The people who came to the sage seeking an understanding of karma asked about their doubts regarding Nerthikadan (a vow of offering). This post presents the insights shared by the sage in response to their questions.
The people gathered there asked, “If we make a vow to a deity, promising to fulfill a Nerthikadan (vow of offering) upon the fulfillment of our request, what happens if we are unable to fulfill it? What if we forget? Or what if we leave this world before fulfilling it? Will God simply ignore it? Or will He cause suffering to the person for whom the vow was made? Or is there a way for the vow to be fulfilled later?” In response, the sage began to explain through a story.
The sage’s explanation.
The sage explained that when a person prays to a deity for something to happen and, in return, makes a vow of offering (nerthikkadan), it is customary to fulfill that vow once their wish is granted. However, if they are unable to fulfill it for some reason, the deity does not keep them as debtors. Instead, through successive births, the deity ensures that they take actions leading them to make the same prayer again and fulfill their earlier vow. In this way, God bestows grace upon them.
The sage explained through a story.
In a family, a younger co-wife took a vow out of resentment because the elder wife’s daughter refused to call her “Amma” (mother) and ignored her. She prayed that if the child ever called her “Amma,” she would observe the Somavara Vratham (Monday fasting) until the end of her life.
At the very moment when the woman was on her deathbed, the child finally called her “Amma.” In that instant, the woman thought, “She is calling me ‘Amma’ only now, just as I am about to leave this world. This means I am departing with an unfulfilled vow, leaving me in debt. I do not want to remain a debtor. So, grant me another birth, and in that life, let this child be born as my daughter so that I may fulfill my vow.” With this prayer, she passed away. The deity, in turn, ensured that her wish was fulfilled.
At the same time, the child who called her “Amma” thought, “Now that I have been given the opportunity and the maturity to call my mother ‘Amma,’ I will observe the Somavara Vratham for the rest of my life.” Thus, having taken up the Somavara Vratham as a result of calling her “Amma,” she continued the vow until the end of her life.
The mother who was reborn.
The mother was reborn, and in this new life, the same child was born as her daughter. The deity then created the circumstance for her to fulfill the Somavara Vratham that she had vowed to observe. In this life, the child remained silent and was unable to speak, which deeply worried the mother. She took the child to a doctor, who assured her that there was nothing physically wrong, yet the child still did not speak. Believing that only divine intervention could make a difference, she turned to prayer.
She prayed, “If my child speaks and calls me ‘Amma,’ I will begin observing the Somavara Vratham from the following week.” Accepting her vow, the deity bestowed grace upon her, and the child finally started speaking. From that moment on, she took up the Somavara Vratham and faithfully observed it for the rest of her life.
She prayed, “If my child opens her mouth and calls me ‘Amma,’ I will begin observing the Somavara Vratham from the following week.” Accepting her prayer, the deity bestowed grace upon her, and as soon as the child started speaking, she began observing the Somavara Vratham and continued it for the rest of her life. When the daughter, who was born to her in this life, reached marriageable age, she was devoted only to God and wished to attain only Him in her heart. At the same time, her father arranged her engagement, intending to get her married. The mother, believing that if the engagement could somehow be stopped, her daughter would observe the Somavara Vratham for her entire lifetime, prayed on her behalf.
At the same time, the deity bestowed its grace upon her and granted her final moments within the temple itself. However, since the mother had made a vow on behalf of her daughter, that unfulfilled vow became a debt upon the daughter. As a result, circumstances arose that required the daughter to take another birth.
The daughter who was reborn.
Since the mother had vowed, “My daughter’s engagement must be stopped, and if that happens, I will ensure that she observes the Somavara Vratham,” she was reborn as the mother of the same daughter in her next birth, with the same man as her husband. As the time approached for the daughter to undertake the Somavara Vratham, the deity, awaiting the fulfillment of the vow, placed a trial before the mother.
The trial was that the daughter prayed to the deity, saying, “If my mother recovers, I will observe the Somavara Vratham until the end of my life.” The deity, bestowing its grace, cured the mother. Thus, the daughter observed the Somavara Vratham for the rest of her life and eventually completed her journey in this world.
To put it simply, that girl was born with the karma to attain the divine in her very first birth itself. However, just like her mother, she failed to recognize the younger co-wife as a mother and instead caused her pain and sorrow by refusing to acknowledge her as such. Due to this act of causing distress, she was bound to be reborn again.
At the same time, the mother, wishing that in her next birth, the daughter should attain the divine, prayed that she should observe the Somavara Vratham. As a result, the daughter was once again reborn with an unfulfilled debt. Only in her next birth did she complete the Somavara Vratham and finally attain the divine. Concluding the explanation, the sage ended the story.
At that moment, the sage explained that when we seek something from the divine, we should pray with complete surrender, saying, “Only you can make this happen. Please grant it to me as your blessing. Let this child receive whatever is meant for her. You take care of her and shape a good life for her.” One should never approach God with a mindset of bargaining or making deals.
At the same time, the sage explained that if a mother bargains with God while making a prayer, her child, witnessing this, will also develop the same habit. In turn, the next generation will follow the same practice, and the cycle of birth and rebirth will continue endlessly. However, at some point, when a person develops a deep yearning to attain the divine, only then will this cycle come to an end. Until that realization dawns, people will continue making such conditional prayers. Therefore, our journey should always be directed towards the divine.
At the same time, the sage emphasized the greatness of heartfelt prayer. He explained that if one mentally offers flowers to the deity, weaving them into a garland in their mind, they will receive the same merit as actually offering a garland. Similarly, just by looking at fruits in a shop and sincerely thinking of offering them as naivedyam (divine offering), one will still receive the spiritual merit of making that offering.
The karmic lessons of this story.
In all three births, Mars karma was predominant in that family. If a child is born under one of the four stars—Karthigai, Pooram, Moolam, or Revathi—as their zodiac star (Rasi Nakshatram), the star where the ascendant degree (Lagna point) falls, or the star where the ascendant lord is placed, it signifies that they are born carrying Mars karma as their karmic imprint.
At the same time, the sage explained that if the lagna lord is positioned in the 11th house, or if the 11th house lord is in the lagna, it indicates Mars karma (Sevvai Karma). Similarly, if Saturn is in the 7th house, or if the 7th house lord is in the lagna, or if the lagna lord is in the 7th house, these also signify the presence of Mars karma in a person’s karmic record.
Due to the presence of Mars karma in that family, the girl was able to experience marriage in her first birth. However, under the negative influence of Mars karma’s impact, she became angry with her mother and behaved impulsively.
At the same time, in her second birth, she developed the thought that she did not want marriage at all and that her journey should be solely toward the divine. Similarly, in her third birth, she remained unmarried and dedicated her path entirely to attaining the feet of the divine.
When a child is born with Mars karma, as they reach marriageable age, they will have strong expectations about how their marriage should take place. Whether it is a man or a woman, they will have specific conditions or desires regarding their marriage. When such expectations exist, their marriage may get delayed or face obstacles. These kinds of occurrences are common in families with Mars karma. This is an insightful discovery related to DNA influences.
In that family, for three generations, the effects of Mars karma were evident through their professions. They were born into roles such as devotional singers (Bhagavathars), moneylenders, and construction workers, all of which align with the characteristics of Mars. This indicates that Mars karma was predominant in that family.
Next, the influence of Moon karma was present across all three births, bringing both positive and negative vibrations. Due to the effect of its negative vibrations, the girl developed resentment toward her mother.
At the same time, when Moon karma shifted to a positive vibration, she was able to call her “Amma” with her own voice. In the following births, as she received her mother’s love fully and unconditionally, the positive influence of Moon karma remained strong in those two lifetimes.
Next, Jupiter karma (Guru karma) also influenced that family, sometimes bringing positive vibrations and at other times negative vibrations. In the first birth, when the child resented and distanced herself from her mother.
At the same time, when the girl’s mind changed, the positive vibrations of Guru karma began to manifest in that situation. Moreover, in all three births, divine grace remained with that family, which is why the girl continued to have thoughts centered around the divine in each of her lives. Because the mother and father in each birth carried the positive vibrations of Guru karma, the child was repeatedly born into the same family, ultimately progressing toward liberation.
Thus, in this story, the karmic influences of Mars karma, Moon karma, and Jupiter karma played their roles by manifesting both their positive and negative vibrations. The sage, having blessed everyone, sent them on their way.
Om Sri Ganeshaarpanam.
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