We tend to ascribe to God our life’s starting conditions — our complexion, our birth family and our default disposition. Justifying such an ascription, we may even quote the Bhagavad-gita: we all are born with a particular nature: divine (16.03) or demonic (16.04). Thus, if we are congenitally short-tempered, we may ask, “Why did God make me this way?”

But does God determine our birth conditions? No; because our starting condition in this life is not the start of our existence. We are eternal spiritual beings transmigrating over many lives and carrying over our karma from one life to the next. It is that karmic backlog from our previous lives that determines our starting conditions in this life. Thus, if we seem to be congenitally short-tempered, that’s because we gave in to anger repeatedly in our previous lives. 

Does this mean God plays no role in how our past karma comes upon us? Not exactly; everything in material existence, including the unfolding of individual karma, happens under divine supervision (09.10). Thus, he is like a judge — engaged yet detached (09.09). 

Thankfully, he is much more than a fair judge; he is our greatest well-wisher (05.29). No negative karma can cancel his love for us; he is like an extraordinary judge who doesn’t just send us to a karmic jail, but goes with us to that jail. As our constant companion (18.61), he wants to empower us to reclaim our inherent spirituality, free from all mundane conditions and conditionings. 

If we surrender to Krishna, seeking not so much an explanation for our present condition as a solution out of that condition, he will mercifully guide us toward ultimate peace and prosperity (18.62). 

One-sentence summary: 

God hasn’t made us the way we are; our own past karma has — still, he accepts us the way we are and he wants us to accept his help for becoming the best we can be. 

Think it over: 

  • Why can’t God be blamed for our birth conditions?
  • What is God’s role in determining our birth conditions?
  • How is God much more than an ordinary judge? 

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18.62: O scion of Bharata, surrender unto Him utterly. By His grace you will attain transcendental peace and the supreme and eternal abode.

What made us the way we are?

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