Srila Prabhupada: MERCY or FREE WILL?

Mahanidhi Swami

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada where is the question of the free will of the individual?

Srila Prabhupada: “[You have] free will under Krishna. Your free will sanctioned by Krishna. However, you are not so free that whatever you like, you can do.”

Devotee: If I want to perform some pious deed, it is only by Krishna’s mercy that I will do it?

Srila Prabhupada: “Yes. It isn’t just a question of our free will; Krishna has His free will also, and that is supreme. You cannot bind Krishna to dictate in a similar way. If Krishna likes, He may act and if He doesn’t like, He may not act. That is Krishna.”

Devotee: [Then no matter how much we preach or sell books] ultimately it is simply by the mercy of Krishna that a living entity comes back to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada: “Yes. So it is Krishna’s business where to show mercy, but you cannot oblige [order] Krishna that ‘You show mercy everywhere.’

“No! You cannot oblige Krishna, ‘You do this.’ That is not Krishna. Therefore whatever Krishna likes, He’ll do. If Krishna likes, He can give you mercy. And if Krishna does not like, He may not.” (Trans.Diary 14^th March 1976)

Svatantra Bhagavan Sri Krishna ki jai! Srila Prabhupada ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!