Q. A seven year old devotee asked:
SB 1.5.18 says “… As far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in course of time, just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them.”
The question is: “If according to the above verse our happiness is determined by destiny, then why do scriptures recommend so many different sacrifices and means to achieve material comforts and positions such as ‘you do hundred asvamedha yajnas and you could become Indra’, or ‘you could go to that planet, or you could become a king’ etc. If our happiness is predetermined by our destiny, then why do scriptures recommend these activities to achieve certain goals for happiness? One should achieve that happiness without performing these sacrifices etc.”
Answer by Romapada Swami: By performance of punya or pious activities of any type, one *increases* one’s entitlement to reap the fruits of one’s piety. This does not contradict what Bhagavatam is saying – that ‘happiness is determined by destiny’.
Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to SB 1.5.18, “By the law of the Supreme, different places are meant for different grades of living beings according to the work they have performed. By good work only, as prescribed in the scriptures, can one obtain birth in a good family, opulence, good education and good bodily features. We see also that even in this life one obtains a good education or money by good work. Similarly, in our next birth we get such desirable positions only by good work. Otherwise, it would not so happen that two persons born in the same place at the same time are seen differently placed according to previous work.”
In other words, by performing some pious activities like sacrifices, one makes a ‘deposit’ into their ‘punya account’ i.e. as Prabhupada says ‘they are doing some good work’.
Moreover, when a pious soul reaps the benefits of the good work, they are making a sizeable ‘withdrawal’ and their ‘punya account’ gets depleted!
The results or the happiness that such a person experiences because of his newly-made deposit by performing today’s sacrifice is *in addition to* what was determined by his previous piety, which was the basis of his previous destiny. Why? Because he just added some good work, which improved or changed his destiny.
In the grand scheme of existence, ultimately all such material positions are impermanent, as Srila Prabhupada says: “Miseries and mixed happiness are two features of material life, and they are obtained in Brahmaloka and in other lokas also. The miseries and mixed happiness of all living beings are only of different degree and quality, but no one is free from the miseries of birth, death, old age and disease. Similarly, everyone has his destined happiness also. No one can get more or less of these things simply by personal endeavors. Even if they are obtained, they can be lost again. One should not, therefore, waste time with these flimsy things; one should only endeavor to go back to Godhead. That should be the mission of everyone’s life.”
