[Advaita-l] Fate Vs Free Will - the most debated subject

[Venkat Shrinivas]

Fate and Free-will is relevant only for those who care about the fruit of
action (phala). But through out bhagavad gita - it has been said:
Perform whatever obligatory work that needs to be done by abandoning
attachment to the fruit of action.

For the embodied who has not yet realized the self (i.e. most of us) this
seems to be proper course of action - accepting the good or bad consequences
as "prasada" that dissolves our karma.

The Self-realized on the other hand perceive in the Self no pain from bodily
trouble, since desire, pain, etc. are attributes of Kshetra or matter.
Wherefore they neither abandon action, nor perceive action in Self. They see
that actions pertain to gunas and think 'I do nothing at all'. (Quoted from
Sri Sankaracharya's commentary on The Gita).

Venkat Shrinivas.