From ‘Why Me?’ to ‘What Now?’: The Bhagavad Gita’s Path to Healing
One of the most common questions I hear from patients is:
“Doctor, why is this happening to me?”
Sometimes the question goes even deeper:
“Is this because of my past karma?”
When someone is diagnosed with a chronic illness, faces repeated setbacks, or watches a loved one suffer, it is natural to search for an explanation. We all want life to make sense.
Many people believe that every illness or hardship is simply a punishment for actions performed in a previous life. This belief often leaves them feeling guilty, helpless, or resigned to their fate.
But is that really what the Bhagavad Gita teaches?
The answer is no.
If we read Krishna’s words carefully, we discover a message that is not about blame, but about hope.
We Cannot Always Know Why Things Happen
Krishna openly tells us that the law of karma is far more complex than the human mind can fully understand.
कर्मणो ह्यपि बोद्धव्यं
बोद्धव्यं च विकर्मणः ।
अकर्मणश्च बोद्धव्यं
गहना कर्मणो गतिः ॥ ४.१७ ॥
Meaning
“The workings of karma are profound and difficult to understand.”
This is a very reassuring teaching.
It means that when illness enters our lives, we should be careful not to jump to conclusions.
We cannot honestly say:
- “This illness is punishment.”
- “God is angry with me.”
- “I must have done something terrible in a previous life.”
Krishna never makes these statements.
Instead, he reminds us that life is shaped by countless visible and invisible influences—our genetics, our environment, our relationships, our lifestyle, our thoughts, the actions of others, and many factors that remain beyond our understanding.
Trying to trace every illness back to a specific past karma is like trying to understand every drop that contributes to the ocean.
The Past Influences Us—but It Does Not Define Us
The Bhagavad Gita teaches that our past certainly influences our present.
Our upbringing.
Our personality.
Our strengths.
Our fears.
Our circumstances.
All of these may be shaped, at least in part, by previous experiences and actions.
But Krishna makes an equally important point:
The past is an influence—not a prison.
No matter what has happened before, every new day gives us an opportunity to respond differently.
That is where our true freedom lies.
You Are Not Helpless
One of the greatest misunderstandings about karma is the belief that everything is already decided.
If that were true, there would be no purpose in learning, growing, healing, or making better choices.
Yet Krishna repeatedly encourages Arjuna to think, reflect, and act.
At the end of the Gita, after explaining his teachings, he simply says:
यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु ॥ १८.६३ ॥
Meaning
“Reflect upon this, and then act as you choose.”
These words remind us that while we cannot always control what life brings, we can always choose how we respond.
What Does This Mean for Someone Who Is Ill?
As a physician, I believe this is one of the most comforting lessons of the Bhagavad Gita.
When illness strikes, our energy is often consumed by questions like:
“Why did this happen?”
“Whose fault is it?”
“What karma caused this?”
While these questions are understandable, they rarely move us toward healing.
Instead, they often keep us trapped in fear, guilt, or regret.
Krishna gently invites us to ask different questions.
- What can I learn from this experience?
- What changes can I make today?
- How can I take better care of my body and mind?
- How can I respond with courage instead of fear?
These questions create movement.
Healing begins when we stop looking only backward and begin looking forward.
A Beautiful Parallel with Homeopathy
This principle also resonates deeply with the philosophy of classical homeopathy.
When a patient comes to me, I certainly try to understand the events that have shaped their health—emotional stresses, inherited tendencies, lifestyle, past illnesses, and significant life experiences.
These help me understand the journey.
But I do not spend my time trying to prove exactly which event or which past action caused the illness.
Instead, my focus is on understanding how the disturbance is expressing itself today.
How is your body responding?
How is your mind reacting?
What pattern has your system adopted?
In the Organon of Medicine, Samuel Hahnemann teaches that the physician’s responsibility is to recognize what is to be cured in the patient and to restore health as gently and effectively as possible.
In many ways, this mirrors Krishna’s teaching.
The Bhagavad Gita asks us not to become trapped in endlessly analysing the past, but to respond wisely in the present.
Similarly, healing begins not by blaming ourselves, but by understanding ourselves.
Healing Is Not About Blame
Whether we look at life through the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita or through the principles of holistic medicine, the message is remarkably similar.
Blame does not heal.
Guilt does not heal.
Fear does not heal.
Understanding heals.
Awareness heals.
Right action heals.
Every positive choice we make today—eating better, sleeping well, reducing stress, nurturing healthy relationships, seeking appropriate medical care, cultivating gratitude, or developing inner peace—becomes part of creating a healthier future.
A Final Thought
The Bhagavad Gita does not ask us to spend our lives searching for the exact karma that caused our suffering.
Instead, it asks us to live wisely today.
Because today is where healing begins.
Today is where better choices are made.
Today is where hope returns.
Perhaps the most beautiful way to summarize Krishna’s teaching is this:
Your past may explain where you are today, but it does not determine where you can go tomorrow. The power to shape your future lies not in uncovering every past karma, but in living wisely, compassionately, and consciously in the present.
Dr. Abhay Talwalkar
M.D. (Hom.)
