Question: Swamiji says,’ We are the creator of our own destiny, we can do anything and everything, because ‘ We ‘ are SUPREME….’. But Ramakrishna says,’ We are the vehicle and Lord is the Driver…We do what He makes us do…We think what He makes us think and so on…’ How then we became the creator of our own destiny?
Answer: Both the statements are perfectly correct from the different standpoints. For the absolute standpoint, the meaning of ‘I / we’ is ‘Atman’ or Infinite Consciousness. Consciousness is the ‘Supreme’ and can do anything and everything by its mere wish. In dream the ‘Dreamer’ creates a separate world, and himself becomes object of the dream and enjoyer of the dream. This is fact we realise when we get up. Similarly, when we realise our true nature as the Consciousness, We create the whole world and become the objects of the world and enjoyer of the world. In this standpoint what Swamiji told is correct.
But, from the relative standpoint I/we am/are considering me as a limited individual, an individual with a limited body-mind complex. As a limited individual I am governed by Lord. I am not free totally. That is why Ramakrishna says, ‘We are the vehicle and Lord is the Driver…We do what He makes us do…We think what He makes us think and so on…’ To realise this fact we have to make best use of the little freedom which is given to us in the form of thinking and choosing. Only human being can think and choose which he likes in the life. If we choose a life of Dharma (good actions) and live the life according to Dharma – not according to our whims and fancies – we can obtain still greater freedom by grace of the Divine, we can realise this fact what we mean ‘I’ is really not the body-mind complex but, the Infinite Consciousness .