3

Different people worship different forms of Lord. One worships Krishna while the other worships Lord Shiva. Does their previous karma related with the god they worship? If so, how

For example, Arjuna hasn't recognized Lord Shiva and battled with him in his birth as one of the Pandavas and therefore he is later born as Bhakta Kannappa. In a similar way does everyone have a similar story like this in their previous birth?

If so, what about the people born in religions like Buddhism, Christianity etc. Moksha is available in Hinduism but how do these religion followers get moksha? Why aren't they given a chance to get moksha?

13
  • 1
    yes karma certainly has a lot to do with it. Usually great saints and even God when they come down to Earth they begin to call those beings who had previous relationships with them. But faith can change all. One who has steadfastness and really wants God, then the saint (maybe your Guru) or if needed even God Himself will manifest and take you into His fold.
    – Sai
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 16:12
  • 1
    As for people from different religions, there is no wrong path to Moksha, except thinking that the other's path is wrong. There are many ways to fly to USA, one can go through British Airways, one can go through Ethihad. The goal is the same. Similarly all religions are valid. All religions speak the same truth, but take different paths to Brahman. This is the message that was preached by some great saints such as Sri Ramakrishna, Saint Kabir Das, Sri Sai Baba (Shirdi Sai and Sathya Sai Baba), Saint Paramhamsa Yogananda, Lord Vivekananda and so on. God is One. This Advaitist thought.
    – Sai
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 16:17
  • 3
    @Sai I profoundly disagree with the sentiment that all religions are equally valid. I certainly agree that there are many different paths to get Moksha, but that doesn't mean all possible paths will lead you to Moksha. To take an extreme example, going around killing as many people as you can will not get you Moksha. Now there's no religion that advocates that, but that's just to illustrate that just because a religion advocates something doesn't mean that's a path that will actually get you to Moksha. Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 21:33
  • 2
    @KeshavSrinivasan the one who has not delved deep into the religion cannot judge that it is invalid. Only when once goes deep into both Hinduism and the Religion Z will He realize that both speak of the same thing. The one who sees the external insignia of religions will believe that one is valid and the other is invalid. The one who has actually done deep investigation into both, will realize the truth in unity of all mankind and the unity of all religion.
    – Sai
    Commented Nov 22, 2014 at 5:11
  • 5
    The one from another religion who reads the texts in ours will believe that ours is factually incorrect. And we believe theirs is factually incorrect. This is because each one is an expert in their own religion but reads the other's religion with a closed mind and therefore fails to grasp the unity. This argument can go on and on. But I am suggesting that one can have an open mind and try to understand that the road to God is not a one-way road, there are many possible ways. Perhaps some are more bumpy, some quicker, but they lead to God and God alone.
    – Sai
    Commented Nov 22, 2014 at 5:16

2 Answers 2

1

Namaste

As the soul elevates / ascends itself in each birth, through karmic good actions, teachers / gurus corresponding to the state of mind, would summon to guide you further. Worshipping the same god or different god has no specific relevance for there is no conflict between Gods and conflict is within human mind and heart.

Moksha is word often used in its diluted state nowadays. One attains moksha or liberation after 84 lakhs of birth & rebirths (based on certain assumptions, as per Kathopanishad).

There are seven more lokas or astral worlds, after clearing debts in one world, the soul migrates to next world and has to nullify karma of that world to go to next.

After clearing all 7 lokas, then what happens is mokhsa final merging with Ultimate truth or god himself. This final stage is called moksha and not one promotion to another world/loka...

On cursory look, Gautam Buddha, Moses, Jesus, got realization after/within 40 days of penance. Looks simple and easy. But to reach to that stage, they have went many births / rebirths that their punya got "phal" (fructified).

On a lighter note, one day penance by a modern day person will land him 40 days of hospitalization, such is our body state. Think of those saints, sitting under tree, motionless, meditating with concentration with no link or feel of external world around them, while we cannot concentrate on our text books without switching off the radio FM music !! see the contrast in concentration.

God has no form and yet he is in every form !! God has no religion, he visits all humble seekers.

Just a kindergarten child with each passing year moves to next class with new teachers, similarly, as soul ascends, teachers come to play their role.

Once, you reach an yogic state, then the Guru would remain same across different lokas for a true guru is a god realized soul (read Sri Paramahansa Yogananda - Autobiography of a Yogi), which explains beautifully these aspects.

1

Does their previous karma related with the god they worship?

Karma has nothing to do with the lord we worship. In Gita, lord says that the Movement of Karma is extremely complex (Gahan). Ultimately whomsoever we worship based on our Prakriti(nature), be it demigods or (internal) demons or ghosts (past events); it ultimately goes to the supreme soul only.

...does everyone have a similar story like this in their previous birth?

May be or may not be. But it's not important.

BG 9.25

Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship the ancestors go to the ancestors; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; and those who worship Me will live with Me.

We tend to become what we think or worship or act upon. Unless the worship or Yajna is not towards the supreme soul, we continue to be in the cycle of birth and death.

If so, what about the people born in religions like Buddhism, Christianity etc. Moksha is available in Hinduism but how do these religion followers get moksha? Why aren't they given a chance to get moksha?

Not a single religion has any authority over Moksha. Also remember that Religion is not Dharma.

If a person sees supreme soul or Parama Brahman in Jesus or Buddha and offers complete devotion to them, then ofcourse they achieve Moksha. It's similar to others seeing supreme soul in Krishna or Shiva. Krishna, Shiva, Jesus, Buddha are embodied mediums (Saakar) to easily realize Brahman. Similarly a Muslim genuinely worshipping formless god Nirakar Brahman, finally attains Moksha.

However, if we pray to all these gods with material desires in mind (Rajasic worship) then actually it's just a namesake worship, but ultimately we are praying their demigod or may be even demon forms only. Such people don't attain Moksha.

BG 4.12

Men in this world desire success in fruitive activities, and therefore they worship the demigods. Quickly, of course, men get results from fruitive work in this world.

Example: A person realizing supreme soul in Jesus may get Moksha than a person rather than seeking fruits from Krishna.

Do you see any god specific affiliation in below sloka?

BG 4.23

The work of a man who is unattached to the modes of material nature and who is fully situated in transcendental knowledge merges entirely into transcendence.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .