The Law of Karma - Part 2

Discussion in 'Chitvish on Hindu Culture & Vedanta' started by Chitvish, Feb 8, 2007.

  1. Surya

    Surya Senior IL'ite

    Messages:
    121
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    23
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear Chitra,

    Yesterday itself I read the law of karma part 2, but was waiting to read other members doubts and your replies. On reading laws of karma part 1 & 2 one thing is clear that only we have to accept the law and if we try to understand we end up only with lot of confusions. I understand and accept that whatever i get now is the result of my past deeds. But I have a question, may be it is silly, please bear with me. If I commit a mistake and later I realize it and regret and pray the god whole heartedly asking to forgive me for my mistake, will he forgive me or still I need to suffer for my mistake? Is suffering the only way to wash off our papams? I have some more questions, I will ask those questions later.

    Regards,
    Kodi.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2007
    1 person likes this.
  2. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    33,566
    Likes Received:
    3,756
    Trophy Points:
    490
    Gender:
    Female
    My dear Sihi,
    Thanks for joining us in this thread.
    Whatever I write now is within the limited scope of my knowledge on the points you have raised.
    Vrathams are mainly observed more for self discipline & diverting our mind to spritual pursuits. They cannot nullify the bad karmas, we have done.
    Now, let me put it this way. Suppose in our karmas, there are
    10 negative deeds, equal to -10
    15 positive deeds, equal to +15
    In mathematical calculation, this result comes as as +5, right?
    But according to the Law of Karma, the result is different. Each minus has to be eliminated by going through them.
    You are right when you say that we do yagnas etc more to help us go through the stressful period smoothly with faith in God. Our strength of mind is reinforced and we learn to accept everything as the fructification of our karmas. We learn to give up adharmic pursuits as well, having suffered enough. Atleast we ought to !
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
  3. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    33,566
    Likes Received:
    3,756
    Trophy Points:
    490
    Gender:
    Female
    My dear Radha,
    You have made a correct analysis & come out with the right conclusion.
    We must teach our children the correct values of life & make sure they do not stray away from the path of virtue under any cicumstamces.
    Thanks for the F b.
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
  4. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    33,566
    Likes Received:
    3,756
    Trophy Points:
    490
    Gender:
    Female
    My dear Kodi,
    Thanks for your F B.
    You have raised a very valid doubt. When we have the powerful weapon of
    " free will", we cannot just get away with doing wrong things & praying for forgiveness. We pray for forgiveness for things done "unknowingly" by us.
    No action goes unnoticed in the Universal account. The intensity may be low, is what I feel.
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
    1 person likes this.
  5. Lavanya

    Lavanya Bronze IL'ite

    Messages:
    785
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Gender:
    Female
    Mrs.C,
    Thought provoking discussion as usual... Couples of things going thru' my li'l mind ...
    -if this is kaliyuga & the last one what happens next? does everything start from the first whatever/however that was?

    -what about other animate beings in the universe - plants, animals & everything in between? do they go thru' something similar? or were they beings with 'free will' & chose a bad path to get demoted to beings with 'no free will' or 'no soul'?

    -what about self defense against creatures with or without souls? is a good karma or bad? i understand that all our lives are entwined...

    -what about people belonging to other religions? i understand that anyone can be a good Hindu...as the origins of it is actually called 'Sanatana Dharma' & was corrupted to be called Hinduism/Hindus by the British when they referred to people of the Indus land.

    -so whats the equivalent of rapture for us, if there's any?

    -if you dedicate the fruits of the action to the Lord then shouldn't we be free of this unseen web? what about 'men of god' who pray for salvation... aren't they seeking some result from their actions? then how can their actions be pure?

    i'm not questioning what you've said, but i would like to know if anyone can shed light on these issues... learning is a life long process & i hope to learn something new everyday.
    L.
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    33,566
    Likes Received:
    3,756
    Trophy Points:
    490
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear Lavanya,
    Let me answer each part separately, to the extent I know.

    There are 4 yugas-Dvapara, Treta Krita & Kali. After each yuga, dissolution (pralayam) takes place & the next yuga starts. Everything goes to the unmanifest form & evolution starts all over again. I will explain this in detail when we discuss Karana Sariram. But just remember that matter can never be destroyed, but only goes into the unmanifest form.

    Only a human being is "programmed" & has free will. The animals etc will not go through a similar experience.

    If our karma is very bad we will go through various births such as animals, insects etc. Thus we exhaust all our negative karmas. If there is still good karma in our account, we will be born human again.

    I am not competent to talk about other religions.
    As far as I know, rapture means ultimate bliss or self realisation in Hindu religion.

    Men of God - saints do not pray for themselves, but for humanity. Thee is no selfishness in their actions as in ours.
    Even if we offer all our actions at the feet of the Lord, we cannot escape karma. Whatever is sown will have to be reaped in some janma - this is "unescapable" !

    I hope, I have not confused you, Lavanya !
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
    1 person likes this.
  7. Lavanya

    Lavanya Bronze IL'ite

    Messages:
    785
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Gender:
    Female
    You sure haven't confused me... I will wait to read Karana Sariram. Being an "eco-lover" in a sense, I cannot understand the part where animals & plants are not part of the "big plan". Our sole existence depends on them & I'm sure we can communicate with most if not all of them when our minds are trained well. Unfortunately as far as I've heard/read religions do not pay much attention to life forms other than humans - this makes me sad. It also makes people narrow minded in that sense... pls. forgive me if I have hurt anyone's feelings or concepts... its jus an observation from 1 creature on this planet. Also the other concept that is still vague for me is people of different faiths... if everything is His design then there's a reason for this diversity & there should also be a unifying thread amongst us all.
    Anyway thanks for your efforts in clarifying my questions.
    L.
     
    1 person likes this.
  8. gayathriar

    gayathriar Bronze IL'ite

    Messages:
    961
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Gender:
    Female
    Excellent write-up, great questions and of course very thought provoking answers. I would like to echo Vidya's opinion of your service in clarifying our doubts.

    The concept of re-birth and the law of Karma together indeed provide answer to our misery and motivate us to perfrom good deeds. The idea that the suffering is a means of exhausting bad deeds would help everybody to face suffering with hope. Many thanks for sowing this thought - This in intself is a great motivation to do good deeds unlike thoughts that the punyam performed will help the subsequent generations...

    What if everybody exhausted their bad deeds and all living beings have pure and noble thoughts - would that end creation( or transformation from one form to another )???
     
  9. Chitvish

    Chitvish Moderator IL Hall of Fame

    Messages:
    33,566
    Likes Received:
    3,756
    Trophy Points:
    490
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear Gayathri,
    That you are reading old posts makes me happy & gives me a sense of fulfillment, can't help saying it !
    You have asked

    What if everybody exhausted their bad deeds and all living beings have pure and noble thoughts - would that end creation( or transformation from one form to another )???

    Well, one attains liberation & there will not be any more janma for him.
    The two examples I can think of are Mahperiyaval & Ramana maharishi.
    Thanks for your F B.
    Love,
    Chithra.
     
  10. revathy45

    revathy45 Bronze IL'ite

    Messages:
    130
    Likes Received:
    25
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Gender:
    Female
    Dear Chitraji,
    'I learn that neither the world nor God determines my future,but my own actions alone determine my future'.
    Is it incorrect to think that there is something that prompts to do every act that we do (right or wrong)and that force can be believed to be GOD!
    love,
    Revathy.
     
    1 person likes this.

Share This Page