Core Teaching

Three forces appear to govern our lives: karma (the law of action and reaction from past deeds), free will (our ability to make choices in the present), and destiny (predetermined circumstances). At first glance, these seem contradictory—if karma determines our fate, how can we have free will? If we have free will, how can destiny exist? The truth is that all three coexist in perfect harmony. Karma creates the general framework of our life (our boarding pass), free will allows us to make choices within that framework (how we behave on the plane), and destiny is simply the result of these two forces working together. Understanding this balance liberates us from fatalism (“everything is predetermined, so why try?”) and from anxiety (“everything depends on me alone”). We are co-creators of our destiny, working within karmic parameters, under the ultimate guidance of the Supreme.

Key Concepts

The Three Philosophical Positions

1. Karmavada (Everything is Effort/Free Will Alone)

  • Belief: “I am the creator of my destiny. Success depends entirely on my actions.”
  • Example: “I am the youngest champion and I will be the oldest champion.” — Mike Tyson at age 19
  • Analogy: Baby monkey clinging to mother’s belly—must hold on with own effort or will fall
  • Problem: Leads to immense pressure, anxiety, and eventual frustration when effort doesn’t guarantee results
  • Reality Check: Mike Tyson, despite declaring he’d be champion forever through sheer will, eventually retired saying, “I can’t lie to myself anymore. I can’t fight anymore.”
  • Limitation: Ignores the role of destiny/grace; makes us believe we are the ultimate controller (false ego)

Sanskrit Term: Karmavada - The philosophy that karma/effort alone determines results (pronounced: kuhr-mah-VAH-dah)

2. Daivavada (Everything is Destiny/Fate Alone)

  • Belief: “Everything is predetermined. Nothing is in my hands. What will be, will be.”
  • Example: “Whatever happens is God’s will. I don’t need to try—it’s all decided already.”
  • Analogy: Kitten carried in mother cat’s mouth—completely dependent, no effort required
  • Problem: Justifies laziness, irresponsibility, and passivity
  • Misuse: “I didn’t study because it’s my destiny to fail anyway” or “I won’t work hard; God will provide if it’s meant to be.”
  • Limitation: Ignores human agency and responsibility; removes motivation for spiritual or material growth

Sanskrit Term: Daivavada - The philosophy that destiny/fate alone determines results (pronounced: dai-vah-VAH-dah)

3. The Vedic Balance (Effort + Destiny Together)

  • Belief: Success requires BOTH human endeavor AND favorable destiny
  • Example: A good harvest requires diligent plowing (effort) AND timely rains (destiny/grace)
  • Agricultural Analogy:
    • Plowing = Your effort, hard work, discipline
    • Rain = Destiny, grace, factors beyond your control
    • Harvest = Result of BOTH working together
  • Result: Balanced approach—maximizes effort while accepting ultimate control lies beyond us
  • Spiritual Maturity: “I do my best, surrender the results to the Supreme, and accept what comes with grace.”
  • Freedom: From anxiety (knowing results aren’t solely my responsibility) and from laziness (knowing effort matters)

The Airplane Boarding Pass Analogy

Setup: You purchase a ticket and board an airplane. Once the plane takes off, your decision to board forces you to continue flying until the plane lands. You cannot now decide to travel by road instead.

Application to Life:

  • Boarding Pass = Your Body/Birth Circumstances: Based on past karma, you receive a particular body, family, country, natural abilities, limitations, and general life trajectory. This is your destiny—the “flight” you’ve boarded.
  • Flight Path = Predetermined Circumstances: Where the plane is going (your prarabdha karma—the activated karma for this life). You will experience certain predetermined joys and sufferings.
  • Free Will = Choices on the Plane: Although the general destination is fixed, you have countless choices:
    • Accept food/drink from the flight attendant or refuse it?
    • Read a magazine, sleep, walk the aisle, talk to passengers?
    • Cause a disturbance (creating negative karma for the future)?
    • Make friends with a businessman (creating positive karma/opportunities)?
    • Practice meditation and devotion (creating spiritual advancement)?

Key Insight: Your destiny (the flight path) does NOT eliminate your free will. Even within predetermined circumstances, you’re constantly making new decisions that create new karma, shape your inner character, and determine your NEXT “flight” (next life or liberation).

Result of Free Will Choices:

  • If you cause a disturbance on the plane → you may be arrested when it lands (negative karma)
  • If you make valuable connections → favorable business opportunities may arise (positive karma)
  • If you practice devotion throughout the flight → you may not need another “flight” at all (liberation)

Lesson: Our destiny provides the context; our free will provides the content of our experience.

The Four Stages: Thought → Desire → Action → Karma

Stage 1: Thought (Vichar)

  • A thought arises in the mind (often spontaneously, influenced by past karma and current modes)
  • Example: “That dessert looks delicious.”
  • Status: No karma created yet in this age (Kali Yuga); in earlier ages (Satya Yuga), even thoughts created karma due to higher consciousness

Sanskrit Term: Vichar - Thought, contemplation (pronounced: vee-CHAR)

Stage 2: Desire (Ichha)

  • Thought becomes desire when we dwell on it and want it
  • Example: “I really want that dessert. I should get it.”
  • Status: Desire is forming, pulling us toward action
  • Danger Point: Desire grows stronger with attention; becomes harder to resist

Sanskrit Term: Ichha - Desire, wish (pronounced: ICH-hah)

Stage 3: Action (Kriya)

  • Desire manifests as action
  • Example: Ordering and eating the dessert
  • Status: Karma is created—either punya, papa, or akarma depending on consciousness and offering

Sanskrit Term: Kriya - Action, deed (pronounced: KREE-yah)

Stage 4: Karma (Result/Reaction)

  • Action produces a karmic reaction (immediate or future)
  • Example: Physical consequence (sugar high/crash, weight gain), karmic consequence (binds to material enjoyment or remains neutral if offered to God)
  • Status: Karma created; will manifest as future destiny

How to Break the Chain:

  • At Thought Stage: Practice mantra meditation—neutralize unwanted thoughts before they become desires
    • Example: Random thought of “I should criticize that person” → immediately chant Hare Krishna, shift attention
  • At Desire Stage: Use intelligence to discriminate
    • Ask: “Will fulfilling this desire elevate me or degrade me?”
    • Engage mind in higher taste (spiritual activities that satisfy more than material desires)
  • At Action Stage: Transform action into akarma
    • If you must act, offer the action to Krishna
    • Example: “If I’m eating this, I first offer it to You and take it as Your mercy”
  • At Karma Stage: Accept reactions with grace
    • Understand: “This karma is teaching me. Let me learn the lesson and move forward with devotion.”

Ultimate Solution: Chant Hare Krishna Maha Mantra consistently—this neutralizes thoughts and desires before they become problematic karma.

Scriptural Foundation

Bhagavad Gita 2.47:

“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action.” Meaning: Focus on effort (which is in your control), not results (which are influenced by destiny/grace).

Bhagavad Gita 18.14:

“The place of action, the performer, the senses, the endeavor, and the Supersoul—these are the five factors of action.” Meaning: You are ONE factor among five. You have agency, but you are not the sole cause of results.

Bhagavad Gita 10.10-11:

“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me. Out of compassion for them, I, dwelling in their hearts, destroy with the shining lamp of knowledge the darkness born of ignorance.” Meaning: For devotees, Krishna directly guides their free will toward liberation—destiny becomes grace-filled.

Biblical Parallel - Proverbs 16:9:

“A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

Stories & Illustrations

Mike Tyson: The Illusion of Complete Control

Story: At age 19, Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion. Drunk on success, he declared: “I am the youngest champion and I will be the oldest champion.”

Reality: In his 40s, attempting a comeback, he was repeatedly defeated. Finally, he announced retirement, saying: “I can’t lie to myself anymore. I can’t fight anymore.”

Lesson: Tyson embodied karmavada—believing his effort and will alone would guarantee eternal success. But destiny (age, changing circumstances, exhausted good karma) had other plans. Effort matters, but it’s not the only factor.

Spiritual Insight: If we were truly the sole cause of all outcomes, we’d never fail, never age, never experience limitations. The very existence of failure proves we’re not in complete control.

The Agricultural Example: Plowing and Rain

Setup: A farmer wants a good harvest.

Farmer’s Effort (Free Will):

  • Plow the field thoroughly
  • Select quality seeds
  • Plant at the right time
  • Water, fertilize, protect from pests
  • Work diligently day after day

Nature’s Role (Destiny/Grace):

  • Timely rains (too much or too little ruins crops)
  • Favorable weather (not extreme heat or cold)
  • Absence of natural disasters (floods, droughts, locusts)

Result: A good harvest requires BOTH—the farmer’s diligent effort AND nature’s cooperation.

Lesson: Similarly in life:

  • We must make our best effort (karma yoga)
  • We must accept that ultimate control lies with higher forces (surrender)
  • Both working together produce the best outcome

Application: “I will do my absolute best in my work, relationships, and spiritual practice. But I will not be attached to outcomes. I trust that whatever results come are exactly what I need for my evolution.”

Baby Monkey vs. Kitten (Two Extremes)

Baby Monkey (Karmavada):

  • Clings to mother’s belly with own strength
  • Must hold on constantly or will fall
  • Represents: “Everything depends on MY effort.”

Kitten (Daivavada):

  • Carried in mother’s mouth, completely passive
  • Doesn’t need to do anything
  • Represents: “Everything depends on God’s will; I need do nothing.”

Vedic Teaching: Neither extreme is complete. The human path is:

  • Make sincere effort like the baby monkey (don’t be lazy)
  • BUT also surrender like the kitten (trust in divine grace)
  • Best of both: Maximum effort + complete surrender to results

Practical Application (Sadhana)

Daily Practices:

  1. Morning Intention Setting:
    • Say: “Krishna/God, I offer this day to You. Guide my thoughts, words, and actions. I will do my best, but I surrender the results to Your wisdom.”
    • This balances effort (I will do my best) with surrender (You control results)
  2. Decision-Making Process:
    • Thought arises: “I should do X.”
    • Check with intelligence: “Is this sattvic (elevating), rajasic (agitating), or tamasic (degrading)?”
    • Pray for guidance: “Is this Your will, or my ego’s will?”
    • Act with detachment: If you proceed, offer the action and accept whatever result comes
  3. Nightly Reflection - The Three Forces:
    • Karma: What from my past manifested today? (Health challenges, opportunities, relationships)
    • Free Will: What choices did I make today? Did I act from goodness, passion, or ignorance?
    • Destiny: What outcomes occurred that were beyond my control? Did I accept them gracefully?
  4. Practice “It’s Above Me”:
    • When you’ve done your absolute best but outcomes are unfavorable, say: “It’s above me. I did my part. I surrender the rest.”
    • This prevents unnecessary stress, anger, and bewilderment
    • Especially useful for parents, professionals, caregivers
  5. Transform Worry into Prayer:
    • Worry: “What if things don’t work out? Everything depends on me!”
    • Prayer: “Please give me intelligence and inspiration to handle this situation in the right way. I trust You.”

Contemplation Questions:

  • In what areas of my life do I exhibit karmavada (excessive control/anxiety)?
  • In what areas do I exhibit daivavada (passivity/laziness)?
  • Can I identify moments when I did my best but accepted unfavorable results with grace?
  • How would my stress levels change if I truly internalized “I control effort, not results”?

Common Obstacles & Solutions

Obstacle 1: “If destiny determines outcomes, why should I work hard? It feels pointless.” Solution: This is daivavada (fatalism) creeping in. Destiny determines the CONTEXT (your boarding pass), but your free will within that context creates your experience and your NEXT destiny. A poor person who works hard with devotion may not become rich in THIS life (prarabdha karma), but they’re creating positive karma for future lives AND spiritual elevation. Also, the very act of sincere effort purifies consciousness—which is the real goal.

Obstacle 2: “I feel overwhelmed—like everything depends on ME. If I fail, it’s my fault entirely.” Solution: This is karmavada (over-identification with being the doer). Remember the Gita’s teaching: you are ONE factor among five. Do your dharma (duty) excellently, but recognize outcomes depend on many factors beyond you. This is liberating! You’re responsible for effort, not results. Surrender the outcome to Krishna and feel the burden lift.

Obstacle 3: “I did everything right, but it still didn’t work out. I’m so angry/disappointed.” Solution: This is attachment to fruits (results). The Gita specifically warns against this. Ask: “Did I do my best?” If yes, that’s success—regardless of outcome. Unfavorable results may be: (1) Past karma manifesting, (2) Krishna’s mercy (protecting you from something worse), (3) A redirection toward something better, (4) A lesson in detachment. Trust the process.

Obstacle 4: “How do I balance effort and surrender practically? It feels contradictory.” Solution: Think of it this way:

  • While acting: Give 100% effort as if everything depends on you
  • After acting: Surrender 100% as if everything depends on God
  • Don’t confuse the two: Don’t be lazy while acting (thinking “God will do it”) and don’t be anxious after acting (thinking “It all depends on me”)

Connection to Bhakti

In bhakti, the interplay of karma, free will, and destiny reaches its highest resolution. The devotee understands:

Karma: “My past actions have created my current circumstances. I accept them as Krishna’s will—opportunities to serve and grow.”

Free Will: “I have the choice in every moment to remember or forget Krishna. I choose to remember Him through chanting, service, and surrender.”

Destiny: “Whatever happens is Krishna’s mercy. If He gives me comfort, I use it for service. If He gives me difficulty, I use it for detachment. Both are His grace.”

The Devotee’s Unique Position:

In Karma Yoga (Selfless Action):

  • Work without attachment to results
  • Offer all actions to Krishna
  • Accept outcomes with equanimity
  • This neutralizes karma (akarma)

In Bhakti Yoga (Loving Devotion):

  • Goes beyond karma yoga
  • Not just working for duty, but working for LOVE of Krishna
  • The devotee thinks: “I don’t serve You for liberation or heaven. I serve because I love You.”
  • This is the highest platform—action motivated purely by love, not by desire for any result

How Bhakti Resolves the Paradox:

  1. Destiny becomes grace: Whatever Krishna gives is perfect for the devotee’s spiritual evolution
  2. Free will becomes service: Every choice is an opportunity to choose Krishna over maya (illusion)
  3. Karma becomes offering: All actions dedicated to Krishna create no bondage

Bhagavad Gita 18.66:

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.”

Meaning: Ultimate freedom from karma, destiny, and the anxiety of free will comes through complete surrender to the Supreme. He takes charge of everything—both effort and results—and guides the devotee back to the spiritual world.

Practical Bhakti Formula:

  • Free Will: “I choose to chant, serve, and remember You.”
  • Karma: “I accept my current situation as Your arrangement for my purification.”
  • Destiny: “I surrender my future to You. Wherever You place me, I will serve.”

This is not passivity—it’s the highest activism, performed with love, free from anxiety.

Integration & Reflection

Essence (Sara):

We are neither helpless puppets of fate nor omnipotent controllers of destiny. We are souls granted free will within the framework of karma, all under the loving supervision of the Supreme. Our past actions (karma) create the context of our current life—our “boarding pass.” Our present choices (free will) determine our experience within that context and create our future destiny. Wisdom lies not in denying either, but in balancing both: maximize effort, surrender results, and act with devotion. When we offer our free will to Krishna and accept our destiny as His grace, we transcend the anxiety of both and taste true freedom.

Personal Insights:

[Reflect on your relationship with control. Where do you cling too tightly, believing everything depends on you? Where do you abdicate responsibility, believing nothing depends on you? Can you recall moments when you did your absolute best, surrendered the results, and experienced peace regardless of outcome? How would your life change if you truly accepted: “I control effort, God controls results”?]

This Week’s Focus:

Contemplation: “Where in my life am I holding too tightly to outcomes? Where am I being passive when I should act?”

Practice: This week, in one area of your life (work, relationship, health goal), apply the formula: “I will give my absolute best effort, but I will not be attached to the specific outcome. I trust that whatever results come are exactly what I need.”

Intention: When stress or worry arises about something beyond my control, I will pause, breathe, and say: “It’s above me. I’ve done my part. I surrender the rest.”

Further Study

  • Scripture Reading:
    • Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 (verses 47-48) - Karma Yoga foundation
    • Bhagavad Gita Chapter 3 (entire chapter) - Performing action without attachment
    • Bhagavad Gita Chapter 18 (verses 13-16) - The five factors of action
  • Recommended Resources:
    • Journal: Track one week—What did I control? What was beyond my control? How did I respond?
    • Read stories of devotees who exemplified “maximum effort + complete surrender”
    • Contemplate the serenity prayer: “God, grant me serenity to accept things I cannot change, courage to change things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
  • Related Topics:
    • The relationship between the three modes and decision-making
    • How destiny is modified by devotional service
    • The role of the Supersoul in guiding free will

Quick Reference - Key Terms

Sanskrit Translation Pronunciation
Karma Action, fate KUHR-mah
Karmavada Philosophy that effort alone determines results kuhr-mah-VAH-dah
Daivavada Philosophy that destiny alone determines results dai-vah-VAH-dah
Daiva Destiny, divine will DAI-vah
Purushartha Human effort, free will poo-roo-SHAR-thah
Vichar Thought vee-CHAR
Ichha Desire ICH-hah
Kriya Action KREE-yah
Prarabdha Karma Activated karma (current life) prah-RUHB-dah KUHR-mah
Sharanagati Surrender shah-rah-NAH-gah-tee