Destiny

Destiny ~ Questions that come to mind

These are some questions on destiny placed before Param Pujya Ma by spiritual seekers Her replies, succinct and clear, will help to clarify the concept of destiny and the realization as to what is in our hands and what is not. This will answer several questions in the minds of spiritual seekers today.

Destiny questions that come to mind

Question:

Is there a factor called Destiny? If so can it be changed by one’s own efforts?

Ma:

Destiny is of the body. Not of the ego. Destiny is of the gross world and cannot be changed. You have freedom only of removing your pride and ego and any internalized feelings that prevent you from being completely joyous. Joy and sorrow have nothing to do with external events. They are a state of mind.

You cannot change the events of your life. However, ego is not bound by destiny… it can be erased no matter what your destiny. The death of the external body cannot be changed even by a moment, but your reactions of sorrow and happiness can be changed. It is the pride within that pollutes the individual. Destiny may hold insult or praise; but how you react to that insult or praise is in your hands. It is the ego that makes one happy or sad, and the ego is within ones control.

In the Gita Lord Krishna told Arjuna, “Consider all these people standing before us in the enemy camp as killed by us already… that is their destiny… so why do you worry?” He then urged Arjuna to fight ‘the battle of righteousness.’ To choose the path of dharma was in Arjuna’s hands, even though the outcome was pre-determined and therefore predicted by the Divine Seer.

In the Srimadbhagavad Gita the Lord also clarifies that all that happens in the world is due to the gunas or traits of one interacting with the gunas of another. This is the cause of joy and sorrow in interpersonal relationships. This joy and sorrow last only as long as the ego is predominant in the being. When the ego is strong, it ‘owns’ and possesses all the actions and thoughts of that body self. It thus creates further seeds and latencies that determine one’s future births.

You cannot change the gross. What happens to your body is destined. It is your ego that lays claim to that destiny and perpetuates the cycle of life and death. It is your inner world that is the root of all problems. It is the inner world that is false; the world of concepts, convictions, judgements, preconceptions… Vedant says “Jag Brahm, Jag Mithya, Poorna Brahm”… The Reality is that all that transpires is within Brahm, the Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omniscient Supreme Entity… it is when the mind begins to attribute motives and judgements regarding the world and all that exists within its ambit, that another world emerges… the world of the mind, which is illusory and the cause of delusion. This is the ‘Mithya jag’ … the world created from interpretations of Reality. This is also the ‘Mano Jag’ or the world of the mind. This is the world which emits seeds that cause future joys and sorrows. The Patanjal Yog Sutra states that we cannot change sorrowful situations that we face presently but it is in our hands to prevent sorrows that are still to come. This is possible when one detaches oneself from one’s internal world and when one lives in the present, devoid of detachment and reactions that stem from attachment.

Whether you have a husband or children depends on your destiny, but whether you make them happy and give them love, depends on you and your efforts. The happiness you experience and give is dependant on how much you can be devoid of ego.

When the ego identifies with the body, mind and intellect, it claims the destiny of that particular individualistic unit. Then the body and mind claim “It is my destiny!” In doing so, it cannot change any circumstances, but through sadhana, one can change one’s attitude to sorrow and happiness. One rises out of the mire of one’s thoughts and emotions through sadhana. One can wipe out one’s pride through sadhana. One can concentrate on one’s inner self and purge it of all its negative traits. In doing so, the sadhak or spiritual aspirant is able to carve out his future happiness.

Question:

So destiny cannot be changed?

Ma:

Certainly it can. There is a story in our mythology which goes like this…There was a couple who lived in a jungle. Narad went there as a guest and was given great honour and the most delectable food to eat… In return, he granted them a boon and asked what they would like. The couple begged for his blessings so that they could have a child. Narad, an astrologer par excellence, could see that there was no child in their destiny. He went to Brahma and begged Him to bless the couple with a child. Brahma said He could do nothing since their stars did not permit a child.

After some years Narad happened to pass by the house of the same couple and saw some children there. On being asked how they begot these children, the couple explained that a saint who had visited them, had blessed them with these children. What Narad could not grant because of his pride, was given by a gracious saint in his benign benevolence. That saint did not consider himself to be a mighty astrologer or a ‘knowledgeable’ Seer. His gracious heart just conferred a blessing to the yearning couple in the greatest purity of spirit. Such a Being, devoid of pride or egoity has the power to mutate destiny, though He would never will it or wish it for himself. It just happens that whatever words are uttered by Such a One come true. He has the power to remove the other’s sorrow, for he is free of the ‘I’.

If you understand the reality of destiny, your unhappiness will end today. Your false world, the world of the mind… this mano lok can be changed. You can rise above sorrow and happiness and thus render the sorrows of destiny ineffectual.

Question:

What is the route to happiness that is eternal?

Ma:

The shastras say “If you can, do your sadhana (spiritual practice)… try to see your pride and remove it! In order to do this, you don’t have to go to a temple. You can do your sadhana no matter what your circumstances. You can be devoid of pride no matter what travails or joys you have to encounter. You may have to encounter great sorrows and still not be sorrowful. You could be placed in extremely pleasurable circumstances and yet not be excessively joyous nor experience the disappointment of being deprived of that pleasure. The mind has nothing to do with the gross, which is definitely destined. Getting wealth or not getting it, experiencing insult or respect etc., depends on your destiny. But the true sadhak transcends the sorrow and joy associated with these circumstances. ‘Aham rahit sthithi’…, when you reach such a state which is devoid of ego, you will abide in the perfection of Truth. You can transcend your complexes… this does not depend on your destiny.

Knowledge erases ignorance; however, in the state of egolessness, even knowledge cannot remain. The sadhu vritti, or the propensity to become an aspirant of nobility and Truth, burns one’s complexes. However, after continual practice, even this sadhu vritti does not remain. At that pinnacle of perfect unison with the Real, the triad is destroyed. Neither the sadhak, nor sadhana nor sadhya remain. Complete unison is attained with the Supreme.

One who rises above conditional acceptance and one who achieves complete acceptance of everyone and everything that he encounters, is the highest sadhak. Through abhyas such a one identifies with the other to an extent that he loses himself in the other completely. Because he is devoid of personal desire, the desire inhering in the other’s mind becomes his desire. Such a sadhak rises above his body, and considers the other’s body and needs as his own. Devoid of attachment to his personal self, he is able to see every situation from all aspects, from the other’s point of view.

Attachment is all for oneself, while love is all for the other. As long as you have only attachment with your child, you can only see your own point of view, but when you love the child, you see the child’s point of view. You become aware of each others traits and tendencies, which is useful in avoiding problems later. If you ensure the other person’s security, you will eventually establish your own security. So concentrate on every situation objectively. Love all… do not be attached.

Destiny ~ Questions that come to mind

MEDIA

Products

Activities

Contact