By failing to grasp the nature of karma (action) and not seeking the path of Dharma (virtue), man is making himself remote from Brahman (Supreme Being).
For the performance of karma, the body is the primary instrument. It is through right karma that one understands Dharma (righteousness). The Karma Kanda (branch dealing with action and its reaction) of the Vedas (ancient revelations of spiritual knowledge) indicates how the primary goals of life are to be realised by the performance of sacramental duties –Sandhyavandanam (daily worship of Sun God), yajna (sacrifical rite) and yaga (ceremonial sacrifice). Even as birth is related to karma, karma to Dharma, and Dharma to Brahman, the mother, the father, Guru and God are related to the individual. The mother indicates the father. The father leads one to the Guru (preceptor). The Guru shows the way to realise God. All the four are fundamental to one’s life. The mother comes first because she bears the travail of carrying and giving birth to the child. Hence, the Upanishad urged: Matru Devo Bhava (Regard the mother as God). Then comes the father, who takes the child to a proper Guru for the acquisition of jnana (spiritual wisdom).
The primary duty of the Guru is to show the path to God-realisation. Prahlada declared: ‘Only the Guru who teaches about God is worth the name’. True Gurus are those who show what are the true purposes of life and how they should be realised. The Guru is one who dispels the darkness of ignorance by leading one to the light of knowledge of the Good, the True and the Eternal. The Guru should demonstrate to the student that beyond the changing forms and names of the phenomenal world there is a Divinity that is permanent and unchanging. (SSS Vol.16, pp. 41-42)
The Karma Kanda reveals that the Law of Karma affects everything that has a body and not merely human beings alone. For instance, even the Trinity –Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra – cannot avoid the consequences of karma. By their actions they are demonstrating this truth to the world. For instance, like a potter, Brahma is continuously creating things in this Cosmos. This is the unceasing work. Why is he involved in this? Because he has a distinct body. Assuming the body for performing karma and discharging his Dharma (righteousness) through his karma, he is setting an example to the world.
Vishnu comes down in human form whenever Dharma declines on the earth and is in danger of extinction. Facing the censure of the wicked, punishing evil-doers and protecting the good and the innocent, and receiving the praise of the devotees, Vishnu is carrying out His duty of protecting Dharma and reforming mankind. It may be asked, ‘Why should Vishnu go through this ordeal as the protector of Dharma?’ It is no ordeal. It is only a demonstration of the duties that are related to the assuming of a certain form. Ishvara (Shiva) covers Himself with Vibhuti (sacred ash), dwells in the burial ground and subjects Himself to various rigorous disciplines. Thus even Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara, by their actions, have been setting an example to mankind as to how to make human life purposeful. (SSS Vol.16, pp. 43-44)