Do you believe in fate/destiny?
The concepts of fate, luck, and destiny often overlap but represent distinct ideas. Destiny suggests inevitability shaped by prior events, as illustrated by the formation of Earth post-solar collision. Historical instances, like Prithviraj Chauhan’s battles, question luck versus destiny. Relying on luck can lead to evasion of responsibility, while success is attributed to hard work and consistency. Emphasizing the importance of a proactive attitude, the text critiques superstitions and encourages self-confidence over fatalism, advocating for diligence as the true path to achievement.
Fate, luck and destiny are words that are used interchangeably, conveying similar meaning. They are different; not fully, but to a great measure. Destiny is the strongest word that conveys something that was bound to happen after certain incidences.
The origin of the solar system and the earth was destined. Why and how would be a natural query. Well, it is related to the incidents that happened before the final outcome. Let us see it.
The scientific world has propounded that a huge star collided with the sun. The collision caused fragmentation of the sun. As a result, the Earth was formed along with other planets of the solar system. The collision wrote the destiny of the emergence of the earth. Thus, the earth was destined to come into existence.
Another historical incident can clear it further. It is said that Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Muhammad Ghori seventeen times. It is an exaggerated fact. Prithviraj defeated him in the First battle of Tarain, and Ghori defeated Prithviraj in the second battle of Tarain. The point is, was Prithviraj defeated Ghori and vice versa by luck? Were their victories destiny? Or was it a chance?
Assigning the victory to luck leaves no space for cogitation while terming it destined leads to probing questions about the causes that led to defeat. It gives room to think about the possible weaknesses along with strengths.
A student appeared in the Board examination but did not succeed. Heartbroken, he lamented and assigned his failure to luck and thus consoled himself. He did not think about his weaknesses and impediments, nor did he muse about the means to overcome them. As an escapist, he created an imaginary devil, vilified it and gave a clean chit to himself.
Luck is a scapegoat. People tend not to see their weak side. They fail to realize that they can also make mistakes. This attitude disheartens them during failure. It becomes hard for them to accept their defeat. To put the onus on other things is an easy thing to shift the responsibility. Luck comes in handy.
The gloomy student who failed in his examination met another one who did not pass the examination either but was not so desperate. The former one thought about him as shameless. Apparently, he looked careless but was he really a careless guy who didn’t bother about his failure? Let us see it.
He was not desperate because of several reasons. His parents were considerate. Their approach was practical. They treated him gently and advised him not to curse his fate, instead he should focus on the point of his failure and remove it. The boy did the same and, with the help of his parent, found his weaknesses and started working on them.
Failure and success are not the outcome of luck. True success is the outcome of diligent hard work and persistent efforts. It occasionally happens that a student prepared selected questions and he was asked the same questions in his examination. The student would be capable of answering all questions properly and get good marks. Contrarily, another student who couldn’t do well because what he prepared was not asked. It is a chance. Tagging it luck would not be proper. What is the way out?
The only way out is unquestionably hard work. A student who studies regularly or a person who persistently does good work need not worry about the result nor do they depend upon the guesswork. A thorough study of the whole course is beneficial in more than one way. It clears the fundamentals of the topic and gives depth. A student will not face difficulties in answering tricky questions as well.
Why a chance shouldn’t be termed as luck is not difficult to comprehend. A soldier in the war is expected to be prepared for every possible exigency. He can’t take a chance. He knows that even a slight wrong move can jeopardize his effort. He is prepared not considering luck, but based on his experiences and guidance of his superiors. He fights wholeheartedly with a purpose. He wins not because of luck but because of his grit and efforts.
Sometimes it happens that despite the best efforts, results are not as expected. It can be termed as a chance. It, nevertheless, does not undermine the essence of meticulous hard work. It allows one to get up, collect, prepare and start working. There is no other choice but to do duty.
Great athlete Milkha Singh sobriquet Flying Sikh, did not deter, nor did he put an onus on luck and sat down. He continued his efforts, fought bravely with the odds and made his mark.
Lord Krishna, in His epic Gita, told Arjuna to do his duty, for it was the only thing that was in his control. Duty is the thing that one can do wholeheartedly. Results need not to be thought of. Results are the outcome of the sum of labour, diligence, and consistency. Luck has no role to play. It is a word coined to hedge personal incompetency.
A newborn baby doesn’t know about the auspicious time to be born. Soon after the baby arrives, rights and rituals start. An almanack is prepared, and a name is given to the baby observing the favourable planetary situation and everything that is supposed to be good and auspicious.
Observing traditions and customs is absolutely fine but the thing that needs to be closely followed is its relevance and utility. Rituals and practices are good because of their deep-rooted traditions, which have nourished a race for a long. As old and worn-out clothes need to be discarded, old and worn-out ideas and rituals need to be replaced by newer and more practical ideas that best suit the current situation.
Can inserting an extra alphabet or two in one’s name, some numerals or changing directions do any good? Some will say yes, but then does it hold logic? It promotes nothing but superstition. What is needed the most is the change in attitude. It is the attitude that forms a perception which in turn becomes psyche. Many old wives’ tales have become obsolete and out of currency. There was a time when sneezing had a meaning; crossing the path by a cat was viewed with disdain. With the distinct changes in society, these things have become a thing of the distant past.
People need to have faith in their efforts and confidence in them. Self-confidence must not be construed as being haughty. It is a power of self-assurance that gives power to do something. Trembling confidence harms the person and those who are with him. There is a clear distinction between a mendacious highbrow and a self-confident one. It is the former who nourishes the concept of luck or fate. A person with self-esteem believes in effort and hard work.
The recently concluded Kumbh fair (Kumbh Mela) at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, India, is a burning example of grit, hard work, collective efforts, and honest implementation. The jamboree, which lasted for forty-two days, was a massive spiritual extravaganza where more than 62 crore people, irrespective of cast and creed, crossing the national boundaries, took a dip in the confluence of holy Ganga, Yamuna, and invisible Saraswati. The management of the grand occurrence was on its toes and left no stone unturned to make it a grand success. It is their commitment, missionary zeal, and dedication that culminated in such a gargantuan event of cultural, religious, and spiritual importance.
It was not luck nor was it fate. It was their dedicated hard work that paid off. The government and all those who contributed deserve kudos. Eulogies to them all.
Numerology, Tarot card reading, astrology and other such branches which deal with prognostication don’t cure the ailment. Like sedatives, they give temporary relief by suppressing the feelings, but they do not give a permanent cure. A fatalist is like a pessimist who leaves everything to fate and does nothing. It can’t be considered good. It is regressive and needs to be warded off.
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