Deep Mystery Of Destiny And Karma

Human beings often pause at difficult crossroads in life and wonder that if every event is already predetermined then why is there a need to struggle. This question is not limited to today's society but it has been a timeless dilemma of human consciousness. Two distinct schools of thought are clearly visible in the world. One ideology is completely fatalistic which believes that nothing is in human hands and whatever is written will inevitably happen. The other ideology considers only human effort and hard work as paramount and it completely denies the existence of fate. The truth lies deeply hidden somewhere between these two extremes. The divine teachings given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna in the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita present the most beautiful and practical explanation of this mystery. Destiny and karma are not enemies of each other but they are two extremely important pillars that keep the wheel of creation running smoothly. After understanding this deep relationship the entire perspective of a human being towards life changes completely and one becomes free from useless worries to start creating one's own life.

Destiny Only Determines The Stage

To understand destiny we should look at life like a play or a movie. When a play is staged its background, the circumstances of the characters and major events are already prepared in the form of a script. According to Vedic tradition and astrology the accumulated karma of past lives manifests as destiny in this birth. This destiny provides us with a certain family, specific circumstances and the main challenges of life.

Destiny can only provide a stage and circumstances to a human being but how the quality of acting on that stage will be depends entirely on the decision of the human being. No matter how difficult the situations are, what the reaction of the person will be towards those situations cannot be decided by destiny. The Supreme Power has given humans the freedom of discrimination and decision making. By utilizing this freedom human beings can deliver the best performance even within the boundaries of their destiny.

Karma Is The Test Of Your Living Performance

On this grand stage of life karma is the very power that prevents human beings from becoming slaves of circumstances. If two different actors are given the exact same script and identical dialogues even then the performance of both will be completely different. One actor through dedication and hard work makes that role immortal while the other actor is quickly forgotten due to indifference.

The core principle of Vedic astrology and philosophy is that karma is not about changing external circumstances but it is the decision of how you act within those situations. Honesty, discipline, patience and courage are such human virtues that manifest through karma. When difficult times come in life the efforts made by a person determine whether he will emerge stronger or break down under pressure. Krishna repeatedly emphasized the glory of karma on the battlefield of Kurukshetra because action is the medium through which the true potential of man and the glory of his soul are revealed.

The Grave Dangers Of Depending Solely On Fate

Many people in the world try to hide their inaction under the guise of destiny. This is a highly debatable and dangerous tendency that hollows out a human being from within. When a person assumes that everything is already fixed he stops making any effort. Slowly his dreams begin to die and he loses the ability to take advantage of upcoming opportunities.

Mental Attitude	Impact on Life	Vedic Solution
Being Completely Fatalistic	Feelings of helplessness, despair and laziness	Understanding the right to perform action
Ego Based Karma Only	Extreme stress and deep depression upon failure	Detachment from the fruits of action
Balanced Vedic Path	Inner peace, continuous effort and graceful acceptance	Beautiful coordination of karma and destiny

Krishna never supported such escapism or passive acceptance. He did not permit Arjuna to run away from the war but inspired him to face the reality of life. Believing in destiny does not mean becoming lazy but it means having unwavering faith in the arrangement of the Divine. When destiny begins to be used as an excuse to avoid responsibility it deviates from the spiritual path. It is essential for both faith and effort to walk together because as soon as they separate only regret and frustration remain in life.

Why Krishna Considered Karma As Paramount

The battlefield of Kurukshetra is the greatest living example of this eternal truth. Arjuna at that time was highly confused, fearful and trapped in the web of emotions. He was ready to leave the battlefield by turning away from his duties. If every event in the world was to happen solely based on fate then Krishna could have told Arjuna to rest and just watch the game of destiny. But Jagadguru Krishna did not do so.

He ordered Arjuna to rise, lift his bow and perform his duties as a Kshatriya. It is clear from this wonderful episode that real spiritual knowledge does not teach human beings to run away from the world but makes them aware of their duties. Vedic wisdom teaches us that work done with full concentration and pure intent without worrying about the results frees a person from bondages.

A Small Illustration And A Big Practical Lesson

To understand this subtle subject a traditional and very simple example can be taken. Suppose there are two farmers who live in the same village. Both possess the same type of land, the same weather remains over their fields and they receive identical rainfall. Out of these the first farmer works hard from morning to evening in the fields, makes the land fertile and sows excellent seeds at the right time. Contrary to this the second farmer spends his time only cursing his destiny and does not even step into the field out of fear of weather uncertainty.

After a few months when the time for harvest arrives the house of the first farmer is filled with wealth and grains while the second farmer gets only starvation and poverty. Now the point worth considering is whether their external circumstances were different. The answer is no because nature has given equal opportunities to both. The difference was only in their actions. This small example clarifies that destiny may provide you with opportunities but the task of converting those opportunities into success can be done only by your continuous and dedicated actions.

How To Apply This Invaluable Knowledge In Daily Life

This divine message of the Bhagavad Gita is not just for prayers or philosophical discussions but it is an extremely effective practical guide to improve our daily life. To make life successful and stress free it is necessary to include some important rules in our behavior.

• Stop focusing on things that are beyond your control such as the behavior of others or past events.
• Put your entire focus and energy on the tasks that are currently in your hand.
• Perform every task with complete honesty and to the best of your ability no matter how small the work appears to be.
• When results are not according to your wish, learn from your shortcomings instead of blaming destiny.
• Correct effort made continuously builds wonderful self confidence and a strong character within a human being.

When a human being begins to practice living in this manner his mental stress disappears automatically. He avoids ego upon getting success and does not sink into depression upon facing failure. This is the mental balance that transforms an ordinary human into a visionary and calm minded Karma Yogi.

The Ultimate Balance Between Faith And Effort

The real joy of life is found when human beings end the useless competition between destiny and karma. The wisest path is that we respect both these powers equally. Have full faith that there is a grand plan of the universe working for our good but never let this faith become a reason to reduce your efforts.

Perform your duty with full dedication and leave no stone unturned in hard work. Along with this accept this truth gracefully that every result cannot be entirely under your control. This wonderful balance brings deep peace in human life without any weakness and awakens noble aspirations without any mental anxiety. This is the sacred path that Krishna taught in the Dwapara Yuga and this path is equally relevant and beneficial in today's modern era.

FAQ

If destiny is already written why should we perform karma

Destiny only prepares the background of external circumstances and opportunities in our life but how we face those circumstances is decided by our present karma. Character is built through karma and these actions prepare the new outline of our upcoming future.

What message has Lord Krishna given regarding karma in the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita

Lord Krishna has given the message in the Gita that the right of a human being is only over performing action and not over its fruits. He emphasized fulfilling one's designated duties with full dedication without any attachment or selfishness so that human beings can remain free from mental bondages.

Are destiny and karma opposite to each other

No, destiny and karma are not enemies but complementary to each other. Destiny presents circumstances and challenges on the stage of life while karma determines how man uses those situations for his spiritual growth and success.

Can destiny be changed by our present actions

According to Vedic philosophy there is so much power in the noble and righteous actions performed in the present that they can change the future destiny. Even if some old circumstances are unchangeable, positive karma opens new paths and greatly reduces the impact of miseries.

Why did Krishna inspire Arjuna to fight the war

Arjuna was stepping back from his Kshatriya duty due to mental confusion and excessive attachment which was harmful to the society. Krishna taught him that standing against unrighteousness and following one's duty is true dharma therefore performing karma is superior instead of escaping.