Page 121 - Faith Personified

Q. But our Purushartha i.e. efforts we take are also
determined by our destiny. And thus, is destiny fixed?

Ans. ‘Purushartha’ – Here Purusha = Person; Artha = Efforts
that he willingly undertakes.

Thus, Purushartha means the efforts independently taken by
the person. It means that this Purushartha is not dependent
on destiny but destiny is bound to give the results according
to Purushartha.

We should have the depth to understand who is dependent
on whom. Vitaraga, Omniscient Tirthankaras have the
ultimate power of knowledge and can thus foresee the future.

On the basis of this vast knowledge, He can determine
whether the person is going to make efforts in the right or
wrong direction. But that does not imply that He enables
individuals to undertake efforts. Those efforts are solely
dependent on the individual. He can undertake right or
wrong efforts according to his own free will. “What kind of
efforts will he according undertake according to his will?”
This is foreseen by the Omniscient in His knowledge.

Thus, Vitaraga’s foresight is dependent on the good or bad
efforts made by the person according to his own will. But the

nature of efforts are not dependent on Vitaraga’s foresight.

Just as the crop produced is dependent on the kind of seeds
you sow –
Sow bajri and you will get bajra,
Sow rice and you will get rice.

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