The concept of reward and punishment based on karmic deeds can be puzzling, as good people sometimes face trouble while evil individuals receive rewards. A story from the life of Sri Guru Nanak, a revered Saint and First Guru of Sikhs illustrates this dilemma. In a small town, there were two shopkeepers: one was a pious and helpful person, referred to as the Gurmukh, and the other was a mean and corrupt individual, known as the Manmukh. Every evening, the Gurmukh would visit Guru Nanak to listen to spiritual teachings, while the Manmukh would visit house of a prostitute. One day, as they followed their routines, an unexpected event occurred. The Gurmukh stepped on a thorn and injured his foot, while the Manmukh found a shining gold coin on the street. This incident caused a stir in the town, and the Gurmukh sought an explanation from Guru Nanak regarding the imbalance of rewards and punishments.
Guru Nanak provided insight into the situation, saying, “The person who found the gold coin had performed noble actions in a past life, deserving a substantial gold treasure as a reward. However, in his present life, his negative deeds nullified those merits. Consequently, his reward was reduced to just one gold coin. On the other hand, the Gurmukh had committed grave misdeeds in a previous life and was destined to be punished by hanging in his current life. However, due to his choice of goodness and virtuous living, his punishment gradually diminished with each act of kindness. Ultimately, he received a minor punishment in the form of a thorn piercing his foot.”
This phenomenon suggests that we experience rewards or punishments in our present life based on the karmic actions of our past. This cycle continues until all debts are repaid, leading to the attainment of Nirvana or supreme bliss. The following lines from Japuji Sahib in Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), the holy Sikh scripture, encapsulate this idea: “Virtue and vice do not come by mere words; actions repeated, over and over again, are engraved on the soul. You shall harvest what you plant. O Nanak, by the Order of God’s Command, we come and go in reincarnation” (Page 4, SGGS).
Guchi. (Motivation from Sikh Scriptures)
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