Guest guest Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 The vyAda summarizes in this section the subtelities of dharma, including Its interaction with Karma. Dharma is the means for one to elevate oneself to higher worlds like heaven and ultimately freedom from samsAra - cycle of birth and death-through austerities. The teachings indicate that Dharma forms the pre-requisite in the path towards Self realization. Subtleties of Dharma " Shruti pramANO dharmO ayam iti vriddha anushAsanam sUkshmA gatirhi dharmasya bahushAkhA hi anantika " - The learned have determined that Dharma is supported by Vedas. The dharma is very subtle and is many faceted and is for ever. " prANa antikE vivAhE cha vaktavyam anritam bhavEt anritEna bhavEt satyam satyEnai-va-anritam bhavEt" " yat bhUta hitam atyantam tat satyam iti dhAraNa viparyaya-kritO adharmah pashya dharmasya sUkshmatAm " - When life is on the line or in the context of marriage, deviating from truth is tolerated. Such deviations are as useful as truth. One should therefore consider, that which is beneficial to all people as statement of truth. The dharma is therefore very subtle. A statement of truth that is hurting people is sometimes considered untruth; such dichotomies exist in dharma. " yat karOti ashubham karma shubham vA yadi sattama avashyam tat samApnOti purushO nAtra samshayah " vishamAm cha dashAm prAptO dEvAn garhati vai bhrisham Atmanah karma-dOshANi na vijAnAti apanditah " - A man receives auspicious / in-auspicious fruits for auspicious / in-auspicious karma respectively. But an ignorant credits himself for desired fruits and blames God (or destiny) for undesired fruits. He does not reconcile that happiness and sorrow are a making of his own karma from past lives. " mUDhO naikritikascha api chapalascha dvijOttama sukha-dukha viparyAsaAn sadA samupadyatE nainam praJnyA sunItam vA trAyatE naiva pourusham " - The ignorant, non-believer in re-birth, the cruel and the fickle, will experience happiness and sorrow back and forth. He exalts at happiness and trembles at un-happiness. He cannot avoid fruits of auspicious / in-auspicious karma by knowledge, morality or power. " yO ayam icchEdyathA kAmam tam tam kAmam sa ApnuyAt yadi syAdaparAdhahInam pourushasya kriyAphalam " - If one were to contend that success is a result of human efforts only and past karma has no influence, then everyone should realize his wishes. If the fruits of human efforts is not dependent on a higher power, everyone would have realized his desired fruits. " samyatAschApi dakshAscha matimantascha mAnavAh drishyantE nishphalAh santah prahINAh sarvakarmabhih " - We are witness to the failures of good natured, tolerant, competent, and intelligent persons in accomplishing their desired fruits, in almost all their endeavors. " bhUtAnAm aparah kaschit himsAyAm satatOtthitah vanchanAyAm cha lOkasya sa sukhI jIvatE sadA " - On the other hand, we are also witness to the success and happiness of some people who live by cheating, cruelty, and hurting other people (We see this in some politicians and business people!). " achEshTam api cha AsInam shrIh kancit upatishTati " - Some amass wealth, even without much efforts. " kaschit karmANi kurvanhi na prApyam adhigacchati " - Some others remain in poverty, inspite of working hard all the time. " dEvAnishTvA tapastaptvA kripaNaih putra-griddhibhih dashamAsa dhritA garbhE jAyantE kulapAmsanAh " - People without children observe many austerities and pray to God. Sometimes, these people give birth to a progeny that brings dishonor and disgrace to the family.. " aparE dhana-dhAnyaischa bhOgaischa pitru-sanchitaih vipulaih abhjAyantE lubdhAstaih Eva mangalaih " - Some others born of austerities and prayers, bring fame to the dynasty; they amass wealth and live a very rich life. " karmajA hi manushyANAm rOgA nAstyatra samshayah Adhibhih cha Eva bAdyantE vyAdhaih ksudra-mrigA iva" tE cha api kushalaih vEdyaih nipuNaih sambhrit_oushadhaih vyAdhayO vinivAryantE mrigA vyAdhyai iva dvija " - The ills of humans has its genesis in the previous life or lives. There should be no doubt about this. People are driven to ills and mental anguish just as a hunter chases the deer. Just as the animals sometime evade the hunter, a well versed doctor can sometimes cure the ills of such people. " yEshAm asti cha bhOktavyam grahaNI dOshapIDitAh na shaknu-vanti tE bhOktum pashya dharma-bhritAm vara " - Oh! the leader of the virtuous, some people, though have all the wealth, cannot enjoy even simple meals, because of bad health " aparE bAhu balinah klishyantE bahavO janAh dukhEna cha adhi-gacchanti bhOhjanam dvija-sattama ' - On the other hand, others who are strong and healthy, do not have the resources to obtain a meal. " iti lOkam anAkrandam mOha-shOka parilutam srOtasAsa-kridAkshiptam hriyamANam balIyasA " - So, helpless people driven by the (burden of) the flood of karma, carry on their life in the flow of pain and pleasure. " na mriyEyunah jIryEyuh sarvEsyuh sarva-kAmikAh nApriyam prati-pashyEyuh vashitvam yadi vai bhavEt " - (If people were to be able to organize their life)they would not die or become old; Everyone would enjoy their desires to the full extent. They would not have any undesirable experiences. " upayuh pari lOkasya sarvO gantum samIhatE yatatE cha yathA-shakti na cha tat vartatE tathA " - If that were so, all people would want to go to heavens. In spite of their efforts to go to heavens, they are unable to do so, because they are driven by the baggage of karma of their past lives. " bahavah sampra-drishyantE tulya-nakshatra mangaLAh mahaccha phala-vaishamyam drishyatE karma-sandhishu " - Another strange fact is that many are born at the same time under the same zodiac signs; yet there is a world of difference in the experiences of their life, because they are driven by the fruits of their past actions, which they cannot change, because: " na kEchit IshatE Brahman svayam grAhyasyasattama karmaNAm prAkritAnAm vy iha siddhih pradrishyatE " - A man's actions in the past life (and /or lives)bear fruit in this life; His intellect now is also exercised by the karma of past lives. " yathA shrutiriyam Brahman jIvah kila sanAtanah sharIram adhruvam lOkE sarvEshAm prANInAm iha " - The jIva is eternal; the bodies of all beings are temporary. " vadhyamAnE sharIrE tu dEhanAshO bhavatyuta Ivah sankramatE anyatra karma-bandha nibandhanah " - Therefore, O! Brahmin, only the body is destroyed at death. The jIva resident in that being, bound by the fruits of karma becomes a wanderer in search of a womb for next birth. " na jIva nAshOsti hi dEha bhEdE Mithyai tadAhuh mriyatE ati mUDAh jIvastu dEhAntara itah prayAti dashArdataivAsya sharIra bhEdah " - The death is for the body and not for the jIva. Death is a mark of change of body. Only the ignorant consider it as the death of the jIva. Death is an indicator of the exit of the consciousness from the body. " anyO hi nAshnAti kritam hi karma Manushya lokE manujasya kaschit yatttEna kinchiddi kritam hi karma Tat ashnutE nAsti kritasya nAshah " - No one can share fruits of his karma with his friends or relatives; as a human, he alone, has to experience the fruits of his karma. He experiences the fruits of his past lives in this life. " supuNya-shIlA hi bhavanti puNyA narAdhamAh pApa-kritO bhavanti narO anuyAta-stviha karmabhih svaih Tataha samutpadyati bAdhi-tastaih " - The virtuous enjoy the benefits of good karma; the downtrodden suffer from the effects of bad karma. The karma of Past lives bear fruit in this life. The deeds of this life bear fruit in the next life; the cycle thus continues. " shubhaih prayOgaih dEvatvam vyAmisraih mAnushO bhavEt mOhanIyaih viyOnIshu tvadho-gAmi cha kilbishI " - Virtuous deeds beget divine lives; A mix of good and bad deeds results in human lives. A life of attachment, hatred, arrogance and jealousy results in lower forms of life like animals and birds. " janma mrityu jarA dukhaih satam samabhidrutah samsArE pachyamAnascha dOshaih Atma-kritaih narah " - A human becomes a victim of life, death, oldage and sorrow by his own actions, taking birth again and again. He suffers in the heat of the samsAra. " tiryag yOni sahasrANi gatvA narakam Eva cha jIvAh samparivartantE karma-bandha nibandhanAh " - Taking thousands of animal and Bird lives, paying the debts of karma, the jIva may take human life again. " jantustu karmabhih taih taih svakritayaih prEtya dukhitah tat dukha prati-ghAtArtham apuNyam yOnimApnutE " - The jIva, after exiting the human body, suffering from the pressures of karma, will have to pay the debts of karma by taking birth in lower forms of life (apuNyam yOni). " Tatah karma samAdattE punah anyam navam bahu pachyatE tu punah tEna bhuktvA-pathyam iva Aturah " - If again, doing bad deeds in those lives, he may take life in still lower forms of life, just as a sick person becomes more sick without controlling diet. Yet, the dichotomy in this world is: " ajasramEva dukhaAtOh dukhitah sukha sanjnyitah tatO nivrutta bandhatvAt karmaNAm udayAdapi arikrAmati samsArE chakeavat bahu vEdanah " - A human unable to reconcile that his problems are the result of his past actions, blaming the destiny for his Sorrows and taking credit for occassional happiness, does not engage in virtuous deeds to ensure a good next life. He thus keeps wandering in the wheel of samsAra. " sa chEt nivritta bandhastu vishuddhah cha-api karmabhih" " tapO yOga samArambham kurutE dvija sattama Karmabhih bahubhischApi lOkAn ashnAti mAnavah" " sa chEt nivritta bandhastu vishuddhah cha-api karmabhih" prApnOti sukritAn lOkAn yatra gatvA na shOchati" - a person desirous of relief from the shackles of karma, follows a discipline of doing virtuous deeds and austerities. In following such a path, he neutralizes the load of karma and goes to higher worlds. A person observing rituals, virtuous deeds and austerities definitely will go to higher worlds, where he enjoys permanent bliss. " pApam kurvan pApa vrittah pApasyAntam na gacchati tasmAt puNyam yatEt kartum varjayIta cha pApakam " - a person doing sinful activities will continue to do sinful karma in successive lives, experiencing their fruits. Caught in the web of sinful deeds, he does not see an end to the accumulation of Sinful karma. Therefore intellectual persons should engage in "puNya" (virtuous) karma and should strive to discard sinful acts. The vyAdha now narrates the respective fruits of different classes of karma. " anasUyuh kritajnya-scha kalyANAni cha sEvatE sukhAni dharmam artham cha svargam cha labhatE narah " - A person who is not jealous, acknowledges people who do good to him, is engaged in helping others and is compassionate to other beings enjoys dharma and wealth here in this world and also will go to heaven. " samskritasya cha dAntasya niyatasya yatAtmanah prAjnyasya anantarA vrittih iha lOkE paratra cha " - A cultured person, who controls his sense organs and regulates his living and practices discrimination of the intellect, will enjoy good in this world and after death. " satAm dharmENa vartEta kriyAm shishTa-vadAcharEt asamklEshEna lOkasya vrittim lipsEta vy dvija " - He must follow the lead of virtuous people in following dharma; must engage in activities that does not harm the land of his habitation(like the people of this earth). " santi hi Agama vijnyAnam shishTAh shAstrE vichakshNAh svadharmENa kriyA lOkE karmaNah sO apya-sankarah " - There are many virtuous people well versed in the scriptures and dharma. One must follow their teachings, by engaging in svadharma and avoid cross-karma (karma-sankara). " prAjnyO dharmENA ramatE dharmam cha iva upajIvati tasmAt dharmAt avAptEna dhanEna dvijasattama tasyaiva sinchatE mUlam guNAn pashyati tatra vai " - A learned virtuous person enjoys the bliss of following dharma. He conducts his life according to dharma, following an occupation and earning a means that is consistent with dharma. He dedicates his earnings to the propoagation of dharma. Therefore all his activities are centered around dharma. " dharmAtma bhavati hi Evam chittam cha asya prasIdati sa mitra jana santushTa iha prEtya cha nandati " - A person of Dharma is equipoised in happiness and distress. He is happy when among his friends and relatives. After death, when he reaches higher worlds, he remains happy there too. " shabdam sparsham tathA rUpam gandhAn ishTa-mscha sattama prabhutvam labhatE cha api dharmasyai tat phalam vibhuh " - He will exercise control (prabhutva) on his sense organs interacting with shabda(sound), sparsha (touch), rUpa (looks), rasa (taste) and gandha (smell). The learned say such control is possible for a man of dharma only. " dharmasya cha phalam labdhvA na tripyati mahAdvija atripyamANO nirvEdam ApEdE jnyAna-chakshushA " - He will not be content with only the material benefits of a dhArmic life. He is dispassionate to these in favor of achieving a permanent bliss through jnyAna. " prajnyA chakshuh nara iha dOsham naiva anurudyatE virajyati yathA kAmam na cha dharmam vimunchati " sarva-thyAgE cha yatatE drishtvA lOkam kshyAtmakam tatO mOkshE prayatatE nAnupAyAt upAyatah " - He stays dispassionate and yearns for the freedom (from samsAra-cycle of birth and death); however, he will not retire from the path of dharma. Recognizing that the happiness of this world and the heaven are short lived and impermanent, he renunciates those pleasures and strives for realization of the Self. "tapO nih-shrEyasam jantOh tasya mUlam shamO damah tEna sarvAn avApnOti kamAnyAn-manasEcchati " - austetity is the most important discipline for the bliss of the Self. The pre-requisites for austerity are shama (control of mind) and dama (control of sense organs and organs of action). Worldly pleasures are possible through rituals; however, permanent bliss is only possible via austerities (tapas). " indriyANAM nirOdhEna satyEna cha damEna cha brahmaNah padam ApnOti yat-param dvija-sattama " - Control of sense organs and a discipline of truth are the means for Self realization. Comments: While doing this section, I am reminded of a DEvaranAma (song of Divine Glory) by the 16th century poet-philosopher PurandaradAsa(devotee of Purandara)from Karnataka, India. His Aradya dEvata(Diety of worship) was Purandara (another name for VishNu). He first challenges Purandara( only a true devotee has the courage to challenge his diety) , as if to say Purandara was irrelvent, if one were bound by his baggage of karma. However, he immediately recognizes that he needs his God to show him out of the bondage of karma. I have reproduced below the song in Kannada, followed by an English translation. Here is the Kannada version; nA mADida karma balavanta-vAdare nI mADuvudEnO Hariye |Pallavi| sAmAnya-vallavidu brahma bareda baraha nEnmadindali enna haNeyali baredudake |Anupallavi| annapAnam gaLige agragaNyanAgi snAna snadhyAna japa-tapa nIgi dAnavAntaka ninna dhyAnava mADade shvAna-nante mane-maneya tirugutalidde |1| athiti-gaLige anna kottavanalla para satiyara sanga araghaLIge bittavanalla matihIna nAnAgi maruLA-giddenO dEva gati yAvudu enaginnu GaruDa-gamana Krishna |2| innAdaru ninna dAsara sangavittu mannisi salahayya manmatha janaka anyarobbara kANe Adarisuvarilla pannanga-shayan sri Purandaravittala |3| The English version is Should my karma be inevitable Oh! Hari, what good is your role The powerful writing of Brahma Captured dutifully on my forehead food and drinks were always courted ignored the daily rituals prescribed Oh! Slayer of demons, your worship ignored wandered like a stray dog, the neighborhood |1| Did not offer guests food and water Always courting women and pleasure I was deluded and ignorant Oh! Krishna, who else is my hide-out |2| Oh! Father of Manmata, forgive me Lead me to the company of your devotees I have no one else to protect me Oh! Serpant bedded sri Purandaravittala |3| Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 advaitin, "Krishnamurthy Ramakrishna" <puttakrishna wrote: > > The vyAda summarizes in this section the subtelities of dharma, including > Its interaction with Karma. Dharma is the means for one to elevate oneself > to higher worlds like heaven and ultimately freedom from samsAra - cycle of > birth and death-through austerities. The teachings indicate that Dharma > forms the pre-requisite in the path towards Self realization. Namaste Ramakrishna Ji, The exposition of Dharma that you are presenting is a marvellous exercise. Inbetween the Dharmavyadha posts, may i request you to post selections from the vast Dasa sahitya? The Dasa-literature is a veritable treasure of Great Wisdom. They are full of bhakti, viveka, viragya etc. Pl. consider my request. With warm regards, subbu The English version is > > Should my karma be inevitable > Oh! Hari, what good is your role > > The powerful writing of Brahma > Captured dutifully on my forehead > > food and drinks were always courted > ignored the daily rituals prescribed > Oh! Slayer of demons, your worship ignored > wandered like a stray dog, the neighborhood |1| > > Did not offer guests food and water > Always courting women and pleasure > I was deluded and ignorant > Oh! Krishna, who else is my hide-out |2| > > Oh! Father of Manmata, forgive me > Lead me to the company of your devotees > I have no one else to protect me > Oh! Serpant bedded sri Purandaravittala |3| > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.