Q. If we believe in karma theory that the life we live today is based on the good deeds/sins of our previous births, then is it correct to perform remedial measures to reduce the ill effects of transitory movements of planets? Not that I don’t, but my question is if we do, does it wipe away the past sins? Or are we just escaping from ill effects only for the present? But I know for certain, remedial measures definitely work very well. What is the actual position?

R. To begin with, there are two classes of materialistic activities: The pious and the sinful. We call an activity pious is it is according to God’s laws, and we call it sinful if it’s against God’s laws. Now usually pious activities result in good effects (Punya karma) like wisdom, wealth, beauty, good birth, longevity, happiness etc. and sinful activities result in bad reactions (Paapa Karma) like suffering, unhappiness, bad qualities, poverty, disease, madness, violence etc. Evidently most of the people try to be freed or avoid the sinful reactions, and usually have no problems with the pious ones. But here we should also remark that no sinful reactions maybe counteracted by materialistic pious activities, because they will give their results independently of each other. Therefore with application of remedies the question is how to absolve the sinful reactions? Coming to the remedial measures, we can divide them into two classes: Materialistic and Transcendental. By applying materialistic remedies, we may avert the sinful reactions, but it will show up either later on or in another form. So it is not really the solution, because you can’t destroy karma with a materialistic activity. In this category we could mention things like demigod worship, chanting of their mantras, wearing gems, fasting etc. These measures may change the Gunas acting upon us, but can’t eradicate the sinful reaction.

karma-jam buddhi-yuktaa hi        phalam tyaktvaa maneeshinah
janma-bandha-vinirmuktaah        padam gacchanty anaamayam

"By thus engaging in devotional service to the Lord, great sages or devotees free themselves from the results of work in the material world. In this way they become free from the cycle of birth and death and attain the state beyond all miseries [by going back to Godhead]." (2.51)

yajnaarthaat karmano ‘nyatra  loko ‘yam karma-bandhanah
tad-artham karma kaunteya        mukta-sangah samaacara

"Work done as a sacrifice for Vishnu has to be performed, otherwise work causes bondage in this material world. Therefore, O son of Kunti, perform your prescribed duties for His satisfaction, and in that way you will always remain free from bondage." (3.9)

yajna-shishtaashinah santo        mucyante sarva-kilbishaih
bhunjate te tv agham paapaa        ye pacanty aatma-kaaranaat

"The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin." (3.13)

yo maam ajam anaadim ca        vetti loka-maheshvaram
asammuudhah sa martyeshu        sarva-paapaih pramucyate

"He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the Supreme Lord of all the worlds-he only, undeluded among men, is freed from all sins." (10.3)
Therefore if we actually desire to be freed from our karmic reactions, we should take to such transcendental remedies, like worship of Vishnu, Krisna, the Avataras and the devotees.

There are some ambiguities between the two categories. For example, to make a donation of an article is a materialistic thing, but if it is given to a devotee, then it is bhakti. Also fasting is mere tapasya, but if performed on Ekadaasi, then it becomes devotional activity. Also if the Gem is offered to Visnhu and is chanted with His name, then it also gives a transcendental effect. Also certain demigods like Hanuman, Garuda, and Sudarshan may be worshipped as Krishna’s devotees.
Materialistic activities like Tantric rites and worship of the Ugra-devatas will usually cause more difficulty in the future, because we are trying to avoid our karma by performing more sinful and tamasic acts.

R. The theory of Avatars is a rather complicated one. If you analyse the teachings of the four Vaisnava Acharyas, i.e. Madhva,Ramanuja, Visnuswami and Nimbarka, you will find certain differences even amongst them. However according to my conviction,the explanation given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most fitting one. He says that there are countless avataras of Godhead, all stemming from Bhagavan Sri Krishna (ete camsa kalaa pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam). Some are avatars of the Lord (purusa), and some avatars of His energy (prakrti). The prakrti and purusa are simultaneously one and different. This is inconceivable, therefore Lord Caitanya’s teaching is called acintya-bhedaabheda-tattva. So Rama is one of the expansions of the Supreme Godhead and Hanuman is His eternal devotee (sakti). But many times the eternal associates of the Lord comprise in themselves the incarnations of multiple personalities. So Hanuman also has in himself the Rudra principle, therefore in Lord Rama’s chart he is indicated by exalted Mars in the 7^th. Thus we also call Hanuman as Rudramaka (having the mentality of Rudra), because he has the destructive power and fire of Rudra. On the other hand, Rudra is an expansion of whom we call Sadaashiva in his eternal form. Siva is a peculiar expansion of Bhagavan. Because he is in a middling category between Viñëu-tattva and Jeeva-tattva. He is the Avatar who comes into direct contact with the material energy and impregnates the womb of Mother nature (Mahamaya or Durga) with the jeevatmas who have given up their shelter in Vaikuntha, the spiritual realm. So Hanuman has the expansion of Rudra within himself, however techinically he is not one of the 11 Rudras who manifest at the time of the destruction of the material universe to burn it down and destroy it. This is not the only example of multiple personalities. Kåñëa and Arjuna are said to be Nara and Närayäëa Rishis. You can’t ell whether one becomes the other or reverse, both are eternal persons, who are simultaneously one with and different from each other. For a more in-depth understanding of these topics, I must recommend reading of the Srimad Bhagavatam and Sri Caitanya caritamrita translated and commented upon by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, available from BBT.