What Is Samvar?
Samvar means blocking or halting the inflow of karma.
Before karma can be shed (Nirjara), before we can be free, we must first stop new karma from entering.
But first, let’s clear up a major misconception.
If you’re thinking:
“Let me reduce my karma a little,” or
“I’ll try to avoid some karma,”
…that’s not Samvar. That’s psychological comfort, not spiritual truth.
In reality, no one truly wants to reduce karma, unless they genuinely want liberation (Moksha).
Only someone who yearns for Moksha will say:
“I don’t want to feel anger anymore.”
“I won’t be arrogant.”
“I will give up greed.”
So, the beginning of Samvar lies in this inner shift:
“I will not hold contempt for any living being.”
When you cultivate universal friendship, where:
- There is no disrespect, conflict, opposition, or hatred toward any living being,
- And every soul appears equal in your eyes…
Only then, does the intention to stop karma arise — and Samvar truly begins.
The Scale of Karma Binding: Mind, Speech, and Body
Let’s understand how karma binds:
| Mode | Karma Binding (%) |
|---|---|
| Body | 10% |
| Speech | 1,000% |
| Mind | Billions/Trillions % |
Karma primarily binds through the mind — not action or speech.
So how do we stop karma?
- Control the body → karma binding reduces
- Maintain silence → speech-related karma reduces
- Purify the mind → deep karma binding stops
With devotion, surrender, listening to spiritual wisdom, and fostering pure thoughts, we break karma at its source — the mind.
And just as the ratio of binding is 10:1,000:1,000,000…
The ratio for shedding is exactly the same.
The Analogy of the Polluted Lake
Imagine a filthy lake:
- Dead fish float on top
- Trash is dumped constantly
- It’s unhygienic, smelly, unusable
How would you clean it?
- Block the inflow of new dirty water
- Drain out the existing water
- Clean the lakebed
- Refill with fresh water
This is precisely what happens in the soul:
- Stop new karma (Samvar)
- Expel old karma (Nirjara)
- Cleanse the soul
If you don’t stop the inflow first, cleaning won’t work.
You’ll feel like you’re meditating, practicing austerities, yet… no spiritual progress.
Why?
Because karma keeps flowing in. Until you stop it, you cannot remove the old karma.
How to Practice Samvar in Daily Life
You might ask, “How can I stop karma practically?”
The answer is: Sāmāyik – the practice of equanimity and stillness.
Sāmāyik helps disconnect from:
- The five major sins: violence, lying, stealing, sexual misconduct, attachment
- The four passions: anger, pride, deceit, greed
- The five senses and their distractions
When you break these connections, karma has no entry point.
Think of a House Full of Dust
Your windows are open, and strong wind blows in dust. You keep sweeping, but dust keeps entering.
Solution?
- Close the windows (stop external contact)
- Turn off the fan (silence unnecessary activity)
- Then clean the room
That’s Samvar.
You stop the cause, then clear the effect.
Sāmāyik: The Gateway to Samvar
In Sāmāyik:
- You stop speaking to others
- You stop reacting to external noise
- You stop interacting with the material world
- You turn completely inward
You cut off all external “calls,” like placing your mind in airplane mode.
No more messages. No more distractions. Only one connection remains — with the soul.
Even if you fast for a whole day, but don’t stop karma from coming in — little is gained.
But just 48 minutes of deep Sāmāyik, with restraint and silence, brings immense spiritual benefit.
The Role of the 12 Reflections (Bar Bhavnas)
The foundation of Samvar is the 12 Bhavnas — the 12 meditative reflections on:
- Impermanence
- Helplessness
- The nature of the world
…and more
If you’ve missed those, go back and listen to Episodes on the 12 Bhavnas.
Each Bhavna breaks an inner karmic connection.
For example:
- Showing compassion during charity breaks karma billions of times more than the act of giving itself
- Practicing Vinay (reverence), even mentally, stops karma instantly
Final Takeaway
Samvar is the most important starting point on the path to liberation.
Before you try to shed karma (Nirjara), stop attracting new karma.
- First disconnect from the world
- Then, clean the soul
- And finally, allow the self to shine
No matter how much effort you put into spiritual practice —
If karma continues to enter, the results will remain elusive.
So your daily priority should be:
- Practice Sāmāyik
- Cut off external noise
- Connect only with the divine within
Like silencing a phone to avoid calls, you must silence the senses to avoid karma.
That silence, that disconnection — that is Samvar.