Tuesday, April 21, 2015

What is Destiny and Free-will?





…contd….

You and I have embarked on this tough yet interesting, challenging, benefitting journey. So let’s just work on ourselves. Forget about them for now!

Coming back to our story, Jaya, Vijaya had to bear consequence of their bad karma (of insolence) but as they were great devotees of God they got to have their choice of type of birth and the number of births and also got to die in His hands. Please understand it correctly. I repeat once again.

“Good karmas will reap good benefits and bad karmas reap their corresponding benefits. They don’t get inter-mixed – ever for anyone.” Is it clear?

·         So, Ravana and others couldn’t help themselves from being bad. See, it was destined so. So, my negative qualities are also my destiny and my behaviour is ok as it’ll beget good results (like getting killed by Lord etc). I don’t need to work on my attitude and character. Right?”

My, my! What an inference! No my dear, it is not so. Being what you are, why you are and where you are is because of your past karma. That is destiny designed by your past deeds. It’s right till here. But how you behave now, what choices you make now and what sadhan you make now will decide where you go tomorrow. Your right to choose now is called as “your free-will”. Depending on that choice your destiny of tomorrow is again written. So, think and act wisely!

Ravan born Brahmin went on to become kshatriya by his deeds and became Asura by his intentions and acts. Whereas Sage Vishwamitra was born a Kshtriya and lived as one for many years and then with his intense tapas went on to become a Brahmin. That is the caste system of Sanatana Dharma which is based on one’s nature, deed and profession and not be birth.

Taking birth in Brahmin family is the result of past deeds and whether you remain so or not is decided by your present deeds. Hope now it’s clear!

·         Jaya and Vijaya were door-keepers of Vaikuntam. What post can be more gratifying than this? Can you even imagine how one’s life would be as door-keeper’s of Vaikuntam? Yet, inspite of raising to that high a post (yes, all these are just posts and can be filled by any one with their punya karma…that includes you and me too. So if you are career oriented then you should aim for such posts – not one in the offices of this world). We can still fall low because of our attitude. Again everything boils down to Attitude. Now do you see how attitude makes or breaks our fate and us in short and long run too! Don’t be bothered to scale the Altitude – that’s easy actually once you set your mind on it – but higher the altitude, you fall is that much more painful and dreadful. So work on “attitude” always. Ego sets in at any stage and then we are in this roller-coaster ride of going up and coming down for eons to come. No doubt we always have churning sensation in our stomach!

...contd....

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