Today, we will try and understand this through the teachings of the Enlightened One.
Do we create our destiny through our choices and actions?
Yes, we do!
Whatever happens in this world is a result of Nature’s law – the law of cause and effect! We have made the cause and we are getting its effect, which we term as destiny.
Our inner intent is the cause, the effect of which gets reflected in our actions, thoughts, and speech.
For instance, suppose in the past life, you intended that nice temples of God get built, and if possible, I would like to donate something like Rs. 50000/- for this cause.
Through this intent of yours, you created your destiny.
Now consequently, in this life, when some construction of a temple is being planned in your surroundings and trustees approach you for some contribution, you will immediately say, “Yes, yes, I certainly want to give for this good cause.” And you will do the kind action of donating Rs. 50000/- to them.
Your thoughts, speech, and actions that happened for donating Rs. 50000/- towards the making of the temple is the effect of your past cause, or in other words, your destiny.
Is destiny predetermined by the higher power?
No, the pre-determined results are delivered by Nature, the higher power.
For example, if someone insults you, what will happen? We intend that ‘I will see him, I will straighten him, what does he think in his mind, why did he speak to me like this?!” Through our intent, karma is said to have been charged. In Vedanta, it is said to be Vyashti. Then, those intents of ours go into the Universe - that is said to be Samashti, the higher power.
In this life, this person insulted us because we had created such a destiny in the past. However, in reaction to that insult, when we intend that, ‘I will see him, I will straighten him, what does he think in his mind, why did he speak to me like this?!” – we are said to have created our destiny through our choice and action.
And in the next life, we will receive its fruit from Samashti. The fruit, meaning when someone insults you, you will react and end up in a quarrel with him. So, this is the fruit you yield from the past life intent.
Now, that we know how this science of destiny works, we may introspect and dig out every instance where we made any bad intents in this life; and then do a sincere repentance for each of these before God, seeking His forgiveness for the mistakes and vowing to never do them again. Doing so, our bad karma becomes lighter and then we will not have to suffer as much. This is how we can improve our destiny!
To conclude,
The seeds of karmas are sown in the past life in the form of our intent, and they give their fruits in this life, which we term as destiny. These fruits are pre-determined, but they are delivered through Nature.
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Ambalal M. Patel was a civil contractor by profession. In June 1958, spontaneous Self-Realization occurred within Ambalal M. Patel. From this point on, Ambalal became a Gnani Purush, and the Lord that manifested within him became known as Dada Bhagwan. A Gnani Purush is One who has realized the Self and is able to help others do the same. Param Pujya Dada Bhagwan used to go from town to town and country-to-country to give satsang (spiritual discourse) and impart the knowledge of the Self, as well as knowledge of harmonious worldly interactions to everyone who came to meet him. This spiritual science, known as Akram Vignan, is the step-less path to Self-realization.