Respected sir,Just want to confirm that is it in the hands of God to grant some extension of age to any physical body or it doesn't matter to him weather some one lives or dies on this earth..no matter how religious or unscruplous a person is?when does he show mercy on good people on this earth?Suppose I am th onlyone who has a very urgent duty to perform towards my family and god snatches my life away due to a heart attack,where is the room for mercy?wud he ever know that I am going to die?-AB
—Aditya Bhargava, India
Dear Aditya,
Your questions have been asked again and again throughout the ages: Why is there suffering in the world? And why does suffering happen to good people as well as bad ones?
Yoga philosophy and many other religions tell us that the laws of cause and effect function for us from lifetime to lifetime. If we go against natural law we incur bad karma, which must be corrected in the future, whether in this lifetime or another one. We might think of this karma as a debt which needs to be paid. Sometimes one is assisted by a guru who takes on some of the karma of his disciples, as Christ did through his crucifixion, and many other gurus as well.
The way to avoid creating more bad karma is to seek right action in every situation. Paramhansa Yogananda said, “You must live, so why not live rightly?” Above all, leave the past in the past, and don’t worry about it. As Yogananda’s guru, Sri Yukteswar, said, “The past lives of all are dark with many shames. Everything in future will improve if you are making the right spiritual effort now.” Practice meditation and prayer, live a dharmic life, and follow the guidance of a true guru. Ask God for protection for you and your family. These things will help you overcome your past karma and give you peace of mind.
You can find many more answers to your questions in Paramhansa Yogananda’s book, Karma and Reincarnation, available from Ananda Sangha Publications in India, Crystal Clarity Publishers in the United States and Canada, or Amazon.com worldwide.
Many blessings,
Nayaswami Sadhana Devi
