Question: We just lost our baby, and we were questioning ourselves why the baby, in the span of one week, came to earth and then left.

Sri Chinmoy: There is no hard and fast rule about this. It can be your karma, it can be your wife’s karma, or it can be the soul’s immediate decision. It may be that in a previous incarnation it was decided by the Supreme that this would happen, or else the soul decided, as soon as it saw the ignorance of the world. Sometimes the soul comes into the world quite unprepared. Then, as soon as it comes, it sees the ignorance of the world and is frightened to death. Then it goes away. These are the two main reasons. But since you are following our path, the thing to do is to surrender to the Will of the Supreme. That is the best. If it is because of your past karma or your wife’s karma, if you have done something wrong, then it will be nullified. And if the soul of the child decided, and it is not your karma or her karma, then the only thing to do is to surrender. If the soul has decided to stay in Heaven for a few more years, let us surrender to the Will of the Supreme in the soul.

If you surrender to the Will of the Supreme, then you are doing absolutely the right thing. Not what has happened, but how we have accepted it is of paramount importance right now. If you have accepted it cheerfully and soulfully, because this is the decision approved by the Supreme, then everything is perfect. Otherwise, you may have a child, but if you are not following the Will of the Supreme, then it will be a terrible mistake. What has happened is for your best and for your wife’s best. It is not a loss if you offer the child to the Supreme. He came and he has gone back to the soul’s world, where he will remain with the Supreme.