ekadasi and how fasting on these days can help one quickly become free from karma and start progressing faster in spiritual life.

As Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-Gita (18.5), "Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up; they must be performed. Indeed, sacrifice, charity, and penance purify even the great souls."

For a neophyte, fasting on Ekadasi and observing other similar opportunities is a way to clear up his karma and gradually become free from the influence of the material modes, opening the path for quicker advancement in spiritual life, while for advanced devotees, who are already free from Karma, they are an opportunity to come close to Krsna. Therefore, as Krsna explains in the Bhagavad-Gita, we all have something to gain from it, and therefore these are opportunities that should not be wasted.

We should ask ourselves: how sincere we are in spiritual life, and how anxious are we to become free from the material shackles? Based on the answer we can think for ourselves and plan accordingly. There is a great opportunity available, but many of us are missing it.