P.J.
0
Fate and Free Will
Man is endowed with a sixth sense with a view to discriminate between good and bad, and act in such a manner that will be beneficial to him in the long run to emancipate his soul from the cycle of births and deaths. If this were not so, man will have no control over his past karmas and will be subjected to untold misery and punishments during his life time, which is not the intention of the Creator. Every religion talks about pardon for past sins and suggests specific actions to wipe them out. No religion ever says that a man should suffer for his past actions beyond redemption.
The predictions that can be given through astrological charts are only indicative trends in a person's life and are not conclusive or unchangeable. These generally reflect the result of one's past karmas or actions. (The fruits of past karmas are called fate and those of present karmas are represented by free will).
To what extent a man can change the result of his own past karmas or actions in the present life depend on the extent, nature and the severity of the past karmas. Free will can alter the fruits of bad past karmas easily if such karmas were not intense or strong. Where such karmas are very strong, sustained efforts are necessary to overcome them, including propitiation and intense prayers. Equally, it is possible to improve on the effects of good karmas.
The numerous rituals prescribed under the Hindu Dharma go on the basic premise that human action goes beyond "Prarabtha Karma'; the man can act independently to reduce the effect of the bad karmas and improve on the good ones. Sensibly, religion teaches us ways to get release from the cycle of birth and death, through any of the three yogas (margas) and attain the feet of the Lord. Be it Advaitha or Dhwaitha in Hindu religion, the path may be different, but the goal is the same. In other religions also, free will action is promoted to get redemption by surrendering unto the Lord, by promoting good thoughts and by performing good acts.
If the theory of fate is accepted, it will not only negate religion but also astrology. The advice to be given by the religion should have then be: "Subject yourself to the effect of “prarabtha” or fate and no matter what you do, you have to undergo and perish, depending upon how you have acted in the past lives”.
Astrology is a science of tendencies indicting the effects of "prarabtha karma" over one's life cycle, precisely to guide him to act wisely and to do everything possible to get out of his bad "vasanas".
The three margas (Jnana marga, Bhakthi marga and Karma marga) give us the clue. Positive and right thinking and a will to act with optimism on the lines indicated in the religion (it does not matter what religion it is) are the only methods to fight "fate". The so-called "fate", which is the effect of "vasanas", does nothing to a man with the right understanding of life and thought. In "Kali Yuga", it is said, to a large majority of people, bhakthi yoga is the best and easy method to reach “Brahman”.
"Religion does not fetter man's free-will. It leaves him quite free to act, but tells him at the same time what is good for him and what is not. The responsibility is entirely and solely his. He cannot escape it by blaming fate, for fate is of his own making, nor by blaming God, for he is but the dispenser of fruits in accordance with the merits of actions. You are the master of your own destiny. It is for you to make it, to better it or to mar it. This is your privilege. This is your responsibility."
“The Sastras enunciate in detail what vasanas are good and have to be encouraged and what vasanas are bad and have to be overcome. When, by dint of practice, you have mad all your vasanas good and practically eliminated the change of any bad vasanas leading you astray, the Sastras take upon themselves the function off teaching you how to free your free-will even from the need of being led by good vasanas.”
Source: Fate and Free Will
Man is endowed with a sixth sense with a view to discriminate between good and bad, and act in such a manner that will be beneficial to him in the long run to emancipate his soul from the cycle of births and deaths. If this were not so, man will have no control over his past karmas and will be subjected to untold misery and punishments during his life time, which is not the intention of the Creator. Every religion talks about pardon for past sins and suggests specific actions to wipe them out. No religion ever says that a man should suffer for his past actions beyond redemption.
The predictions that can be given through astrological charts are only indicative trends in a person's life and are not conclusive or unchangeable. These generally reflect the result of one's past karmas or actions. (The fruits of past karmas are called fate and those of present karmas are represented by free will).
To what extent a man can change the result of his own past karmas or actions in the present life depend on the extent, nature and the severity of the past karmas. Free will can alter the fruits of bad past karmas easily if such karmas were not intense or strong. Where such karmas are very strong, sustained efforts are necessary to overcome them, including propitiation and intense prayers. Equally, it is possible to improve on the effects of good karmas.
The numerous rituals prescribed under the Hindu Dharma go on the basic premise that human action goes beyond "Prarabtha Karma'; the man can act independently to reduce the effect of the bad karmas and improve on the good ones. Sensibly, religion teaches us ways to get release from the cycle of birth and death, through any of the three yogas (margas) and attain the feet of the Lord. Be it Advaitha or Dhwaitha in Hindu religion, the path may be different, but the goal is the same. In other religions also, free will action is promoted to get redemption by surrendering unto the Lord, by promoting good thoughts and by performing good acts.
If the theory of fate is accepted, it will not only negate religion but also astrology. The advice to be given by the religion should have then be: "Subject yourself to the effect of “prarabtha” or fate and no matter what you do, you have to undergo and perish, depending upon how you have acted in the past lives”.
Astrology is a science of tendencies indicting the effects of "prarabtha karma" over one's life cycle, precisely to guide him to act wisely and to do everything possible to get out of his bad "vasanas".
The three margas (Jnana marga, Bhakthi marga and Karma marga) give us the clue. Positive and right thinking and a will to act with optimism on the lines indicated in the religion (it does not matter what religion it is) are the only methods to fight "fate". The so-called "fate", which is the effect of "vasanas", does nothing to a man with the right understanding of life and thought. In "Kali Yuga", it is said, to a large majority of people, bhakthi yoga is the best and easy method to reach “Brahman”.
"Religion does not fetter man's free-will. It leaves him quite free to act, but tells him at the same time what is good for him and what is not. The responsibility is entirely and solely his. He cannot escape it by blaming fate, for fate is of his own making, nor by blaming God, for he is but the dispenser of fruits in accordance with the merits of actions. You are the master of your own destiny. It is for you to make it, to better it or to mar it. This is your privilege. This is your responsibility."
“The Sastras enunciate in detail what vasanas are good and have to be encouraged and what vasanas are bad and have to be overcome. When, by dint of practice, you have mad all your vasanas good and practically eliminated the change of any bad vasanas leading you astray, the Sastras take upon themselves the function off teaching you how to free your free-will even from the need of being led by good vasanas.”
Source: Fate and Free Will
