Why svarga and naraka exist

[Vaidya Sundaram]

namaskaram.
 One also has to be cognizant of statements in the Srimad Bhagavatam that
this world here is both swarga and naraka as well, depending on the
experiencer. Not to gross people out, but if only you have had a chance to
see the animals beeing killed in the slaughter house, you will know what
naraka is. It takes only one sight of a live crab being dipped in boiling
oil to make a dish called tempura to realize that naraka is here and now for
that creature.

 There is a need for swarga and naraka as a practical matter as well - in
spite of all scriptural exhortations to perform karma without personal
motive, not many people do that; at a subtle level, there is always a wish
attached. The reward for those intentions has to be swarga. Similarly with
punishment. There is a proverb to the effect that the policeman is there not
to stop a theif but to stop a good man from becoming a theif. So also with
naraka. The fear of punishment forces the common man to be disciplined.
bhava shankara desikame sharaNam
Vaidya.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jaldhar H. Vyas" <jaldhar at BRAINCELLS.COM>
To: <ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG>
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002 10:54 AM
Subject: Why svarga and naraka exist


> > there is one pertinent
> > question in my mind : when we say "without his wish not a blade
> > of grass moves", then how do we have a "naraka"?
> > (the line i refer to is : thena vina trunamapi na chalathi).
> >
>
> Actually that line doesn't necessarily suggest "without His wish," it says
> "without Him".  brahman pervades even the grass and the wind.  The
> difference is those things have no consciousness, they can only act
> according to their nature.  For higher beings like humans, there is also a
> certain nature but we have the capacity to reflect and change our actions.
> This can be good or evil and based on our choices we gain either svarga or
> naraka.  It is our actions that determine the course of our lives, we
> cannot blame Bhagawan for it. If we reflect further still we come to
> realize that the rewards or punishments caused by our actions are the
> transitory and motivated by desire.  By giving up desires we can reach a
> final state where there is no more being tossed about from heaven to hell
> and back again.
>
> --
> Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
> It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/
>