Are we born in this world with a clean slate ? Do we arrive here with the mistakes of our past lives forgotten ?
Common sense tells us that it is likely to be so.
However, from an understanding of Vedanta, it appears that is not the case.
Our souls are pure – scratchless. Nothing on earth and in heaven can move even an atom of our soul, as Swami Vivekananda put it so eloquently.
However, when we choose to be manifested in a mortal form, then our soul has a layer of mortality attached to it, which is not immutable, but can only be resolved through the process of Karma. Every action, thought and step of ours, in this world, leaves a Karmic footprint. Depending on whether that action is dharmic or not, the Karmic balance is positive or negative.
Therefore, in conclusion, when we are manifested mortally, every life we live and every action we do, leaves an entry in our Karmic ledger. The Karmic ledger is nothing but an imaginary ledger where every action of ours contributes to a positive Karma or negative Karma, depending on the motivation of the action.
So, nothing is forgotten and everything has to be accounted for.
