In one of the previous posts, we have discussed the importance of good and bad deeds, the characteristics of the different planes and residents of them. It is common knowledge now that the consequences of karma lead you to the deserved destination after birth. In Hinduism, the ancient texts highlight that death is not the end of the journey. It is merely the hit of a reset button. Once a body is too sick or old to host a soul, the soul simply sheds it to move onto the next milestone.
The nature of the milestone is dependent on the karmas that were done by a human being during the course of their life span. Considering the moral dilemmas that we continuously face from time to time, sometimes it becomes difficult to determine which path to take to make sure the action is accounted for in the good karma list. While there is a clarity on some deeds, for others, the dilemma still exists.
For example, if a man is beating his wife day and night, is it ethical or moral for the wife to leave him or should she continue to serve him despite the everyday challenges. A choice arises here – preservation of self or following the Dharma as prescribed in legends and historical texts of the religion? The confusion exists. Free will is given to a human being for a reason. Your moral compass has to decide which path you would like to take forward.
Which Actions Account as Good Karma or Equity?
Keeping the deliberations aside, I bring a small account of some of the typical karmic actions that can incur good karma. The karmic decision is not just based on the action itself but also on the intention behind the action. If your intentions are bad towards a person but you are doing something good, this might also be considered a bad deed.
It is often said that God is a witness to not just the actions but also the thoughts that spike up in the minds of people. In the Bhagwat Geeta, Krishna highlighted that he was the Sakshi of everyone’s mind and walked beside every individual to keep an account of their deeds. So, let’s list down some of the Good Karma (that can help in reducing the debts of the past lives):
- Accepting misfortune as the will of God and continue to work hard
- Completion of the Duties towards Family members without any attachment or expectation of anything in return
- Giving Dakshina or charity without expecting anything in return
- Giving gifts to people as a matter of Thanks
- Pilgrimage – travelling to the tirth sthan as per the religion. For example – 4 Dhaam, 12 Jyotirlinga, 7 Puris, 51 shakti peethas etc.
- Bhakti towards God. There are different Gods in the Hindu religion. As per the liking and personality of an individual, the right kind of God can be chosen.
- Puja on a regular basis to the God of choice. Temples can be visited for the same purpose or a temple can be built at home.
- Sacrifices through Yagna or offerings to Gods in one form or the other. For example, some people give up drinking, eating meat, bad habits etc.
All the above actions are treated as good karma as God expects humans to walk on the right path of life conduct. The more we upheld Dharma, the more we are walking towards the path of incurring good equity.
Which Actions Account as Bad Karma or Debt?
While you should be aware of the good karma, you must also be aware of the bad karma that can cause you to incur debts. Sometimes it can take several lives or rebirths to clear the bad karma futuristically. If a conscious effort is made, bad karma can be avoided. It can also help in escaping the Narka after death.
Let’s grab a look at some of the most common bad karma that are listed in our ancient texts. You can easily find a reference to the lists in Puranas and more specifically the Garuda Purana. I have gone through several texts and books to bring a gist of the list here.
- Enjoying life without thinking about hard work, consequences and ignoring responsibilities towards family or the community as a whole.
- Caressing your Ego through actions
- Ambition that causes harm to others
- Greed towards money or other materialistic things while causing harm to other people
- Dominating other people without thinking about their needs and forcing people to submit to you
- People who commit sexual crimes
- Adultery, rape, leaving a spouse or engaging in any activity that causes harm to the partner
- Indulging in bad habits like alcoholism and ignoring of responsibilities towards home and family
- Selfishness. For example, denial of food, water, hospitality and respect to the guests.
- Oppressors, dictators, mass murderers, serial killers etc.
- Individuals who torture or mistreat animals. Also, people who disrespect the earth and the fruits that sprout from it.
If you really want to really love yourself and would love to take a step forward in your spiritual growth, now is the time to know everything that you can. One step in the right direction can go a long way. Make it a lifestyle to incur good karma on a regular basis. A conscious effort made by a person can really help in improving your odds and making your future lives much easier. Eventually, you will be able to live in the heavens and lead a moral life.
