Theodicy Soteriology, Hermeneutics

SOTERIOLOGY : M. M. NINAN
Karma is directly related to Sin. Anything that hinders mukthi is sin. A look at the glossary of Karma will
give some insight into this concept.
karma bhanda: The bonds of actions, i.e., being bound to rebirth.
karma dosha: Evil consequences of Karma.
karma dushta: Corrupt action.
karmaja: Result due to action
karma nirhara: The removal of bad deeds or their effects.
karma paka: Ripening of acts, matured results of acts of former births.
karma phala: The fruit of actions.
karma tyaga: Abandoning worldly duties and obligations.
karma vasha: The necessary influence or repercussion of actions.
karma vidhi: Fate or result of action
papa: Wickedness, sin, crime. Wrongful action. Demerit from wrongdoing.
prayaschitta: Penance. "Predominant thought or aim; weighing heavily on the mind."
punya: Holy, virtuous; auspicious. Meritorious action.
There are other word used in Vedas and Upanishads that has connection to Sin, Transgressions and Fault.
some of these are given below:
Enas: crime, sin, misfortune, mischief, offense, fault, evil, unhappiness, blame. The original word comes
from violent act. Agas: transgression, offense, injury, sin, fault, sin against both Gods and Men
Adharma: , irreligiosity, unrighteousness, demerit, guilt.
Papa: bad, evil, vicious, sinful. Papman, personified Evil, the devil or demon. Arapaho: from apa-radh-,
to miss, to offend, to sin, means sin, offense, fault, mistake
Anutapa: from anu-tap-, (after the heat) to repent, to suffer the consequences of one's deeds, means
repentance, penitence. It is an important concept in the Dharmashastras. "If after committing a sin a man
feels repentance for having done it, he becomes free from that sin. He becomes purified only by the
resolution 'I shall not act thus again.' "
Pataka; from the causative of the root pat-, to fall, means that which causes the fall that is, sin, crime. ln
the Dharmashastras it is as frequently used for sin as papa. From the root pat- are also formed patana, fall,
sinfulness, and patita, the fallen one, the sinner. Pataniya is synonymous with pataka.
The Concept of Sin
The concept of sin as understood in the Judeo-Christian religions is difficult to find in Hinduism because
it is shrouded in Karma. Let us examine the concept of sin. The Vedantic and Christian concept of sin are
not fundamentally different but there are some differences on the surface. When a Christian talks about
sin, he usually refers to an act of ingratitude or walking away from God the Father. For a Hindu Iswara is
the God within space-time which is distinct from Brahman and Atman. This is the Maya, the illusion. A
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