So far Dharma has been defined through the perspective of moral and religious duties. But dharma has a spiritual definition different from that. Dharma is also about the right mode of God worship. Man attains bhagya (good fortune) and Punya through the worship of God and observance of Dharma. When man deviates from the right mode of worship as willed by God, it becomes Adharma and it leads to Aradhana Dosham – the ill effects due to degrading God worship. Aradhana Dosham means debasing spiritual practices with their consequences such as moral faults, corruption, mental and physical debilities or deformities, loss of good fortune, etc.
Aradhana Dosham also affects the mobility of souls through higher spiritual domains (Avasthas or Lokas) of varying evolutionary nature with its peculiar color, potencies, and hierarchies. These are spiritual planes above the earth plane. After the Manushya Loka (human world), there are the Bhutaloka (the Spirit world), Pitruloka (the world of ancestral souls), Devaloka (the world of devatas), Rishiloka, Janarloka, etc. up to Parabrahmaloka. Although texts like Bhagavata Purana mentioned it, the concept of Lokas and their relation with evolution is an area that has not been explored properly. It forms part of the discourse on Aradhana Dosham or spiritual degradation or stagnation. Aradhana Dosham directly or indirectly affects the measure of virtue (Punya) and the evolutionary track of the soul. Spiritual pollution means stagnation of souls in lower spiritual domains with its adverse effects on health, progeny and the prosperity of the family.
The tranquility of soul is experienced in higher spiritual domains (Avasthas) above the hierarchies of spirits, celestials, angels, and devatas including their mediums. Those who worship low spirits, their souls, after death, go to Bhutaloka. Those who worship Pitrus, go to Pitruloka and those who worship devatas go to Devaloka or Swargaloka if they have lived a virtuous life. Swarga is a plane of the highest degree of pleasure. The worshippers of devatas will remain in Swarga Loka till the exhaustion of their Punya that they have earned in Marthyaloka. Once the Punya is exhausted they fall back to the earth plane to undergo the misery of pain and pleasure again and again. The Upanishads state this. This has also been mentioned by Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita. This is a vicious circle. Adi Sankaracharya mentions this misery in his famous verse ‘Punarapi Jananam, Punarapi Maranam, Punarapi Janani Jatare Shayanam’ (You fall back again and again in the womb of the mother).
The spiritual domains up to heaven are related to virtue and vice, praise and punishment, pleasure and pain, name and form. In other words, it is the abode of Ashta Raga - the eight-fold bindings of the soul. By the worship of lower spiritual entities, the souls get linked to those astral planes which produce only dual experiences of pain and pleasure, sorrow and happiness, births and rebirths. There is no scope of Mukthi for the souls in this domain. So long as the soul is subject to Ashta Ragas, there will be no Mukthi by way of spiritual evolution. In the present age, mankind is mostly confined to these lower spiritual planes, hence there is a lack of peace, love, and harmony, good health, etc. and experiences contrary to expectations.
Although the Abrahamic religions speak of One God, their ultimate aim is also heaven, the same Swarga which Hindus speak about. They too remain in the category of heaven-mongers. Hence, the quarrels, corruption, violence, and bigotry in those creeds. It is well known that the holy Koran which speaks of One God, was revealed by an angel. In the Old Testament, it is said that angels corrupted men and misled them. Revelations from the Supreme Light alone leads to true enlightenment and peace.
The last one such revelation was from Sri Krishna who advocated the worship of Paramatma, the One God. Krishna came from a higher Source above Devatas and Trimurti. He exhorted the people to abandon the old rituals and accept Him alone as the embodiment of God. But the teachings of Sri Krishna got distorted and his mission defeated. Moreover, the spiritual tenure of Sri Krishna had ended with Dwapara Yuga. However, he left with an assurance that he will manifest again in Kali Yuga when dharma is in peril.
Enduring health is the result of tranquility arising out of soul’s composure in higher spiritual planes where all dualities disappear and the soul remains in its true state of undivided bliss. It is the plane where Oneness of God and Oneness of Humanity become an actual experience. This spiritual transition is essential for a healthy society and for achieving lasting peace, enduring health and progress. Mankind, therefore, requires the guidance of such a Spiritual Authority in this Kali age - a Trikala Jnani Guru who has ascended the spiritual ladders up to Paramatma.
The supra-mental evolution mentioned by Sri Aravind Ghosh is related to this spiritual transition in Kali Yuga. Before embarking on this path of spiritual evolution, one has to get rid of Karma Dosha, Pitrudosha and Aradhana Dosha and establish oneself in the path of such a spiritual Authority under Sanatana Dharma. The dialogue on human health and progress can become meaningful only when these subjective and astral aspects are given due attention and thought, mentions Navajyoti Sri Karunakara Guru, the supremely ascended Master, whom Sri Krishna brought to the earth plane to resurrect Sanatana Dharma.
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