The doctrine of Karma
Following is the anugraha Bhashanam of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji upon arrival at the town of Namakkal in Tamil Nadu.
The Jagadguru said that we regard people related to us or our friends as those who will help us in times of difficulty. But the Shastras opine that a person’s true friend is none but himself — आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुः ātmaiva hyātmano bandhuḥ. The Shastras say that it is only one’s own Dharma that brings about some transformation in the situation. And the fruits of one’s own actions are beneficial only if the actions are Dharmic. Thus Dharma and Adharma are indeed man’s real friend and foe. And since both Dharma and Adharma are put forth into action by man, man is his own friend or foe. Hence one must never attribute one’s own joy or suffering to be the result of others but to one own’s actions.