Inquiries Into the Absolute: Digest 114, Kali-yuga, Heavenly

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Digest 114, February 17th, 2005. Answers by His Holiness Romapada Swami

Maharaja

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Influence of kali-yuga in heavenly planets

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Question 1 - We know that this running age is Kali yuga and from scriptures we

understand its symptoms. Are the Svarga-loka planets or lower planetary systems

also influenced by Kali yuga?

 

Answer - Kali yuga lasts for 1200 years in the time of demigods; at the end of

1000 four-yuga cycles there is a partial devastation up to svarga- loka. This

gives us an estimate of the relative time scale on the higher planets compared

to the earth planet, but I am unaware of any specific indication in scriptures

with regard to the specific influence of Kali or offering details regarding

time cycles on the higher or lower planets. The four-yuga cycles are mentioned

only in terms of their influence within the earthly realm, as far as any

reference I have come across.

 

Karma for human beings

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Question 2 - I have heard that karma is counted only for those who are in human

form and staying on earth. Can you elaborate on this?

 

Answer - Bharata-varsha or the earthly realm is referred to as the field of

activities, or karma bhumi. That is to say one gets the opportunity here to

perform activities by which one can either accumulate pious credits or sinful

reactions. In all the other realms, one is more or less expending their karmic

account, good or bad.

 

Just as in exotic tourist spots most people are generally busy spending their

hard-earned money in the lap of luxury, similarly residents of heavenly planets

are primarily busy enjoying its vast pleasures at the expense of their

accumulated piety. For the most part, they do not have occupational duties and

obligations as in the case of humans. Similarly, the residents of hellish

planets and those in animal species are simply fulfilling those particular

terms and gradually evolving towards human life.

 

In the human form of life there is an outstanding opportunity to perform duties

according to varna-ashrama and perfect one's life, or to neglect one's higher

duties and thus be implicated in the consequences of that neglect.

 

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