Expert: Aupmanyav - 7/17/2009

Question
QUESTION: May I know the origin and meaning of the theory of karma and punar janma?

ANSWER: Dear David,

Origin: The origin of 'karma' theory are hidden in Indian pre-history. This theory is certainly not Aryan, which is one constituent of hinduism. In Aryan theories, it was simple. You do not feed the Gods (through Yajnas, sacrifices or more correctly giving oblations to Gods) or do not pray to them, they are angry and may harm you or may help your enemies.

The actions having their effect in future life and sending one to heaven and hell is an older indigenous conception. That is why it is found in buddhism and jainism six hundred years before the current era. It could not have arrived in them if it was not there previously. It could be five thousand years old or even ten thousand years old, nobody knows since there are no records and Harappa script has not been read. Even if the script is read, we would not get much because these are only a few business seals. We do not have something like Vedas or extensive hieroglyphics like in Egypt.

The karma scheme is quite simple. It is applicable to whole humanity without any distinction of religion, race, caste, or economic status. Being a hindu brings no advantage unlike in Abrahamic religions. It is like a bank account. Merit increases the account and sins diminish it. In between there are intervals in heaven and hell according to karma account. What fate we encounter in this life is because of accumulated karmas ('prarabhda' or 'sanchita' - from previous life or earned) which may even make us re-incarnate as an animal. How we act today is 'kriyamana' which goes into the account as credit or debit. When the debits cease, a person 1. merges with God, or 2. stays in the presence of his deity in his domain (loka - heavenly world) or in a place that is close to it. People have various views about this.

I hope I have answered your question. In case you need further comments, please do not hesitate to write back to me. With best regards,

Yours sincerely,

Aupmanyav

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sir thank you for your answer I further want to know Was vedic religion polytheistic?

Answer
Dear David,

Vedic hymns were not written by one person. They were written by hundreds of people. They are compiled in family books (mandala), hymns by people of a particular family, the seventh being written by my forebears, the Vasishthas. The other families were Angirasas, Kanvas, Vishwamitra, Atri, Bhrigu, Kashyapa, Ghritsamada, Agastya, and Bharata.

So, in a book composed by so many people, over a long duration of time (5,000 years on a conservative guess - a large part of RigVeda is supposed to have been forgotten or lost), we should not expect a single philosophy. That is where it differs from Bible or Qur'an. These various views are expressed in the hymns.

First book, First hymn, second verse is polytheistic: "Agnih purvebhih rishibhiridyo nutanairut, sa devaneha vakshati."
(Worthy is Agni to be praised by living as by ancient seers. He shall bring here the Gods.)

Tenth book, 129th hymn, 6 & 7th verses (popularly known as the hindu creation hymn) are monotheistic or even atheistic:

"Ko addhā veda ka iha pra vochat kuta ājātā kuta iyamvisrishtih, arvāgh devā asya visarjanenāthā ko veda yatābabhūva.
Iyam vissrishiryata ābabhūva yadi vā dadhe yadi vā na, yo asyādhyakshah parame vyoman so anga veda yadi vā naveda."

(Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation? The Gods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?
He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it, whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.)

Hinduism accepted the freedom of personal religious beliefs. For some Vishnu was the great God, for others it was Shiva, for some it was the Mother Goddess. Vedas cite Varuna (Oarnos) earlier and later Indra as the greatest among Gods. The 'advaitists' (non-dualists) like me may not believe in any God and consider the whole universe to be simply a play of energy (note that it is not 'nothing' as in nihilism, energy is the substrate of mass (a-la-Einstein) and all things, humans, animals, vegetation, and non-living objects).

The people in villages and forests had their own Gods and Goddesses. These various views are known as Matas (opinions) or Panthas (roads). All these views are vibrantly alive in hinduism without much conflict. I checked, there is no 'ism' mentioned in Wikipedia which you would not find in hinduism. So, the question whether hinduism is polytheistic is really a non-starter.

What is expected of all hindus of various matas and panthas without fail is 'dharma' which means fullfillment of one's responsibilities and humane action. Hinduism is as simple as that. :) With best regards,

Yours sincerely,

Aupmanyav