Karma, destiny, time and God's will As seen in the Mahabharata and later in the Bhagavata Puarana, the relationship between karma, destiny, God's time and will are very complex. Although each of these terms has completely different meanings, they are linked by their ability to answer a common question: why are they evil if there is a God? Their response to suffering, while similar, varies depending on the ways in which suffering is influenced by karma, fate, time, or God's will. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay By definition, karma is the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of existence and ultimately decides his fate in all future existences. Since a person's actions decide what will happen to them, this could be the reason for the suffering. If a person constantly makes others suffer, he or she will also suffer later. If karma is the reason for suffering, then people themselves are responsible when they suffer. While karma decides suffering based on one's actions, fate is purely random. However, one's destiny may be the result of karma, based on one's actions; a result of time, an inevitable force; that is, God's will and his perfect plan. Fate does not allow people to control their own destiny. Fate is not always foreseen, but it happens naturally, unfortunately causing some innocent people to suffer. Although fate may bring suffering to some who may not deserve it, it plays an important role in making things happen. Time can only bring about the end of things. Even though it may be a process of deterioration, time can nullify all human efforts. Time is often seen as a creator, bringing new beginnings. However, if considered as a destructive force, time will change things until they disappear. Time is a force that we are unable to repel. The hold it has on the earth is inevitable, but necessary. Without the ending of some things, we would have no new beginnings. While God may subject us to immediate suffering, it may only be a part of His greater plan. Many also wonder why, if Bhisma knew that Krishna was the cause of the Pandava's suffering, he did not say so from the beginning. Since Krishna was present before the Pandavas, why didn't they ask him about his plan? No one can begin to understand the Lord's plan, but Visvanatha reminds us that we should still trust because it is the perfect plan. While it may be disconcerting that God allows us to suffer, if we understood the reasoning behind what He does and how it is part of the plan, we would see it differently. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay Conclusion The Mahabharata helps us see the effect of karma, destiny, time, and God's will on earth and allows us to see the ways in which suffering can occur for each of these reasons. Karma, destiny, time and God's will all explain the problem of evil and can help us understand why suffering occurs.