Pápa & Puńya
Paapa (pápa), though widely interpreted as sin, is explained in
Sanātana Ḍharma literature as an experience of the Jīva as a result of
dush:karmā, and Punya (puńya) as an experience as a result of sat:karmā.
These concepts are inherent in Hinduism and Buddhism. This exploration is
not to compare, but to delve into its fundamentals. In the form of
pápa(m), the Jīva experiences dush:karmā through some sort of
unavailability or suffering, and puńya through some sort of availability
or happiness. Puńya(m) and pápa(m) both get exhausted over time. As and
when suffering and happiness get exhausted, the Jīva tends to accumulate
both based on its current actions, which is nothing but karmā, making it a
never-ending cyclic loop called saṃsāra. So what is Karmā and its source?
Karmā is a vital concept in Sanatan Ḍharma and means an action (Kriya) of a
karta (person performing it) and its associated result (cause and effect).
Understanding karmā and its source are vital to interpreting this concept
(can be explored on this portal). A sloka from Śrīmad Bhagavād Gita,
Chapter 9 of Rajavidya Rajaguhya Yoga, Sloka 21, wherein Gitacharya (Śrī
Kṛṣṇa) says:
ते तं भुक्त्वा स्वर्गलोकं विशालं क्षीणे पुण्ये मर्त्यलोकं विशन्ति।
एव त्रयीधर्ममनुप्रपन्ना गतागतं कामकामा लभन्ते।।
Meaning, after spending a certain time in heaven (Swarga:loka) the Jīva
depletes its karmāphala and falls back into other mortal lokas, and so the
cycle (saṃsāra) of karmā (actions defined as per Vedā and the outcome of
those actions) and janma (taking birth) continues as long as the life of
desire (kama) continues.
Another way of defining pápa is an action when performed by a karta
(person who is performing it) solely for fulfilling one’s desire, whether
that desire is rāga (liking) or dveṣa (hatred). Even if karmā associated
with an action is explained and encouraged by Śāstra, it doesn’t
necessarily make it puńya. Let us say one seeks the desired outcome,
either out of rāga (liking) or dveṣa (hatred), and so performs an action
hoping to fulfill that desire, then it is called pápa. Because puńya is
something we enjoy through some sort of availability (say good health or
mind and body, peace, materials of comfort, and more), but they get
exhausted in kālá or kāláam (time), and what lies at the end of each puńya
is pápa and vice versa. There are three means by which pápa and puńya
can be committed. They are Mānas, Vaachika, and Śarīra, and each results in
its respective phala (fruit/consequence).
Mānas is the thought process of a Jīva influenced by Vāsanā (inherent
tendencies). Just an ill thought about others or their property, or about
Iśvara or Śāstra itself is a pápa of mānas. The same applies to puńya.
Just thinking about Iśvara or Ḍharma and hoping to perform Ḍharma:sādhanā
(strive towards walking the path of Ḍharma) itself constitutes puńya. The
following is a sloka from Śāstra:
Paradravesya vidyanam| manasa:nista chintanam||
vithathabe:invechachya| Threevidham manasam smrutham||
परद्रवेस्या विद्यानं| मनस:निस्ट:चिन्तनम||
विठठाबी:निवेचस्का| थ्रीविधाम मानसं स्मृतं||
Meaning, fostering ill thoughts and ill feeling towards others or towards
“Pāradravesya” (other’s possessions) is considered pápa of mānas as it
results in dush:karmā, the fruit/consequence (karmā:phala) of which one
will have to suffer with a deformity of mind or lack of content or peace of
mind in future.
Vaachika means, that which is said through Vak (speech) using the
indriya (mouth/tongue).
Paarushya amrutanchaiva| Paishunchapi sarvarsha:haa||
A:samvardha pralapascha| Vangmaschi dhurvidham||
पारुष्य अमृताञ्चैवा| पैशुनछापी सर्वशा:हां||
असंवर्ध प्रलापाश्चा| वंगमासची धुर्विधाम ||
Meaning, ill words, rudeness (Paarushya), or lies (amrutanchaiva) said
using speech will result in Vachika pápam. People who say such things just
for fun, personal pleasure, hate, or jealousy are evil (Paishunchapi) in
nature. Such pápa also applies to those who talk carelessly just for the
purpose of gossip (a:samvardha pralapascha), with no sense of truth or
purpose, leading to a careless attitude and immoral character (again
morality is not a concept of Sanātana Dharma, it is an illustrative
reference), inadvertently spreading lies and confusion (Vangmaschi
dhurvidham) or a false impression about themselves or others. Even if there
exist facts in what one speaks, one should always consider the place and
time to speak. This is the reason why Shastra (Śāstra) says, it is Ḍharma
that a human being should follow four crucial characteristic traits.
A:himsa satyamasteyam|
soucham indriya:nigraha:ha||
अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं| शौचं:इन्द्रयाँनिग्रहं||
“A:himsa” meaning non-violence, “satyamasteyam” means to always be truthful
and speak the truth, “soucham” means cleanliness and personal hygiene, and
finally “indriya:nigraha:ha” means to be in control of our sense organs and
not be a slave to their weaknesses. In the same way, pious, soft, and
well-spoken words, or Iśvara (Ishwara) nāma sankīrtana will result in
Vaachika puńya.
Finally, Sharira means the physical body given by Prakruti (Prakṛti),
and any act committed using the means of this body results in pápa or
puńya. The one who performs an action is called Karta and the action
itself is called kriya. Any kriya performed by a karta, together with its
result, is called karmā. Any kriya performed in line with the Ḍharma of
one’s ashram is called sat:karmā, else dush:karmā. Let us take an example
from one of the Itihasa of Śrī Ramayanam, wherein Ravana kidnapped Sita
Devi – which was an atrocious pápa and is considered as “muulagati”. Sita
Devi was the Ḍharmapatni of someone else (Śrī Rama), and Shastra (Śāstra)
says one must view and address all women other than one’s own Ḍharmapatni
as a mother. Hence the sloka from Shastra (Śāstra):
Matruvat paradhareshu|
Paradravyani lostavat||
मातृवत परधारेषु| परद्रव्याणि लोसटावत||
“Pāradhareshu” (all women, other than your wife), should be viewed as
“Matruvat” (mother-like). And “Pāradravyani”, or objects belonging to
others, should be treated as stones and dirt with no significance; hence
the word “lostavat”. This is the reason why in many Southern India
languages words for relationships with women (except Ḍharmapatni) have
“amma” or “talli” (mother) incorporated in them. Even women who are
strangers are addressed with the title of mother.
Now the real question, then how should one act devoid of puńya and
pápa? We have an answer in the sloka from Śrīmad Bhagavat Gita, part of
Śrī Maha:bharath(am), composed by Maharśi Vedā Vyāsa, chapter 16, sloka 24:
“तस्माच्छास्त्रं प्रमाणं ते कार्याकार्यव्यवस्थितौ।”
“Tasmaac Shastram pramaananche Karya karyou vavasthitav”
What this means is, one should perform kriya (action) because Śāstra
says so, and not because one likes the kriya (action) or likes its outcome.
This type of performing Kriya without desire is called Nishkama Karmā.
Desire should not be the basis for a kriya (action) or its associated
karmā, and so when Śāstra is taken as the basis, then the Karmā that is
associated with it gets nullified. This very desire should be channeled
and used as a ladder to uplift ourselves and walk towards becoming a jñani,
with a lifestyle that fosters that upliftment as presented by Śāstra.
Śāstra, like a parent, has our well-being in its message; and though one
might face difficulty understanding it and implementing it, that doesn’t
make it wrong. It might be tough to follow such a lifestyle, especially in
Kali:yuga, but one needs to understand that our very existence as a human
is an opportunity to shed our pápa and puńya and exit this reality
through jñana.
In Sanātana Ḍharma, Śrī Viṣṇu/Iśvara is the one who devours both
pápa and puńya. Neither while giving happiness (by devouring puńya) does
Iśvara feel happy nor does He feel sad when giving suffering. He is
“Karmā-A:karmā phala pradata”, meaning He gives the fruits of both karmā
and A:karmā. In the form (or concept) of Ghora, He punishes, as Aghora He
gives happiness. In sloka 89 of the Viṣṇusahasranāma Stotram from Śrī
Maha:bharatam – composed by Maharśi Vedā Vyāsa – Bhisma Pitha:maha, during
the final hours of his life, says:
“भयकृत्-भयनाशनः” “Bhaya-kruth Bhaya-Nashana” Meaning He who both
frightens us and also takes away our fears. Now, from the yogic standpoint,
pápa is nothing but ignorance (avidya), which is a result of failed
efforts in the past. If one doesn’t strive on the path of Yoga and in
self-inquiry, and in the company of enlightened beings, this avidya
continues and roots deeper. This Avidya itself is termed as pápa (in
English it is translated as Sin). In the profound composition of his Yoga,
Maharśi Vasista explains to Śrī Rama that: “Sin is only ignorance and it
is destroyed by enquiry; hence one should never abandon enquiry” (Swami
Venkatesananda. 1993)
K Rajaram IRS 19325
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Srinivasan Sridharan <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2025 at 21:25
Subject: Fwd: Kali Yuga
To: Patty Thatha <[email protected]>
*From:* Srinivasan Sridharan <[email protected]>
*Date:* March 17, 2025
*Subject:* *kali Yuga*
It is said that Kali is GORAM. Which means Kali is horrible!we are all
however born to live inthis Yuga only!
God in His infinite mercy has provided some sops for us the unfortunate
prajas of Kali. In Krutha yuga one has to do hard penance (தபஸ்) to
achieve Mukthi. In Thretha yuga one has to perform very difficult Yaagas to
acieve Mukthi. In Dhvapara yuga one has to perform extensive Pujas to
acieve Mukthi. However in Kali , one can achieve Mukthj through Naama
Sankeerthanam itself , which is very easy!
In the previous Yugas one has to actually perform Punyas to get Punya Pala
, but would get Paapa Pala even if he thinks of doing Paapa! However in
Kali it is the reverse! Even if he thinks of doing Punya , he will get
Punya! But he will get Paapa only if he actually does Paapa karma! He will
not get Paapa pala, just because he thought of committing Paapa!
Not satisfied with such nice concessions, there are many who manage to get
Paapa pala, and lose the chance of attaining Moksha!
Sridharan
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