What exactly is meant by sin (paap)?

I was recently sent this quote by Swami Tejomayananda, the  Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide, apparently from its news bulletin of March 2016.
"Today there is so much talk of atmosphere pollution, water pollution, air pollution, noise pollution. But very rarely do we speak of mind pollution. External pollution is nothing but the result of polluted mind. So papam is to be understood as what which pollutes the mind and result in suffering."

In this context I would like to share what Sri Koorathazhvan has stated in Varadarajastavam. This appears to be a more appropriate as it also includes the definition of punya.

Swami Koorathazhvan, says, "An act of ours that pleases Lord Varadan results in Pnnya. An act of ours that displeases Lord Varadan results in Papam." Therefore in each of our action, we need to check whether Lord Varadan will be pleased. Obviously, Lord Varadan will not be pleased with acts that cause harm to His property - all things in the world, including every living being.

Eloborating this further, poorvacharyas have come to an understanding that acts based on Dharma shastras only please Lord Varadan. That is because, in the Bhagavad Gita, the Lord says, "shrutis smritir mamaiva agnja" i.e "That which is stated in the Shrutis and Smritis is my commandment."
Based on this pramanam, one may come to the conclusion that following the Do's and refraining from the Don't's as stated in the Vedas, and Smriti's such as Manu Smriti et al. should be one's way of life.
The dictum of the Shruti and Smriti are very complex for the modern mind which tries to interpret them liberally. That is why our ancestors have tried to understand, codify, and created a way of life that includes the dictum of the Shrutis and Smritis. For further clarification one need to consult appropriate elders in the family. In addition, certain external practices have been put in place that cleanse the mind off the mind pollution, resulting in positive thinking, and therefore good conduct. Achamanam, for example, is deha, manas, and atma shuddi. One has to do achamanam several times a day - after ablution, after wearing clothes, after eating, etc. And, washing of hands, feet and mouth is described as a pre-requisite to performing achamanam. We have forgotten a lot of these practices that were mandated by our ancestors - because of what we call "progress"? Really? 

What is the proof or evidence that God exists?

Charuvaka's or Atheists claim that we cannot see (or touch or feel or smell or hear etc.) God and therefore He does not exist.  Abrahamic religions ride partially on Charuvaka's arguments to deride Hindu Gods. Hindus are confused about who is God because of the sheer number of them (33 crores?) who are all collectively referred to as God and many of them even have temples where they are worshipped and revered. But the few Hindus that know some vedanta agree that eventually there is only one God - and that it is He/She that manifests in so many forms (33 crore+) for different purposes. They also agree that He/She is in each one of us as Antaryami or Soul or Self or Atma - whatever technical jargon they want to use.  At the end of the day, 99.9% of the world, irrespective of the religion they choose to live by, wants evidence of God's existence. The lack of evidence is the primary reason why Atheists call the theists as "blind followers".

Swami Nammazhvar says there is no dearth of Gods in this world. What one accomplishes at the end of this life depends on the God that he/she chooses to worship. In other words, most of these Gods that people worship, have limitations on what favors they can give/grant to their worshippers. 

Thivaimozhi pasuram

குலம் தாங்கு சாதிகள் நாலிலும் கீழ் இழிந்து எத்தனை
நலம் தான் இலாத சண்டாள சண்டாளர்கள் ஆகிலும்
வலம் தாங்கு சக்கரத்து அண்ணல் மணிவண்ணர்க்கு ஆள் என்று
உள் கலந்தார் அடியார் தம் அடியார் எம் அடிகளே.

River Ganges Regained her Purity at Varanasi

This is the Adhi Keshav temple and the Adhi Keshav Ghat in Varanasi.

River Ganges is originally Trivikraman's Sri Pada Theertam -  the water that washed the holy feet of Trivikraman. When the Lord had taken Vamana Avatar and then took the huge form of Trivikraman to measure the lower seven worlds with one foot and upper seven with one foot, His right foot reached  Brahma's Satya Loka. Seizing this opportunity, Brahma instantly washed His foot and offered his prayers to it. This water that he washed His feet with became Ganga and is flowing as a river even today in Satya Loka.  It was this river that Bhageerata brought down to earth after performing penance. In order to regulate her flow, Shiva offered to receive her on his head and regulate the flow through his hair.  This is the first source of dosham or impurity for Ganga.

After Shiva regulated her flow on earth, she was flowing unhindered when she disturbed Maharishi Jahnu's penance. The angered rishi swallowed her. Upon Bhageerata's request, he let her go through his ears. That is how she got her name as Jhanavi. This is her second source of dosham or impurity - as she had become the uchishtam (jhoota or echil) of Jahnu maharishi.

At the Adhi Keshav Ghat in Varanasi, Swami Ramanuja during his all India digvijayam (tour) released her from those impurities by washing his feet. Ramanuja, an avatar of Adiseshan or Seshnag, thus helped river Ganges regain her purity at Varanasi.

 

Karma, Knowledge, Bhakti, Moksha

1. Balance of Karma is of two types - Punya and Papa.
2. Everybody acts/reacts according to what each person knows.
3. Actions result in Karma - either Punya or Papa based on whether the act has pleased the Lord or not. If the Lord is pleased, the result if Punya Karma. If the Lord is not pleased the result is papa karma.
4. Punya and Papa in normal circumstances have to be spent by experiencing happiness and unhappiness. When you are happy you are spending Punya karma. When you are unhappy or in pain, you are spending papa karma.
5. Each person acts by his/her independent knowledge and decision.  You are responsible for your actions, not God. Therefore one should own his/her decisions, and always think and act without making impulsive decisions.
6. What we know affects our decision-making ability.
7. Shastras, especially Smriti's describe how one should live life. Living life according to scriptures pleases God. Doing things that the scriptures tell us to avoid, or not doing what they have ordained us to do will result in Papa karma. Therefore, one must learn the scriptures to understand the Do's and Dont's so as to live according to them. Living as described in the scriptures is called Karma Yoga.
8. The cause of ignorance is Balance of Karma. As we continue doing Karma Yoga, it pleases the Lord, and by His blessings, some critical pieces of knowledge dawns upon us.
9. The newly acquired knowledge will further strengthen our resolve to continue performing Karma yoga. This results in more knowledge dawning upon the individual, merely by the Lord's grace.
10. Thus, knowledge acquired by the Lord's grace is more favorable and appropriate for one's spiritual progress than the knowledge acquired through human effort of reading, understanding, doing penance, meditation, etc.
11.  Knowledge as it matures, becomes Bhakti (Devotion). Such Bhakti will be more steadfast than Bhakti cultivated towards the Lord by human effort.
12. Knowledge and Bhakti continue to grow in the individual merely by the Lord's infinite grace. The individual continues his Karma Yoga, even as the knowledge and bhakti continue to intensify.
13. The realization that the Knowledge and Bhakti is a result of the Lord's grace helps the person to give up self effort towards spiritual growth. At that point the person performs Sharanagati or complete surrender to the Lord.
14. Upon complete surrender, the Lord wipes out the individual's remaining Karmic Balance from the timeless past or Sanchita Karma.
15. He has assured that He gives Moksha to those that surrender to Him, at the end of the very physical life the person is leading. That life becomes the individual's last birth on earth.
16. Having performed Sharanagati, the individual continues to perform Karma yoga not expecting anything else in return (what else does one need more in life, having received the assurance from the Lord that Moksha is guaranteed at the end of the life?). This is called Nishkamya Karma.
17. Such a person lives the rest of his/her life merely for the Lord's happiness and becomes interested in doing only those things that pleases the Lord - like singing for Him, cooking for Him, reading about Him, sharing thoughts about Him, extolling His great qualities, enjoying the company of others that have surrendered to Him, serving Him at his temples, serving others that have surrendered to Him, serving the Acharya that facilitated his surrender to the Lord, and merely "experiencing His grace." He is not interested in other worldly activities, accomplishments, and achievements. The Lord is his only wealth.
18. Such a person understands that everything in this world is subservient to Him, and that the world cannot exist without Him.
19. From this point onwards, as the individual slowly detaches himself from worldly life, merely by the Lord's grace, the Bhakti becomes Para-Bhakti. It is a state in which the individual is looking up to the Lord for anything he/she needs even for survival.
20. Again merely by the Lord's grace, the Para Bhakti becomes Para-Gnana. In the Para-Gnana state the individual is able to see the Lord (Darshana Samanakara Sakshatkaram).
21. As the individual ascends to the Kingdom of God in Srivaikuntham he/she achieves the final state of purity called Parama-Bhakti. In this state, the individual is unable to bear even a second of separation from the Lord.
22. All this spiritual progress happens merely by the Lord's effort and not by the individual soul's effort. The liberation of the individual soul is therefore the Lord's responsibility and not that of the individual. In fact, he refuses to intervene if the individual continues to make self-effort towards spiritual progress. Knowing this, one should not waste any more time, and simply surrender to the Lord through a qualified Acharya.



 

Equality in Hinduism - Bhagavat Gita based Analysis

It has been alleged by many sickulars in India that the Bhagavat Gita propagates casteism and therefore caste based discrimination and untouchability based on Bhagavan's statement that "Chaturvarnyam maya srishti". Some even allege that it propagates violence since it asks Arjuna to take up arms against the Kauravas! They are selectively looking at fragments of statements than looking at the whole message.  In the same Bhagavat Gita, in Chapter 5, Shloka 18, Bhagavan declares,

"VidyA vinaya sampannE brAhmanE gavi hastinI | suni chaiva svapAkE cha paNditA: sama darshina: ||

PanditA: refers to the learned person. sama  darshina: refers to "sees as equal." So what all does the learned person see as equal?  He takes examples of living beings that are diverse - from a man born as a brahmin to animals such as elephant, cow, and dog, to a man born in the caste of dog-eaters.  How can, the Bhagavad Gita that says that even the animals are equal to human beings of diverse births be a source of discrimination? It can only be seen as a great equalizer that is propagating Universal Equality for all - including animals, all over the globe and not merely India.  Such is its Universal Message, that there is nothing wrong in declaring it a Universal Scripture rather than merely India's national scripture. Every Indian, no matter which religion he/she is born into should be proud of the fact that such a scripture originated in this land. On the contrary, it is Abrahamic religions that differentiate the religious beliefs of people and call for "conversion of non-believers".  Not Hinduism.

One has to acknowledge however, that there is huge diversity in the world by birth.  Even if we cast aside religious, national, and caste differences there is vast economic differences. While governments of the world can work towards harmonizing these material inequalities, true equality can only be established spiritually.

Karma, the cause and effect

1. Purpose of life is evolution or growth.  
2. Evolution refers to evolution of intellectual ability and physical capabilities we achieve thereof. For example, we are presently able to fly from one location to another - however, we strive to innovate in order to be able to fly faster. We are presently able to fly and send objects to outer space - even beyond this solar system - we want to be able to send objects to other galaxies.
3. There is life on other planets and they are much more evolved in terms of their intellectual and physical capabilities. For example, they are able to travel to cosmic destinations (including earth) simply by desiring to do so. They are able to change their physical form to any type of body they want to take on. 
4. While these life-forms are capable of appearing in front of human beings, by their desire, they are staying away. They choose to reveal themselves only to selected human beings that have achieved some basic qualifications through a rigorous path described in the Hindu Holy scriptures.
5. These extra-terrestrials with higher capabilities than us differ in their capabilities from each other. There are some that are more evolved than the others. For example, the Devas are more accomplished than the human beings; Brahma, Rudra, Skanda, Vinayaka etc. are more accomplished than the Devas; The Mukta-Atma's residing in SriVaikuntham are more accomplished than Brahma, etc.
6. The Mukta-Atma's living in Srivaikuntham represent the highest form of intellectual evolution we can achieve. That is the final destination - there is no evolution beyond that. Mukta-Atma's therefore may be described as the "MOST Perfect Beings".
7. God is higher than the "MOST Perfect Beings" and has capabilities that He does not share with anyone. For Example: He alone can Create worlds of existence for all beings.  He alone can absolve the Karma (noun) of the less perfect beings, thereby opening up the possibility of the less perfect being to evolve into the Most Perfect Being.
8. Karma (Noun) is the blocking factor that deters us from achieving the higher intellectual evolution. 
9. Life has been given to us in order to achieve these higher intellectual forms by spending the balance of Karma we have accumulated and thereby stimulating the intellect to achieve these higher forms.
10. Out of His compassion, He has given us, the less perfect being,  a chance to spend our Karma, grow intellectually, and attain the state of Most Perfect Being.
11. Balance of Karma (Noun) is the reason we are born into this life. 
12. It is not an accident that you have got a human body while an animal has got that animal body. It is all based on one's Balance of Karma.
13. Once born, every one HAS to perform karma (actions ) (verb). No human being is exempt.
14. As a result of performing actions, one acquires Karma (noun) - as Punya or papa (Positive or Negative).
15. When one enjoys/suffers consequences of ones karma (actions) (verb), he/she spends Punya/Papa Karma (Noun).
16. The Balance of Karma (Noun) has to be exhausted in order open up the opportunity to higher intellectual evolution. Whilst exhausting Balance of Karma (noun), one should carefully perform karma (actions) (verb) such that he/she does not acquire additional Karma (noun) in the process!!!
17. It is a trick or knack one has to understand. It is attitudinal. A change in attitude when performing karma (action) (verb) can ensure that the actor does not accumulate Punya or Papa for whatever he/she has done.
18. The beginning Balance of Karma (noun) chosen for this birth is called Prarabdha Karma.  There is a bigger Balance of Karma - A huge accumulation since zillions of birth each human being has taken - this is called Sanchita Karma.
19. By doing appropriate actions and living within the framework described in the shastras one does not get punya or papa karma.  However, not living the framework described in the shastras and doing actions that are forbidden in the shastras, one gets papa karma. For example, Shastra's mandate the human beings belonging to the first three varnas to perform nithyakarma. Performing them the way it is stated in the shastras will not attract any Karma (noun). Not performing them, will attract papa karma. "Do" what shastras tell you to do. Stay away from doing what the shastras tell you "not to do." 
20. Shastra Vashyatvam - the mandate to live within the framework described in shastras is applicable only to human beings - not to animals. (Animals cannot read/learn the shastras and live according to them). Therefore, Punya and Papa karma are also applicable only for those born as human beings.
21. It is the individual human being's duty to know which varna he/she is born into, and live according to the varna-ashrama dharma prescribed by the shastras.  
22. The objective of life is to endure happiness and sorrow to exhaust the punya or papa in the prarabdha karma one is born with. When prapabdha is completed, one will NOT stay even a second longer on earth. When you are happy, punya Karma (noun) is being spent; When you are suffering, papa Karma (nounc) is being spent. 
23. Karma (noun) accumulated during this birth - both punya and papa karma are called agami karma. they are stored along with sanchita karma for future use.
24. Based on the balance of karma for next life, the body one will take in the next life is determined. It is also determined based on the desires one has had in this life. 
25. If one so desires, during this life time itself, one can spend all the accumulated karma (Prarabdha, and Sanchita) and achieve the highest form of evolution to become the Most Perfect Being. Prapatti is the only path that lets one to accomplish this at the end of this life itself. All other paths lets you to accomplish this goal over several future births (innumerable).
26. Prapatti needs to be performed only through a qualified guru/acharya. The guru/acharya cannot be by-passed and God does not accept prapatti performed by individuals out of their own realization.