Bhagavan: Thus, there is nothing arbitrary.

[Guest guest]

Although those who do not know consciousness find fault with things that happen in the world, all events that occur do so in accordance with a unique divine ordinance.

 

The ‘divine ordinance’ originates with Iswara, as Bhagavan makes clear in the following comment on the first verse of Upadesa Saram:

 

Question: In ‘Karthuragnaya prapyathe phalam’ [action bears fruit by the ordinance of God] who is the karta [God]?

Bhagavan: Karta is Iswara. He is the one who distributes the fruits of actions to each person according to his karma. That means He is saguna Brahman [brahman with attributes]. The real Brahman is nirguna [without attributes] and without motion. It is only saguna Brahman that is named Iswara. He gives the phala [fruits] to each person according to his karma. That means that Iswara is only an agent… Without that sakti of Iswara, this karma will not take place.

 

Elsewhere Bhagavan has explained how the allocation of destiny, or prarabdha karma, takes place:

 

Bhagavan: A man might have performed many karmas in his previous births. A few of them alone will be chosen for this birth and he will have to enjoy the fruits in this birth. It is something like a slide show where the projectionist picks a few slides to be exhibited at a performance, the remaining slides being reserved for another performance.

 

Bhagavan: Individuals have to suffer their karmas but Iswara manages to make the best of their karmas for this purpose. God manipulates the fruits of karma but he does not add or take away from it. The subconscious of man is a warehouse of good and bad karma. Iswara chooses from this warehouse what he sees will best suit the spiritual evolution at the time of each man, whether pleasant or painful. Thus, there is nothing arbitrary.

 

PADAMALAI

recorded by MURUGANAR

from chapter Iswara and destiny

edited by David Godman