Part 3.6 - Karma as a Remedy

The inclination towards neutralizing the effects of Karma especially in its negative sense thought to be the cause of sufferings or ill-effects is an early tendency of the Veda. Prayers to deities to this effect occur in the early part of the Veda as also the oblations offered through the medium of sacrifices. Sacrifices were also performed to obtain heaven for enjoying their rewards. Very initially accumulation of merit through ritual actions and creating Kārmic potential to be utilized in near or distant future was the form of prescribed Karma.

Sharing of Karma as transfer of merit in the form of offerings to pitṛs^[1] who were believed to set free or save their descendants from evil things was a common cultural practice. Śrāddha rites were performed for the welfare of the departed souls.^[2] Earlier prayers are addressed to deities to cast away from the transgression of the fathers^[3] the Ṛgveda-saṃhitā mentions about aversions to share the evils of others.^[4] Whereas Jainism did not favour the transfer of merit, Buddhism on the other hand believed on a class of preta living on the gifts of others (paradattaupajīvi-Milindapañha IV. 8.29). the philosophical systems did not accept the concept of transfer of merit.^[5]

Increase in merit by measures such as Dāna (charity or gift),^[6] Japa^[7] (recitation of Vedic mantras and names of gods) Vratas^[8] (religious observances) in the form of obligatory, expiatory, purificatory acts; Tīrthayātra,^[9] (visiting places of Pilgrimage) and such actions were brought about. This came about initially for securing merit and later with the development of Karma theory also for removal of accumulated demerit.

With the concept of ethical retribution of Karma, moral actions as good (puṇya) and evil (pāpa) and their results thereon came to be studied.^[10] With the notion that the chain of existence continue its operation until Karma expires., Karma became as a bondage and freedom from the bondage to escape from the workings of Karma was sought for. The measures employed were in the form of Saṃvara,^[11] desirelessness,^[12] Niṣkāma Karma^[13] (detached actions) and such others.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X. 14.8, Atharvaveda XI. 6.11, 1.3.

[2]:

Garuḍapurāṇa II.5.47, 10.20.

[3]:

Ṛgveda-saṃhitā VII. 86.5.

[4]:

Ṛgveda-saṃhitā VI. 51.7, VII. 52.2.

[5]:

Karma theory in some Indian Philosophical Systems, p.266.

[6]:

Ṛgveda-saṃhitā I 125.2, Matsyapurāṇa LXXXIII to XC II.

[7]:

Gautamadharmasūtra 19.12, Yājñavalkya-smṛti III. 301-304.

[8]:

Manusmṛti XI. 116-17, 131-32, 170-71, Milindapañha IV. 1.2. 74

[9]:

Taittirīya-saṃhitā VI. 1-1, Kūrmapurāṇa II. 34.142.

[10]:

Chānd. Up. 5.10.7, Praśna Upaniṣad III.7.

[11]:

Sarvadarśana-Saṃgraha 15.23.

[12]:

Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad 4.4.7, Muṇḍaka-upaniṣad III. ii.1.

[13]:

Gītā 3.7; 18.2, 6; 5.10; 4.20.