The Hindu Article: Power of destiny

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Date:16/03/2004 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2004/03/16/stories/2004031601000900.htm

 

Miscellaneous - Religion

 

Power of destiny

 

CHENNAI, MARCH 16. Not a day passes in a person's life when he does

not decry the power play of fate. Neither king nor the lowly

wayfarer, neither the scholar nor the fool can escape the penalty of

the ledger balance of sins, brought forward from prior births.

Saints, scholars and scriptural literature are all firm in stressing

the inexorable power of destiny. However, laying the blame on the

doors of destiny is unlikely to get a man far if he wants to

accumulate points of virtue in this life, leading to a better opening

balance in subsequent births. Those seeking to be freed from the

cycle of rebirths may want to achieve it by negating the effects of

past misdeeds. The frequently asked question is how can one outwit

fate? A famous poet once said that overcoming one's difficulties in

life is possible only if so granted by the Supreme Being. If all

vehicles setting out on a journey reach their destination, who will

seek out God? For, it is only the power of faith, which can alleviate

ignorance and make one understand that joy and sorrow in life is due

to destiny.

 

In her lecture Smt. Sudha Seshian said that even the "preordained"

path in one's life is determined largely by one's efforts. Despite

trying very hard, many people find that the desired results are not

achieved . This often leads to frustration due to which we tend to

blame fate for all the ills and retract into a state of passivity,

with the undertone that effort is futile as fate overrules all. Even

Rama was no exception to this very human reaction. Setting off in

search of the abducted Sita with no obvious clues to her whereabouts,

Lord Rama fell into a state of deepest grief . He was then counselled

in a manner befitting all of mankind when under duress. "The sun and

the moon nourish life. They are therefore revered as the two eyes of

God. Yet they cannot escape eclipses. All beings have to submit to

the decree of fate. It is a matter of cause and effect."

 

A person may argue that in the scheme of things on earth the concept

of "Karma" defies logic, hence the conduct of a person in the current

birth alone ought to be taken into reckoning. However, there is a

purpose behind such an exercise, wherein past actions come to haunt

or bless a person in life. Without such a symbiosis, one may tend to

swing to either of the two extremes — egoistic posturing or inertia

caused by a sense of fatalism, wherein one passively believes that He

who planted will water the plant. Neither of the approaches is

recommended for spiritual aspirants.

 

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