VAIDIC LAW OF KARMA

Is there existence of next birth after death or does previous birth exist? There may be so many this kind of questions in one's mind. Some people say this is the first and last birth because we don't remember anything about our previous birth. Some say without knowing our past karmas how can be we motivated towards right direction only by bearing the fruits of those karmas as pleasure and pain.

If we know the action for what we are rewarded or punished then only there is some sense to accept the existence of rebirth otherwise there is no need to accept its existence.

Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati in his book Satyarth Prakash and others examined all these kind of arguments and established the truth with logic that rebirth exists because by seeing inequality, differences in the life of people by birth in the form of physical comforts/discomforts, learned pious parents/ uneducated ignorant parents, healthy physical state/poor physical status, different inclinations and hobbies etc. the cause of inequality can be inferred.

Either this inequality of mankind has a cause, or it is purely accidental. No sensible person would think of attributing this inequality to blind chance or pure accident.

Ishwara is Just and Impartial by His nature. He never discriminates Souls. He gives the fruit of past life actions to Souls with Justice in the form of JATI(life -state ), AAYU(life-period) & BHOG(life-experience). In this way we can infer the existence of past karmas of previous birth.

Therefore using the" Evidence of Inference" existence of re-birth is proved, means Soul acquires another physical body after he has left an existing materialistic body. Our present is a result of our entire past, and again with our accomplishments in the present, we shall be moving to the next life. As much we become aware of this fact, so much we become aware of our present actions and future plannings.

Definition of Karma

An extraordinary effort, done by the soul with body, mind and both kind of senses for attaining pleasures and to get rid of pains is called Karm .( Aryodeshyaratnamala- No.48). According to the law of Karma, sooner or later we have to reap what we have sown. It is not possible that any action goes in waste without giving its fruit to the doer.

Classification

Karmas can be classified in different ways---

1 . Punya Karmas –Virtuous deeds are those which are done with good intention and produce positive and satisfying fruits, such as giving charity with purity, to speak truth etc. Actions, which make us grow as well as the society and help us to experience real contentment, peace, happiness and fearlessness are called good deeds.

2 . Paap Karmas - Sinful or bad actions are done with bad intention and by which other suffer unjustly such as, stealing, telling lies etc. Bad actions are evil and produce negative and bear painful fruits.

Additionally, Actions, which degrade us and the society and lead us to experience negativity like fear , doubt, shame, restlessness etc. are called Paap Karmas.

3. Mixed Karmas- Mixed Karmas are mixture of some Punya(Virtuous acts) and some Paap Karmas (Sinful acts), such as in the process of farming one gets a good harvest but at the same time some creatures are killed.

When action is good but intention is bad and vice-versa, then also the karma is said to be ‘Mixed Karma’. The actions of average people are mixed , black and white, and produce mixed results.

4. Nishkaam Karmas- The Punya-Karmas done with the intention of attaining Salvation only, without having even a trace of worldly desire and attachment to worldly results, and are executed with equanimous state of mind and total surrenderance to Ishwara are called Nishkaam Karmas.

The second way of classification

1.KRIYAMAAN KARMAS( Karmas in progress) - These Karmas are those which are being done in the present time.

2. SANCHIT KARMAS (Stored or Latent Karmas)- Karmas, which have been performed and awaiting fruit of action.

3. PRARABDH KARMAS ( Mature Karmas , Bhagya , Luck, Fortune, Fate, Destiny) -

Are the karmas, which have completed their gestation period and have ripened that their rewards have begun. A ripened part of Sanchit karmas, which has started to give its fruit in the form of Life state, Life period and Life experience in one’s life by birth is called Prarabdh.

Past karmas those are now fructifying to give Jaati (Kind of life i.e., Human life, anminal , tree plant etc.), Aayu (Life span i.e., how long we live in the life) and Bhog (kind of pleasure i.e., rich or poor, and levels of comfort offered in the life by birth).

Third way of classification

- How actions are performed

1.KRIT KARMA (कृत कर्म) – Actions , which I do myself

2. KAARIT KARMA (कारित कर्म )- Actions, which I get them done by others

3. ANUMODIT KARMA (अनुमोदित कर्म)- Actions, which I approve of them when they are done by others either expressly or silently.

Some common questions regarding Law of Karma are covered below—

Question.1 We feel good after performing good karma . Is that feeling of goodness, the fruit of that good karma ? And vice versa.

Answer: No, feeling good or bad inside is merely response or reaction to those karmas. It is not the fruit/Phal of those actions. Fruit of those karmas which couldn’t be justly obtained in the world’s court is given by Ishwara. Karma can’t give it’s fruit by itself, as the result of examination cannot be declared by the answers itself. An intelligent, experienced examiner evaluates the answers properly same way the evaluation of karma is done by Almighty.

Question.2 Whatever kind of pain , trouble and problem come in our life, are they fruit of our past karmas?

For instance - If a drunk driver hits a man, following all the rules...

(a) Is that suffering outcome of man’s past karmas? (b) Is Ishwara the instigator and the driver is an instrument?

Answer(a) : No, all are not the fruit of our past Karmas. Because the soul is a free agent to do deeds. The soul is free to act according to its capacity. Pain experienced in accident is not the fruit of person’s past actions, however it is result ( reaction) of driver’s bad action. It is called injustice . Driver will get his karma phal as punishment either by Court or by Ishwara. If every suffering is fruit of our past karmas, then everything is JUSTICE and existence of INJUSTICE word is invalid.

Answer(b) : No, Ishwara is not the instigator. If Ishwara had sent driver to punish that man- he should have been rewarded not jailed!

Question 3. Does Ishwara forgive the sins committed ?

Answer : No, If Ishwara is to forgive the sins , His law of justice would be destroyed , and all men would become most sinful. Knowing that their sins will be forgiven, they will become fearless. One who has done anything in ignorance or purposely or in full senses , will have to face the consequences. In Ishwara ‘s justice one has to receive the fruits of his deeds, it is certain and cannot be changed or altered in any condition. By confession or repenting, one improves oneself and gets inspiration to rectify oneself and in future he will be more conscious about his deeds. By confession or repenting , one can be free from mental impurity.

Question 4. Does soul liberate for infinite time period?

Answer : Lastly, one more Vaidic Karma Siddhant should be understood that Period of Libration is equal to one hundred years of Ishwara.

Soul doesn't liberate for the infinite time period. Superficially it is said that Soul librates for the infinite time. But factually the real period of salvation is as it has been calculated below. In the daily Sandhya Meditation we pray Ishwara to give us strength to live this very human life for hundred years obeying Him, experiencing Him and helping others to become able to live in the same way. When we successfully burning our negativities, ignorance complete our life journey obeying Him perfectly in our mental, verbal and physical level of actions then Ishwara liberates us for the period which is equivalent to His one hundred years, equal to period of Creation and Dissolution for thirty six thousand times.

One creation is regarded as" Braham Divas", one day of Ishwara which is equal to 4320 million years and same period of time is fixed for the state of dissolution of creation which is called" Braham Ratri", one night of Ishwara.

Braham Diwas= 4320 million years(4 arab and 32 crore varsh ) , Braham Ratri = 4320 million years, One day and night of Ishwara= 8640 million years, One month of Ishwara = 30 *8640 million years, One year of Ishwara= 12*30*8640 million years , One hundred years of Ishwara = 12*30*100*8640 million years=311 trillion & 40 billion years (31 neel 10 kharab and 40 arab varsh )= Period of Moksha.

Maharishi Dayanand Saraswati in the 9th chapter of "Light of Truth" logically proved the fact that Soul can't be liberated for the infinite time period. For the logical detailed discussion on this point, please refer to the 9th chapter of "Light of truth".

It is clearly mentioned by Maharishi Dayanand Ji in his below mentioned Commentary on RIGVED 1.24.2 as well,

अग्नेर्वयं प्रथमस्यामृतानां मनामहे चारु देवस्य नाम । स नो मह्या अदितये पुनर्दात्पितरं च दृशेयम् मातरं च ॥ ऋग- (1 . 24 .2)

भावार्थ : हे मनुष्यों हम लोग जिस अनादि स्वरुप सदा अमर रहने वाले वा जो हम सब लोगों के किये पाप और पुण्यों के अनुसार यथायोग्य सुख दुःख फल देने वाले जगदीश्वर देव को निश्चय करते और जिसकी न्याययुक्त व्यवस्था में पुनर्जन्म को प्राप्त होते हैं । तुम लोग भी उसी देव को जानो किन्तु इससे और कोई उक्त कर्म करने वाला नहीं है ऐसा निश्चय हम लोगों को है कि वही मोक्षपदवी को पहुंचे हुए जीवों को भी महाकल्प के अन्त में फिर पाप पुण्य की तुल्यता से पिता,माता और स्त्री आदि के बीच में मनुष्य जन्म धारण कराता है।

PURPORT: The supreme Ishwara, the foremost adorable and just, whose auspicious name we meditate on, gives us next birth and on the completion of liberation period, due to equal ratio of good and bad deeds gives us human birth again, so that we will be born again to see a father and a mother.

With the above mentioned evidence and logics given in the " Light of Truth " it can be understood that same as the cycle of death and birth , for souls there is the cycle of bondage and salvation too. Only Ishwara is ever free and ever devoid of all afflictions and nescience. Eternal Soul's Karmas are Cyclic Eternal by nature.( कर्म प्रवाह से अनादि है।) (Light of Truth)

When vices wax and virtue wane, the soul of a man assumes a lowlier body of lower animals. When virtues predominate over vices, the soul takes up a noble body , i.e , of a learned man. When vices and virtues are equal, the soul is born as an ordinary man. Even in human lives, there are gradations, high grade, intermediate grade and low grade, according to the nature of actions. When the punishment for excessive sins has been suffered in animals lives, the soul come back to the life of an average man; similarly, when the fruit of excessive virtue has been enjoyed, the soul comes again to the body of an average man.

And when ignorance and tendency of Sakama Karma is burnt it gets liberated for 311 trillion and 40 billion years. —NINTH CHAPTER, LIGHT OF TRUTH (सत्यार्थ प्रकाश)