"Divine Will"

   The memory chip inscribed within the DNA and RNA and inserted in the jiva runs its course and the personality blooms as and when it should! There is nothing one can do on the face of it. Once the jiva has entered the earth as a particle of stellar dust, a photon, radiating from a distant star, it takes up all that is earthly (pancha mahabhutatmika), or elemental; it depends on food from soil and thereby acquires all the qualities of the earth. The form assumed by the jiva is immaterial.

  Now, the jiva runs its errands as per the divine will. Everything happens as ordained by fate, destiny. But there is what is given to jiva as "free will". This free will- sva icCha or svecChe and action, karma, accomplished with desire decides its fate. Whatever the jiva does in svecCha does not come under Lord's will since it is subject to individual's whim and fancy; however, a small antar-dhvani, inner voice of consciousness warns the jiva, if it cares to hear!  This is where karma bandhana starts (as seed for rebirths). Some people are cautious in exercising this free will and thereby escape the clutches of maya.

  When things happen on their own, the 'divine will' is operating taking the jiva on its right path (satnyasa) to the logical end- mukti. The jiva gets knowledge (para vidya), knowledge of scriptures by grace of Lord, intuitional knowledge and ability to decode the scriptures, practice yoga and even get a 'guru' to take him on the pre-ordained sanyasa!

  The natural state of the jiva is sat chit and ananda. The ‘sat’ only vibrates as ‘chit’ (consciousness) and becomes a vibrant mind, chitta, mind full of thoughts, ideas, images, dreams and aspirations, (chittavrutti); it is the Energy, Chaitanya, chetasa, chaitya and chetana and the Life-force (prana-shakti) of the jiva. The jiva vibrates with prana and gets embodies a prani like the animation of a toy. Purandhara Dasa said it in a beautiful song that the world is a play of toys; we are all toys tied with invisible threads (sutrada bombe, Kan.) in His hand.

    Thus, the mula- svarupa, true nature of the jiva, is saccidananda. The grip of prakruti, maya, over the jiva is such that the jiva forgets its true nature and suffers dualities. “This is that eternal Ashvattha Tree with its root above and branches below. That root, indeed, is called the Bright; That is Brahman and That alone is the Immortal. In That all worlds are contained and none can pass beyond. This, verily, is That.” [Yajur Veda, Katha Upa. Part Two, Ch. III, 1].

   Whatever there is- the whole universe, vibrates because it has gone forth from Brahman, which exists as its Ground. That Brahman is a great terror, like a poised thunderbolt. Those who know It become immortal. From terror of Brahman, fire burns; from terror of It, the sun shines; from terror of It, Indra and Vayu and Death, the fifth, run. If a man is able to realise Brahman here, before the falling asunder of his body, then he is liberated; if not, he is embodied again in the created worlds. As in a mirror, so in the buddhi; as in a dream, so in the World of the Fathers; as in water, so Brahman is seen in the World of the Gandharvas; as in light and shade, so in the World of Brahma. [Yajur Veda, Katha Upa., Part Two, Ch. III, 1- 5]

   “He, the One and Undifferentiated, who by the manifold application of His powers produces, in the beginning, different objects for a hidden purpose and, in the end, withdraws the universe into Himself, is indeed the self-luminous- May He endow us with clear intellect! That Supreme Self is Agni (Fire); It is Aditya (Sun); It is Vayu (Wind); It is Chandrama (Moon). That Self is the luminous stars; It is Hiranyagarbha; It is water; It is Virat.”

 “Thou art woman, Thou art man; Thou art youth and maiden too. Thou as an old man totters along on a staff; it is Thou alone who, when born, assumes diverse forms. Thou art the dark-blue bee; Thou art the green parrot with red eyes; Thou art the thunder-cloud, the seasons and the seas. Thou art the beginning-less and all-pervading. From Thee all the worlds are born.”  [Yajurveda, Sveta. Upa. Part I, Chapter IV, 1-4]

  “I know this un-decaying, primeval One, the Self of all things, which exists everywhere, being all-pervading and which the wise declare to be free from birth. The teachers of Brahman, indeed, speak of ‘It’ as eternal.” [Yajurveda, Sveta. Upa., Part I, Chapter III, 21].

The wise man, having realised Atman as dwelling within impermanent bodies but Itself bodiless, vast and all-pervading, does not grieve. This Atman cannot be attained by the study of the Vedas, or by intelligence, or by much hearing of sacred books. It is attained by him alone whom It chooses. To such a one Atman reveals Its own form. He who has not first turn away from wickedness, who is not tranquil and subdued and whose mind is not at peace, cannot attain Atman. It is realised only through the Knowledge of Reality. Who, then, knows where He is, He to whom, Brahmins and Kshatriyas are mere food, and death itself a condiment? [Yajur Veda, Katha Upanishad, Part One, Chapter II, 22-25].

   Two there are who dwell within the body, in the intellect, the supreme akasa of the heart, enjoying the sure rewards of their own actions. The knowers of Brahman describe them as light and shade, as do those householders who have offered oblations in the Five Fires and also those who have thrice performed the Nachiketa sacrifice. [Yajur Veda, Katha Upa., Part One, Ch. III, 1]

Let us understand some basic concepts first.All jivas do not have the same capacity to understand what comes to their grasp. Some are intelligent and can clearly understand what is imparted. But, it is not so in the case of spiritual scriptures, and knowledge concerning the Atman. It requires different background and preparation under expert guidance, particularly in yoga.