The Karmas and our destiny

[Gummuluru Murthy]

On Wed, 9 Jul 1997, Vidyasankar Sundaresan wrote:

>
> Just as avidyA is his who sees it, destiny is also his who lets it control
> him, and will is his who decides to exercise it. If you say, "destiny
> controls my life," you still see avidyA, and I would say in response, "you
> can change your destiny through the use of your will." If you say, "all my
> life is an outcome of my own free will," you still see avidyA, and I would
> say in response, "there is something called destiny too, which monitors
> and regulates your will, so that your will is not all that free after
> all."  To both attitudes, I would next say, "both destiny and free will are
> avidyA."
>

I congratulate Shri Vidyasankar on a well-stated beautiful article on the
topic.

My question is this: Why not let destiny control one's life ? I would not
use the word "control" but I would phrase my question this way.

Destiny is what is in store for any of us. Why not let it take its own
course ? It certainly would, irrespective of whether we "let" it or not.
By this I mean: "Recognize that what is going to happen is going to
happen. Be happy with the outcome. i.e. convert your happiness (in the
dvandva) to eternal happiness". Shri Vidyasankar says "You can change your
destiny through the use of your will". Why does one want to change
destiny ? Or, why does one want to *think* that one can change destiny ?
What I said above does not preach passivity or inaction, but says seek
happiness in whatever "action" you do and whatever the "result" of that
"action".

>
> Vidyasankar
>

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Yadaa sarve pramucyante kaamaa ye'sya hr^di shritaah
atha martyo'mr^to bhavatyatra brahma samashnute   Katha Upanishhad II.3.14

When all the desires that dwell in the heart fall away, then the mortal
becomes immortal, and attains Brahman even here.
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