Hemant: Swami ji namaskar, I want to know that our fate decides our karma or our karma defines our fate, If I consider karma makes fate than how to explain the reason for birth of a baby in a rich or a poor family , because it has not yet started its karma.(if I don’t believe in punar-janma) if I consider fate decides my karma that fate is decided by whom? Is it possible to understand karma or fate in its purest form means independently.
Swami Ram Swarup: Namaskarji. No, please. Fate does not decide our karma but according to karmas, fate is built by God. Punarjanam will have to be believed because death and birth cycle is made and controlled by God Himself, say all four Vedas and experiences of our Rishi-munis. If we will not believe in previous birth then matter of karmas, fate and justice will go in vain. I paste my articles in this regard:-
Rebirth of choice after suicide
According to the religious path, even to think about suicide, is a sin. Human body is blessed by God to face the sorrows etc., according the deeds done in previous lives. Suppose a person commits suicide, it means he has not faced his deeds of remaining life. It means the deeds which he did not face, will be counted to be faced in the following life, after taking rebirth. Moreover, rebirth is also awarded by God according to the past and present lives’ deeds. When a person has committed the sins in the present life, how can he say that he will take rebirth of human life? He may be a snake, rat, lizard, animal etc., etc., and has to face more sorrows than those faced in human life. So one should never be nervous but must do hard deeds to get progress. You are advised to listen Vedas and learn how to perform yajyen, name jaap of God, asan, prannayam, meditation etc. You may come here also for a week or so to get spiritual advices otherwise you may seek an acharya locally. I have written some spiritual books according to Vedas, study of which will give you peace. The books can be sent on demand on receipt of your postal address. Please, do not be nervous. Be brave and go ahead for hard working and pious deeds i.e., worship etc.
Three types of Deeds
There are three types of deeds (karmas) – sanchit, prarabhadh and kriyamann. Suppose one soul has to take birth (body). It means he has to face total number of deeds of his all previous lives and these deeds are called sanchit karmas but sanchit deeds are huge/unlimited and cannot be faced in one life. So the karmas which can be faced in one life are called prarabhadh (luck-destiny). So God has not made our luck at His own but Almighty God has considered the deeds which we have already done.
Yajurved mantra 7/48 clarifies that human being is free to do any deed good or bad but God only awards the result. Now the balance deeds from sanchit deeds will be counted in the next life. Now the deeds which we do in our day today present life are called kriyamann.
If we do pious deeds according to Vedas, shastras and holy books and based on pious preaches of Rishi, Muni/learned saints then our all sanchit deeds are burnt and we can get salvation. Human beings are free in the matter of doing deeds good or bad. But result will be awarded by God. So we must worship and do pious deeds under guidance of a learned Guru. One should go always ahead for hard working, pious deeds, worship to make future bright himself. One should always work hard towards a right path.
Worship does not mean that we are free to discharge only our family duties, education, etc., but rather it is a sin. We have to get progress in both way simultaneously i.e., spiritualism and worldly progress i.e., science, education, duties towards family etc. God creates the universe according to His eternal law framed in Vedas which are always unchangeable and unchallengeable. So we have to follow the law of God always to get long happy life.
Idea of Rigved mantra 10/135/1, 2, 3, 4
Rigved mantra 10/135/1,2, 3 we’ve been blessed with the human body to face the result of our previous lives’ deeds – good and bad, in the shape of happiness and sorrows. When we’ve to face bad deeds then naturally everybody says that it is our bad luck but mostly people do not think that God has done justice and the sorrows/problems given by God is the result of our said deeds. Further, the ved mantra 4 state that if a person makes contact with learned acharya of Vedas and yoga philosophy and becomes able to gain knowledge of Vedas and obey preach of Vedas then the effect of bad deeds is automatically destroyed and future becomes bright. Secondly, God helps those who help themselves. So, hardworking, devotion and dedication also makes future bright.
Rigved 10/135/1, 2, 3, 4 ka yahi bhaav hai ki manushya ka yeh janam pichhley janam ke kiye punnya paap karmon ka phal bhogne ke liye mila hai. To jitni deir punnya karma ka phal mahina, do mahina, saal ,do saal rahega, utnee deir tak to weh manushya, is janam mein kiye paap karmon ko karta hua bhi pichhley janam ka punnya phal sukh ke roop mein hee bhogega . Jab punnya phal ka time samapt ho jayega tab weh manushya paap karma ka phal dukh ke roop mein bhogega. Yeh ved mantra, yeh bhi kehta hai ki jo is janam mein hum paap karte hain uska phal dukh ke roop mein agley janamon mein bhoga jaata hai. Isiliye log zydatar yahi sochtey hain ki kitne hee insaan paap karma karte hain lekin sukhi dikhayee deite hain. Unhein yeh maaloom nahi ki weh pichhley janam ke kiye karmon ka sukh bhog rahe hain. Iska example Ravanna bhi hai ki jab tak uska paap ka ghada nahin bhara, usnein sukh bhoga aur jaise hee paap karne ka time khatam ho gaya uskee sone ki Lanka ujad gayee.
Doosree baat yeh hai ki Ishwar bhakti ke bina koi bhi sukh prapt nahi kar sakta. isliye jo insaan aaj pichhley janamon ke punnya phal se dhan –parivar aadi ka sukh bhog rahey hain, weh bhi yadi Ishwar ki ved anusar bhakti nahi karte to dikheinge to weh sukhi par mansik dukh unhein andar hee andar sataata hee rehta hai. Isliye ved kehte hain ki manushya ka yeh janam pakar vedon ke anusar Ishwar bhakti karte hue pichhle janamon ke dukh dene wale karmon ko nasht kiya ja sakta hai aur is prakar ek lambi sukhmayee aayu prapt kee ja saktee hai.
Dr. Himabindu: Namaskar Swamiji, my doubt is why we should not keep image of Lord Krishna with flute at home?
Swami Ram Swarup: You can keep at your end. But if other sects do not want to keep then it is also their own decision and no body can object the same. However, if there is a question that whether Sri Krishna Maharaj was an avtar or not then answer will be separate that Avtarwad is not promoted by Vedas.
