Question - Gurudev, is it destiny or our actions that decides our future? I have heard many times that whatever is going to happen is already pre-decided. Is it true? If that is so, then we should not be made responsible for our good and bad actions. I have been confused about all this for a very long time. Please help me understand this.

Sri Sri - This is a very deep subject. If everything was already predestined, then what is the need to do anything? Then doing Sadhana, chanting mantras or offering worship to God would all be useless activities. See, when it comes to animals and other living creatures, then everything is indeed pre-decided (by Nature).

But in the case of human beings, some things are predestined by destiny, but there is some freedom of choice too. You are gifted with Viveka (discretion) to distinguish between right and wrong.

See, birds and animals do not acquire the fruits (merits or sins) of their actions, since all their actions and activities are programmed in their DNA itself. But in the case of human beings, you have the freedom to choose how to act, and you also have the ability to distinguish one thing from another. So you can change the way things happen as per your wish, that is why human life is well suited for attaining liberation.

So, despite things being predestined in life, you have the ability and free choice to either endure what happens, or change whatever happens in life. Human life is a mixture of things that are predestined, and free will. Life is a combination of destiny and free will. For example, Rain is destiny; whether to get wet or not is free will. Knowing that the past is destiny, the future is free will, you should live happily in the present moment. This is wisdom. Meditation is something that changes your destiny. If you go deep within and repose in the self, things start to change.

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Q - Gurudev, what is a Kundli (a person’s astrological chart), and are all the things written in the Kundli true? My mother-in-law says that according to her Kundli she will take Sanyas when she is 50 years old. So will she leave us when that happens?

Sri Sri- No, there is nothing like that. Astrologers say many things at times. Like I just explained, the Kundli simply gives you pointers or indications as to how things would happen.

Take your mother-in-law for instance, it says that she will attain dispassion after the age of 50. But that does not mean that she will abandon her family and become a recluse. If she continues to do her sadhana and meditation, then she will be able to fulfil all her family responsibilities and at the same time also continue to move forward on the spiritual path. This is what you should understand.

You should not bother too much about all these things. May be you trouble her a lot, that is why she must have said this thing (laughter).

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The planetary positions give indications. You cannot say that it will happen 100%. They only give an indication because there is always a grace element that can change anything, anywhere, and anytime. This is the reason that spirituality or sadhana (spiritual practices) are a step higher than this knowledge. Astrology is knowledge, it is a necessary knowing. However, there is something more remedial. Sadhana, Satsang (company of the Truth), Devotion, are all remedial measures that help. 

 

Jai gurudev 

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