Is life predestined? Or is it in our hands? With competition intensifying, changes accelerating and many unpredictable and uncontrollable factors determining results in today’s complex world, many people are re-examining the belief that the individual can shape his destiny.
A brilliant student, for instance, despite diligent studies, gets average marks, whereas a mediocre student, with last-minute cramming, gets high grades. Are we unwitting players in a cosmic lottery, with chance as the supreme arbiter? Or are results handed down by destiny?
Some fear that lazy people may opportunistically argue, “As the result is predestined, why work hard?” and so become irresponsible and fatalistic. However, knowledge of destiny does not justify fatalism because the Mahabharata clarifies, “Destiny determines the results of our actions, not our actions themselves.”
When people are uninformed about the role of destiny in determining results, failures make them feel hopeless. “I am worthless and cannot do anything well,” they say, even when they have the potential to perform well in the future. Consequently, today, many needlessly suffer from an inferiority complex, low self-esteem, depression and self-pity.
Krishna says in the Gita that though we don’t determine the result, we do play a significant role. The farmer must plough the field for favourable rainfall to produce crops. Similarly, we must endeavour for destiny to produce results. Hence, the Gita urges us to perform our duty without attachment.
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
Courtesy: Times Of India, Speaking Tree, 20th May, 2019
Is life predestined? Or is it in our hands? With competition intensifying, changes accelerating and many unpredictable and uncontrollable factors determining results in today’s complex world, many people are re-examining the belief that the individual can shape his destiny.
A brilliant student, for instance, despite diligent studies, gets average marks, whereas a mediocre student, with last-minute cramming, gets high grades. Are we unwitting players in a cosmic lottery, with chance as the supreme arbiter? Or are results handed down by destiny?
Some fear that lazy people may opportunistically argue, “As the result is predestined, why work hard?” and so become irresponsible and fatalistic. However, knowledge of destiny does not justify fatalism because the Mahabharata clarifies, “Destiny determines the results of our actions, not our actions themselves.”
When people are uninformed about the role of destiny in determining results, failures make them feel hopeless. “I am worthless and cannot do anything well,” they say, even when they have the potential to perform well in the future. Consequently, today, many needlessly suffer from an inferiority complex, low self-esteem, depression and self-pity.
Krishna says in the Gita that though we don’t determine the result, we do play a significant role. The farmer must plough the field for favourable rainfall to produce crops. Similarly, we must endeavour for destiny to produce results. Hence, the Gita urges us to perform our duty without attachment.
DISCLAIMER
The views expressed in the Article above are Author’s personal views and kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing."
Courtesy: Times Of India, Speaking Tree, 20th May, 2019