The best course, therefore, is to remain silent

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The Teachings of BhagavanSri Ramana Maharshiin His Own WordsCHAPTER TWOFROM

THEORY TO PRACTICEBhagavan did sometimes make pronouncements which seemedsuperficially like affirmations of complete predestination. Whenhe left home in his youth, already established in Self-realisation,his mother sought and at last found him. He was maintainingsilence at that time; therefore, on her request to return homewith her, he wrote out his reply instead of replying verbally:The Ordainer controls the fate of souls in accordance withtheir prarabdhakarma (destiny to be worked out in this life, resultingfrom the balance sheet of actions in past lives). Whatever is destinednot to happen will not happen, try as you may. Whatever is destinedto happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it. This iscertain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent. 11 Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge by Arthur Osborne (2nd Edition, 2002), p. 41.