The Bhagavad Gita describes that an ordinary soul living in this physical world is controlled by the influence of time. As a result, it perpetually circles through the cycle of birth and death and accepts different bodies. Each of these souls has been trapped in this world since time immemorial and finds it incredibly hard to break free from this cycle of birth and death. Thus, they become accustomed to live, survive, and even thrive in this temporary material world.
Souls that have spent numerous lifetimes in a multitude of bodies and species gradually become conditioned to live in this ephemeral world and come to perceive the illusory material world as their real position. They forget their true position in the spiritual world and instead accept the material world as their home.
Thus, we have taken refuge in this world, forgetting our original position in the spiritual world and our eternal relationship with the Supreme Father.
Some crucial elements of our existence that we have misdirected toward this world are:
FAITH
When I look around, I observe souls that have great faith in various aspects of this world. They believe that this world and their arrangements in it can make them deeply happy, provide ultimate satisfaction, protect them, grant short-term and long-term gratification, and satiate all their needs and demands. Therefore, they seek to fulfill all their desires through this world with complete faith in its facilities of enjoyment, protection, and love.
However, the same faith is not afforded to our real refuge, the source of all sources who truly sustains, maintains, and protects us. We neglect His guidance, decline His love, reject His protection, defy His instructions, and even decry His existence. Thus, we continue to nurture and solidify our faith in this temporary existence.
This world is illusory, temporary, and full of dangers. As such, it does not have the capacity to satisfy a spiritual being. Therefore, we have put our FAITH in the wrong place.
ABSORPTION
With each next birth, the soul becomes MORE ABSORBED in this world and hence becomes more and more entangled.
We are absorbed in numerous activities involving sense gratification, physical/mental/intellectual entertainment, and social and professional endeavors in this transient, physical world. Moreover, the world continues to invent further resources and creates new distractions for our increased absorption.
All these distractions and engagements further solidify bodily existence and factually harm the soul by adversely affecting its eternal journey. This absorption is unfavorable and very difficult to overcome. Thus, we have directed our ABSORPTION towards the wrong place.
TIME
We spend much time trying to extract satisfaction and happiness from this world. We invest precious time in acquiring facilities that might provide some happiness, entertainment, ensure our safe position in the world, and that may impart some degree of satisfaction.
We invest our time and efforts to enjoy this world to the maximum. However, the enjoyment afforded by this transient physical world comes with a price tag and is as fleeting as itself.
EMOTIONS
Aside from investing all these valuable aspects of our existence, we have given our heart to this world and its temporary activities, relationships, people, etc. We become so emotionally attached and attracted that people and affairs of this world start affecting us deeply. All our emotions of joy, fear, love, loss, despair, etc., are only invoked by worldly matters, whereas the heart feels no similar sentiments upon hearing the Lord's names, forms, qualities, and pastimes.
Such ephemeral emotions are also misguided and ultimately bring no fruitful returns. We are recommended to train our sentiments, cultivate the utmost softness of heart, and redirect intelligent emotions with a detached spirit toward the material world.
DIVESTMENT from bodily affairs.
Such misguided Faith, Absorption, Time, and Emotions (F.A.T.E.) are ultimately described as useless labor. The sacred wisdom texts that guide us toward our eternal life recommend gradually divesting from the material world while investing in the well-being and satisfaction of the eternal self—the real spiritual being within the body.
We are spiritual beings temporarily passing through this world, using this body as a vehicle. We have been given Free Will (Independence)—either to choose more bondage, entanglement, and attachment to the transient physical world or to sever some of the ties and develop attachment for the eternal. We do not need to invest all our time and vital resources in bodily satisfaction. Rather, we should cater to the demands of the real self within the body, which is on a bigger journey towards union with the Supreme.
Our faulty, careless investments adversely impact its eternal journey. Therefore, divest from bodily and material engagements and gradually invest in spiritual affairs that are more profitable and advantageous for the soul.
ULTIMATE FATE (Fail or Flourish)
We are extremely partial to the material aspect of our existence and invest so much into this worldly existence. However, we have put our faith, absorption, time, and emotions in the wrong place — such a faulty investment will yield no profitable returns. Therefore, our ultimate fate is sealed due to the misguided and misdirected F.A.T.E. We are FATED to FAIL.
The world continuously devises new ways to engage our faith, absorption, time, and emotions (F.A.T.E.) in futile, temporary engagements and entertainments. We must guard against such distractions and preoccupations. Thus, Vedic wisdom texts advise us to redirect our F.A.T.E. towards more favorable spiritual pursuits and achieve a glorious, successful future. We will be FATED to FLOURISH.
Therefore, our ultimate Fate depends upon how wisely we invest our—
F.A.T.E.— Faith, Absorption, Time, and Emotions.
Wow, beautifully explained, and reflects your depth of knowledge and faith in almighty! Kudos!!