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https://www.savetemples.org/post/ghhf-karma-theory-relevance-to-the-modern-corrupt-society/642

Do the Actions have Consequences?

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan offers insight into how karma works in terms of one’s own choice.

Life is like a game of bridge. We did not invent the game or design the cards. We did not frame the rules and we cannot control the dealings. The cards are dealt out to us, whether they be good or bad. To that extent, determinism rules. But we can play the game well or play it badly. A skillful player may have a poor hand and yet win the game. A bad player may have a good hand and yet make a mess of it. Our life is a mixture of necessity and freedom, chance and choice. By exercising our choice properly, we can control steadily all the elements and altogether determinism by nature. (The Bhagavad Gita. London: Allen and Unwin, 1948)

            It is important to know how and what action you should undertake when faced with a situation to act. We have a choice to make. Just like a player in Bridge game, we are givenfreedom to select the options given in life. Our Vasanastend toinfluence the choice based our own Sanchita karmas. Karma can be accumulated with one’s own actions.Our actions are also interlinked to the actions and interactions of other people.Our actionsare in response to other’s actions or vice versa. These actions may yield consequences either in this life or in the future life. For example, one studies studiously for the exam, the result is seen in few months. He will be rewarded with passing the exam. One would fail if he did not take it seriously and did not prepare for the exam.You pass the traffic lightand if you are driving a car at a very high speed; the result would be immediate.

            There are actions thatare performedin conjunction with other people knowingly or unknowingly.Some one in higher position asks you to perform a certain task. Depending on whether that task is moral or not, you will reap the consequences either immediately or aftersome time or in future lives. Because of our friendshipswe may reap the benefits or incur the losses or punishments.Hence the saying that you know a person by knowing the companyhe keeps.

            Sometimes it is the environment or circumstances that may cause you to experience the consequences even without your own fault.A tornado may hit your home causing untold damage to the property or your own life. It is not that you worked for it or expected. But you cannot avoid the influence of nature. A drunk driver may hit you when you stopped at the red light, or a terrorist explodes a grenade causing severe damage.

            Our own actions, actions of other people, or natural calamities, would have consequences. Even without your own fault, you may have to pay the consequences. But our actions have consequences irrespective of our awareness. Hence you cannot say all the consequences are the result of your own actions.

Individual action has Consequences

            Here is an example of the consequences of an individual action. Once a king ordered his three ministers to take a bag and go to the forest and fill up the bag with fruits.

The first ministertook it seriouslyand thought that since the king had ordered to collect the fruits, he went to the forest and filled the bag with the best of the fruits.

The second minister thought that since the king is a very busy person, he may not even look at what is in the bagverythoroughly. Thus,he collected whatever he could lay his hands. His bag was filled up with a mixture of good and rotten fruits.

The third minister thought that the king would look at how big the bag is, and hedecided to fill the bag with all dried leaves and dust.

All the three ministers returned to the court with their respective filled up the bags, having executed the King’s order of collecting the fruits.

The King, without even seeing what their bags contained, just ordered that now the three ministers must be sent to separate jails for three months, where they will not be provided with any food and they were only allowed to carry the respective bags wherein they had collected the fruits.

The first minister could spend the three months in the jail by eating the very nice fruits he had collected.

The second one could survive for some time with the good fruits in the bag and later he developed diseases by eating the rotten fruits he had collected.

The Third minister had nothing to eat and hence could not survive.

This example shows the consequences of one’s own actionin one life.One cannot escape the consequences one’s own actions. Good and bad, everything you do, you reap the reward or punishment without doubt. It is a matter of time.
 

Karma from Mahabharat – Why Dhritarashtra lost all his sons in War.

After the war, Dhritarashtra wanted to know why he lost all his 100 sons in the battlefield. He asked Lord Krishna as to why he met with such a disastrous loss even though he did not remember to have committed any such horrible crimes during his present lifetime.

Lord Krishnaobliged, out of respect and sympathy for him gracefully bestowed divine vision on Dhritarashtra,the power to visualize what he might have done in his previous lives. To his surprise, Dhritarashtra discovered that he was a hunterof birds about fifty births back.He once threw his burning net on a tree causing hundred small baby birds to be entrapped and burnt to ashes, while the remaining big birds flew away but they became blind due to the scorching heat of the burning net.

On account of effect of this horrible sinful deed, Dhritarashtra became and remained blind all throughout his present life.  He also lost his 100 sons in the battle. Dhritarashtra wondered and further inquired Lord Krishna as to why that wanton and sinful act did not immediately rebound on him to punish him in the same birth or the next birth, and why it remained dormant as Sanchita Karma for such a long period of fifty lifetimes.

Lord Krishna smiled and replied that his past sinful deed had to wait for an opportune time up to 50 births during which time he could earn and accumulate enough pious deeds to merit him to be eligible to get a hundred sons in one lifetime so that his previous sinful Sanchita Karma could instantaneously confront him with the effects of his evil action.

Thus, nobody can escape or avoid the punishment for his sinful actions even after 50 or five hundred births. Of course, the sinful deeds will remain latent and dormant as Sanchita Karmas waiting for the opportune time to confront the person… Such is the power of karma…

Why Draupati had five husbands.

            As we discussed that our karmashave consequences. Karama can be the result of our thoughts, intentions, desires and actions. In the case of Draupati, it is her desire to have a husband with certain qualities. As the story goes thatshe was Indra Sena’s wife of King Moudgalya. He died very early due to leprosy denying Indra Senathe marital bliss. She worshipped Lord Shiva to grant her wish to have a husband with five unique qualities. Shive told her that it is impossible to have all these qualitiesin one man. But she insisted on having a husband with these qualities. Those qualities were as follows:
(1) He should be symbol of Dharma
(2) He should be strong as Vayu
(3) He should skilled in Archery as God Parasurama
(4) He should be intelligent as Deva Guru Brihaspati
(5) He should be the most handsome man

In next life she had five husbands representing the five qualities.
(1) Yudhisthira is symbol of Dharma
(2) Bhima is strong as Vayu
(3) Arjuna is skilled in Archery as God Parasurama
(4) Sahadeva is most intelligent as Deva Guru Brihaspati
(5) Nakula is most handsome among all.

The lesson is that we should be very careful in asking what we want. We have ample evidence to prove that whenever we go to the Temples, have darshan of divine personalities, and do pujas, we do request them to bless us with the fulfilment of our personal desires. We also tend to sit infront of Gods and Goddessesand ask them favors. Even Gods and powerful kings did tapas for severalyears seeking the blessings of Gods. For example, Hiranyakashapurequested Lord Brahma to grant immortality. Brahma refused and granted that he will be killed only under certain impossible conditions.It gives us an example of what kind of things we should ask – not for selfish reasons and not with arrogance. We should pay attention to the words of God and should not insiston fulfilling our desires. When Indra Sena asked Lord Shiva to grant a husband with five uniquecharacteristicsin spite of Lord Shiva’s suggestion to make another selection since it was not possible to find a man with all the fivequalifications. Due to her refusal to obey His command, she ended up with five husbands. That means, we should be very careful in asking Gods to grant the boons.

Passage to Yamaloka by Pandavas and Kauravas

When Yudhishthira ascended to Heaven, he was quite taken aback to see all the Kaurava-brothers having a great time there while his brothers were nowhere to be seen. Upon inquiry he found out that his brothers were serving their Karma in Hell. Yudhisthira was so anguished to hear it that he expressed his desire to leave Heaven and be with his brothers in Hell. When he reached Hell, he was further tormented to see his brothers along with Draupadi serving the rigors of Hell.

Completely distressed he asked Yamaraj, “Oh Dharmaraj, what kind of justice is this?  My brothers, who have always been righteous, are suffering in Hell; while the Kauravas, who have been full of spite and always did injustice to others are enjoying the fruits of Heaven.”

Dharmaraj replied, “The Law-of-Karma has Its own way of functioning; every living being has its own pool-of-Karma – both Good & Bad.But one gets to suffer or enjoy that portion of Karma first which is proportionately lesser in number or quantity before going into next level.

The Pandavas, who have always been righteous also have a small portion of Bad-Karma in them which they are serving in Hell at the moment before reaping the benefit of their Good-Karma in Heaven and the opposite is the case with the Kauravas.

Don’t despair, oh Yudhishthira; very soon the process is going to reverse.”

The message of this example is that we see a lot of people suffer despite being righteous, while a lot of crooks seem to enjoy life despite their blatant misdeeds. But as the Dharmaraj explains, one should not get bogged-down by this temporary setback and perform all actions in an ever-righteous manner.

Why Dasharatha was separated from his Children during his death

Dasaratha was a skilled archer and used to hunt the animals.Once when Dasharatha was young he went on a hunting expedition. He was so skilled that he could aim at the target by listening to the sound. He heard at a distance, a sound something like an elephant taking bath. Knowing where the sound is coming from, he shot the arrowtargeting the source.He heard the cry of a human. He rushed to help the human. To his surprise, he found out that his shaft fatally injured a young man, Shravan Kumar, who was trying to fill a pitcher with water for his parents. Before the boy died, he asked Dasaratha to take the pitcher and give it to his blind parents.

Soon the parents realized what happened to their son and cursed Dasharatha, in a rage… “You too will suffer the pang of separation from your offspring and die, pathetically, seeking their reunion…”

Although Dasharatha felt bad and tried to console them, he could not convince his parents from entering the funeral pyre lit for their son. He cremated the parents along with their son. Soon he forgot about it. When his time had come to leave this world, he remembered the incident and narrated it to Kausalya. He had to pay the priceat last! He was separated from all his four sons when he died as cursed by Shravan Kumar’s father.

Do the Corrupt People pay for their Sins?

What is the basis for doing our karma? What is the motivation behind performing certain deeds? Why some people engage in corruption? Why do dishonest (corrupt) people seem to be successful and lead a very luxurious life while dharmic people suffer.  Dharmic people can’t even make a living, let alone a comfortable living. Desire is the root cause of our actions, whether they are good or bad, helpful or hurtful to others, purificatory or sinful, and promote harmony or disharmony. Adharmic deeds can create heavy burden on themselves and go through mental, physical, spiritual, and social suffering. Agony, pain, diseases, sorrows, anger, greed, lust, stress, fear, and other mental ills will affect the mind, body and soul; there by creating anxiety and suspicion and draining the mental and physical energy.  In order to suppress their mental agony and anxiety, they will undoubtedly resort to adharmic ways of living – drinking and addiction to drugs. The law of karma is so powerful that it will affect not only the corrupt, but also impacts the family, friends and society.

            In July 2017, in Hyderabad, a normal drug bust turned into a high-profile case where rich and famous were caught possessing and using LSD, cocaine and various other psychotropic drugs.  Many movie actors, directors, IT professionals and other celebrities were caught by the Excise Department of Telangana. It is not an isolated event. One of the celebrities revealed that, "It's very easy to enjoy. The rich kids want to try taking drugs. They want a separate world and it starts with alcohol. LSD and ganja, weed, and lot more addictive drugs are available in Hyderabad. They target crowded places like bars, schools and colleges. Drug dealers want to make good money. Everybody wants to make money. That operation is serious. The film stars are always in party mode. The drug dealers search and tempt the vulnerable and whoever is interested will take. Not all but some people will take. They take drugs."(India Today, July 26, 2017)

Paul Brunton, who had many encounters with many sages, especially with Sri Ramana Maharshi, talked about the karma and how one may experience similar actions he may have inflicted upon others. If he has inflicted hardships, anguish, fear, anxiety and pain on others in discharging his duties, he is bound to experience the same if not more either in this life or in the nest. Day of reckoning will be waiting for him.  “The man who thinks he may live as freely as his unconsidered desires prompt him and yet not carry the burden of an eventual reckoning, is binding his life to a hollow dream. Whoever sins against his fellows or against himself pronounces his own sentence thereby. He may hide his sins from the sight of others, but he cannot hide them from the all-recording eyes of the gods. Justice still rules the world with inexorable weight, though its operations are often unseen and though it is not always to be found in stone-built courts of law. Whoever escapes from paying the legal penalties of earth can never escape from paying the just penalties which the gods impose. Nemesis — remorseless and implacable — holds such a man in jeopardy every hour." (A Search in Secret India, 1936)

The result may have a tremendous effect on their children’s attitudes, behavior and way of thinking. Numerous cases revealed that many children become abusive and experience disciplinary sanctions. They become drug users as well as peddlers selling drugs on the school and college campuses. Obviously, the children get their money either with the knowledge or without the knowledge of their parents. Knowing how corrupt their parents are and how much money they bring home every day by cheating the people in their offices, it is hard for parents to deny their children’s request for money.  Basically, the parents are being manipulated by their own children.

Torture as per Puranas  

Garuda Purana is a dialogue between Lord Vishnu and Garuda dealing with various issues ranging from the death, funeral rites, reincarnation and the different levels of punishments for different types of karmas. For example, a person committed an act of cheating people to earn more money, he is likely to be roasted deeply in a boiling oil. Lord Vishnu tells that there are thousands of hells waiting for people who engage in wrongdoings. Twenty-one are the most dreadful of the dreadful. Even to listen to the punishments one accrues, will make one tremble. Lord Vishnu listed Tāmisra, Lohaśaṇku, Maharauravaśālmalī,  Raurava, Kuḍmala,  Kālasūtraka,  Pūtimṛittika, Saṅghāta,  Lohitoda,  Saviṣa,  Sampratāpana,  Mahāniraya,  Kāka,  Ūlu, Sanjīvana,  Mahāpathin, Avīchi,  Andhatāmisra,  Kumbhīpāka, Sampratāpana, and Tapana, as twenty-one hells. Lord Vishnu says that “those who delight in sin, destitute of compassion and righteousness, attached to the wicked, averse from the true scriptures and the company of the good, self-satisfied, unbending, intoxicated with the pride of wealth, having the ungodly qualities, lacking the divine attributes, bewildered by many thoughts, enveloped in the net of delusion, reveling in the enjoyments of the desire-nature, fall into a foul hell.” (1:16-17)

            Every dead person accompanied by Yamadutas (messengers of Yama) arrive at the banks of Vaitarini River to be crossed to enter fell or heaven.  Vaitarini River is inhabited by all kind of creatures such as crocodiles, dolphins, fish, sharks, snakes and even cows. Based on our deeds, we are dropped at a point from where we cross to reach the destination. We may be chased by the crocodiles, we may be drowned, we may be subjected to tearing of chunks of our body by the sharks, we may be pushed around by the fish and if we are lucky we may be dropped at a point where there are cows who are gentle. Once we cross the Vaitarini River, Yamadutas will be waiting on the other side of the banks to be taken to Yama loka (court of Justice).

            The Garuda Purana describesabout 28 kinds of punishmentsfor people who go to Naraka (hell) for their wrong doings. The punishments are so brutal, violent, barbarous and cruelthat it will discourage people to commit those crimes if they areknowledgeable about Garuda Purana.Let us look at how these people are punished for their crimes. People who acquired and enjoyed the property of others forcibly are tormentedby deadly serpents. Thosewho kill animals, especially cows for pleasureare thrown into burning oils. The eyes are removed using a metal clutch while their hands are tied behind for those who cheated either their husbands or wives. People are crushed to pulp, grinded under sharp teeth of animals if they disregarded their duty, misruled or indulged in unlawful activities. Sinners are cut into pieces for torturing and killing animals.People who cause harm to others, deceive people, kill people, and betray people’s trustare made to starve in intense hunger and thirst, birds are made to peck, sharp metal objects are pierced through the body.People who do not do any good to others and be charitable, they will be punished with stinging of needles and torturing with hunger and thirst.Like this, sinners go through various tortures depending on their bad deeds.

Vishnu Purana describes the torments the sinners will have to go through.  They take numerous births and experience the torments in the hell before he is pushed back into this world. “In the different hells there are various intolerable tortures with burning sand, fire, machines, and weapons; some are severed with saws, some roasted in forges, some are chopped with axes, some buried in the ground, some are mounted on stakes, some cast to wild beasts to be devoured, some are gnawed by vultures, some torn by tigers, some are boiled in oil, some rolled in caustic slime, some are precipitated from great heights, some tossed upwards by engines. The number of punishments inflicted in hell, which are the consequences of sin, is infinite.” (Book 6:5:641)

Agni Purana also describes the fate of sinners and the kind of punishments they are put to.  When human beings die, Yama “decides whether the dead person should go to heaven or to hell. After he has served his time in heaven or in hell, he is born again. Yama further decides what living being the person should be born as, depending on the actions in his past life. And so, the cycle of birth death and rebirth goes on and on.”

           Chitragupta keeps records of all good deeds and bad deeds. Yama who is known as the God of Dharma rewards those who had done good and punish those who have committed sins.

“There are twenty-eight circles of hells with many hells located in each circle. A sinner may have to go to more than one hell depending on the sins that he has committed. Some sinners are boiled in oil, others are pierced with spears and still others are whipped. Some sinners are fed heated iron balls, others are fed blood and rubbish. There are also machines for torturing sinners. Terrible birds eat up some sinners. Other sinners have their heads cut off.” (Book1:9.2)

Markandeya Purana says, those people “who are ‘Midyhavadis’ (Protagonist of Falsity) and ‘Midhya Saakshis’ (Evidences of Falsity) or Killers of cows, Brahmanas, Parents, Well-wishers, Women, Close Associates; those who usurp land, commit rape, and such other serious offences are consigned to ‘Raurava Naraka’ which is two thousand yojanas far and wide ‘Agni Kunda’ (Fire Pit), where the entire treatment is by way of roasting, burning, scorching and frying.” (Chapter 8). Then these beings of false witnesses were taken to Raurava hell where they will be thrown into a burning charcoal. They scream and run hither and tither as they are burnt by the violent flames. They will be taken to different levels of hells where they experience even more torture commensurate with the types of sins.

In Markandeya Purana, the Tortures in Hell are described to King of Videhi, who was supposed to a very pious and dharmic. He has a reputation of ruling the kingdom by practicing righteous deeds and followingmeritorious principles without showing any impartiality. But after his death, he was brought to hell to undergo severe punishments. He saw many others who are experiencing the tortures for their misdeeds.  The king asked Yamadoot, what sin I have committed to be brought to hell and what sins others have committed to face such tortures such as crowsprick their eyes.

Yamadoot replied, 'O king! You once deliberately prevented your wife Pivari from conceiving because you were more attracted to your second wife- Sushobhana. It is because of that action that you have been brought here to undergo severe torture.'With regard to others who are experiencing frightening tortures, Yamadoot said, 'O king! Humans suffer or enjoy according to their Karmas. The effect of their Karmas diminishes in proportion to their sufferings. These crows are pricking the eyes of such people who had seduced other women and deceitfully acquired others' wealth. These people will suffer for the same number of years as their eyes blinked during the leering. These crows prick the tongues of those people who had criticized Vedas, deities, Brahmins and teachers. Those who caused differences between friends, husband-wives, father and sons and relatives, or killed the performer of the Yagyas are suffering under the saw. Those who insulted their parents and teachers have been thrown in the pit of pus, feces and other excretions with their head down. Those who had food before offering it to the deities, guests, servants, father and elders, fire and birds, stay in a pit of pus.”

There is a vivid and terrifying description ofhell in detail. People who eat unpalatable things, who deceive and disrespect their friends, who indulge in illicit relationships, who abandon their wife, and who destroy public properties like garden and water sources are brought to hell.  Yamadoots tie their hands and legs and throw them into the fire. On their way to hell, crows, storks, wolves, vultures etc. bite them.As per Bhagavata Purana and Devi Purana, thereare twenty-eight Naraka’s (hells). The people who committed the crimes depending on the level of intensity, they are thrown in these hells.

For example, there were a number drug busts around many cities in India. The people who are engaged in corruption day in and day out by squeezing as much as possible from the people who come to the government offices cannot escape the karmic consequences. They will experience the appropriate tortures in different Narakas.

Karma and Diseases

            Garuda Purana and Bhagavata Puranaclearly described the relationship between karmas and diseases. The actions we undertake in the present life will affect our health in future through various diseases. Whatever diseases one may have in the present life could have been the result of our actions committed in our previous life. How can we explain a newly born child suffering with numerous diseases and die in few days after his birth? The physical, mental and health problems one faces may have direct connection with his actions in his previous life where he may have caused similar suffering to others. That means everything we do is recorded and stored. Nobody can escape the consequences of their actions. The Prarabdha or stored karma will manifest in experiencing the corresponding suffering in the present life.

Garuda Purana gives ample evidence in establishing the effect of different actions on the diseases one contracts.

The man, who, through pride, insults his teacher, becomes an epileptic, who despises the Vedas and the holy scriptures becomes jaundiced.

Who bears false witness becomes dumb; who takes meal separately from company becomes one-eyed; one who upsets a marriage-match becomes lipless; who steals a book is born blind?

Who strikes a cow or a Brahmin with his foot is born lame and deformed; who speaks lies becomes a stammerer; who listens to lies becomes deaf?

The Brahmin who does not recite the Gayatri, who does not meditate at twilight, who is inwardly wicked while outwardly pious, becomes a crane.

Hundreds of such diseases accrued by their actions are well documented.

Bhagavad Purana describes different hells and the suffering one undergoes due to his type of karma. Which region of hell one goes to depends on the karmas one does.  It described twenty-nine kinds of regions of suffering.

In Mahabharata, Rishi Markandeya talks about karma and its consequences. He told Yudhishtira:

 “The diseases from which men suffer, are undoubtedly the result of their own karma. They then behave like small deer at the hands of hunters, and they are racked with mental troubles. And, O Brahmana, as hunters intercept the flight of their game, the progress of those diseases is checked by able and skillful physicians with their collections of drugs. And, the best of the cherishers of religion, thou hast observed that those who have it in their power to enjoy (the good things of this earth), are prevented from doing so from the fact of their suffering from chronic bowel-complaints, and that many others that are strong and powerful, suffer from misery, and are enabled with great difficulty to obtain a livelihood; and that every man is thus helpless, overcome by misery and illusion, and again and again tossed and overpowered by the powerful current of his own actions (karma).” Chapter 208: page: 434)

            The purpose of karma theory is to persuade people to follow the righteous path by engaging in activities by being truthful, engaging in good conduct, helping others, serving as role models for others, abstaining from violence and terror, showing compassion toward others, refraining from killing animals, desisting from cheating and corruption, practicing ahimsa (nonviolence), and avoiding illicit activities.

How Karma Effects our Future lives

            Many scriptures identified the effect of karma on our future course of life. We are responsible for our activities. Whatever we are experiencing in this life is the result of the accumulation of previous life’s karmas as well the karmas in this life. Our own karmas are responsible for:

1. Various forms of lives as human beings, animals, birds, worms, insects, trees, etc.
2. Diseases such as leprosy, addictions, disabilities, epilepsy, bodily injuries, etc.
3. Deformities such as blindness, deafness, dumbness,
4. Health conditions leading one to suffer
5. Being born with a particularstatus in the society such as a king, pauper, doctor, engineer, musician, artist, etc.
6. Establishing our contacts with people – with whom we may get attracted or repelled
7. Our own happiness, suffering, stress, distress, agony, etc. 
8. Length of time we may experiencing the present condition.

Karma can be explained in either chanting, reading and speaking. "Phala" is fruit, benefit, reward or result. If, in the course of work or speech, it is said, “If you act in this manner you will gain such and such a fruit or benefit", it means that the purpose of the work or speech is to persuade you to act in the manner suggested so that you may reap the fruit or "Phala" given out. Whenever we chant Lalitha Sahasranama or Vishnusahasranam, at the end we will see the Phala of chanting. Similarly, we will also read about the Phala of reading or chanting Bhagavad Gita.

How to Mitigate Bad Karma

            Many people believe that whatever problems they are facing at present cannot be changed and one must endure it. Similarly, that whenever some people live in prosperity, blessed with good health and live a happy life that they do not have to do anything, and their ego will prevent them from doing their karma to preserve what they possessed. In reality, in both cases they have to do their karma either to mitigate their predicament or to preserve their fortunate circumstances. The fact of the matter is that it is their past karmas that have landed them in their condition. The karmas one does in this life either will change their current station or build up in the future life. Mahabharata and other scriptures suggest that any action done previously may be rendered ineffective by observing certain types of austerities, engaging in certain types of rituals and prayers, conducting yagnas (Homas), engaging in devotional activities and rendering selfless activities for the welfare of the society.

Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan argues that the past actions not only determine the present conditions of an individual, they will determine the future of the character and culture of the nation. The past continuously and consistently flows into the present. Every individual is indebted to the past. “Human minds do not draw up sudden stray thoughts without precedents or ancestors … There is no such thing as utterly spontaneous generation. Philosophical experiments of the past have entered into the living mind of the present … Life goes on not by repudiating the past but by accepting it and weaving into the future in which the past undergoes a rebirth. The main thing is to remember and create new.” (Religion in a changing World. P:145). Knowing that our present condition is given, and that we have to improve our conditionfor the future, we as humans have a choice to make and try to create bright future by mitigating the bad karmas of the present life.

Connect with a Guru- a spiritual leader who can guide you to a righteous path.

Chant mantra given by a Guru on selected Gods and Goddesses.

Perform various Pujas to appropriate Deities.

Chant Gayatri Mantra and OM.

Visit Temples as often as you can.

Practice Super Brain Yoga (Squatting).

Recognize the future consequences of doing bad karma (corruption, cheating, deceiving, etc.).

Think positively and evaluate yourself.

Assess, recognize and Accept your faults to improve yourself.

Disassociate with bad people or people with questionable character.

Develop the habit of reading religious, sacred and spiritual books.

Channel your mind to meditation and yoga to focus to grow spiritually.

Stop exploiting others through deception and corruption practices.

Develop an attitude to forgive and forget.

Be aware of the consequences of your action not only yourself but your family members not only in this life but the future lives.

Do seva without any expectations to the organization/ Temples.

Be charitable to others.

Acquire jnana marga.

Let us remember the assessment of Anne Wilson who described the nature of karma and how we can improve. Once we engage in good karma, she says it would not allow the bad karma to penetrate.

“Hindu texts prescribed a number of activities, such as service to cow, service to wise person, service to the humanity, service for environment protection ( particularly rivers and trees), giving donation,  giving foods and clothes to people, giving food to animals, pilgrimages to holy places, taking bath at river Ganges,  doing charity, and acts of devotion to God, that can reduce the effects of bad karma. Such positive actions are sometimes referred to as “good karma.”  Radiating positive vibration and thinking good about others are the acts of good karma. Doing good karma not necessarily immediately erase the effect of old bad karmas. However, good karma will help you in the long run to erase the effect of bad karma.  Good karma always acts as a protection and do not allow bad-vibration to enter.” (Anne Wilson)

Karma theory is one of the pillars of Hindu Dharma and itsrelevance to the functioning of the society is irreplaceable. Our scriptures have described at length about the consequences of our thoughts, intentions, and our deeds. The adage that “as you sow, as you reap’is an age-old wisdom that applies to all our actions. No one can escape from their deeds. It is a matter of time. With rampant corruption, one wonders as to why these people are enjoying the life living in luxurious palaces while dharmic people sufferwithout having mere comfortable living.We addressed the consequences of the past, present and future lives of people and the kind of punishments or rewards they incur based on several scriptures. No body can escape the consequences of their actions. It is a matter of time to pay back either in this life or the next. It is hoped that theknowledge and awareness of thetorture they face when they go to Naraka(hell) and the kind of diseases they contract will discourage them to engage in corrupt practices and prevent them from doing adharmic activities.

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