According to Hinduism, Isvara who decides our fate after death on the basis of our karma is infinitely merciful. But, at the same time, he does not plunge the world in adharma, in unrighteousness - that is not how his compassion manifests itself. What does he do then? He gives us another birth, another opportunity to reap the fruits of our good and bad action. The joys of heaven and the torments of hell truly belong to this world itself. The sorrow and happiness that are our lot in our present birth are in proportion to the virtuous and evil deeds of our past birth. Those who sinned much suffer much now and, similarly, those who did much good enjoy much happiness now. The majority is made up of people who know more sorrow than happiness and people who experience sorrow and happiness almost in equal measure. There are indeed very few blessed with utter happiness. It is evident from this that most of us must have done more evil than good in our past birth.
In His mercy Bhagavan gives us every time a fresh opportunity to wash away our sins. The guru, the sastras, and the temples are all his gifts to wipe away our inner impurities. That Isvara, in his compassion, places his trust even in a sinner confident that he will raise himself through his own efforts and gives him a fresh opportunity in the form of another birth to advance himself inwardly - is not such a belief better than that he should dismiss a sinner as good for nothing and yet reward him with heaven?
If a man sincerely believes, in a spirit of surrender, there is nothing that he can do on his own and that everything is Bhagavan's doing, he will be redeemed and elevated. But it is one thing for God to bless a man who goes to him for refuge forsaking his own efforts to raise himself and quite another to bless him thinking him to be not fit to make any exertions on his own to advance inwardly. So long as we believe in such a thing as human endeavor we should think that Isvara's supreme compassion lies in trusting a man to go forward spiritually through his own efforts. It is in this way that Bhagavan’s true grace is manifested.
As told by Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Maha Swamigal (20 May 1894 – 8 January 1994), was the 68th pontiff of Kanchi Mutt (Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham). He was also known as the Sage of Kanchi or Mahaperiyava.