Expiation of sins

Umapati Shivam categorically impresses that karma is never written off except through “experience” of the fruits thereof. This is the law of karma . But he does not stop after implying indirect stringent punishment due to the previous karma . After explaining the law of karma , Umapati Shivam, being an eminent authority in the matter of Shaiva rites by birth and by profession, also extends a helping hand to those who really feel sorry for their previous sins to come out of the consequences and says that expiating the demerits or papa before they manifest as pain or suffering is possible by performing saivite rituals. The orthodox tradition of the Vedas and agamas provides a recommendation to safeguard the individual self from pain and sufferings. To carry out a good deed (agamiya ) with a specific resolve (Sankalpa ), shall free oneself from the effects of a particular demerit. A constant strive by such aagamiya (which is committed by mind, word and action) for expiation of papa in accordance with the scriptural recommendation may remove the infliction due to sancita .If one strives for expiation in accordance with the scriptural recommendation, the affliction due to the sancita can be removed. It is further said that one can perform the expiation of the deeds physically by indirect means by having it done on one’s behalf by a professional as per scriptural recommendations. It may also be achieved by someone else doing it on one’s behalf without his knowledge. Admission of these possibilities even within the context of the life of bondage to the law of karma is significant as pointing to the eventual possibility of freedom from the working of the law of karma and other bonds.In the same manner, the rest of the stock of sancita shall be set at naught.^[1]

In this respect, the commentary of K. Subramaniya Pillai is noteworthy:

“When a sinful act is expiated in the way indicated in Vedic and Shaivaite scriptures, its attachment to the self is annulled. Expiation may be done by a paid deputy. Without the expiation, the effects of sin may be counter-acted by pursuing a right course of conduct prescribed in scriptures, as a result of which the strength of sin will fade to affect the self likely in the birth to come ”.^[2]

The above comment is very much apt in consonance with what Umapati Shivam has meant. Of course the attachment of sin with the self may be considered as that of Jainism since niyati tattva according to the action of tirodhayi guides the merits and demerits afflicting the self. Hence the concept of expiating the sins has been very rightly projected by the commentator.

Muru. Pala. Ratnam Chettiar says that prarabdha karma -otherwise known as fate -is different from the agamiya (the efforts made by the self).^[3] Prarabdha is already stored in sancita and comes into fructification as per the ripeness of the pasha of the self. Hence the Prarabdha shall start giving its effect or impression on the life of the self, thereby stopping or hindering the efforts or the agamiya of the self. The efforts or agamiya is normally based on aversions and desires. So it is to be understood that mala -fettered self starts consuming the fruits of the sins as per Prarabdha-karma . If the self starts acting in the right direction and makes efforts in righteous path continuously without aversions or desires, then it is turned towards carrying out expiatory ceremonies for the past sins. This is possible only when the pasha is ripe for removal.Under such a condition, the effort or the agamiya gets ready for fructification, taking precedence to the Prarabdha . Hence God also by His Grace allows this precedence due to expiation of sins.

But there is a caution in this interpretation.God is ‘dwelling’ within the self. He knows how far the pasha is ripe for removal by the efforts of the self. So any wrong impression of doing such expiatory ceremonies and simultaneous continuance of the same or similar sinful actions cannot result in expiation of past karma . In such an event, the tirodhayi shall continue to act as such, pursuing to afflict pain and sufferings to the self. Arul Shakti also shall not dawn upon the self.

Here it is pertinent to note that Periyapuranam gives a vivid account of Tilagavathy Ammaiyar, sister of Tirunavukkarasar making daily prayers and worshiping Lord Shiva so that her brother, Tirunavukkarasar may return to the fold of Shaivism from Jainism.^[4] It is also to be noted that expiation has been done by one person for the benefit of another person. We may quote many examples and also other citations from Shaivite literature.^[5]

Tirukkural says that “Uzhir peruvaliyavula mattrondru suzhinum thanmunthurum—Meaning that fate or Prarabdha of a person is the ultimate striking force. But Tirukkural also says that “Uzhaiyum uppakkam kanbar ulaivindriththazhathungatrupavar”—Meaning that a personcontinuously performing proper agamiya or suitable efforts shall definitely overcome the Prarabdha. Hence Umapati Shivam very rightfully says that expiation of sins is always possible by making such necessary efforts by the Grace of Shiva provided such a person exhibits ripeness of mala to get it wiped out by seeking the path of jnana closely following the Arul Shakti thereafter.

Umapati Shivam says that the rest of the residual stock of sancita shall be set at naught by “Guru ” the preceptor appearing physically in the form of a teacher. The individual self has toperform Shiva punya –service (Carya ), rites (kriya ) and meditation (y oga ). As an outcome of these sadhanas , Lord Himself appears in the guise of a teacher. The guru , preceptor, by application of jnanaShakti to the individual self enables it to get the mala weakened and thereby the agamiya isdestroyed. He, by the application of kriya Shakti , enables the self to get sancitakarma destroyed and thereby maya and mayeya are also removed. Umapati Shivam says that sancita karma (punya and papa ) and mayeya do not terminate unless they are wiped out eventually by the outcome of the special dispensation of Divine Grace.^[6] Umapati Shivam also says that sancita karma and maya continue to sustain the empirical life of pleasure and pain with empirical knowledge (apara jnana ). Unless God Himself occasions the non-empirical knowledge (Para Jnana ) to the individual self at the appropriate time, the cycle of birth and death will repeat for ever.

Finally, Umapati Shivam enlists pasha consisting of five malas. He enumerates them in a serial order–anava, tirodhayi, maya, karma , and mayeya . Anava is transcendentally in conjunction with self and induces craving for experience preceding the sense of pleasure and pain as well and hiding the sense of discrimination and determination. This predisposes the individual to experience (Bhoktrtva ). The second mala is tirodhayi–a form of divine Grace of God which acts as a bond. It intelligently activates and energizes the other bonds by facilitating them to operate so that the anava becomes tenuous and weak. The anava gets removed finally by weakening. The third mala is maya binding the individual self in the form of embodiment, avenues of knowledge, environment and objects of experience. The fourth bond is karma which is invariably accompanying the individual self as longings and aversions. It inflicts pleasure and pain (Bhoga ) carrying the self through the journey of birth and death. The last and fifth bond is mayeya functioning as the common and specific instruments of tattvas , in the finite and limited character of empirical knowledge (pasha jnana and subsequently apara jnana). The subversal of these five-fold functions of bondage with the aid of unempirical knowledge (a para jnana ) will only lead the individual self to get the divine Grace intelligible.^[7]

This chapter gives a description of the innatet defilement of every individual self and the nature of such defilement.The seven-fold effects of this defilement (anavamala) and the 36 tattvas that enable the self to function are explained.It gives the details of the other bondageslike karma , maya and tirodhayi. It also explains that karma performed by the self is the result of anavamala according to the maturity level of the self.Mayaandtirodhayi are helping the individual self to get rid of the innate defilement.It also give an accountof how the individual self has to necessarily undergo the fruits of its karma and also the real meaning and method of expiation of past karma .

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mattru avatrin oruvinaikku orvinaiyal veedu
Vaithiga Shaivam pagarum marabil attrap
Pattriyathukazhium, ithuvinaiyal erkkum
Panmaiyum am; pannathu palikkum; munnam
Soltharu nul vazhiyinvarin, miguthisorum ,
Sorathu angu athumelaitthodarchchiyame .—Sivaprakasam 31.

[2]:

Subramania Pillai. K., Op.cit., 31.

[3]:

Ratnam Chettiar.Muru.Pala., op.cit., 184-185.

[4]:

“Thambiyar ular aga vendum ena vaittha thaya
Umbar ulagu anaiya urunilai vilakka, uyir thangi
Amponmani nul thangathu anaithu uyirkkum Arul
Thangi imbar manaith thavam purinthu thilagavathiyar irunthar .”—Periya-Puranam 12.21.34.

[5]:

Vidaiyan adi ettha meva vinaigalae .
Anna ena vallarkku adaiya vinaigalae . —Sambandar Devaram (1.89.1)

[6]:

...indum maradhu
Arul enbadhu aridhu enbar arindhu ulore .—Sivaprakasam 32.

[7]:

Without getting rid of these bonds the individual self cannot come in for the full Grace of God.
—Subramania Pillai.K., op.cit., (1945), 32.