Transcendental Nectar of Sadhu-Sanga

by

Sripad Bhakti Madhava Puri Maharaja, Ph.D.

Bhaktivedanta Institute

Dear Prof. Koria,

You have presented some very thoughtful questions to the group. I would like to try to answer them.

You wrote: I would love to know what is destiny I have come across so many incidents in my life and around me that there is destiny.

And

I am following discussions and I understand that the concept of moksha, though is an ultimate, but how the concept of moksha can be amalgamated with our day to day action in the life.

Reply: These questions are related.

Modern philosophers have not fared well in trying to define destiny. Destiny is a concept that belongs to the pre-modern past. It appears to be lost in modernity because modernity means that we believe we control Nature and our own lives by our own choices. Therefore, duty, destiny, or fate seem absent to the modern mind. The power over us of God, the gods, Nature or fate is no longer felt by such self-empowered individuals. By our science and technology we deem ourselves able to subdue any power alien to ourselves. Yet, the fact remains that we are subject to the unresisting destiny of this modernity - that it must spread like a cancer beyond our control.

The only modern philosopher to comprehensively grasp destiny is Hegel. He basically stated that destiny is our own implicit or essential self, manifest in consciousness as objectively alien to ourself, and even enimical to ourself. He then defined freedom (moksha) as the reconciliation of the alienated abstract subjective self with one's reality or destiny.

When one recognizes one's destiny as one's self, then the alienation and necessity that exists like a power over oneself is nullified. One achieves freedom in the knowledge that one is reconciled and identified with one's self only.

This is individual destiny, but there is also universal destiny - the collective destiny of all. This may be seen as Providence or the Will of God. When one surrenders or accepts God's will as one's own director in life, when "my will be done" is rejected and "thy will be done" is accepted, then in love of God one become free knowing that such servitude expresses the law of one's own heart.

The perfect example of this is found in the Bhagavad-gita where Arjuna is confronted by the task of having to fight in a battle he does not want. But Krishna encourages him to take up his duty as a kshatriya and fight, He promises Arjuna that if he surrenders to Him (Krishna) then he will be liberated (moksha). (B.gita 18.66.)

You asked: Further I would be interested in knowing that why the efforts of everybody do not lead to the success? Why does some one become successful whereas others not? In other words, is it destiny of an individual?

Reply: In this case we would have to answer that success is due to karma (action) or reaction coming from previous life meritorious deeds. Everyone is desirous of being successful in life, but not everyone fulfills their desire. Despite their particular situation, if one becomes reconciled with their destiny they will become free.

Your question: Can we mould the destiny of others? Can we avert mishappenings in our life?

Reply: From the above we should be able to understand that molding or averting destiny is not desirable if even possible. Surrender and becoming conscious of Krishna as Lord is the key to freedom and fulfillment of love. If one achieves such freedom then anything is possible by the Will of God.