Which Is Greater, Destiny Or Purusharth?

Questioner: Which is the greater of the two, destiny (bhagya) or effort (purusharth)?
Dadashri: He that understands destiny and purusharth is greater. People do not know this. What do you consider purusharth to be? Have you experienced destiny (bhagya)?

Questioner: I believe that everything happens through destiny (bhagya).
Dadashri: Where have you seen free will (purusharth)?

Questioner: What happens routinely is purusharth (free-will effort).
Dadashri: What is destiny (prarabdha)?

Questioner: A miracle, like getting to do your darshan, I consider destiny (a bhagya).
Dadashri: Would you call your coming here a purusharth?

Questioner: Yes, that would be called a purusharth.
Dadashri: This is it. People do not realise the difference between free will (purusharth) and destiny (prarabdha). They speak this way because of illusion (bhranti). Illusion is a type of vision, is it not? Which is why they see that this is prarabdha and that is purusharth through the illusion. Purusharth, in fact, is not visible. Whatever you see is all prarabdha. Purusharth continues to occur, but you are unaware of it. If purusharth were visible, everyone would turn things around for the better.

Questioner: How does purusharth occur?
Dadashri: Purusharth occurs from within, which is known as bhaav purusharth (it creates a cause). Now, people use the word bhaav, but they do not understand it. Dravya (everything visible; karmic effect) is prarabdha. And inner intent (bhaav) is purusharth.

Questioner: Do the karmas we do happen because of destiny (bhagya) or is destiny created by karma?
Dadashri: Karma happens because of destiny (effect; prarabdha), however, when the karma occurs, you are not aware of the inner intent (bhaav) that arises at the time, which is the purusharth that continues within in a subtle way. Those (bhaavs) are the ‘causes’ and these are all the ‘effects’. ‘Effects’ are all prarabdha (destiny). Your coming here is prarabdha, your asking questions is prarabdha, your listening here is prarabdha, whereas the purusharth is what goes on within you. Everything from birth until death is mandatory (farajiyat). And that which is mandatory is destiny (prarabdha). You have no choice about marriage, becoming widowed, being educated, having a job or a business, etc. One man’s business will not succeed even when it is an honest business, and another man’s business will be very successful in spite of ongoing dishonesty. That is all prarabdha. The gross (sthool) or visible part is all prarabdha, and the subtle (sookshma) part is all purusharth.

Questioner: Does destiny continue to change, or does it remain the same? If you have good karma, is it possible for your destiny to change?
Dadashri: The changes you perceive to be on account of good karma that makes you think that it was what you did that saved you are really something that was destined to happen. Or else it would not have happened. Therefore, it is all prarabdha, and it cannot be changed.

To be Continued…

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