Question: Is there such a thing as destiny? Please tell us something about the law of karma.

Sri Chinmoy: Destiny is there. Fate is there. But again, fate can be surmounted. Fate can be transcended. Yes, God is within us. This is true. And if one meditates, one can realise God. But again, if one takes help from others who have already seen and realised God, then one expedites one’s journey.

Now, about the law of karma. We all know “tit-for-tat”: a tooth for a tooth, and a nail for a nail, but again we have to know that there is something called God’s Great Compassion. Suppose you have done something wrong, that you have hurt someone and that your father is right beside you and has seen you do it. Then, suppose the other fellow comes to strike you because you have done something wrong to him. Since he is strongest, your father, in spite of knowing that you were wrong, may not, if he so wishes, allow you to be beaten by your enemy. Your father has the strength. Similarly, in your inner life, suppose you have done something wrong and you cry to God; He will come to you as Compassion and Forgiveness. God’s Compassion and Forgiveness have infinite power. God has the power to nullify your mistake. You and your father are bound with an inner link, you have a close inner connection. So your father came to your rescue. Similarly, your ignorant or wrong action can be forgiven by God’s Grace and you can be saved and illumined by God the Eternal Father.

God’s Compassion descends into human beings and into earthly laws; these laws too, are His laws. He is the Maker of all Universal Laws. He is dealing with clay. He can give it any form He wants to. Right now, He is making a particular form. You are saying that this is the way things are, but no. He can immediately change His Mind. He is the football player who is kicking with both his legs. Right now, the player is trying to aim at the goal from a particular corner and everyone feels that it is going this way, but no. Immediately he changes his course to another angle.

So, when we are doing something wrong, if we know that there is Someone who has boundless Grace, boundless Compassion, then let us go to Him for rescue. But now we have to understand consciously also that we should not do things that are wrong because the law of karma, the law of action, will call on us. If I go on doing wrong things, how can I expect a better life, a more fulfilling life? No. I have to pay for it. Every moment God has given me the chance either to do the right thing or, if I make friends with ignorance, to do the wrong thing. So it is up to me. If I do the right thing, naturally I will have God’s Light, Peace, Bliss, Harmony and Perfection in my life, and if I do wrong, I have to pay the price exacted by the law of karma.