Karmic Astrology—a Study

by Sunita Anant Chavan | 2017 | 68,707 words

This page relates ‘Aspects of Karma’ 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 3.8 - Aspects of Karma

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1. Karma is central

Karma is centrally placed to the explanation of the universe by the culture. It is proposed as the cause of the activity in the entire world and thereby a fundamental percept being the cause of everything (Padma Purāṇa 2.94). whereas it actively pursued in the Vedic period in the form of ritual and ethical actions as a chief means for the obtaining of heaven, immortality and the for Brahman world, in the post-Vedic period it provides a causal platform for the working of the world as an effect of past actions.

2. Karma is unseen and fructifies with time.

Karma as an unseen magical virtue or as a merit of ritualistic actions fructifying at some later point of time is repeatedly expressed in the literature. Its manifestation after bodily death is also mentioned (Atharvaveda XVIII.2.57). In the later phase the daiva aspect of Karma considering birth as an expiation for the actions of previous lives also retained the unseen angle of Karma. In its literal sense it is termed as ‘adṛṣṭa’ or ‘apūrva’.^[1] Its connectivity with the parts of time as fruition of past actions or fructification in a distant future beyond bodily existence, makes ‘time’ a function of karma.

3. Storage of Karma

Karma possessed a tendency of gathering. Every action once performed was believed to fructify, and those which do not fructify instantly were bound to be stored. Whether meritorious or non-meritorious every action being consequential and resulting in fruition after a certain lapse of time attributed Karman the property of accumulation until they being fructified or exhausted. These were inclusive of accumulated Karmas of all the past existences, whose fruits remain to be experienced. These set of Karmas are termed as ‘Sañcita Karma’.

The stored Karma is material or lay in a matter form being compared to a lump of earth or wood and insentient in character.^[2] Sāṃkhya make it a part of the primordial matter (Prakṛti).

The association of the matter form of Karman (Pudgala of Jainas) with the soul is believed the basis of the karmaṇaśarīra or else the liṅgaśarīra (subtle body) which is controlled by Karma residing in it along with avidyā and desire.^[3] These residues of the acts stored in the form of tendencies (saṃskāras) fructify in many lives is also a presupposition.

A special type of Karma stored in the form of action potential namely apūrva, the subtle potency arising from the sacrificial action is said to reside in the agent and stands as a connecting link between the act and the reward over the lapse of time. In an earlier period the idea of accumulated merit is expressed in the Taittirīya Saṃhitā V. 7.7.2

4. Inequality due to Karma

Inequality amongst human beings is attributed to past-karma as good and evil resulting in variation in caste, form or appearance, in economic status and success and fortune.^[4] The variety in the biological species is also accorded to Karmas^[5] on virtue of their deeds leading to superior forms of life as a consequence of higher merit. Rather the entire differentiation from Brahmā to a blade of grass is made dependant on Karma.^[6] Thereby diversity is made a result of Karmavipāka.

Inequality along with difference in the nature of individual actions also manifests in the time of Vipāka.^[7] The inequality in the body forms and mental faculties of human are accorded to the rajas and tamas along with the pūrvakarmas.^[8]

Deeds also determine the plane of fruition.^[9] Good conduct results birth as a human being or in heaven whereas evil conduct leads to animal birth or hell. Kauṣitaki Upaniṣad (I.2) mentions rebirth in different planes of existence. The ideas of other worlds viz, devaloka (heaven) and yamaloka (world of fathers) reached by devayāna & pitṛyāna respectively and even the idea of hell expressed in earlier Veda modulated along with the theory of Karma and in the later part with rebirth essentially in this world, swarga (heaven) came to be defined not as a region but as a state (of mind) denoting happiness (Śābarabhāṣya on Pūrvamīmāṃsā-sūtra of Jaimini VI.1.1). Karma at this stage thereby became directly associated with emotional experiences and their bifurcations.

5. Motion of Karma

Karma is equated with motion. The idea subsists itself in its literary expression and in its basic concept that every action is inevitably subjected to fruition. It is also frequently expressed in the notion of transference or exchange of Karma. It is said to possess downward gravity (adhogurutva) in opposition to or relatively with the soul possessing an upward movement. (ūrdhvagurutva).^[10] This thought in sense of being tied down (due to immoral actions) is expressed very early in the concept of the fetters of Varuṇa, whereas the idea continues in later period where a man with true insight is not restrained by his actions in opposition to those without insight who are tied down to repeated births and deaths. (Manusmṛti 6.74)

Karma (human action) is determinative of a man’s gati^[11] is an important concept in relation with the doctrine. In the initial literature, the soul was supposed to move by its inherent power (svadhā)^[12] and later because of the accumulated Karmas. Or it was the complex of dharmādharma (adṛṣṭa) which decided the future course of the soul. The possible courses (gati) or destinies^[13] depended upon the nature of the acts.^[14] The state between two material or gross bodies defined as vigraha-gati^[15] also finds mention in the literature.