Does our Past karma decide our choice of God?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhu, Prabhu the recent post on Gopi Chandan and Vibuthi was very interesting. Yes the common point of both being to be attached to the spiritual world and detached from material world. That was very nice to hear. But I do have some queries on the details.
(TRANSFER OF KARMA & SPIRITUAL POWER PERSON TO PERSON – PROCESS! READ HERE!)
I have given his queries and my replies one by one:
(1) You had stated one should choose his destination Krishna or Shiva and then pursue accordingly. But is one’s constitutional position choose able by one , as in which spiritual planet one wants to go to ? i thought it is a fixed position? (My perspective is all planets beyond Viraja river are spiritual , so Kailayam beyond Viraja river is also a spiritual planet.)
Fifth house of everyone’s horoscope says about his Ishta devatha and how far he can go in devotion. In my horoscope, it has been clearly said that I will have Krishna as Ishta devatha and I will serve Him in this birth. So, it is clear that our Past karma decide our choice of God.
Horoscope can tell whether one’s karma is very strong or small and which god he was worshiping in his previous birth.
As per the words of Krishna Himself, if one stops his devotional practices in the middle, it will continue in his next birth from where he stopped it.
This applies to all the gods.
If one had been worshiping Lord Shiva in his previous birth and could not complete it, he will show inclination to worship Lord Shiva from his young age itself.
So, his choice by birth will be Lord Shiva.
However, when he meets and associates with a powerful devotee of Krishna, the spiritual vibrations from that Krishna devotee can make this Shiva bhaktha think of Krishna. If he shows the same dedication to serve Krishna, in due course of time, he will become a dedicated Krishna devotee.
Thus, if he does not get any association of a powerful/ pure Krishna devotee, he will continue to serve Lord Shiva and then he will go to spiritual Kailasa.
If he gets the association of a Krishna devotee/ Vaishnava, he will follow devotion to Krishna seriously and then reach Krishnaloka.
(Can black tongue persons transfer their karma to others through Curse? READ HERE!)
In case he has liking in both Shiva and Krishna, he will be given one or more births until he established his faith in one devotee more.
In a birth, he may become either a dedicated devotee of Krishna or Shiva and reach either Krishna loka or shiva loka.
So, if he does not get association of a devotee, he will continue to worship Shiva as per his karma.
Powerful association with a Vaishnava alters his karma and future destination by making him as a dedicated devotee of Krishna.
This is the secret behind our destination. Please do not think in other angles as I have given the authentic explanation.
(2) Secondly, then the question arises on why some are born in Saivaite family , if they have inclination form past births and if they are destined to go to shiva loka, perhaps they are born in Saivaite family..then suddenly changing course , is it correct or natural?
The answer lies in my previous reply. In such cases, our Past karma decides our choice of God. He had been worshiping Lord Shiva more in his previous birth. So, he got birth in saivite family. Had he been worshiping Krishna in his previous birth, he would have taken birth in a vaishnava family as said by Krishna Himself in Bhagavad Gita.
(What is the Right way of facing the Punishments by Krishna thru Karma? READ HERE!)
Changing the course is not sudden. It is because of the association with the powerful follower of other gods. He will show interest in an alternate god and then become firm in that god.
Yes, change of our choice of god is possible because of the association of a powerful devotee or even thru books that give Vani association with the author of books.
Remember, by reading my posts, all of you are associating with me through Vani.
When you read Bhagavad Gita slokas, you are associating with Krishna through Vani.
So, either Vapu or Vani association can change the choice of god in a birth.
3. Yes, it is clear that Saivaites will go Shivaloka if they are pure and Vaishnavites will go to Vaikunta or Goloka.. but what happens to those who worship both Krishna and Shiva , like smarthas.. where will there destination be?
If one worships both Krishna and shiva, he will get another birth till he establishes his faith in one god.
If he is very serious in both Krishna and Shiva, he will go to the kingdom of Krishna if his bhava for krishna is more. He will go to Shiva loka if his bhava for Shiva is more.
But, a pure devotee usually is pure in following a single god only. SO, we may go to heavens, hells, other lokas and get rebirth and then go to the Loka of the God whom he worshiped with dedication.
(Krishna Helps To Clear the Karma of Devotees! A Stunning Proof! READ HERE!)
(4) I have seen some Gurus and acharyas who are saivaites but do Rama nama sankeertanam, Like Thiagayarayar, Nama Bodendra Swami, and in recent times Krishna Premi Swami and MuraliDhara Swami. So i am a bit confused about this.
Usually, Saivaites also worship Krishna; But, in general, Vaishnavas do not seriously worship Shiva. This is to establish bhava on a single god to fully focus on that God.
However, If a Vaishnava speaks ill about Lord Shiva, he is an offender. If he prefers Krishna, let him worship Him, but, he has no right to defame Lord Shiva. Shiva may forgive if a Vaishnava defame Him, but, Krishna will not forgive if His devotee defames Shiva, because it is Vaishnava Aparatha, as Shiva is also a vaishnava as per Srimad Bhagavatham.
(5) In my case since i only have had Siksha Guru and no Deeksha Guru yet, and i have been born into Saivaite family, i do offer my prayers to Lord Shiva and Lord Muruga in the capacity of Spiritual masters as i have heard Lord Shiva is the spiritual master of the universe. In this mood I relate to Lord Shiva and Lord Muruga to Lord Krishna and apply vibhuti as dust of pure devotee of Krishna, and continue my services to Lord Krishna. i think i have taken help from Lord Shiva and Lord Muruga for many births and to stop all of a sudden seems to be ungrateful.
Accepting Lord Shiva as guru to go back to Krishna is not recommended because Shiva represents thamo guna. So, if you accept Shiva as guru, you can’t go to Satva guna state. Only a person with Satva guna can become a pure Vaishnava. SO, you may consider Krishna as your guru to Go to His kingdom; Similarly, you can consider Shiva as your guru to go to Shiva’s kingdom.
Krishna is beyond three gunas; Shiva represents thamo guna. So, such thoughts may be over thinking. We need not think that much. We may end up in neither Shiva nor Krishna.
6. Also the genetic practices over generations also has some inclination or nature into genes?
Genes are the cell form of karma. So, genetic transmission is based on karma transmission. Karma is recorded in every gene, ie, cell of a person.
(How Devotional Service or Bhakti relieves from karma & material distress? READ HERE!)
7, It is said one will meet his Spiritual master in spiritual world. So in my case as per above arrangement, on the rare day when i become fully purified of any material desire , will i go to Shiva loka as where my spiritual master is or will i go Krishna’s abode. Or will Lord Shiva Himself be in Krishna’s abode, these are some thoughts that keep racing my mind, but i realize i have to cross basic anartha nivirthi stages first.
It is clear that you will go to the loka in which your spiritual master lives because a guru is the representative of a particular deity. If he is saivite guru, he will train you to go to Shivaloka; If he is a vaishnava guru, he will train you to go to Krishna’s abode. This is clear. No need for too much of thoughts about this matter.
8. All said, I realize that i don’t have bhava towards Lord Shiva or Muruga or Krishna, I know they are exalted personalities and i am tiny soul, so i respect them but i am not sure if i have any bhava towards them yet..so a long way to go perhaps.
In such case, you may take another or a few births till you attain a single bhava for a single god as explained above.
Hope you are clear whether our Past karma decide our choice of God. The take home message is: Our Past karma decide our choice of God, but, powerful association can make changes in it.
(Do Horoscope and Karma decide our devotion in this birth? READ HERE!)