Vedic Philosophy: Fate Vs. Destiny

(written on November 27, 2019)

Fate: the development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.

Destiny: the events that will necessarily happen to a particular person or thing in the future.

Fate is decided, but destiny is based on the actions which people perform which add up to their future. Destiny can be changed through the limited freewill which living entities have to make decisions. Fate, however, is fixed because it is decided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is important to understand that not all living entities have the privilege of being able to alter their destiny. Only in the human form do the living entities have such intelligence that they are able to alter their destiny by asking existential questions. Other species and dogs cannot do such a thing. They can only eat, sleep, mate, and defend. Here are the examples of fate and destiny:

• Fate: you are given the body of a dog in your next life (you cannot change the fact that you are a dog).

• Destiny: you change your destiny by asking intelligent questions about self realization and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.