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  • Recorded on: 30 Sep 2001
  • Language: English
  • Length: 0h 04m

Destiny

Destiny is an unseen script we cannot read, while life unfolds with inscrutable precision. We each have a distinct path whose details remain hidden from us. A story illustrates this: at a crowded railway crossing, a bird dropped a snake it was carrying. The snake bit one specific man in the waiting crowd, who later died. This event poses a profound question about why that particular individual was chosen. Such moments remind us that the time and manner of our end are unknown. Therefore, constant preparedness is essential. The narrative blurs the line between random accident and fated destiny, challenging us to find meaning in the inexplicable. Every outcome, however random it seems, may be part of a larger, unseen order.

"Why that one particular man, out of hundreds?"

"We do not know when, where, or how the end of our life will come."

Filming location: Slovenia

Our individual destinies are distinct. We do not know our own destiny. If there is a letter written or a passage in a book, I can read it to you. But I cannot read to you my destiny. Let me give you just one example. I spoke earlier, about forty minutes ago, of an accident. It happened in Jaipur. People were traveling by cycles, rickshaws, motorbikes, and mopeds. At a railway crossing, the barrier was closed, and people were waiting. You know how it is when a crossing is closed—traffic builds up and gets stuck. Hundreds of people were waiting. A train was passing. And in that very minute, a large bird was flying overhead, carrying a big snake in its legs. Unfortunately, it lost its grip and dropped the snake onto the crowd below. It fell upon one particular man. The snake, whether angry or frightened, began to bite that man. He was bitten in two places. He cried out, "Snake! Snake!" People started running, coming to his aid. Meanwhile, the snake slithered down and out of the crowd. The bird turned back, caught the snake again, and flew away. The man died. Destiny. Why that one particular man, out of hundreds? Ponder it. We do not know when, where, or how the end of our life will come. Therefore, we should be prepared forever. We never know when this will happen. This is destiny, or what we call an accident.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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