Friday 3 June 2016

Fate and Fatalism

Honesty is the richest legacy - I was reading a book by Sudha murthy and could connect with several of her observations. She has written a small story on Honesty, which I read out aloud to my son. (Just to give you a background of the situation, he was studying for his exams and I had taken time off to be just with him; do absolutely nothing; but to be around him during the stressful time of exams). He suddenly asked me a question, 'Mama, is everything already pre-destined? should I really work so hard?, some of my friends are so lucky that they get questions from only what they study'

Thirukural 619

Theyvaththaan aakaa theninum muyarchidhan; 
meyvaruththak kooli tharum

Though fate-divine should make your labour vain; 
Effort its labour's sure reward will gain.
This was my immediate response to his innocuous question. That one can defeat fate through hard work, and that the more he studies thoroughly the chances of him getting good results are higher, etc.. I guess this is the usual stuff a parent would tell a son.
Later I tried reading a few scriptures on this subject - till date I have not found any question related to self knowledge unanswered in the scriptures.
The concept of Fate and Fatalism.
I will try to summarise :-) what is quoted in the Chandhogya upanishad in a manner that will make sense. As per the Law of karma, we produce results due to our actions. So all results are produced by our own action only, solely. So if people are lucky or unlucky this is due to his or her own actions. That's quite reassuring to know, that there is no force out there that is partial to one over another.
Anyways there seems to be a huge caveat here....

The principles of Sanchita, Prarabdha and Agami: Human-beings have freewill. Hence in a given situation, two people can react differently which can be totally opposite. This freewill causes actions. Actions are the cause of Karma.
Basically there are three kinds of Karma. They are called Sanchita (the accumulated karmas), Prarabdha (the current karmas), and Agami (the expected karmas). Sanchita constitutes all the accumulated Karmas of past lifetimes of an individual.
Prarabdha (which is a part of Sanchita) is for the present life. Prarabdha explains the differences between humans - right from the time of birth - being born rich or poor, healthy or with congenital issues etc, being lucky, unlucky etc. 
Apparently, if the results of an action can be fructified in the current life due to a conducive environment, it will happen. Else this karma will move to Sanchita which will be effected in a future life. Conducive is defined as an environment that will also befit the karma of people surrounding the person - wife, children etc. (example given here is that the adharmic action of a husband cannot fructify immediately if the wife is very dharmic and vice-versa as the lives are related). Such karma moves to Sanchita without fructification in the current life.
As per law of karma, To be lucky now and in the future the only way is to lead a dharmic life (a life of righteousness).

Bye, until we meet again.



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