Hindu culture has ingrained in us a deep sense of fate. We all have a common habit of saying that everyone comes into this world with a described fate and incidents, achievements, failures and even death happens according to that prescription of Fate. Grandmothers describe Lord Yama as the guardian of Fate and say that he has an accountant called Chitragupt who keeps a track of all good and bad actions and our Fate is described by our actions in our previous life.
However, Hindu culture also implores you to perform Poojas/other ceremonial rites like Karva Chauth by which it says that bad times can be warded off or long life can be ensured. Now if Fate has prescribed them before how can they be changed?
Lord Krishna says "Karmanyevadhikaaraste maa faleshu kadachana" in the Bhagvath Gita. He advises that you are to decide your destiny by your actions. We have heard many great people advising us as well that it is only human beings with their intellect can decide their future according to their Free Will. Now again if our past life has ensured a sequence of events/results Free will and "Shaping one's own destiny" are irrelevant.
Hindu mythology provides an astounding example of how one can defeat Death which is said to be beyond us. It describes a princess Savitri who marries Satyavan despite knowing that he would die within an year of marriage. She remains a dutiful wife and lives a righteous life devoted to her husband in the hope of a reversal as a result of her actions. However Fate is Supreme! On Doomsday the noose of Lord Yama falls on his body and pulls out his soul. The legend continues that Savitri follows Lord Yama and in order to ward off her insistence he grants her 3 boons (except the grant of her husband's life ofcourse). She asks for the prosperity of her in-laws poor family, her own family and as a third boon asks for a son. Lord Yama in his haste says "Tathastu" and asks her to leave. Savitri still follows much to chagrin of the Lord! Savitri chides him that despite his promise he fails to keep up his own boon. To a surprised Yama, Savitri says if husband is no more, how could she have a son? The Lord of Dharma that Yama is, He had to uphold his own promise and had to return Satyavan's life to her.
The legend uphelds the victory of determination and will over Fate even in matters of Life & Death which has always been considered by elders as irrevocable.
All this brings us to the question of "Fate vs Free Will" - which among them dominates? This question specially dogs us when we tend to take important decisions in our life. Personally, I have found people resorting to Fate when results of decisions/actions are not favorable and trying to take credit on their determination and will when actions bring positive results.
Without doubt, however the matter is one of intrigue and can determine one's own attitude towards life/decisions/actions. So what does the Hindu culture tell us on this subject through its intricate fabric of habits legends and tales?
A holistic view goes to show that its actually "Fate and Free Will" and never "Fate v/s Free Will". Since Hindu culture believes in rebirth, it says actions in this life will revert back to oneself in this life itself and if that does not happen in full measure it balances in the next life. That is in effect, our own will and actions determine our destiny and Fate. Both are two sides of the same and both follow each other in a cause effect relationship.
As always, its a two-bit cycle. Your actions determine the results and the same results determine your further actions....It thus goes on and on as a Game of QuidProQuo
