Arya Samaj

Prabhat

Namaste all,

If someone eats meat, drinks alcohol, and smokes cigarettes but still helps people who needs help and is always ready to help, does not say bad words to anybody and is only busy with his own things, is this person still going to be punished by God?
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Namaste,
Prabhat

Shishya · Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:30 pm Post subject:

Namaste Prabhat,

We have to first put this in the proper perspective. God's justice is universally valid. What that means is that a person is guaranteed to reap the fruits of their actions - if not in this life then in the next.

Now, if a person chooses to smoke cigarettes on a long-term basis, he will probably develop lung or throat cancer one day. Is this some kind of punishment from God? Not at all. It is simply the fruit of the freely willed action of the individual.

Yet this would be to acknowledge the physical effects alone. The real problem with smoking (or in drinking alchohol) resides in a lack of self-control and the attachment to physical pleasure which is exhibited by the smoker. And this is where God comes in. Does He hate the smoker? I don't think so. But He surely regrets that any being would allow themselves to form a habit that would make it nearly impossible for them to focus all of their mental energy on the Divine at will. He will not 'punish' a smoker, for He loves all beings. The 'punishment' - if it can be termed as such - will be that the individual might have to be reborn in order to learn the principles of chastity and non-attachment. Yet this, too, is for the ultimate good of the individual.

We shouldn't doubt in God's love or in His justice. He desires that we make progress, but we are free to do as we wish. We must simply show the courage to accept the fruits of our actions - even when those fruits are sour.

Regarding the issue of meat-eating, however, I think this is a positive sin in God's eyes. Another creature must be put to death in order for one to consume flesh - and it has been repeatedly proven that it is not necessary for survival. I also think that killing nulifies whatever good we do to others. I may well be considered a saint to other humans, but if I ate meat, I are surely a devil in the eyes of those whose flesh I would consume.

Yet, evil though it may be, God withdraws neither His love nor His justice from such a person. Instead, just like the rest of us, the meat-eater must accept the fruits of his or her actions. This might mean rebirth as an animal that itself is to be butchered and consumed by indulgent and sinful humans. Who knows? But we can be certain that God will deal justly with all.
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Prabhat · Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:28 pm Post subject:

Shishya · Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 11:46 pm Post subject:

Namaste Prabhat,

'Nulify' means to cancel out or make void. Meaning, if you do a good deed, and then a bad one, you are pretty much where you started out.

Sunita · Arya Ladies Forum Moderator Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 567

If u know anybody that is a vegetarian, do all the duties and don't say bad things....please let me know. Embarassed

_________________
Namaste!

(1) If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it. William Arthur Ward

(2) The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.John Dewey:

(3) Andre Gide: Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.

Shyena · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:33 am Post subject:

>>If u know anybody that is a vegetarian, do all the duties and don't say bad things....please let me know. Embarassed

<<
I'm a lacto-vegetarian (as i was 'born brahmin'), i don't say "bad things", but i dont do my duties at all Shocked

Prabhat · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:27 am Post subject:

Shyena · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:38 am Post subject:

If they're so offtopic, you can go ahead and delete them Wink

I have one question though - how sinful is it if you do not perform homam everyday? Until i encountered satyarth prakash i was actually unaware about homam/havan..

Prabhat · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:16 am Post subject:

Shyena · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:35 am Post subject:

The above line was meant for shishya sorry..

Prabhat · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 3:47 am Post subject:

Sunita · Arya Ladies Forum Moderator Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 567

I am still interested in a godly guy.
_________________
Namaste!

(1) If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it. William Arthur Ward

(2) The self is not something ready-made, but something in continuous formation through choice of action.John Dewey:

(3) Andre Gide: Believe those who are seeking the truth; doubt those who find it.

Shishya · Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:57 pm Post subject:

Namaste Prabhat,

I wrote a short post on the performance of the Balivaishvadeva Yajna, which can be read here.
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Prabhat · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:09 pm Post subject:

Shishya · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 2:38 pm Post subject:

Namaste Prabhat,

Prabhat · Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 7:15 pm Post subject:

Shyena · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 7:24 am Post subject:

Shishya · Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:43 pm Post subject:

Namaste Prabhat,

Prabhat · Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:53 am Post subject:

Namaste Shis,

thanks yaar. Wink

but how do we do this exactly
1. Brahma Yajna: The contemplation of and communion with God (Sandhya) twice daily, morning and evening.

how can one communicate with God
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Namaste,
Prabhat

Prabhat · Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 2:03 am Post subject:

Namaste Shis,
to come again at the punisment.

how do one deal if her child is kidnaped and killed. so the child is punised, so are the parents, but how abouth the kidnappers/rappest.
_________________
Namaste,
Prabhat

Shishya · Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:08 am Post subject:

Namaste Prabhat,

According to Vedic Wisdom, there are three types of Karma which affect us:

Sanchita: This is the Karma that we have accumulated as a result of the actions we have commited in all of our past lives.
Prarabdha: This is the portion of our Sanchita Karma that effects us in our present lives.
Agami: This is the Karma that we accumulate now through our actions in this present life and which, being added to our Sanchita Karma, will affect us in the future.

In any given situation, we must consider all three types of Karma.

In the situation you have suggested, we can assume that the immediate victim and his or her parents are suffering due to their Prarabdha Karma. They have been given the chance to neutralize some of the bad Sanchita Karma they have accumulated in past lives through the events of this life. Depending upon how they react, they can also create positive Agami Karma, the effects of which they will see in their next lives. The perpetrators of the crime, on the other hand, are piling up bad Agami Karma for themselves. Any punishment they receive during the present life will be the result of their Prarabdha Karma, and will not go towards working off their Agami Karma. Even if they spend the remainder of their lives in jail or are executed for their crimes, they will still have to pay the debt for their Agami Karma in the next.
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads

Shishya · Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 4:24 am Post subject:

Namaste Prabhat,

Hiten · Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:05 am Post subject:

Namaste Shishya

I am working on putting together a detailed presentation of Sandhya. I will send you a note when it's done.

I would be very much interested in the presentation too. Smile

_________________
Regards, Hiten

Aum Shantih Shantih Shantih

Prabhat · Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:37 pm Post subject:

Shishya · Posted: Sun Aug 06, 2006 11:55 pm Post subject:

Namaste Prabhat,

I agree. Criminals should be punished for their crimes against society. And I also agree that it must be horrible for any parent if something so terrible happens to their child. My previous comments were only meant to shed some light on the karmic background of such events.
_________________
Namaste,

Shishya
ॐ

ॐ सह नावतु । सह तौ भुनक्तु । सह वीर्यं करवावहै । तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु मा विद्विषावहै ॥
"Together may we be protected. Together may we be profited. Together may we do a hero's work. May we learn intelligently. May we never hate one another."
-Brihadaranyaka & Taittiriya Upanishads