Karmic Astrology—a Study
by Sunita Anant Chavan | 2017 | 68,707 words
This page relates ‘Extent of Future in the Literature’ of the study on Karmic Astrology and its presentation in Vedic and the later Sanskrit literature. Astrology (in Sanskrit: Jyotish-shastra) is based upon perceptive natural phenomenon of cosmic light forms while the Concept of Karman basically means “action according to Vedic injunction” such as the performance of meritorious sacrificial work.
Part 1.4 - Extent of Future in the Literature
[Full title: Central Theme and Hypothesis (4): Extent of Future in the Literature]
The expanse of future finds an expression in the Cosmogony of the Veda and later literature.
a) Cosmos
i. Origin and Destruction of the Cosmos
Ṛgveda ascribes the origination of world to a single principle mentioned as ‘Tad-ekam’ (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X.129) or Puruṣa (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X. 90), though ‘Kāla’ of which future is a division appears as the first principle in the Atharvaveda.6 Atharvaveda also mentions Kāla as the creator of Prajāpati identifying Skambha, with Prajāpati (Atharvaveda 10.7,8) as the creator and supporter of all worlds. The Taittirīya Saṃhitā recurrently mentions Prajāpati as the creator[1] inscribing the idea of the world subjected to creation.
In the Brāhmaṇas, ritual actions are performed on the ‘Timed form’ of Prajāpati for attainment of a specifically desired future. The connection of ‘desire and action in present for a certain achievement in future applied to Prajāpati in Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (VI. 1.1) desirous of progeny practiced tapas out of which Brahman was created.
The Upaniṣads limit and extend the concept and the field of future by referring Kāla as one of the sources of creation[2] and simultaneously render superior the creator, the ‘efficient cause’ as beyond the three times.[3] Thus,the absolute Brahman is the creator, preserver and destroyer of the bhūtas (being and / or ‘elements’)[4] its form of Brahman, the fundamental cause is inclusive of both the active and the inactive world and is connected with and beyond future.
The concept of single creation expressed in the early Upaniṣads is replaced by the idea of a periodical dissolution and recreation of the universe by the creator (Śvetāṣvatara-upaniṣad 5.3), being encouraged for such an activity by the actions of the soul[5] making the nature of future of cosmos a temporary process and also secondary to human actions.
ii. Cosmic Future
Cosmic future carries dual perspectives as the nature of cosmos is of brilliance as well as darkness. The idea of future eulogized in the Veda and later literature pertains to the bright aspect of the cosmos and is traced by the luminosity, truth and order in the cosmos.
To such an extent the region of heaven located in cosmos is a region of light inverse to the idea of hell which is full of darkness and is to be avoided.[6] The idea associates the deity Bṛhaspati, born of the light of heaven and the dispeller of darkness, initially paralleled with Agni and later the prototype of Brahma (neuter)[7] sharing a significant connection with the constellation Tiṣya (Taittirīya-saṃhitā 4.4.10.1) and in the post Vedic the planet Jupiter linked with luck. Earlier Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X. 88.15 mentions the two paths and the region where the whole world that moves reaches whereas later Brahman, the self-illumined absolute entity is said to reflect in all cosmos and is to be reached by the visible light forms as its expressions. Future, is also defined in the
‘order’ of the cosmic light forms initially as the order of the anthropomorphized deities who followed a fixed path laid down by themselves (Vrata) the notion descending from Ṛta, the cosmic order and evolving as Satya[8] which is later equated with Dharma.[9] The concept of cosmic future can be termed as of complex character, the multiplicity on account of the varied possibilities of human approaches to it.
b) Human
i. Origin and Structure of Human
Man is believed be a product of nature, his origin traced from the original single principle (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā VIII.58.2), Puruṣa (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X.90) and also Viśvakarman (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X.81,82) who fashioned the world. Ṛgveda-saṃhitā (I. 96.2) places Agni as the progenitor of man. Tai.Sam VI. 5.6.2 makes man a descendent of Vivasvān Ādityaḥ. Prajāpati (Taittirīya-saṃhitā II.1.2.1) and Kāla (Atharvaveda XIX. 53.10) are also mentioned as the creators of man.
The Upaniṣads speak about the immortal ruler residing within all beings (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad III.7.15) as the creator of and identical with all beings (Aitareya-upaniṣad I. 1-3) while Manus from whom human race came forth are creations by mind of the single principle.[10] The Caraka Saṃhitā (I.25.1-15) mentions various theories of origin of man and diseases of which Karma is one of the cause.
Taittirīya-upaniṣad II.2-5 express the five layered structure of man, underneath which is the Ātman, the individualized cosmic one, embodied yet a knowing subject and unchangeable.[11] In contrast to the Ātman, human form being subjected to the action world is equipped with ‘senses’ which collect the impressions of the external objects, the ‘mind’ which synchronize them and the ‘reason’ to discriminate them, activity in sense of dharmādharma (righteous and unrighteous action) is inherent in mind and reason. Man is subjected to transmigration[12] on account of this activity and in accordance with the variety of the Karmāśaya which determine the Jāti (life and form of existence), Āyuḥ (life span) and Bhoga (experiences whether happy or unhappy)[13] the soul has to undergo in one embodiment or many depending on the Vāsanās or Kārmic residues.[14] The future of human in the culture is conceptualized with the working of the above factors.
ii. After Life
Owing to the Karmāśaya, the Jīva transmigrates due to his Karma being an important doctrine of the theory of Karma thereby bodily death is not absolute in the literature. In the early phase, the souls of the good passed to Yamaś heaven of light (Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X. 14.10) whereas later the soul returned with rebirth in favourable conditions as a recompense of his good deeds though in broad terms the notion of ideal future comes in two perspectives, ‘in existing life a prosperous one with hundred Autumns’[15] and ‘Heaven and Immortality after bodily death’.
iii. Causal Components of Human Destiny
Future of present life is a slight affair as compared to its relevance with innumerous lives of the Jīva. It is in this perspective that the concept of Daiva (destiny) chiefly occurs. Variable acts due to individualized desires bring specificity in the forms of existence.[16] Human action is considered the basic cause of formation of destiny along with other causes as an aggregation.[17]
iv. The Ideal Goal
The aim of human existence according to the culture, in the Saṃhitās and Brāhmaṇas is expressed as becoming identical with the gods[18] the idea finds an expression in the path leading to the gods and heaven as their abodes for the achievement of which ritual actions were performed. In the Upaniṣads the highest object is union with the Absolute, reaching the realm of Brahmā which is beyond good and evil deeds[19] and attained by Knowledge.
The dual way of thought reflects in the Systems where the injunctions of the Mimāṃsā coinciding with the Saṃhitās and the Brāhmaṇas proclaimed a life linked inevitably with actions whereas the Vedānta connect with the Upaniṣads approving the Brahman world as the ultimate truth.
In the linear flow of the literature, Swarga, an activity bound future become a temporary plane of achievement for man from which on exhaustion of goods deeds he had to return to earth. In an even later stage, Svarga, the region, became a condition of mind[20] taking a more impermanent form. Mokṣa, a state of permanent release remained a priority dependent on the moral side of actions.
This being the extent of cosmogony inclusive of both Cosmic and human factors the idea of future in the literature, chiefly comes in two viewpoints Firstly, “Future is not only a division of time but is a notion utilized for improvisation of the present status of human existence in accordance with the cultural ideology.”
Secondly “Future is action oriented and is dependent on the activity in the perishable world and through the moral nature of actions extends to the imperishable plane.”
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
[...] Śvetāṣvatara-upaniṣad I.2.
[3]:
Śvetāṣvatara-upaniṣad VI. 5.
[4]:
Taittirīya-upaniṣad III. 1.
[5]:
The Philosophy of the Upanishads, p. 224.
[6]:
Heaven as luminous world Atharvaveda 4.34.2; Hell (Naraka) as lowest darkness Atharvaveda 8.2.24.
[8]:
History of Dharmaśāstra, Vol. V. 1, p.21.
[9]:
[...] Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad I.4.14. 179
[11]:
Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad IV. 4.20,22, imperishable Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad III. 9.28, immortal Chāndogya-upaniṣad VI. 15, VIII. 6, as light (Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad IV. 3.6).
[12]:
With the aid of liṅgaśarīra (subtle body) Gītā XV. 7,8.
[13]:
[...] Patañjali’s Yogasūtras II. 13.
[15]:
Ṛgveda-saṃhitā X. 18.
[16]:
Mahābhārata13.7.3; Śvetāṣvatara-upaniṣad V.12; Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad IV.4.5.
[19]:
Kauṣitaki-upaniṣad I.3.