Is our existence itself an unfairness and a mystery, wherein many big questions have no answers?

Podcast:

Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.

Summary

Life’s injustices and unanswered questions often leave us searching for purpose, but instead of fixating on why misfortune strikes, we can choose how to respond.

• Limited Intellect, Endless Inquiry: While human capacity and modern science cannot answer every mystery—such as the origin of the universe or consciousness—our ongoing search for understanding remains vital.

• The Limits of Karma and Explanation: Complete answers to existential questions or personal suffering may elude us, but this should never stop us from trying to comprehend what we can.

• Perspective on Suffering: Comparing our situations reminds us that life is a mixed experience; while mistakes can carry disproportionate consequences, our circumstances are often better than those of others.

• Scriptural Wisdom on Resilience: Ancient texts, like the story of Yudhishtira, show that understanding deepens gradually through experience rather than instant explanations of past karma.

• The Example of Lord Rama: Even virtuous figures like Rama faced unmerited hardship, teaching us that character is defined not by avoiding trials, but by enduring them with integrity.

• Choosing Action Over Despair: We ultimately choose whether to surrender to the torture of life’s mysteries or commit to being part of the solution rather than adding to the world’s sorrow.

Key Takeaways

• Focus less on why bad things happen to good people and more on how good people respond to adversity.

• Draw inspiration from historical and scriptural figures to navigate life’s difficulties with grace.

• Commit to doing the right thing and avoiding actions that worsen existing struggles.

Full Transcription

Is our existence an injustice and a mystery, and there is no definite answer to some questions? Yes and no.
Yes, in a way, it is true that we do not get the answer to every question, because our intellect is limited, our ability to acquire knowledge is limited. We see that even in science, science has progressed a lot, we have acquired a lot of knowledge. If we look at modern science, we see that in the last 400-500 years, there are still many questions in science that have no answer yet.
And this does not mean that science is of no use, nor does science think that we will not look for the answer. In science, if we look at where consciousness has come from, where the universe has come from, what time is it? These are very basic questions, we do not get the answer to them. But still, to what extent can we use our intellect to get the answer? We do get the answer, and we get help from it.
In the same way, the rules of karma, or the creation of the universe, or the purpose of the universe, why are good people and bad people in this world? We may not get a complete answer to such questions. We may not get a complete answer to the question, why is this happening to me? But this does not mean that we cannot get an answer to any question. This does not mean that we should not even try to find the answer to the questions.
To what extent we can understand, we understand. And we move forward. We move forward.
In the scriptures, we see two aspects. On the one hand, when there is injustice with the Pandavas, when they go to the jungle, in the jungle, Yudhishtira, whoever meets him, he asks him the question, that what happened to me, how do I understand it? And the answers we get from different aspects, gradually, Yudhishtira’s understanding increases. So, in the scriptures, there are a lot of books, but they do not emphasize much on this, that Yudhishtira, you were like this in your previous birth, and you did this, and after that, this happened.
They do not immediately end the question by giving such an answer. Yes, existence is a mystery, and sometimes it can be an atrocity. But if we see, many times, what we have got, that is perhaps more than others.
So, our situation can be worse than some people, but it is also better than some people. So, if what is right has not happened, then sometimes what is wrong has been favorable for us, but sometimes it has also been inappropriate for us. Sometimes we make a small mistake, and it has a very bad effect.
Sometimes we make a very big mistake, and it does not have a very bad effect. So, as far as we can understand, we use our intellect to understand what is right and what is wrong. And as far as we can do the right thing, we try to do the right thing.
So, in the scriptures, at the end, this statement has been given that So, as far as we can understand, we have to try to understand everything. And the essence of the scriptures is that why is it bad for good people? This is explained in a way by the essence of karma. But when an example is given, then the emphasis is not given on the essence of karma, the emphasis is given on the character of the person.
That is, let us look at the example of the scriptures. Lord Rama himself, he is God, how can he have any bad karma? But he comes, he also has bad things in his life. Without doing anything wrong, his own stepmother conspired against him and sent him to exile.
So, what does Lord Rama say? He said that he is an ideal human being. What is his character? He gives an example. So, what does Lord Rama do? He, slowly, he accepts injustice and how to work well in it, he shows.
So, the essence of the scriptures is that don’t fixate on why bad things happen to good people, focus on when bad things happen to good people, what do good people do? When bad things happen to good people, what do they do? How do they live? How do they face the difficulties of life? See that, get inspiration from them, learn from them and try to make your life better. In the end, we have the choice that whether we get tired and say that life is a torture, life is a mystery, we raise our hands and we all get tired and do nothing or we think that whatever happens to bad things, as far as possible, I will not make it worse. I won’t be a part of the problem, I will try to be a part of the solution.
I will increase the sorrows even more. As far as possible, as far as possible, I will try to be there.