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Astrology and the
Doctrine of Karma Part - 2
Dr.
Shanker Adawal
Karma then is nothing but
what we have done, are doing and will do in future and we have to enjoy or
suffer appropriate Karmic results. A horoscope only indicates the result of our
past Karma. As Sri Yukteswar, the guru of Swami Yogananda, said, “A horoscope
is a portrait revealing an individuals’ unalterable past and his probable
future.” By referring to astrology both as Hora-Sastra (the science of time)
and as Jyotisha (the science of light) the Maharishis recognized that astrology
was the only science capable of uniting time and energy.
The Law of Karma provides
a graded sanction or reason for right living. It proves that men are in essence
one, and that any deed which hurts one’s neighbourhood or the commonweal is an
injury to oneself. Above all, it reveals a plane of consciousness where right
becomes the inmost law of being and a man does right not because it pays or
because it avoids self-injury, but because, beyond all argument, he must. Karma
destroys the cause of envy and the consequent ill-will. It removes impatience.
It largely removes the fear of death for which there is the inner conviction of
rebirth and by the law of affinity re-union with those one loves, why worry.
The belief in the theory
of Karma and reincarnation scattered through the philosophical writings of
India reproduce the scientific theories of the involution and evolution of the
elements. The swarming millions of India have made the thought `the soul is
older than body’ the foundation of their enormous achievements in Government,
philosophy, architecture and poetry. Throughout the East, it is the great
central thought. It is no more superstition of the ignorant masses. It is the
chief principle of Hindu metaphysics – the basis of all their inspired books.
Such a horary philosophy, held by the venerable authority of the ages, ruling
from the beginning of time the bulk of the world’s thought, cherished in some
form by the disciples of every great religion, is certainly worthy of the
profoundest respect and study.
If Karma is an invariable
law of cause and effect, what would it benefit a man to know his unalterable
future? What sin could attach to a person who was just an automation responding
to an omnipotent energy? The ancient sages foresaw these questions and they did
not want people to hide from their responsibilities under the pretext of
powerlessness. One of them, sage Badarayana, thundered in his Brahma-Sutras,
which says: “When Brahman is realized destruction of previous and future sins
occurs” and again “goods deeds cease to affect the knower of Brahman.”
So here was a very out.
The realization of God dispelled Karma, so on fatalism was implied. Man was
master of his destiny. Then how was it saints like Sri Ramana Maharishi –
saints who had realized God-suffered from diseases like cancer? The answer was
again given in the Brahma-Sutra which says, “But of his former action (good or
bad) only those which have not begun to yield results are destroyed by
knowledge.” Thus it was clearly stated that only Sanchita and Agami Karmas
could be destroyed by God-realisation. In this sense Prarabdha can only be
destroyed by using worked out. As long as the momentum of Prarabdha Karma
exists a knower of Brahman has to be in the body. The Brahma-Sutras explicitly
says this: …Ultimately having exhausted his Prarabdha be enjoyment (of good and
evil) he becomes one with god.
Thus the sages never implied
fatalism. Prayaschitta was always emphasized. When Parasara suggested remedial
measures in the Brihat Parasara Hora he was clearly stating that Sanchita and
Agami Karmas could be neutralized but Prarabdha had to be endured.
With the help of astrology,
therefore, one can see, albeit sketchily, what one has to endure and what one
can overcome instead of either frustrating attempts to change the unchangeable
or a sink-back into utter defeatism one can make an intelligent assessment of
what the future holds or is likely to hold and take steps to properly handle
oncoming situations.
The major Karmic
indicators are Saturn, Rahu and Mars. Intense Prarabdha Karma is shown when
they afflict the Moon or Mercury. Most Karmic problems are self-caused by
errors in judgment and this was recognized even in the Mahabharata where
Sanjaya tells Dhritarashtra that Karma destroys a man’s judgment and makes him
act madly to his own ruin. Saturn’s afflictions are not as bad as Rahu’s or
Mars’s. For example a Saturn-Moon association in a horoscope is indicative of
an unhappy childhood and a lot of mental agony caused by people close to him.
But if there is an aspect by benefic, preferably Jupiter, the individual not
only overcomes all his problems but develops tremendous wisdom as he grows
older.
Continuation...
Dr. Shanker Adawal
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