𝐒𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐣𝐢 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰

𝐒𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢 𝐉𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐰𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐣𝐢 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰:

God bestows both happiness and sorrow on us, based on the nature of our actions. While we fully accept happiness, we question why God also gives us sorrows and difficulties. However, as explained by Adi Shankaracharya in his bhashya, God is only the saadhaarana kaarana. He explains with a simile - Ishwarastu parjanyavat drashtavyaha. That is, God should be viewed like rain water, which nourishes all seeds. Water will nourish any seed, without making any distinction based on the nature of the seed, regardless of whether the seed is that of a fruit-bearing tree or that of a poisonous one. Therefore, it is our responsibility to plant the right seed, in order to obtain the desired fruit. We cannot plant any seed that we want, like that of a poisonous tree for instance, and then expect that we get mangoes. Water will only nourish the seed that we plant. It will not change the seed itself. courtesy ahambrahmaasmi. org

If we are unable to distinguish one seed from another, we have to consult an expert agriculturist. Similarly, if we cannot distinguish between good and bad deeds, which result in happiness and sorrow respectively, we should refer to the shastras or seek the guidance of experts in the shastras. If we have to get happiness, we should do good deeds (punya kaaryas). If we do not want difficulties, we should not commit bad deeds (paapa kaaryas). We will get fruits exactly in accordance with our deeds. It is God who gives us joys and sorrows. But the reasons for the same are the actions performed by us. God makes absolutely no discrimination. Just as we cannot blame rain for nourishing the seed of a poisonous plant, we should not blame God for our sorrows and problems.

तुशब्दश्चोदितदोषव्यावर्तनार्थः । कृतो यः प्रयत्नो जीवस्य धर्माधर्मलक्षणः, तदपेक्ष एवैनमीश्वरः कारयति । ततश्चैते चोदिता दोषा न प्रसज्यन्ते — जीवकृतधर्माधर्मवैषम्यापेक्ष एव तत्तत्फलानि विषमं विभजते पर्जन्यवत् ईश्वरो निमित्तत्वमात्रेण — यथा लोके नानाविधानां गुच्छगुल्मादीनां व्रीहियवादीनां च असाधारणेभ्यः स्वस्वबीजेभ्यो जायमानानां साधारणं निमित्तं भवति पर्जन्यः — न हि असति पर्जन्ये रसपुष्पफलपलाशादिवैषम्यं तेषां जायते, नाप्यसत्सु स्वस्वबीजेषु — एवं जीवकृतप्रयत्नापेक्ष ईश्वरः तेषां शुभाशुभं विदध्यादिति श्लिष्यते । (ब्रह्मसूत्रभाष्यम्)

Join our WhatsApp Channel (content differs): https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAMDyF8V0trHeYwwn19

#vedanta #Shankaracharyas #sanatandharma #sringeri #shringeri #Jagadguru #Sadhguru #Guru #Hinduism #spirituality #philosophy #Bhakthi #advaita #philosophy