KARMA - A beautiful reminder of personal accountability
Do planets rule us, or does our Karma? In the Mahabharata's Anushasana Parva, Goddess Uma asks Lord Shiva this exact question. This text is from the Uma-Maheshwar Samvad (a dialogue between Goddess Uma/Parvati and Lord Shiva) from the Anushasana Parva of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. The primary theme of the passage is the philosophical debate between Karma (personal actions) and Astrology (the influence of planets/stars) . It concludes that human actions are supreme, and planets only act as indicators, not the direct doers of good or bad fortune. 1. Goddess Uma's Question (उमोवाच / Uma Uvacha) Sanskrit Verse: भगवन् भगनेत्रघ्न मानुषाणां विचेष्टितम्... Hindi Translation Summary in Image: Uma asks Lord Shiva: "O Lord! You believe that the good or bad conditions humans face are entirely the result of their own past actions ( Karma ). I have heard your viewpoint clearly. However, in the world, it is observed that people attribute all their good and bad fortunes to the in...