Sadhguru, the founder of Isha Foundation, taught a principle in Inner Engineering that deeply inspired me: “My responsibility is limitless.”This idea means that although our actions are limited, our ability to respond is limitless. Responsibility is not only about what we do, but also about how we relate to others—our family, friends, and even strangers. When people harm others, it is often because they do not see them as part of their responsibility. Therefore, understanding that our responsibility is limitless can change the way we see and treat the world.
Sadhguru also explained the idea of karma through a simple story. One day, a king suddenly slapped his minister, who then slapped the person standing behind him. The chain continued as each person slapped the next one. Three days later, the king’s wife slapped him in the palace. The action had eventually returned to its origin. This story shows that our actions often come back to us in unexpected ways.
I experienced a similar lesson in my own life. One day I asked a stranger to take a photo for me with a Polaroid camera. When the picture came out blurry, I immediately blamed her for taking a bad photo. However, when another person helped me take a photo and the result was still blurry, I realized the real problem was my camera setting—there was not enough light. I felt ashamed for blaming the stranger so quickly. This experience made me realize how easily we blame others without examining our own action.
This experience helped me understand karma and responsibility more deeply. When we blame others, we avoid looking at our own role in a situation. However, when we take responsibility for our response, we become more aware of our thoughts and actions. As Sadhguru teaches, “My responsibility is limitless” does not mean we cause everything that happens, but that we can always choose how we respond. By taking responsibility for our response, we can live with greater awareness, compassion, and maturity.
