Abortion
&
Hinduism
From time immemorial, Hindus have considered CHILDREN TO BE THE GIFTS FROM GOD. Villagers celebrated when ever a baby was born in the village. Amazingly, in ancient India, no woman was questioned, "Who is the father of the child [ fetus], since EVERY CHILD IS A GIFT OF GOD.
In Hindu mythology, Saints told pregnant women, YOU LOOK RADIANT & BEAUTIFUL SINCE GOD HAS BLESSED YOU WITH A CHILD [fetus]. They never asked any woman WHO IS THE FATHER OF THE CHILD? ARE YOU MARRIED? Etc In the Holy Bible it is written "Be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28).
All that shows, the MAIN goal was to populate the world with MEN, since there was an extreme shortage of men [I literally mean men] in the world, since large number of men died in all kind of battles. When ancient scriptures were written, there were less than 1 million people on earth. NOW WE ARE 6 BILLION AND KICKING. In another 30 years, there will be 10 billion people on earth. So, let us face it, we have to have a pragmatic approach to the whole problem.
NOW LET US ANALYZE, WHAT HINDU SCRIPTURES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT ABORTION.
Hindus like Buddhists and Jains believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered and protected, because all creatures are manifestations of the ONE AND ONLY Supreme Being.
Hindu scriptures condemn abortion, except when the life of the mother is in danger.
There are many prayers in the Rig-Veda to guard the embryo. Kaushitaki Upanishad considers abortion of fetus to be parallel to the killing of one's parents. The Atharva Veda states the slayer of the fetus is among the greatest of sinners.
In the Code of Manu [Manusmriti], Sage Manu forbids abortion.
Among the PANCHA-PATAKA [five worst acts] described by Hindu Puranas [Hindu mythological scriptures] are:
1. BRAHMA-HATYA: KILLING OF A BRAHMIN
2. SISU-HATYA: DESTRUCTION OF UNBORN FETUS
3. SURA-PANA: DRINKING OF LIQUOR
4. SVARNA-STEYA: STEALING OF GOLD
5. GURU-TALPA-GAMANA HAVING SEX WITH GURU'S WIFE
In the great epic Mahabharata, ASVATHAMA, the great son of Drona, the teacher of Mahabharata, was cursed by Lord Krishna, to live like an animal for millions of years, when he tried to destroy the FETUS of Abhimanu's wife [who became king Pareeshit - the last of Panadava clan].
RIG VEDA & ABORTION:
Rig Veda states: THAT EMBRYO THEN BECOMES A PART OF THE WOMEN'S SELF, LIKE ANY PART OF HER BODY; IT DOES NOT HURT HER; SHE PROTECTS AND DEVELOPS THE EMBRYO WITHIN HERSELF. AS SHE PROTECTS THE EMBRYO, SO SHE ALSO IS PROTECTED.
In Satapatha Brahmana, THE PERSON WHO EXTRACTS THE EMBRYO IS CALLED AN EVIL DOER.
AYURVEDA & ABORTION:
Even though, all Hindus scriptures argue about protecting embryo by all means, SUSRUTA SAMHITA, the Ayurvedic book recommends abortion in certain cases.
1. WHEN THE FETUS IS KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE
2. THERE IS NO CHANCE FOR A NORMAL BIRTH.
WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THE MOTIVE BEHIND ABORTION? It is outright murder if some one uses abortion, an easy way of family planning.
There are two sides to ABORTION. Government has every right to decide WHEN FETUS CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A BABY. Is FETUS can be the considered as a baby the first minute of conception or after 6 months? That is the million dollar question.
At the same time, Government has no business interfering with the private decision of each woman. She is the person who is suffering as well as enjoying the birth of a baby. So, she has to make the decision. She alone will bear the KARMIC DEBT.
I am totally appalled to see the people who fight against abortion are not equally interested in taking care of ghetto kids through out the world. If they are, they should visit Brazil first.
As per CBS 60-minutes, in Brazil, hundreds of street children are killed by "death squads" every month. These children are unwanted children of families who refused to participate in any family planning and who adhere to literal Catholic teachings. I RATHER SEE UNWANTED FETUSES DESTROYED THAN CHILDREN MURDERED IN STREETS.
ARE THOSE BRAZILIAN CHILDREN RESULT OF UNWANTED PREGNANCY?
Anyway, we have to be to deal with abortion in a very pragmatic manner. There are no easy answers.......What do you think?
Like you wrote : The decision to have or not have a child is rightly the womans'. We mustn't force any woman to do so, rather her decision must be respected. I rather have a wanted child, than an unwanted child... to whom I may indirectly unfavour to in the future.
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