Sins, Punishments and Atonements - 1

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Sins, Punishments and Atonements

By

Shri B. Bhima Rao; Advocate, Shivaji Road, Davangere, Karnataka.

 

 

Might is right with all other animals but is not so with man. What

distinguishes man from animals is the instinctive moral sense of right and

wrong that is ingrained in every individual. This moral instinct requires

to be codified identifying the different fields of human activity in which

it functions, laying down rules of conduct, in consonance therewith. No

such code could be supported or accepted unless it is based on dharma..

In other words, man-made rules of conduct, tend to vary from place to

place, time to time, and community to community. Standards of morality can

never be the same nor could it be infallible, as no human is perfect. The

consequences of behaviors based on such imperfect rules could never be

uniform. Much less could the activities based on decisions taken by

individuals for themselves lead to happiness always.

 

To achieve happiness to oneself or the community as a whole is the end and

aim of human activity. As a rule, karma acts yields fruit at a future

time, except such insignificant acts like eating, drinking and so on. One

has to plan well and act with great forethought if he desires happiness in

late years. Very often experience tells us that this decision to as he

did, was wrong. If that is so, and if life persists after death and one is

reborn over and over again, it seems next to impossible, to so conduct

himself in this life as to make for happiness in his coming births. Lord

Sri Krishna’s advice to Arjuna is that he should rely entirely on sAstras,

to decide on what to do or not to do which would secure him happiness here

and hereafter.

The sAstras referred to by the Lord were the Vedas, mahAbhArata,

pa~ncarAtra and mUla rAmAyana and other treaties in conformity within. Out

of them, Vedas are foundational and eternal. Apauruseyatva eschews all

errors and every thinker, of the past, present and future who accepts the

authority of the vedas concludes, that whatever is laid down is dharma and

whatever opposed thereto is adharma. Observance of dharma generates

punya. Punya and pApa are super-sensory subtle forces, adrstavisesa; which

leads to happiness and misery respectively. Virtuous and vicious acts

leave impressions on the minds of the doer, which when activised by the

Lord, prompts similar acts in the future – in the same life or coming

births.

 

Every human activity falls under one or the other of the three categories,

kAyika, vAcika, mAnasika. Sins are classified under these heads: In short,

a sinful act is one which consists of an omission to discharge a

prescribed duty or commission of a prohibited act. SAstrAs provide for

such acts and they are styled as vidhi and nisheda. These, vedas proclaim

are the behests of the Lord Sri Vishnu.

 

The prescriptions and prohibitions of the vedas are eternal and applicable

at all times – sanAtana; exceptions by way of modified dharmas are also

provided for, to be applicable for different ages or times and difficult

situations – yugadharma and Apaddharma – observance thereof is sufficient

compliance of the Lord’s orders, which generates punya and earns His

grace. Dharma is thus eternal – sanAtana and unbreakable. One may defy

them and reap its consequences, but the laws are unbreakable. It is like

the laws of physics and chemistry.

 

To be cont.,

 

 

 

 

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