26 July 2013 - QA 6

Dear Gurudev, if God in the end is the doer, then how come a living being is responsible for karma, or results of action?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: See, doership goes with enjoyership. If you are not the doer, you are not also experiencing the consequence. You can’t say, ‘I am not the doer; God made me eat more food but I am having a tummy ache.’
I would say, 'God is having the tummy ache. Where are you in the middle?'
If you have eaten, you have the tummy ache; if God has eaten, then the tummy ache is also for God. It is not you who is suffering from indigestion. Do you see what I am saying?

I think we have misinterpreted this whole philosophy. Every individual has a certain amount of freedom, and certain things are beyond his power.
Life is combination of both, your free will and what is destined. Some things are in your control and some other things are not. You cannot say that nothing is in my control, and you can’t say that everything is in my control either, both are incorrect.
For example, you have no control on whether it rains or not. However, if it is raining, whether to get wet or not, is in your control. Raining is destiny, but to not get wet is your free will. Put on a raincoat or take an umbrella and you will be dry.