Turn fortune, turn thy wheel

पूर्वजन्मकॄतं कर्म तद् दैवमिति कथ्यते |

तस्मात् पुरूषकारेण यत्नं कुर्यादतन्द्रित: ||

पूर्व जन्म मे किया हुवा अच्छा या बुरा कर्म जब फल देता है, इस जन्म मैं उसे दैव कहते है। इसलिए इन्सान को चाहिए इस जन्म में समय ना गवाते हुए अच्छे कर्म करे।  

We may afraid of destiny. We may feel that what is prescribed in destiny is going to happen. We read the daily horoscope. We pay high to astrologers. We wear stones and rings and what not! We feel secure in that. 

We feel that we are the puppets of someone else’s hand. He makes us dance according to his will. We feel helpless against that. We threaten and bow down to cruel bludgeonings of chance. According to me, this is all due to a lack of prudent knowledge.

Vedic concepts are indifferent to what we used to believe. Human life and the world are being driven by the laws of the universe. The law of evolution, the law of karma, the law of attraction and repulsion, etc. And they sound well that I am the master of my fate and captain of my soul. But how is it true?

It’s very simple to understand. Indian Vedic Concept authenticates karma and rebirth. What I do is being accounted for at the time. It can’t be undone. Sooner or later result of that will come to me. If the time is up, fruits will ripen in the next birth. That is for sure. We call it fate. 

Actions are being assessed by the motive behind them. Past actions will come to me at right time with the right result. So as I can purify the motive and perform good actions. A good action done with a bad motive is bad, and a bad action done with a good motive is good. The purpose leads the life.

So what I sow, I reap. I can’t change past karma but surely I can take control of my present and future karma. I can have a positive attitude towards the fruits of past karma. I can perform good karma in present. And good results will be followed by them in the future. 

Awaken from the false beliefs that are being rooted for a long. Let me be aware that I am neither a helpless victim nor a puppet of fate. But the truth is: I am the captain of my ship and can take charge of my life. Playing a victim role or a master role is a choice and matter of attitude. I can do it with knowledge, vision, strategy, and prudent actions. 

When I master my own attitude, I master the circumstances. Here is a small beautiful poem about the attitude towards destiny. Let me choose it positively. 

Here is a poem :  

Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel, and lower the proud; 

Turn thy wild wheel thro' sunshine, storm, and cloud; 

Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate. 

Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel with smile or frown; 

With that wild wheel we go not up or down; 

Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great. 

Smile and we smile, the lords of many lands; 

Frown and we smile, the lords of our own hands;

For man is man and master of his fate. 

Turn, turn thy wheel above the staring crowd; 

Thy wheel and thou are shadows in the cloud; 

Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate.

~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Synopsis of the poem : 

Let the wheel of the fortune turn. It lowers the pride that I am a doer. Whatever the condition blows, good or bad, let the wheel turn. Let the fruits of fate meet me. I am indifferent in any circumstance. I am fearless in facing them. So fortune, turn your wheel. I don’t love or hate you for outcomes. I am steady at all. 

Fortune, turn your wild wheel with pleasure or pain. Whatever you gifts, joy or woe. I am not being shaken by it. I balance with a positive attitude and don’t get overflow in joy or pang in pain. I keep an equilibrium. We can’t control results but our hearts are great, stout, and brave to rejoice. 

I smile always; either it’s joy or woe. I am ready to accept with no regrets. I rejoice with them. You smile, I smile; you frown, I smile. Smile with inner glee is the ultimate attainment. As I am a real man; the master of fate and the captain of the soul. 

Turn your wheel; I am steady and indifferent. The crowd is staring at you either out of fear or greed. Fortune and his wheel are shadows in the cloud. They fade away after passing through. Come what may; I am fearless.

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In nutshell, I reap what I sow. It is inevitable. I can have a positive attitude towards it and can pass through them easily. Else I feel painful sufferings. In joy and woe, I can rejoice. When I accept them as a gift of God; both become a basis for development. Face both of them with a smile. Inner equipoise is definitely possible when I sublime with wisdom. 

*****

सुखस्य दुःखस्य न कोडपि दाता

परो ददाति इति कुबुध्दिरेषा ।

अहं करोमीति वृथाभिमानः

स्वकर्मसूत्रग्रथितो हि लोकः ॥

सुख और दुःख देनेवाला कोई नहीं है । दूसरा आदमी हम को वह देता है यह विचार भी गलत है । "मैं करता हूँ" एसा अभिमान व्यर्थ है । सभी लोग अपने अपने पूर्व कर्मों के सूत्र से बंधे हुए हैं । 

*****

शुभेन कर्मणा सौख्यं दुःखं पापेन कर्मणा ।

कृतं भवति सर्वत्र नाकृतं विद्यते कचित ॥

सत्कर्म से सुख और दुष्कर्म से दुःख प्राप्त होता है । जो पहले किया है उसीका फ़ल मिलता है, जो नहीं किया उसका फ़ल भी वही है ।

*****

यस्माच्च येन च यथा च यदा च यच्च

यावच्च यत्र च शुभाशुभमात्मकर्म ।

तस्माच्च तेन च तथा च तदा च तच्च

तावच्च तत्र च विधातृवशादुपेति॥

~ हितोपदेश

By whichever reason, by whomsoever, in whichever manner, at whatever time, during whichever period and at whatever place whichever good or bad deeds are committed, same will be returned to him by the destiny, in the same way, at the same time, during the same period, at the same place.

We can’t control the wind but we can direct our sails. A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor.