Karma 6

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its consequences. If anything comes your way by reason of Prarabdha, you can’t

help it. If you take what comes, without any special attachment, and without

any desire for more of it or for a repetition of it, it will not harm you by

leading to further births. On the other hand, if you enjoy it with great

attachment and naturally desire for more of it, it is bound to lead to more and

more births. Question: According to the astrological science, predictions are

made about coming events taking into account the influence of the stars. Is

that true?

'Times New Roman'"> Sri Ramana Maharshi: So long as you have the feeling of

egotism all that is true. When the egotism is destroyed, even if they appear to

see they do not really see. Destiny is the result of past action. It concerns

the body. Let the body act as may suit it. Why are you concerned with it? Why

do you pay attention to it? Should anything happen, it happens as the result of

one’s past actions, of divine will and of other factors.

0cm">Question: The present is said to be due to past Karma. Can we transcend the

past Karma by our free will now? Sri Ramana Maharshi: See what the present is.

If you do this you will understand what is affected by or has a past or a

future, what is ever-present and always free and what remains unaffected by the

past or future or by any past Karma. Question: Is there such a thing as free

will? Sri Ramana Maharshi: Whose will is it? So long as there is the sense of

doership, there is the sense of enjoyment and of individual will. But if this

sense is lost through the practice of Vichara (self-enquiry), the divine will

will act and guide the course of events. Fate is overcome by Jnana,

Self-knowledge, which is beyond will and fate.

windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'"> Question: I can understand that

the outstanding events in a man’s life, such as his country, nationality,

family, career or profession, marriage, death, etc., are all predestined by his

Karma, but can it be that all the details of his life, down to the minutest,

have already been determined? Now, for instance, I put this fan that is in my

hand down on the floor here. Can it be that it was already decided that on such

and such a day, at such and such an hour, I should move the fan like this and

put it down here? Sri Ramana Maharshi: Certainly. Whatever this body is to do

and whatever experiences it is to pass through was already decided when it came

into existence. Question: What becomes then of man’s freedom and

responsibility for his actions? Sri Ramana

Maharshi: The only freedom man has is to strive for and acquire the Jnana

(knowledge) which will enable him not to identify himself with the body. The

body will go through the actions rendered inevitable by Prarabdha and a man is

free either to identify himself with the body and be attached to the fruits of

its actions or to be detached from it and be a mere witness of its activities.

Sivaya Namah

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