Karmic Astrology—a Study

by Sunita Anant Chavan | 2017 | 68,707 words

This page relates ‘Developmental Nature of Karman’ of the study on Karmic Astrology and its presentation in Vedic and the later Sanskrit literature. Astrology (in Sanskrit: Jyotish-shastra) is based upon perceptive natural phenomenon of cosmic light forms while the Concept of Karman basically means “action according to Vedic injunction” such as the performance of meritorious sacrificial work.

Part 3.2 - Developmental Nature of Karman

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In the Ṛgveda, the word Karman is often an expression of the ‘brave deeds’ of deities.^[1] It also comes as ‘religious works’ in the form of ‘sacrifices’ or ‘offering of gifts’.^[2] In the Saṃhitās, Karman generally meant action and also carried a specific meaning of ‘action according to Vedic injunction’. Performance of meritorious sacrificial work^[3] was the nature of Karma in this period.

The Vedic sacrifice itself was termed as Karma in the Brāhmaṇas which lay a pre-eminence on yajñakarma.^[4] The acts or religious rites in this period were generally performed in hope of future recompenses such as long life, wealth, heroic sons, heaven and immortality and the term Karma came with an underlying sense as an unseen merit fructifying in future for acts or prescribed acts performed in present.

These actions explicitly differed from the later development of Karman in the Upaniṣadic thought where karma while retaining its prior meaning as ritual actions, also meant knowledge (Vidyā) regarding speculations of the soul. Karman as religious rites and as knowledge (Vidyā) appears to be distinguished already in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa X. 4.3.4-10. Later the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad while praising Vidyā as Karman specify the differentiation between these actions in terms of their fruits.^[5]

Karman as Vidyā resulted in extension of the concept to the mental and moral sphere. The fire offering sacrifices were declared to be producing ephemeral and thereby perishable results.^[6] The expression of action changed from mechanically potential fruit bearing ritual acts to ethically retributive ones which were explanatory to the sufferings and inequality in the world. Ethical nature of Karman also oriented the sense of Karman chiefly to human deeds. The nature of the moral act performed came to be considered as a decisive factor for the future becoming of man.^[7] Also Karma as a binding force extended its sphere to the successive existences of man operating as fate.

The belief in continuation of existence after bodily death in different forms and planes prevailed in the culture. The idea of being born once again after death is expressed in Śat Brā. XI. 2.1.1. Meritorious actions were performed for deliverance from Punarmṛytu (Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa II. 3.3.7) or conquering of Punarmṛytu (Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa X. 1.4.14). The soul was supposed to follow the iṣṭāpūrta after death of the body.^[8]

With rebirth (Punarjanma) fixed as a consequence of actions, the concept of Punarmṛtyu of the Brāhmaṇas disappeared in the background. The utility of the elementary iṣṭāpūrta was denounced by the Upaniṣads as well.^[9]

Vidyā (karma as ritual knowledge) came to be condemned in the later stages as leading to darkness^[10] considering Karma in this sense as a bond release from which was sought for. The attainment of Brahman or Brahman world which was beyond good and evil actions became the final goal to be reached by man.^[11] The basic meaning of Karma as action subsided at this point and Karma acquired an obscure sense of non-action.

Post-Vedic the doctrine of Karma developed in a composite form. The Vedāṅgas advocated prescribed actions. The ritualistic nature of Karma as yajña Karma conducive to happiness by performance of the principle sacrifices was retained in the systems. Karma and Saṃsāra were the general consideration of Dharmaśāstra (Manusmṛti 12.1-82) and also the ultimate retribution for actions (Manusmṛti 12.1).

Whereas the Epics followed the Philosophy of the Upaniṣadic preaching’s of the becoming of human according to his deeds (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.5) and ponder on Daiva and human effort, the Purāṇa literature retain the Vedic attitude of performance of Śrāddha and such rituals to achieve rebirth.

The concept of transfer of merit or demerit^[12] appears to be deeply rooted in the tradition. Karma is transactional amongst individuals^[13] and also among the individual and his generations^[14] though this is the general acceptance in the nonphilosophical context and systems like Yoga and Advaita Vedānta deny any transfer of Karma amongst persons and express it as an individual process.

Moral Karma as primarily mental in is nature and that the intention behind the act than the actual act resulted in puṇya (merit) and pāpa (demerit) was propounded by Aṅguttaranikāya Text iii, LX111.11. Whereas the material nature of Karma with the property of downward gravity (adhogurutva)^[15] or Karma as a product of Prakṛti or primordial matter and not Puruṣa was also discovered.

Karma came to be considered as the cause of all activity amongst the living beings,^[16] named as Pradhāna, the originator and source of the material world.^[17]