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Where is freewill?

Posted by aakash menon on September 19, 2011 at 5:25pm in Krishna

Hare Krishna all,

Pamho, AgtSP!

 

       Are we born only to serve?  Why my heart doesnt accept this and when I try to convince

myself forcibly ,I go into depression.I think I am not serving krishna out of love but out of fear 

of what is going to happen if I dont. There is no freewill as such,there is minute freedom and the rest

of the life is controlled by scriptures.In KC people are happy only if they surrender to krishna but everyone is not capable of suppressing sense objects and surrender to him.It is like 'my way or no way'. What kind freewill is this which doesnt allow to execute the life in a way we want. If krishna really want us to serve him then why did he give freewill. What kind of love is this?  I unable to develop true love for krishna and Iam not happy with him sometimes. How can I train my brain to accept this truth and surrender to him.

 

your servant

Aakash

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  • Vignesh Arumuga Chelvan Y December 29, 2020 at 4:50pm

    Radhanath Swami Maharaj's answer in a 7 minute video: https://youtu.be/dWkCnA_RTkM.

  • Volunteer
    anand patel November 24, 2012 at 3:58pm

    THE LORD`S FREE WILL and THE LIVING ENTITY`S FREE WILL.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    DESTINY. PART 2.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    CAUSE AND EFFECT.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    FATE AND DESTINY.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 62. ON FATE, DESTINY, FREEDOM AND FREE WILL.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    QUESTIONS ASKED TO SRILA PRABHUPADA. PART 63. ON FATE, DESTINY, FREEDOM AND FREE WILL.‏

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  • Speaking Soul November 16, 2012 at 10:37pm
    I think you are confused by the term serve and love. Here love and serve are one and same thing.

    “What is the nitya-dharma, or eternal, constitutional function of the jiva? You must examine this question carefully. Transcendental love for Krsna (prema) is the jiva’s nitya-dharma. The jiva is a substance transcendental to mundane matter, and consciousness is that which he is constituted. His eternal function is divine love, and the nature of that pure prema is service to Krsna. Therefore, the constitutional function of the jiva is service to Krsna, which is the nature of prema.

    “Jivas exist in two conditions: suddha-avastha, the pure liberated state; or baddha-avastha, the conditioned state. In the liberated state, the jiva is completely spiritual (cinmaya), and has no connection with mundane matter. However, even in the liberated state, the jiva is an infinitesimal entity.

    What is prema? You should understand clearly that prema is the unadulterated function by which two transcendental entities are spontaneously attracted to each other. Prema cannot occur without the separate existence of two transcendental entities. Krsna-prema is the dharma by which all transcendental entities are eternally attracted to the supreme transcendent Entity, Sri Krsnacandra. The ideology of prema rests on the eternally established truths that Krsnacandra has His own eternal, separate existence, and that the jivas have their own eternal, separate existence, following His leadership (anugatya); and that this prema-tattva is also an eternally perfect truth (nityasiddha- tattva).
    Here love is not meant by Physical love pertaining to the gross body, or as emotional love in relation to the subtle body.

    “I have explained all this to you in words, but you can only understand their true meaning to the extent that you have realized and experienced the unalloyed spiritual realm. I have just given you a glimpse; you should try to realize the meaning of what I have said through cit-samadhi, spiritual meditation. You will not be able to understand these topics through mundane logic or by debate. The more you can free your faculty of experience from material bondage, the more you will be able to experience the spiritual domain.

    “First you should cultivate the realization of your pure spiritual identity and practice chanting sri-krsna-nama purely, then your spiritual function known as jaiva-dharma will be clearly revealed.

    http://www.bvml.org/SBNM/JaivaDharma/02.html
    Jaiva Dharma -- Chapter 2
  • Volunteer
    anand patel November 16, 2012 at 6:24pm

    THE LORD`S FREE WILL and THE LIVING ENTITY`S FREE WILL.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    DESTINY. PART 2.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    CAUSE AND EFFECT.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

    FATE AND DESTINY.‏

    http://www.iskcondesiretree.net/group/krishnaconsciousness/forum/to...

  • Ram Kumar September 20, 2011 at 9:15pm
    Hare Krishna Jagadatma Das Prabhu,
    My humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

    Thanks for the very nice explanation.

    RadheKrishna!!
    Your Servant,
    Ram
  • Volunteer
    Jagadatma das September 20, 2011 at 5:45pm
    Dear devotee Hare Krsna, when I was a small child about 6 years old I was attending primary school in England.
    There was about 30 children in that class 50% boys 50% girls.
    The teacher asked us, If you could be whatever you want when you grow up what would you be.
    All the boys imedeately replied that they would be the king and all the girls wanted to be the queen.
    The teacher asked , the king of England? No, they all repied, we want to be the king/queen of the whole world and everyone can be our servant.
    We want to own everything and enjoy whatever we want and no one to tell us what we can or can not do.

    This is our condition in material life.
    Everyone is competing for the topmost position and are envious of one another.
    There is always a struggle and tension between individuals, parties, nations.
    At anytime there can be violence, theft, rape, terrorism and war.
    Because of lust and greed there is scarcity and all kinds of exploitation.
    Unable to fulfil lusty desires, frustrated they become angry and depressed.
    They hoped to be kings and queens but they became the slaves of maya.

    Lord Krsna is not a desptic dictator who rules over us with terror and fear.
    Krsna is always inviting us to come and share everything with Him and as an equal, as a loving friend.
    Only because of ignorance of that love do we remain here in the prison house of the material world.
    That love is so nice even Krsna is controlled and He becomes the servant of His devotee.
    You can be Krsna's friend, or feel you want to protect Him out of love like His parents or you may feel amorous passion towards Krsna like the Gopis who would make scratches and bite marks on His body.


    So why do people not accept His offer of an eternal loving relationship?
    We are not charging any money or demanding anything.
    We just ask you to have a little faith and put Krsna in the platform of love.
    When Srila Prabhupada came to Australia a reporter asked what will I have to give up to be a devotee of Krsna.
    Srila Prabhupada replied, Only you have to give up your misery!

    So try to understand.....
    Krsna will give you everything when you are ready to use that for your own benefit.
    Just like a very wealthy man can suply millions of dollars to his young child but he does not do so.
    Only when you have learnt to share and love others will he give you that wealth.
    So he sends you to the best schools where you get trained in all good qualities
    This school is capable of removing all pride and envy, such a good school.
    Your father loves you so much and he knows how to train you.
    After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare. BG 7.19 Hare Krsna
  • Volunteer
    Mohini Madhavi September 20, 2011 at 4:34pm
    Hare Krishna dear Devotees,
    Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
    In Bhagavad Gita in the purport Srila Prabhupada says that insignificant soul which is marginal energy of Krishna can not survive independently. The soul may choose to be under the control of Maya Devi or under the control of Krishna.
    So in any cases we are serving. If we do not serve to Krishna we have to serve to our senses.
    In whole world everyone is busy with serving to others. Cook cooks, doctor cures, teacher teaches, driver does taxi...all we are servants of others. And as a price we get some wealth in order to survive.
    We may decide not to serve to Krishna, then we will serve to our senses. Before we cooked for Krishna now we will cook for our own tongue.
    And every action has its reaction. If you kill even a plant for eating the reaction should be your death. But when we kill that plant for the senses of Krishna then Krishna will take care of the reaction. So what is difficult in serving to Krishna?
    Free will is to choose to serve to Krishna or to Maya.
    We never will be independent. As Ram Kumar Prabhu mentioned we are all prakriti female God is enjoyer.
    As like unprotected girl's life is full of fears but when she is protected by Father, husband, son she feels herself more independent.
    So we are souls.
    Your servant,
  • aakash menon September 20, 2011 at 6:09am
    Hare Krishna Ram Kumar Prabhu,
    Pamho
    All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

    I thank you for your patience and elaborate explaination to my question. It is really enlightening.

    Thank you

    Your Servant
    Aakash
  • Volunteer
    Shravn Prabhu September 19, 2011 at 8:49pm

    Hare Krishna Aakash Prabhu, very nice question. 

    Here is the Srila Prabhupada's morning walk December 5, 1973, Los Angeles, I am hopeful, will answer your question on free will. Hope you will perform sankirtana everyday... 1st Instruction of Mahaprabhu,

    ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam
    shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
    anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritaswadanam
    sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam

    Glory to the Sri Krishna Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

     

    Haribol

     

    Prabhupada: According to Vedic principle, the sudras, they should not be given more money, the worker class. Now the worker class is given more money. So what they'll do? They'll produce drunkards. That's all. In America, it is evident. They do not know how to use money. So therefore we see, fifty-two percent drunkards in your country. Eh? What is the percentage?
    Devotee: I'm not sure, Srila Prabhupada.

    Karandhara: It's probably close to that.

    Prabhupada: Eh? At least fifty-percent. Eh?

    Karandhara: Drunkards, debauchers.

    Prabhupada: Yes.

    Karandhara: Criminals.

    Prabhupada: Harer nama harer nama... [Cc. Adi 17.21]. What is the time?

    Hrdayananda: Quarter to seven.

    Prabhupada: Oh. So we can...?

    Karandhara: We can walk around a little bit.

    Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

    Umapati: So how... Is it a waste of time then to present Krsna consciousness philosophy to someone who believes in doing your own thing? Do you think that that is a...?

    Prabhupada: No. It is, it is... We should push Krsna consciousness as disinfecting agent. They're all infected, the whole world. So by chanting you disinfect.

    Umapati: Just by our presence chanting then?

    Prabhupada: Yes. Therefore chanting is so important. Philosophy later on. First of all, ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12], cleansing the heart.

    Devotees: Jaya.

    Prabhupada: Cleansing the heart. So by hearing this chanting their heart will be cleansed gradually. Then they will understand the real position.

    Umapati: Oh. Jaya.

    Hrdayananda: Oh, Krsna.

    Prabhupada: So we have to do this chanting, not sit down in a solitary place, chanting himself. No, not like that. You are to vibrate the sound for the benefit of others.

    Umapati: That is the mystical process of this movement.

    Prabhupada: Yes, yes. So that their heart may be cleansed and they can understand. And if I sit down in a solitary place, for my benefit, that may be his benefit, but it is not very high class engagement. He must sacrifice for others. Pararthe prag utsri, utsri(?). That is the Canakya Pandita's moral instruction, that "Everyone should sacrifice for the Supreme." Caitanya Mahaprabhu is God Himself. He comes down to preach, to become sannyasi, and to take so much trouble all over India and everywhere, and giving instruction and sending men, "Go, go, go, go." What? Why you...? He's perfect. Why He's coming? He doesn't require. No. For the benefit of others, we must follow the footsteps of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (aside:) That's all right. Why water is here?

    Karandhara: I don't know, Prabhupada. It's a low spot.

    Prabhupada: A Vaisnava's first qualification that he's unhappy by seeing others unhappy. Vaisnava cannot be unhappy. That Prahlada Maharaja says, that "I have no problem. I am unhappy seeing these people who are simply engaged in false activities and they do not care for Krsna consciousness. Therefore I am unhappy." This is Vaisnava's qualification. Not that "I am saved. That's all right." That is materialism. "Let others go to hell. I am saved." That is materialism. A Vaisnava should think always, "Oh, so many people are suffering. What I am doing for them?" That is Vaisnava. Para-duhkha-duhkhi.

    Svarupa Damodara: That is also said by scientists. They also say that "People are suffering. So we are trying to make them happy."

    Prabhupada: That's all right, but if you do not know, how you'll make them happy? You'll create havoc.

    Yasomatinandana: Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9].

    Prabhupada: Yes, you do not know how to make them happy. First of all learn how to make them happy. You cannot manufacture your program to make them happy. That everyone is doing. But the more they are acting, the world becoming in chaotic condition. You know what is the standard of happiness, how to make them happy; then you can work. If a medical man, he has never seen a medical college and if he wants to treat patient, what is this?

    Hrdayananda: A criminal.

    Prabhupada: Yes. Quack. He must know how to make them happy. That is first business.

    Yasomatinandana: Jaya, Srila Prabhupada.

    Prabhupada: Hare Krsna.

    Karandhara: Thank you, Srila Prabhupada.

    Prabhupada: Jaya.

    Hrdayananda: Jaya. All glories to Prabhupada. (Prabhupada gets in the car)

    Prabhupada: [break] ...basic disease. He has made himself voluntarily under the clutches of maya. And maya's business is to give trouble. That's all. Otherwise, he's free, but he has voluntarily accepted the custody of maya. Yaya sammohito jivah. Sammohitah means bewildered. Jiva, the living entities. Atmanam tri-gunatmakam. Everyone is identifying, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this body," "I am that body." This is identification with maya. Atmanam tri-gunatmakam. Tat-krtam cabhipadyate. And as soon as he becomes under the clutches of maya, he'll act according to the dictation of maya. Tat-krtam cabhipadyate. [break] ...to see their Los Angeles Zoo? Why they're advertising?

    Sudama: The Los Angeles what, Prabhupada?

    Hrdayananda: Zoo.

    Prabhupada: Zoo.

    Sudama: Oh yeah?

    Karandhara: It's not a very good zoo.

    Sudama: No, it's not.

    Karandhara: Just a small little one.

    Hrdayananda: The big zoo is in San Diego.

    Prabhupada: Eh? No, zoo in the Africa.

    Sudama: Oh yeah?

    Prabhupada: Yes. (laughter) No, actually they go. There is a national zoo. Thousands of... Practically Africa's main income is from the tourists.

    Srutakirti: Tourism.

    Prabhupada: Yes. People go to see. You'll, you'll drive your car. You'll find lions, elephants, or...

    Srutakirti: Recently one of Brahmananda's men had an accident by hitting some animal on the road. Large animal, I think it was.

    Prabhupada: Oh, what accident?

    Srutakirti: One of the vans. One of the devotees ran into an animal on the road.

    Prabhupada: Accha?

    Srutakirti: I'm not sure what it was.

    Prabhupada: No, the national garden means there is arrangement. The animals are free, roaming. But you can go with your car and...

    Hrdayananda: Oh yes.

    Prabhupada: And they cannot attack within the car.

    Sudama: No.

    Prabhupada: But if you come out, they'll attack. The lions are there, elephants are there. [break]

    Sudama: Not very cold?

    Prabhupada: Not very cold.

    Sudama: No, no. Compared to Hawaii, it is very cold.

    Prabhupada: Eh?

    Sudama: Compared to Hawaii, it is very cold.

    Prabhupada: Oh. Hawaii is very pleasant.

    Sudama: Yes, now it is eighty-five degrees every day.

    Prabhupada: Oh.

    Sudama: It's wintertime now.

    Prabhupada: And summer?

    Sudama: Summer's very hot. Hundred and five.

    Prabhupada: But there is rainfall.

    Sudama: Yes.

    Prabhupada: Summer.

    Sudama: Yes. There's quite a bit now. Sometimes in the winter it rains. So that one devotee brought up the point of the philosophy of "Do your own thing," and that's what the devotees were instructed in Hawaii to do. When they closed the temple, Gaurasundara just said, "Now everyone go and do your own thing for Prabhupada."

    Prabhupada: If he does Prabhupada's work, then where is the own thing?

    Sudama: Yeah, right. There's...

    Prabhupada: "Do your own thing on behalf of Prabhupada." So if he wants Prabhupada, he must abide by the order of Prabhupada.

    Sudama: Yeah. My thing is your thing. Actually, I have nothing of my own.

    Prabhupada: No, they have been misguided. But temple closing was very irresponsible... [break] ...house many years.

    Sudama: Many years. (end)

    • aakash menon > Shravn Prabhu September 20, 2011 at 6:11am
      Hare Krishna Shravan Prabhu,
      Pamho
      All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

      I thank you for your explaination to my question with an example. It is really very good and more visual.

      Thank you

      Your Servant
      Aakash
This reply was deleted.