Is effort necessary?
Yes—perhaps it is. For when one is dead, one is kriyā-hīn and karma-hīn—devoid of action and deed. Life, by contrast, is movement, intention, and consequence.Some sit idle, whiling away their time, cushioned by the legacy of their forefathers. Inherited wealth becomes their hammock, and effort seems optional. Yet the paradox deepens: some are born poor, appear idle, and beg for sustenance. But begging itself is an activity—a kriyā. So, can we truly call them idle?
Thus, karma and kriyā are not simple binaries. They are layered, elusive, and often deceptive. One may act without purpose or refrain with deep intent. One may toil and remain unseen, while another may rise without effort.
But one thing is certain: all this is governed by destiny.
If destiny favours a jester, he may yet ascend as a ruler.
If destiny smiles upon a fool, wisdom may follow in his wake.
Destiny intrudes—sometimes gently, forcefully—and carves a path through karma and kriyā, bending them to its will.
Effort matters. But effort alone does not guarantee an outcome.
Karma is the seed, kriyā the soil, but destiny is the rain.
Without it, even the most fertile ground may remain barren.
