JOIN USLike the law of karma, reincarnation and the concept of dharma, the notion is highly misunderstood and if for that reason alone, merits attention. Sai Baba of Shirdi on several occasions emphasised its importance as have many spiritual masters before and after.
One way of defining karma is action. But actions are not performed in isolation of a context or an environment within which they are located. Even if the purpose of these actions is not always clear to us (as actors), this does not obscure the fact that there is invariably intent behind every action we perform.
Actions invariably have an object or a destination to which they are targeted. Karma can be described as the law of cause and effect. Dharma on the other hand can be defined in multiple ways. In this context, it is best defined by the need to do what you are about.
Accordingly, the dharma of a thief lies in stealing; a teacher in teaching, a sanyasi in ego-renunciation and so on. In broader terms, it is legitimate to say that positive actions that contribute to creating harmony in the universe are dharma, while negative actions that destroy the natural harmony of the universe constitute adharma.
As one of the oldest Upanishads declare: "Verily, one becomes good by good action and bad by bad action."
Or, as the sacred Srimad Bhagvatam observes on the other hand: "Karma is the guru; nay, it is the Supreme Lord!" Baldly stated, the law mandates that the consequences every one of our numerous actions (from the insignificant to the most significant) is regulated in the manifested universe we live in.
The key to this process is self-identification to the action performed; the more we identify with the action, the more severe are the consequences of that identification. Ignorance of the workings of this cosmic law does not exculpate the doer from bearing its consequences. Every action performed by an individual creates a karma whose reaction will necessarily have to be experienced.
Such action - be it either mental or physical, subtle or tangible - creates a relationship or a binding karmic debt with the object of that action even if this might be just a thought. This relationship is known as runanubandhana. Contributions of positive energy in our actions create debts (runas) that are payable to us, while energies that we extract from others create debts for which we are liable.