F A T E 

By

Achala Bhakthan 

"Can you explain what is FATE ? Should one  believe in one's FATE or should one continue doing his karma (deeds ) and be not worried about FATE ? And can one's FATE be overcome by WISDOM / INTELLECT / or by Scheme? ( Vidhiyai Madhiyaal vellalaama? )

Many of us have the above questions.  Some with a Scorn views FATE.  They blame FATE for all negative happenings and rejoice and claim ownership for good results.  But, they do not know what is Fate? We have learnt in the article KARMA theory that "All Actions have corresponding Reactions."  It is like when you throw a ball on to the wall, it comes back in just the opposite direction with the same force with which you threw it.  All our actions bear fruits – whether you like it or not.  That is the natural law.  As you sow, so you reap.  Depending on the type of actions, one gets the results (reactions).  Satwic actions produce Satwic results and Sinful actions do return sinful results.  Thus, we are the authors of the reactions of all our actions.  It is clear, therefore, that if you want good results, you must engage in good actions.  However, all actions do not produce reactions immediately.  Some get stored and come to us at some other time as per the universal law – may be in this birth or even next, depending on the purpose for which the action is performed and the type  of actions performed (whether Satwic, Rajasic or Tamasic). These accumulated results of our actions are called FATE, since we do not know as to which of our actions a particular result appeared we blame it as FATE, because we did not expect it.  We blame FATE for everything.  This is escapism.  This is due to ignorance or non-acceptance of the law that "All actions have corresponding reactions."  Thus, FATE is nothing but the results of our own actions.

Now the second question is easy.  "Should we worry or not about our FATE and continue doing our Karma?"  It is very clear.  It is for one to decide as to whether he should simply sit by blaming the FATE and not do any action.  Can you remain without action?  Not at all.  The Life itself is full of activity.  No activity, no Life.  So can you refrain from actions?  Never.  Action is part of our life.  In fact, "to act is the universal law".  Even Paramatman is ever in action, due to which the universe is functioning.  So action cannot be avoided at all.  How can you blame your FATE?   Because we have seen that FATE is nothing but the accumulated results of our own actions in the past.   So if you blame FATE you are blaming your own actions – nay yourselves.  Yes, this is good in a way because you atleast realize later that your actions are wrong.  What to do then?  Try to avoid such harmful actions to avoid negative results.  Continue doing Karma that is Satwic and for universal good.  Do not have Selfish attitude while performing Karma nor do it with expectation of a desired result, for, result  are not in your control.  Do it as your Duty as proclaimed by Lord Krishna to Arjuna :

'KARMANYEVA ADHIKARASTHE , MAA BHALESHU KATHAACHANA". 

Meaning, you concentrate on your Duties and do not worry about results, leave it to me.  What does this mean?  You have right to Act and not to reap a particular result.  That comes from me.  This shows that you have no control over reactions; results flow automatically depending on your actions and you cannot avoid actions.  Do it with an attitude of Karma Yoga. 

To understand the above theory more clearly, let us look into the situation which lead to Geethopadhesam.  In the battlefield Arjuna tried to escape from his Swadharma – fighting a war – with an excuse of "avoiding sin by slaying his own kith and kins".  A Kshathriya has to fight and even kill the enemy to establish Dharma.  Arjuna was trying to escape from his bounden duties.  Krishna had to point out his Duty towards the humanity.  He has to establish Dharma by annihilating Adharma.  Krishna rightly pointed out to him that what he annihilates is not the relatives but the Adharma.  As the relatives are on the Adharma side, his emotions towards relatives should not deter him from performing his rightful duties.  Krishna explained to him that birth and death are universal happening over which human beings have no control.  While fighting a war against Adharma, Arjuna was doing a Dharmic duty of annihilating Adharma and not the Jeevas.  The Jeevaas have to die after their life period is over which is decided by FATE and Arjuna can never claim ownership of killing.  It is all happening naturally and he is only an instrument.  To convince Arjuna on this theory, Krishna showed him (through Gnana Chakshush) His universal form of Existence Truth, where Arjuna found all the Jeevaas incluing himself and Krishna into that Vishwaroopa and understood the theory very well.  Even at those days the visual form of education was prevalent, which is described as Vishwaroopa dharsan.

Thus, to act is our Duty.  No one can avoid action.  Even when you try to avoid action there is an action – the action of avoiding.  So action is bound in you.  We have intelligence and we should learn the scriptural saying by the great Seers who have given us the Vedas from their own revelations as a result of their Tapas.  They have to be relied upon and we should plan our actions intelligently to reap good results.  Now we have seen our own actions give us results.  We have the right to mould our actions but no right over a particular or desired result.  So what we should intelligently do?  Mould our actions in such a way that we bear good and enjoyable results. That means have a control over your actions and do not bother about the results nor blame the FATE.. 

Let me pose nother question.  "Is it that Good actions always produce good results and bad actions always bring in bad results?"   Is there any law, which decides about the chronological order  of the happening of  results?  We find some people doing bad actions enjoy life and some doing good actions suffer.

To understand the above, we have to explain the "Karma and Fate" theory further in the modern scenario.  Let me give you an example.  Take a hollow pipe, opened at both ends.  Go on pushing stripes of cloth with different colours, one after the other.  Let us say White represents Satwic actions, Red represents Rajasic Actions, Black represents Tamasic actions and other colours mixed actions.  You push Black coloured stripe first, then Red, then Green, then White, then Blue etc. etc. through one side of the hollow pipe.  When you fill the full pipe length with such stripes of cloth and then try to push further stripes into it, what happens?  You first get, out of the other opening of the pipe, the Black stripe first, then the Red stripe, then the Green, then the White and so on.  Can you control the order in which the stripes are coming out of the other end?  No, isn't it?  What went first comes out first.  This is natural and is called universal theory.  Now, it is clear that we have "No control over the results but only have right to decide about the type of Actions".  Clear?  This also explains why some one doing bad actions enjoy life and some doing good suffer.  While you are pushing White stripe from one end, what you see on the other side is the Black stripe.  Why?  You have already pushed Black first and when you are pushing White, the one comes out is the first one pushed.  So when one does in this world now Satwic Actions (White stripe pushed in) he gets bad results (Black stripe coming out) and so on.  The first accumulated results are based on your earlier actions, the reaction is being seen or enjoyed now.  Whatever you do now, will reap results later.  This is the theory of Karma and Fate.

Now  we have to look into the last question: "Can we conquer Fate by our Intellect (Buddhi)?"    Let us examine the saying "Vidhiyai Madhiyaal  Vellalaam".   Try to answer this question.   Can you concquer FATE through your intellect?  The answer is both YES and NO.  Let us see.  We have seen that we have no control over the results of our actions, they are happening as per universal law "As we sow, so we reap".   Based on this, I can say we cannot win over Fate through Budhi.  However, we can definitely win over Fate through Budhi by planning our actions now to produce desired results.  Satwic actions produce Satwic results, Rajasic Actions, Rajasic results and so on.  Now, what you want?  You decide and shape up your actions accordingly and you will then get the desired results.  However, we have also seen the chronological way in which results come.  Whatever accumulated results are there due to our past actions are called "PRAARABHDHA KARMA".    Whatever actions we are at present doing are called "SANJEETHA KARMA".  Whatever actions we may be doing in future are called "AAGAAMYA KARMA".  In this, we have seen through the anology of filling different coloured stripes into an open pipe, that what colour went first comes first.  Therefore, whatever colours have already gone through the pipe earlier are equivalent to "Prarabhdha", whatever colour we are at present pushing into are "Sanjeetha"  and whatever we will be pushing later are called "Aagaamya".  Now tell me, where do you have control over your actions in this process?  You cannot have control over the colours that have already gone into the pipe, since no pulling out is allowed (meaning once you perform a karma the result is already decided and you cannot undo a karma performed).  But, you have control over your present pushing  (present actions) and can decide about the order in which you want to push them.  This is possible by intelligent planning of your actions.  Use your Budhi, mould your actions to produce good results and thus win over the results indirectly. However, there is a limitation.  Your Budhi (understanding of our scriptural sayings) is already limited and your present Budhi may not guide your present actions properly. Nevertheless, the very determination to do good actions will make you learn the scriptural sayings  and in the meanwhile, mould your actions into Satwic to some extent.  Thus, the present actions can be moulded to some extent.  However, in your Future actions, you mould your character with Satwic thoughts developed by the learning you gain in the present by reading and  understanding our Vedas and contemplating on the Truth (God). This super Knowledge will naturally govern your future actions which will definitely be Satwic and produce good results..

Thus, you have no control over the results of your past actions (Prarabhdha); have a  limited control (limited by your coloured understanding of Dharma) over your present actions (Sanjeetha) and full control over your future actions (Aagaamya).   You are not really winning over FATE but you are moulding your FATE by having a control over your actions.   Tell me now:  Can you not mould your actions directly in order to get desired results and is it not an indirect control over the results?  This is called "Vidhiyai Madhiyaal Vellalaam".

SAHANA VAVATHU SAHANOW BHUNAKTHU

SAHA VEERYAM KARAVAAVAHAI:

TEJASWINA VATHEETHAMASTHU

MAA VIDHYUSHAAVAHAI:

OM SHANTHI:  SHANTHI:  SHANTHI: