Pujya Ramsukhdasji Maharaj

[Guest guest]

God's Grace

 

Question: When favorable and unfavorable situations come, is it

fate and what is destined, that is the cause, or is it God's

grace? If the fruits of actions are granted by God, then what use

is God's grace?

 

Answer: Favorable and unfavorable situations are the results of

what is destined to come (fruits of past actions), but the one who

is ordaining them is God. Just like when a man goes to the forest

and works relentlessly the entire day, then who gives him the

money? But if he is working under the command of some master /

owner, then that owner, will pay him. Similarly, according to one's

karmas (actions), one receives the fruits, but the giver of these

fruits is Bhagavaan Himself (God), because being inert, the actions

are incapable of giving fruits.

 

Bhagavaan is the icon of grace. His every command has built in it,

His grace. But only because our sight in on our past actions, and

not having our eye towards His grace, man is unable to gain any

benefit from this grace. Just like a calf is nourished by the cow's

milk, and this nourishment is unlike any other milk, similarly, when

our eyes are on Grace, the gains that we receive, such gains are not

there from eye on destiny and one's actions.

 

Fate and destiny are fruits of past actions and are perishable, but

grace is imperishable. Just like when sugar is mixed with sand, one

cannot separate the sugar from the sand. But an ant is able to

separate the sugar from the sand, similarly, such devotees while

living their destiny are able to recognize God's grace.

 

If we see the situations and circumstances as fruits of past

actions, then in favorable times, there will be happiness and in

unfavorable times there will be sorrow. But if we see these as

God's grace, then in both situations, there will be experience of

bliss! Therefore there is tremendous gain in believing it to the

working of grace.

 

Man can attain salvation, by properly utilizing the present

circumstance - this is God's grace. If a man cries, and in distress

and pain prays to God, then Bhagavaan even forgives the fruits of

inauspicious actions (unfavorable situations), and suddenly even

blesses him with discrimination (vivek). This is God's grace.