Punya – an earning that can be carried

Throughout life we pursue the goal of earning wealth – that includes money, health, property, relations. These are all important earnings and one should pursue them with all dedication because these earnings make life livable, enjoyable. However there is one earning which is unseen and is the basis of all these earnings and that is punya. Punya is the basis of all good life experiences. Even the ability to earn earthly earnings results from savings of punya.

There is a difference between earthly earnings and earning of punya. The major difference is all earthly earnings cannot be carried beyond this life. Whereas one carries earnings of punya and papa beyond this life. The good experiences in this life are results of punya from previous life and so earnings of punya in this life become cause of good experiences in next life.

Like money punya is also to be earned. Don’t we earn and save money so that we have constant source of income? In the same way punya also has to be earned so that there is constant source of punya. Due to savings of money we experience uninterrupted joy. In the same way savings of punya help in having uninterrupted joy in this and next life.

However there is a challenge of how to measure punya? One may be able to measure all other earnings but punya. In fact it is not in human capacity to measure punya. The only action human is capable of performing is the act that can help earn punya.

Like there is a challenge to measure punya, there is a challenge in understanding what act should be performed to earn punya.

That is where guidance of saints and scriptures comes into play. Scriptures contain advises from Saints, who are authentic repositories of knowledge as well as experiences. Guidance of Saints, if followed with devotion, never goes waste. Saints advise us to perform rituals such as abhishek (offering sacred bath to idol of God while chanting veda suktas – hymns from Vedas). These rituals, if performed with devotion, are authentic ways of earning punya. Any effort in performing these acts never goes waste. These rituals act like a seed. A seed grows slowly to become a giant tree. In the same way effects of these rituals grow into giant tree of punya, the fruits of which are blissful experiences.

Like when one becomes successful in life one is able to help others to follow path of success. In the same way when one understands the importance of punya one can help others as well by introducing them to the ways of earning punya.

The great Sage Vyasa wrote 18 puranas and then summarized all puranas in just two sentences - Helping is punya and hurting is papa. Even not hurting is a great help. And so it is very important to refine speech and action so that one never hurts but always helps.