When people say, "Everything happens for a reason," what do they mean?

In the context of Akram Vignan, when people say, "Everything happens for a reason," they mean that every situation and experience in life, whether perceived as positive or negative, is a result of past causes and effects, a form of demerit or merit karma.

In life, nothing occurs randomly or by chance. Instead, everything unfolds according to the precise ‘law of karma’. Each event or circumstance in life is a result of past life causes.

“The things of this world are not in the form of a 'seed' [cause]; they are in the form of a 'fruit' [effect]. In fact, one has brought forth a ripe 'field' [of crops] with him. The crop simply needs to be harvested.”- Dada Bhagwan.

Karma charging point.

The common perception is that karmas are charged through one’s visible action, but Akram Vignan explains that it is done through one’s inner intent. The visual action is the effect of one’s past life causes, and at the same time, through one’s intent of liking or disliking, one creates a new cause for their future life.

The science behind your intent and how it comes into effect.

The caused karma of like and dislike are being accumulated and then stored in a "computer." Each person is an individual "computer," and there is also a universal "computer." The cause karmas are initially stored in the individual computer and then transferred to the universal computer, which takes charge and handles all the results. You bind karma when you identify yourself as "John" (please insert your name) and believe yourself to be the doer. Once you realise your true identity, no new karma can be bound.

Why are karmas charged?

It is the result of ignorance of one’s true Self that during the experience of these karmas, attachments and aversions are formed, leading to the creation of new karmic seeds that will come to fruition in future lives and must be endured.

So, when people say, "Everything happens for a reason," they are expressing a belief that events and experiences in life are not random or meaningless but instead have some sort of purpose or significance behind them. It implies that there is an underlying plan or design to the events that occur and that even in challenging situations, there is a larger meaning or lesson to be learned.

The lesson learnt is to be free from the process of charging future karmas. This is done by acquiring the knowledge of ‘who am I and who is the doer’. When the knowledge of the Self has been attained within, through the Self-realisation ceremony (Gnan Vidhi). Then no new karmas are charged, and all that remains is to complete the remaining discharge karmas without getting affected by constantly staying in the realm of Self, pure Soul.

Only a fully Self-realised being (Gnani) can bestow Self-realisation to those who are seeking to be free from the bondage of karma. One becomes aware of the Self. Once awakened, the awareness never leaves. When the experience that, “I am this body” goes, new karmas cease to bind. You not only obtain the knowledge and awareness of ‘Who am I,’ but also realise ‘Who is the doer.’