Sri Ramana Maharshi on Destiny

INTRODUCTION

The blog “Ramana Maharshi on Destiny” teaches that whatever is meant to happen will happen regardless of effort, and what is not meant to happen cannot be forced into existence. This directly challenges the question, “What is destiny?” and leads seekers to contemplate, “Is there a destiny?” or “Does destiny exist?” from a non-dualistic perspective where ego-driven effort is seen as illusory. Ultimately, Ramana emphasizes that realization arises not through control over fate, but through deep surrender and stillness, where true self-awareness reveals the timeless truth beyond personal destiny.

Destiny

“Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try as you may.
Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it.
This is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent.”

Q: Is it true that Bhagavan has said that if a man is destined not to Realise the Self, no matter what manner of aid or assistance is offered to him or stands available so as to be plunged into ready deployment by him, he will not Realise the Self. On the other hand, if a man is destined to Realise the Self, no matter what manner of hindrance or obstacle is placed across his path or is forced to be encountered by him, he will Realise the Self?
B: The statement is correct.

Q: Then what is the use of making efforts to Realise the Self? 
B: What gives you the luxury of entitling yourself to believe that you will not Realise the Self?

Q: Only the commonplace belief that unlikely things are unlikely to happen.
B: On the other hand, they happen all the time.

Q: If the Atman [Self] has already decided not to permit me to Realise the Self notwithstanding my best, sincere efforts in that direction, what is the point of me making any efforts at all to Realise the Self? 
B: Did the Atman come and tell you that he has made this decision? It is your own ego which dangerously formulates such pointless non-issues and then bombards your mind with them, so that you are distracted and thwarted from making efforts to Realise the Self.

In order so that it may safely retain itself from getting destroyed, the ego might manufacture all sorts of excuses to keep you away from abhyasa; do not believe these deceptive ideas fabricated by the ego. Incessantly go on with perseverance and determination in your efforts to Realise and one day the Self shall Reveal Himself.

Never feel discouraged with lack of progress. The Self – although here and now – cannot be Realised overnight. Rome was not built in a day.

Q: I have many problems in my office and home. They will not allow me to focus on the quest to Realise the Self. 
B: Perception of the problem is the only problem. Since you go on thinking about the problem, the problem grows bigger and bigger. Eventually it becomes unmanageable and drives you mad. Why? Because you keep paying attention to it, because you go on worrying about it.

Q: Ignoring a problem is no way to solve it.
B: Neither is thinking about it.

Q: What Bhagavan is saying makes no sense to me. If a problem has to be solved, a solution must be found. Without thinking, without analysing the problem, how can I devise a solution to it? 
B: Carefully study the problem, in accompaniment with the associated circumstances. That done, keep the mind quiescent in the Shining of the Heart. The solution springs forth or flashes upon mind in an instant – uninvited, of its own accord.

Q: Is Bhagavan serious? 
B: Try it and see. Such a phenomenon cannot be explained or under-stood using any theoretical parameters – it has to be experienced.

Q: Will this, pardon me, crazy approach to solving problems work for all people and all problems? 
B: It works no matter what the problem might happen to be. But it needs a mind which is completely submerged in the Heart and which feels no inclination at all to leave the Heart.

Q: Then it might not work for the ordinary man. 
B: All their lives people wander about trying to ‘do’ something. One who has seen the futility of the ‘doing’ approach alone recognises the value of the ‘non-doing’ approach; until then he thinks that ‘doing’ is virtuous and righteous and ‘non-doing’ indolent and unnecessary. It would be erroneous to assume that non-doing is the same as devotion to luxury and pleasure.

There is a difference between not doing anything and there not being anybody to do anything. For the Emancipated Soul effort is impossible and so is volition, although you may see his body moving about and doing things.

Q: Is simply remaining idle the solution to the question of Realisation? 
B: Remaining idle is not the same as keeping the body idle and permitting thought to run riot. The mind must remain without thinking and without falling asleep, but neither effort nor volition must aid it to remain in such state. This alone is actually remaining idle [summayitutthal].

Q: I cannot even imagine such a state. 
B: The state of summayirutthal cannot be conceived of, or imagined or visualised by the mind. All that is possible is to BE it. By means of expenditure of effort or pursuit of desire you cannot reach it; rather, total absence of effort and of volition reveals that you were never different from it. All our effort is only to become perfectly effortless.

Q: It is said that unselfish, platonic love for fellow man leads to Emancipation from samsara. Is this true? 
B: Action performed without harbouring the idea of being the doer of the action helps in effecting purification of mind.