Destiny and Free Will

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

While we are seeing some discussion on Destiny and Free Will going on here, I

would like to add the following:

 

We have two types of destiny or karma, one sanchit karma and prarabdh karma.

Sanchit karma is our past karma that is sitting bottled up in jars, out of which

one jar is open and those sanchit karma become prarabdh karma, i.e.

fruitification of sanchit karma. This karma we have to endure there is no way to

get out of it.

 

Now freewill is that capacity gifted by god to human beings that dictates how we

endure these prarabdh karma, i.e. do we accumulate more karmas or we endure them

such that our other sanchit karma also diminish. Remember there is nothing like

good or bad karma, every one only have their relative way to appreciate.

 

Recently I read a very inspiring story in a newspaper although the story was

about aan dana for donation of food, but it applies here very appropriately.

 

The story goes like this, there was man who never got enough food.

some days he would get very little and other days nothing. Tired of this

hardship he goes to a fakir and complains about not getting enough food The

fakir was a realized seer and sees what's in store for the man. The fakir tells

the man, you have a very long life but you only have 5 bags of food that has

come with it due to your past actions and so you go without food many days and

somedays you get some food. The man thought for a moment and requested the faqir

to get all remaining bags at once. The fakir was surprised but gives into the

wish of the man. Next day the man gets 3 bags of food, he cooks all the food at

once, feeds himself nicely and donates the rest of the food to other needy

people and they all enjoy food. He goes to sleep feeling satisfied. Next day he

wakes up and again there is 3 bags of food, he does the same thing, what he did

yestarday. He was very surprised and shocked. This goes on and on. After a while

he goes back to the fakir and narates everything and thanks fakir and god for a

miracle. The fakir understands the situation and suggests that the power of

donating food to the needy is very great it is one of the best and greatest

gifts anyone can make.

 

So here the man uses his freewill to change his destiny or accumulated karma.

 

Sometimes in Life we have choice and our selection is the free will part, but

again we still accumulate karmas after the selection.

 

Shri Aurobindo learns painting and music at a very old age. He wanted to set an

example that one learn anything if one applies himself with dedication and works

hard, this is freewill. Now what karma he accumulated or not only he knows.

 

Best Regards

Mitesh