Was the Mahabharata war predestined?

Anwser Podcast

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Is it that the Mahabharata war was destined? If it is destined, then what is the point of Krishna coming as Shantidutta? So, would it be that if Duryodhana had agreed to the peace proposal, then the war would not have taken place? If that were the case, then how was it destined? See, destiny is not entirely predetermined.
There are definitely some aspects of the future that are predetermined. But, just like say if it is rainy season, that it is going to rain is predetermined. But, that does not necessarily mean that I have to become drenched.
If I stay indoors or if I take a raincoat, then I will not become drenched. Similarly, if I understand properly that, the concept of destiny if I understand, that means I will know that certain things are going to happen. But, I have the free will to choose to either aggravate what is going to happen or mitigate what is going to happen.
So, if I know that it is going to rain and if at that time I go, despite of that I go out without any protection, I am going to suffer more. So, that’s how we need to recognize. So, now with respect to Krishna, even if Duryodhana had said, Okay, I will not have the war, then some amount of animosity was there, but the exact amount of destruction, the mode of destruction, that would not have taken place.
So, we shouldn’t think of destiny as entirely predetermined. Some element is predetermined, but there is a significant element which is in our hands also. And we should focus on, not worry so much about destiny, we should focus on what is in my hands and whether I am doing the right thing or not.
So, Krishna, he went to Duryodhana just to show him, to give him an opportunity to do the right thing. And that’s how he did his best to try to avoid the Kurukshetra war.