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For example, if a man is destined to be poor or childless, can constant recitation of the Shri Sukta make him rich or bless him with sons? Or, if a man is destined to die early in an accident, can the constant recitation of a kavach protect him and avert his early death?

If shlokas cannot do this, why does the phalashruti mention them?

curiousseeker
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    Does this answer your question? Is our destiny predetermined? If yes, then why do our actions affect our karma? – hanugm Jun 02 '21 at 23:21
  • @hanugm- No, it does not. I have already read this answer. – curiousseeker Jun 02 '21 at 23:22
  • What is the exact point that differs both? – hanugm Jun 02 '21 at 23:28
  • @hanugm- My question is if destiny cannot be changed, what is the point of these shlokas mentioning all these benefits of recitation? – curiousseeker Jun 02 '21 at 23:32
  • yes, destiny cannot be changed. but not everything that happens in your life is because of destiny. destiny is nothing but consequences of your past actions. that means you created your destiny in the past. which means you can create it again in the future. – ram Jun 03 '21 at 02:05
  • This is like a similar question I ask to a astrologer, if ones marriage is dependent on the planets then why to match horoscopes in the first place? One way because there is no way to tell you have changed it. Secondly, death cannot be escaped but a encountered event can. It's the manner we live that we wish to change, not the performance. In other words, I want to change how its reached, not the destination of reach. – Second Jun 03 '21 at 03:02
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    @mar- According to Ramana Maharshi, everything is predetermined, that's why I posted this. – curiousseeker Jun 03 '21 at 05:12
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    @Proxy- But Ramana Maharshi says that every small incident or activity is predetermined, even the act of moving from one room to another. That's why I raised this question. – curiousseeker Jun 03 '21 at 05:13
  • Everything is predestined, but for whom? Those who are inferior & controlled totally by Prakriti(instincts/nature) like animals,birds, trees etc., But as one evolves like to level of humans which is fusion of Purusha(intellect) and Prakriti, some part of destiny is predestined, while human efforts have to be made as man is not at level of animals. Eventually Prakriti & Purush are one Brahman, just like only a child is raised by mother, not adult. https://www.facebook.com/673092346162193/posts/jyotisha-the-essential-the-semi-essential-the-non-essential-and-the-quintessence/1723288784475872/ –  Jun 03 '21 at 16:31

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Destiny is the outcome that one’s cumulative actions in their previous lives bring. As said in this answer, destiny affects major/certain decisions of our present life, not all.

In case destiny and the fruits of recitation are against each other, then either:

  1. The reciter will not get the fruits of recitation, but the magnitude of ill fate that opposed the fruits will reduce (the recitation may act as partial expiation; this is my intuition, I don’t have scriptural evidence).

  2. The recitation acts as complete expiation and now the reciter is not prevented fro acquisition of goodness, because of his previous karma.

Edit:I would like to attach an article regarding a discussion along the same lines:

The Riddle of Fate And Free Will Solved

Amethyst
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  • Thanks for your response, and welcome to HSE :) Please see this link: https://selfrealization.home.blog/2018/10/12/ramana-maharshi-on-free-will-and-destiny/

    Hence my question.

     – curiousseeker Jun 03 '21 at 05:14
  • @curiousseeker I read the link you gave,and I wonder,what business does God have in giving us the guise of free will,and exercising His will under the name of fate? – Amethyst Jun 03 '21 at 07:01
  • @Amethyst “ what business does God have in giving us the guise of free will,and exercising His will under the name of fate?” <—— I don’t know the answer to why but this is what is going on & there is really no free will at all, ever in any way. I’m trying to understand the whole thing but yeah this is def what’s going on, everywhere & prolly in every universe all the time, as it turns out – veganenvironmentalist Jan 17 '23 at 16:59