Destiny is not static; it is dynamic. We have to understand that we have a duty towards what we do in this life. Towards our body and our possessions, we are duty-bound even in this life.
Once Srila Prabhupada got news of a devotee, in America, who had met with an accident due to rash driving and passed on. The devotees reported that it was his destiny. Prabhupada said it was not his destiny, rather his carelessness. Prabhupada emphasised the point that it was his carelessness.
Of course, nobody dies unless they are destined to. But Prabhupada was making a point that it is our responsibility to act properly. Srila Prabhupada says: “It is the duty of the person to make his best efforts to save his life.”
Further in the Bhagavatam (Bali Maharaj section, 8th Canto SB), there is a reference that only when a tree is alive can it give fruits. Similarly, only if one is healthy can one perform duty and get the fruits of economic development, sense gratification and liberation. The point is that taking care of the body is also our duty.
There are other questions on destiny also. But we need to understand that destiny is not necessarily static; it is dynamic. Our Karmic bank account is something which has a fixed quantity from what we have done in the past, but what we are doing in the present is also adding to it. If a person smokes recklessly and gets lung cancer, the person cannot say “it is my destiny”. It is that person’s stupidity in this life itself. He acted so thoughtlessly and unintelligently that he got that particular consequence. Similarly, if a person over-eats and gets his/her stomach upset then, over-eating is the cause of it. The person cannot say it is my destiny to get a stomach upset.
We have to understand Karma in terms of its balancing principle of duty. Karma means, we will get some Karmic reactions, but duty is what we are supposed to do. Taking care of the body, doing exercises and taking medications are a part of our duty.
Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport that if after one’s best efforts to try to save one’s life they are not saved, then they are not to blame. Similarly, after doing exercises and taking medications, we are not able to get good health, then it is our destiny.
The knowledge of destiny is meant for two purposes. First, purposes is not to get unduly over-ambitious about material things and distract ourselves from attaining the kingdom of God. The second is that if we endeavour in material life and still don’t get the results, we understand it’s destiny. But it is not meant to be used as a justification for giving up our activity.
If a student wants to study 16 to 18 hours a day and says “I don’t have time for God”, then he/she has to be told: you have a destiny and by neglecting ones Krishna (God) consciousness, one is not bound to get more marks than what he/she is destined to. But if the student says, by destiny I will get whatever marks I am supposed to get and hence will not study at all, then he/she is neglecting his/her duty. Such a person has to be told: you have to do your duty. If he/she does his/her duty and still does not get the result, then he/she has to be told that sometimes destiny may work unfavourably for us due to some past bad Karma.
In these two situations, when one is over-endeavouring in material life and the endeavours do not yield desired result, at that time, one needs to look at the principle of destiny and incorporate it in one’s thinking. But in normal situation, destiny should not be used as a tool for giving up one’s duty. Because then there is no upper limit to this abdication of duty.
Certainly, Vedic culture is not absurd and not hard-hearted. It defines duty as an extremely important principle. Doing our duty is essential, hence it should never be considered as an interference in destiny.
Somebody says: “I need a fit body and thus I have to do body building six hours a day.” That is not required; it is over-endeavour. There should not be any preyas (short term happiness), and at that time a person can be told about destiny.
If we consider that exercise and medication are interfering with destiny, then actually what we are doing is creating bad destiny for ourselves.
How is destiny created? It is by bad Karma. If I neglect my body now and don’t take medicine, then in one sense I am doing bad Karma. Rather than looking at it as an interference in our destiny, we can see it as a duty. We may go to a doctor and take necessary treatment. This suffering of taking a treatment is also a part of our destiny. Someone may need to spend time to exercise as his/her body. Now exercise is not something which most people look forward to. But then, one has to understand that maybe it is by destiny that he/she has got a sickly body and therefore it is a part of one’s destiny to do this exercise.
To conclude, the principle of destiny can be interpreted by anybody in any manner. Hence, how do we understand destiny? We have to look at it with one simple understanding. Whatever is favourable for my devotional service, I will accept that. Whatever is unfavourable, I will reject.
In general, for our long term practice of devotional service to God, health is important. So for the sake of health, what is anukul (favourable)? Doing some basic exercise, taking some basic medication, etc., so we accept it. We need not use destiny to neglect our body and then complain to Krishna (God) that “You are not protecting me”. Krishna has given us duty and doing our duty is one way Krishna is protecting us, through the wisdom of the scriptures. And we need not neglect that particular wisdom.
Keeping this underlining principle in mind and accept what is favourable for Krishna’s devotional service and reject what is unfavourable. Thanks Hare Krishna.