Good or bad karma?

[Guest guest]

||Om Brihaspataye Namah|| ||Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaaya||

 

Namaste,

 

Some of you may have heard about 'Bodyworlds' exhibition featuring

real human bodies and now showing at Singapore. The preservation

technique was invented by a German professor. This technique

involves dipping the human body in acetone at two different

temperatures to enable the leaching of fat/liquids and then dipping

the body in molten plastic so that the acetone comes out and the

plastic goes in, thus preserving the original structure of the human

body indefinitely.

 

My friends went to this exhibition; I declined because I was very

uneasy about the whole exhibition (D-60 perhaps?). On coming back,

my friends and I had a discussion about this and got into an

argument about dharma vs karma. The crux of the argument was this:

Are the people who are involved in this Body worlds business doing

good karma?

 

>From one viewpoint, the people who helped to develop this technique

are ultimately contributing to the growth and development of

knowledge because this can be used by medical students worldwide.

Similarly, the people who go to the exhibition come away with an

enhanced understanding of their own bodies and how things function

inside the body. So it can be said that good karma is being created.

 

On the other hand, the Hindu shastras recommend the burning of the

human body when the soul leaves the body. Why? Does this imply that

this is bad karma to deal with dead bodies thus? I would be

interested to know your viewpoints.

 

As an aside, consider the case of a scientist who is developing a

missile. The scientist does his duty properly (dharma) and uses his

knowledge to develop the missile but ultimately in the end, the

missile is used for destructive purposes. Is the scientist creating

good or bad karma by his actions? Why?

 

I apologize in advance for this seemingly non-astrological question

but lets not forget that dharma & karma are the basis of Jyotish.

 

regards

Hari

[Guest guest]

Dear Hari,

 

Such a nice name, Hari. As Narasimha once remarked, a name with a

multitude of beautiful meanings, all designed to turn your mind to

one form of the Lord after another.

 

Interesting questions. My interepretation of the Hindu custom of

cremation is that this has nothing to do with good or bad Karma, but

that it is a way of returning "ashes to ashes and dust to dust".

Also, the Sanyasins / monks are buried, not cremated, and I don't

know why that is so - maybe since you are beyond all bonds of family

as a Sanyasin, so the concept of a son/descendent easing your path

to the higher Lokas does nto apply? Just a thought.

 

As for your example of a scientist, I would say that is both good

and bad Karma involved in that. Good, since you are doing your duty,

as you mentioned, but also because you are doing your duty to your

country and your people by protecting them from harm. Also it is

good karma if it increases knowledge - the science of making

missiles might be applicable in more benign areas that do good to

people. But there is bad Karma involved too, if the missile is used

and results are harmful.

 

I know that 9th house shows Dharma and the 10th Karma - do these

show what actions the native will take on these, i.e. a benefic in

10, good 10th Lord etc. will make them want to perform good Karma?

Or what they acquire good Karma, i.e. the opportunities to perform

good Karma will be made available to them through a strong 10th?

 

Thanks,

Venkat

 

vedic astrology, "onlyhari" <onlyhari>

wrote:

> ||Om Brihaspataye Namah|| ||Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaaya||

>

> Namaste,

>

> Some of you may have heard about 'Bodyworlds' exhibition featuring

> real human bodies and now showing at Singapore. The preservation

> technique was invented by a German professor. This technique

> involves dipping the human body in acetone at two different

> temperatures to enable the leaching of fat/liquids and then

dipping

> the body in molten plastic so that the acetone comes out and the

> plastic goes in, thus preserving the original structure of the

human

> body indefinitely.

>

> My friends went to this exhibition; I declined because I was very

> uneasy about the whole exhibition (D-60 perhaps?). On coming back,

> my friends and I had a discussion about this and got into an

> argument about dharma vs karma. The crux of the argument was this:

> Are the people who are involved in this Body worlds business doing

> good karma?

>

> From one viewpoint, the people who helped to develop this

technique

> are ultimately contributing to the growth and development of

> knowledge because this can be used by medical students worldwide.

> Similarly, the people who go to the exhibition come away with an

> enhanced understanding of their own bodies and how things function

> inside the body. So it can be said that good karma is being

created.

>

> On the other hand, the Hindu shastras recommend the burning of the

> human body when the soul leaves the body. Why? Does this imply

that

> this is bad karma to deal with dead bodies thus? I would be

> interested to know your viewpoints.

>

> As an aside, consider the case of a scientist who is developing a

> missile. The scientist does his duty properly (dharma) and uses

his

> knowledge to develop the missile but ultimately in the end, the

> missile is used for destructive purposes. Is the scientist

creating

> good or bad karma by his actions? Why?

>

> I apologize in advance for this seemingly non-astrological

question

> but lets not forget that dharma & karma are the basis of Jyotish.

>

> regards

> Hari

[Guest guest]

Sri Krishna in the Bhagvad Gita tells us to do one's duty without having any

attachments to the fruits of that action. What does this mean? It means to

simply execute one's duty without being influenced by one's blind sense mind

(which causes our shad ripus - anger, greed, lust, envy, attachment and/or

pride ). It also means that we are not accumulating good or bad karma and we

will be freed from it's bondage.

Comments are always welcome.

 

Thanks,

 

- Jaivenkatarama_sastry <venkatarama_sastry > wrote:

Dear Hari, Such a nice name, Hari. As Narasimha once remarked, a name with a

multitude of beautiful meanings, all designed to turn your mind to one form of

the Lord after another. Interesting questions. My interepretation of the Hindu

custom of cremation is that this has nothing to do with good or bad Karma, but

that it is a way of returning "ashes to ashes and dust to dust". Also, the

Sanyasins / monks are buried, not cremated, and I don't know why that is so -

maybe since you are beyond all bonds of family as a Sanyasin, so the concept of

a son/descendent easing your path to the higher Lokas does nto apply? Just a

thought. As for your example of a scientist, I would say that is both good and

bad Karma involved in that. Good, since you are doing your duty, as you

mentioned, but also because you are doing your duty to

your country and your people by protecting them from harm. Also it is good karma

if it increases knowledge - the science of making missiles might be applicable

in more benign areas that do good to people. But there is bad Karma involved

too, if the missile is used and results are harmful. I know that 9th house

shows Dharma and the 10th Karma - do these show what actions the native will

take on these, i.e. a benefic in 10, good 10th Lord etc. will make them want to

perform good Karma? Or what they acquire good Karma, i.e. the opportunities to

perform good Karma will be made available to them through a strong

10th?Thanks,Venkat

Adventavit asinus, pulcher et fortissimus

 

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