Astrology - Spirituality - And The Karmic Science
A question arises, if everything is known, planned and pre-decided, as per Astrology then isint it a conflict with entire science of spirituality? Why aim to improve, work or do penance if the fruits of life are already known? Is Astrology at loggerheads with Spirituality?
In reality, both the sciences, Astrology & Spirituality, are consistent with each other. A deeper understanding of the concepts of karmic theory and meta-physical world will make us arrive at the conclusion that both sciences are fully correct sciences and in conjunction with each other.
Before we delve into above question, we must first understand the Karmic Theory a little deeper.
Karmic particles are NOT abstract particles. They are massless* particles, real entities present in the cosmos. With the relatively recent discovery by modern scienetist of Gauge Boson (the gluons and the protons), it is no more difficult to imagine a massless particle. Infact its now very likely that our Universe is filled with so many of these massless particles, pure energy. Karmic particles are one such massless entities.
Modern scientist have now accepted presence of shapeless, formless and massless particles, concept known to Jainism since eternity. Jainism also talks about our Soul capable of traveling infinite times faster than the speed of light, many such concepts are still early for science. In the coming centuries, eventually many of these concepts will be accepted by currently primitive modern science.
Just like in Chemistry, diamond and graphite are different forms of the element carbon, joined together by covalent bonds. Diamond has 4 Carbon bonds, Graphite has 3. Under different pressure and conditions, elements form multiple bonds and create what appears to be different substances.
This is exactly how Karmic particles are bound to the Soul. How many bonds they will form is determined by 4 characteristics:
1) The Intensity of Thoughts/Actions (or Anubhag)
2) The Duration of Thoughts (or Sthithi)
3) The Nature of Thoughts (or Prakriti)
4) The Quantity of Thoughts (or Pradesh)
Each karmic particle can form multiple bonds - 2, 3, 4 or more with the Soul. For example, if the Intensity of thoughts is higher while performing any action, the karmic particple will form more number of bonds with the Soul. The higher the number of bonds formed, the stronger the attachment with the soul, and more difficult to get rid of.
This is also the scientific rationale of one Karma being Nikachit and other being Shithil. Nikachit karmas are bound by multiple bonds and are very difficult to get rid of, unless we bear the fruit of them; unlike Shithil Karmas which are bound by maybe 1 or 2 bonds only and are easily breakable.
Now that we have built some basic understanding of Karmic Science, lets delve into Astrology.
The science of Astrology simply talks about the snapshot of Karmic participles attached to the soul at the time of one's birth. The 'lagna kundli' is a representation of planets, nakshatras at the time of our birth, and is used to decipher which Karmas will come into fulfillment and at what stage in "this" birth.
So when an Astrologer tells you that after you attain age 30 you will start accumulating wealth or an life changing event will push you towards spirituality; he is simply seeing the initial snapshot and predicting which Karma will come into play at what age.
Our Soul is bound with innumerable Karmas, not all will come into action in this birth, only some will. Astrology just tells us, which Karmic particles are destined to come into play at what age and eventually once they have given their fruits, those Karmic bonds will break and Soul will get rid of them. The "luck line" is simply the Past Karmas (good or bad, Paap or Punya) that our Soul is carrying and that are destined to come into play in this life. The "luck line" of your next life is being drafted and created by your thoughts and actions of today!
During our current lifetime, we are constantly attaching New Karmic bonds, which the Astrologers can't see in the initial footprint map they have. Some of these New Karmic bonds will also come into fruition in this life itself. This is primarily the reason why one has the power to alter the initial destiny. This is also the reason why sometimes, one can avoid or shield what was initially destined to happen as per "Kundli". Hard work or 'Purusharth' has the power to attach new Karmic Bonds, which will surely change destiny for future births, but can also lead to some changes in the current life destiny too.
Now if a soul has bound "Nikachit" karmas, the bonds cannot be broken howsoever one may try to do Penance or Bhakti or Swadhyay. One has to bear the fruits of those Karmas, no matter what. What can however happen is the intensity of the fruit of those Karmas can reduce.
A question arises that why did the omniscient lord Mahavir had to go through severe pain of nails being pierced in his ears, couldnt he have destroyed those karmic bonds with such unparalleled sadhna and gyaan? Answer is No. No one is beyond the universal laws of Karma. It was a Nikachit Karma that got attached to His Soul, and no matter what, it can only be destroyed by bearing the fruit of the same.
With significant devotion, purity of thoughts, actions, deeds and unconditional love, one can however reduce the impact of even some Nidhatta or Nikachit Karmas (i.e. maybe can cut one or two bonds of that Karmic particle but not fully destroy all the bonds). Story of Shri Krishna is a clear example of such an instance. Shri Krishna was destined to go to 7th hell but was pardoned three hells when he performed the guru vandan with utmost truthful devotion of entire Neminath Bhagwan's Sangh.
Similarly we have the story of Lord Rishabhdev, who had to go fasting for 12 months for the karmic bonds created out of the intensity of the thoughts of hungry cattle couldnt be broken without bearing the fruits.
If the omniscient lord had to bear the fruits of karmas, we are merely at the first step of the spiritual journey. Astrology helps us in predicting future for this life. Spirituality and Karmic Science helps us in shaping the the future of multiple lives, and guides us on the right path which will help us break out of the cycle of life & death.
Appendix:
1) Dr M R Gelra in his book "Jainism" has proposed a 3dimensional structure of ghaati karma (as below)
2) Karnic bonds can be either Shithil (or loose, implying only 1-2 bonds), Gadhaa (more bonds than Shithil), Nidhatta or Nikachit (most complex formation with multiple bonds entangled with soul and therefore hardest to break without bearing the fruits of the same). Shithil karma are loosely bound and can be easily shed. By doing penance, true bhakti, devotion, bhed-vigyaan, saadhna, kayotsarga etc once can get rid of many many karmic bonds.
* Massless: Karmic particles are Pudgalas. They may not be massless. Infact it is more likely that they have some mass, given they are Pudgalas . But the idea of this blog was to flag that they are "NOT ABSTRACT". Even the analogy of bond formation may be partially true only. Agams describe Karmic particles as clouds surrounding the Soul. They may not necessarily be forming bonds like we know in Chemistry and can have a different structure, but it is also a fair possibility that they actually are in formation of bond structures like many other molecules we know of. Author has simply presented a possible and more understandable scenario of Karmic Structure. Irrespective of whatever structure they form, the concept of Karmic Science remains the same.
Pudgala are one of the 6 dravyas. Pudgala (matter) has the characteristics of touch, taste, smell, and colour; however, its essential characteristic is lack of consciousness. Pudgala is eternal in its nature, constant in quantity (i.e. neither increasing nor decreasing) and it pervades the whole of lokakasa. They are in constant process of combination / integration and dissociation/ disintegration. Karmic particles are Pudgalas.
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