(Adapted
from a lecture of Swami Paramatmananda)
We have a saying in the scriptures:
harinapi harenapi brahmanapi surairapi I
lalata likhita rekha parimarshtum
nashakyate II
(Even Vishnu, Siva, Brahma
and Gods cannot erase (or change) what is written on the forehead)
Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar
echoes this idea in Thirukkural (38-10):
ஊழிற் பெருவலி யாவுள மற்றொன்று
சூழினும் தான் முந்துறும்
(Is there anything mightier
than fate? It cannot be defeated by any means (It prevails over all efforts to
conquer it))
But we have in our
scriptures instances where through prayer fate has been overcome. The classic instance is that of Markandeya
who through special prayer to Lord Siva conquered death and lives even to this
day as Chiranjeevi. We have also
the famous instance of Savithri outwitting Yama and securing a fresh lease of
life for her husband, Sathiavan. So we
have a doubt whether fate can be changed through sincere prayer or cannot be
changed through any amount of earnest prayer.
Swami Paramathmananda says that if one understand the true meaning of
the term fate then one will discover the answer to the question, “Whether prayer
can change the fate?” as “Yes and No” and not as “yes” only or as “No” only. This will become clear when we understand the
term ‘fate’ properly.
Fate is translated in
Tamil as Vidhi (விதி),
standing for the happening of
events outside a person's control, regarded as the writing of Lord Brahmaji on
the person’s forehead at the time of birth.
Even if this is true, Lord cannot write arbitrarily whatever he chooses to on the head of anyone
for that will make him a partial Lord. In fact fate is a general term for Karmaphalam
that influences the happenings in one’s life, both good and bad. Karma means action and
action varies both qualitatively and quantitatively from individual to
individual. Karmaphalam means result of past actions and include the ones that which come from previous
births as well known as prarabdham. As karma varies,
among individuals, karmaphalam also varies qualitatively and
quantitatively. They are broadly classified into two groups; durbalaprarabdam
or durbalavidhi and prabalaprarabdam or prabhalavidhi. Durbalavidhi is the weaker karmaphalam
based on a milder action and prabhalavidhi is the stonger karmaphalam
based on powerful action.
Now we will revisit the question “Can fate be changed by prayer?” In case of durbalavidhi we can say yes,
as durbalavidhi can be weakened and altered to manageable proportions or even be eradicated by sincere prayer with
devotion. But in the case of prabhalavidhi prayer will not mitigate or
nullify the ordeal but gives one the mental fortitude and strength to go
through with the difficulties that fate subjects one to, with mental
resilience. So in the case of prabhalavidhi
the answer to the question “Can fate be changed by prayer?” is ‘No’ , a
qualified No as prayer gives one the mental strength to absorb the shocks of
adverse fate.
So prayers that form part of our religious tradition are useful in the
case of both durbhalavidhi and prabhalavidhi. As we cannot know whether any problem is due
to durbalavidhi or prabhalavidhi, let us pray in addition as follows while
praying for His Grace and help to tide over the problems presented by fate.
“Please let me have the skill and
effort to solve the problem if I can, and the strength and faith to bear with
the problem cheerfully, if I cannot”
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