The Dhaarmik Traditions - Indic Studies Foundation

Appendix D
From 'Dialogues with the Guru' talks with Sri Chandrasekhar Bharathi Swaminah,
late Sankaracharya of Sringeri Matha Compiled by R Krishnaswami Aiyar with an
introduction by Paul Masson Oursel, Published by Chetana Ltd., Bombay, 1956
Among the species that we are cognizant of, man is clearly endowed with the
capacity of exercising free will, unfettered by instinctual responses conditioned by
genetic predisposition. Man is endowed with the freedom to make choices. The
following dialog address the issue of freewill versus fate, which one may mistakenly
assume that he has little or no control over. In reality Hinduism ,popular
misconceptions notwithstanding, is an activist take charge system for living which
strongly advocates individual Yogas such as karma and Jnana Yoga to achieve the
purushaarthas of one ‘s life and the Bhjagavad Gita is an affirmation of the ‘Carpe
Diem’ approach that the Hindu generally follows
The Riddle of Fate and Free-Will
(A dialog between His Holiness Shri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswami and a
Disciple): [His Holiness was the Sringeri Mathadhipati 1912-1954.]
H.H. : I hope you are pursuing your studies in the Vedanta as usual
D. : Though not regularly, I do make some occasional study.
H.H. : In the course of your studies, you may have come across many doubts.
D. : Yes, one doubt repeatedly comes up to my mind.
H.H. : What is it
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