Does freely using Pirated Softwares & Games add karma to us?
A male devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhu ji, I wanted to ask a serious question regarding “online Karma”,
We know that Game developers work hard day and night staring at screens to make a video games. Similarly, A big team of Actors cameraman director works for months to Make a Movie, But people enjoy their Content for free without paying any cost by using Pirated copy of Movies and games. Now, Although as per me, This will keep adding karma of enjoying someone’s hard work and creativity without paying anything to him, and it can give the birth of Dog or a servant in the homes of those developers or Film makers for several births to pay back karma.
But Also, Those people are after all making movies and games to further complicate lives of people and making their consciousness polluted by showing them violence and illusionary world. Now again, they r just doing what people wants. Their is demand of people to enjoy such content that’s why Maya is using those creators to produce such content. So it’s a quite complex phenomenon, So can you exactly clarify me that how Karma will act for whom in this case?
I have done a lot of pirating of very expensive games and movies on my computer, due to lack of this knowledge. Even I can’t stop this activity now also due to being habitual of enjoying stealing the content. But i keep fearing that Karma will catch me through this “internet” also, I also watch YouTube videos but i fear, that although YouTube videos are free, but people who are sharing their creativity or knowledge through them are making me karmically indebted to them by giving free content. (They although earn from YouTube views), But now i am always fearful of taking any thing or object from anyone even if they give for free.. Because Karma is so merciless and cruel that it will still indebt me even if someone gives something for free.
How can I stop this habit and burn all debts I have got. Will krsna save or have to face karma at all costs? Kindly help. Thank you.”
REPLY:
Very Good Question. I was thinking of writing this topic. Now, you asked. So, I reply.
Yes, you are absolutely right. Playing video games and using pirated softwares definitely adds Karma to us.
The karma concept is that we should pay and use any service or product to avoid negative karma.
(If one faces death without clearing debts, will it give next birth? READ HERE!)
Do you know why giving gift after attending the marriage or any other function is compulsory as per Karma theory? Because we take feast after attending the function. That feast may cost many hundreds of rupees earned out of the hard work of the function organiser. So if you eat that feast and return without giving any gift at least equal to the cost of the food you have taken, you will remain indebted to that function organiser. To repay that debt, you have to take rebirth.|
Oh my god! Am I threatening? Not at all. I just advise to be honest in paying and using anything.
A person should never desire to use the services of other without paying a fee for that.
Gaining knowledge through a media or book should be done after purchasing that book or subscribing to the media or donating to the preachers.
Krishna too gave Guru dakshina to Santeebani Rishi by bringing his son back.
(KRISHNA’s GURU DAKSHINA TO HIS GURU SANDIPANI – STORY! READ HERE!)
If you note my writings, I have written in many places that the devotees should purchase the books of Srila Prabhupada and then read. Or donate to the Vedabase of ISKCON and read. Or, buy Vedabase and read.
Even this website is free of cost. I am not running this website with the profit motive. However I too need to live here and manage my needs to do this service. I too am working like you, but for you. However, as a reader the readers may consider paying any price for the contents they read though it is a small price because the preachers should not struggle for running the life that will affect their preaching.
This is like this example: A Vaishnava should not expect appreciation or praise from others for the services they offer to the devotees. This is the rule for the servants. But the courtesy for the receiver of the service is to appreciate the servant for having given that service to them.
Serving without expectation is the courtesy of servant. Appreciating and glorifying the servant is the courtesy of the receiving devotees.
Are you clear now about the responsibilities of the giver and receiver?
All these things are based on the concept of avoiding being indebted to a person or organization or media. You should do any service back to the servant after receiving the service from him. It need not be money alone. Any remarkable service.
Let us now come to your question:
A company prepares the softwares or games. They employ 100s of employees and pay to them. So they should make a good turnover and grow to sustain their activities of software development or game development.
If you use that without paying any money to the developers, then you become indebted to them. To clear the debt you have to take rebirth.
To temples offer prasadam free of cost. It is your responsibility and courtesy to donate something to the temple so that they can serve prasadam to many other devotees.
You have to think like this. You have written that the game developers spoil the people by giving Maya to the people.
(HOW TO AVOID KARMA WHILE WORKING! 10 PRACTICAL EXAMPLES! READ HERE!)
Worrying for that is none of your business. A call girl may earn by selling her body. It is her business. The karma involved in that will be borne by her. But, If any of her customer uses her services without paying money, he becomes indebted to that girl. Additionally doing sinful act of illicit relations.
Ha Ha. That may be a bad example. Let me give another better example.
Selling meat is a sinful business. It is the sellers’ Karma for selling meat. If you don’t eat that meet, you escape from Karma. But if you buy and eat that meat, you to share the Karma of killing added by the seller of meat. You also become a killer.
So whether your software or game helps the society or spoils the society, it is none of your business. It is the Karma of the developers of softwares and games.
If you use that pirated software or game or if you sell pirated software or game, you become inductor to the developers of the software or game.
Since using Pirated Softwares & Games add karma, avoid using pirated softwares and games and use original softwares and games.
To avoid the past karma of using or selling them, donate the amount equal to the profits you made to the poor or temples and stop using pirated versions. Also beg for forgiveness to Krishna in front of His deities in a temple. Buy the original version from the same seller hereafter.
Let pay and use be your Mantra to avoid Karma.
Hope you are clear whether freely using Pirated Softwares & Games add karma to us.
(FIVE DEBTS & FIVE YAJNAS TO BE CLEARED & PERFORMED BY EVERYONE! READ HERE!)