The fact is, free will ALWAYS exists in Goloka Vrindavana and Vaikuntha and is part and parcel of our constitutional make up as a marginal living entity (individual jiva soul).
And yes, Krishna ALWAYS allows free will because love CANNOT be experienced or expressed without free will, this is why Krishna ALWAYS allows free will.
Srila Prabhupada has made it clear, it is only by Krishna’s sanction and approval does the jiva soul have their free will to begin with, so how to understand this?
The answer is both simple and obvious.
The fact is, if Krishna denied the jiva soul's their free will, then they can NEVER experience love, or know what love is which is always a two way street of giving and accepting.
Therefore without free will, without being allowed to contribute personal offerings by having their independent choices, even though fully dependent on Krishna, the jiva soul will NEVER experience wonderful loving exchanges, reciprocation, and the personal unique individual loving contributions with Krishna.
As Prabhupada says below, without "free will" we are no better than dead stone!
“Free will” or the ability to “choose” is eternally part and parcel of the jiva souls (marginal living entities) natural constitution and ALWAYS exists without beginning or end in the Spiritual Planets.
However, free will in its full potential, is ONLY fully experienced in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, which is the jiva souls original perpetual home.
Devotee – “Srila Prabhupada why did Krishna give us free will if He knew we may miss use it?”
Srila Prabhupada – “If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. You want to be stone? Then you must have free will! But don’t misuse your free will. But don’t try to become stone either. That is not life”. (August 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)
Devotee – “In Srimad Bhagavatam it says that Krishna did not want us to come to this material world. If Krishna did not want us to come, why are we here?” Why doesn’t He save me from thinking like that?”
Srila Prabhupada – “That means you lose your independence. That is force, in Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.’ ” Is it love? “You love me, otherwise I will kill you!’ Is that love? So Krishna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C).
As Srila Prabhupada explains below, the relationship between Krishna and the individual soul is never a one way relationship that denies personal contributions and choices, no, love is ALWAYS based on the reciprocation between two because love can only exist when there is two as Prabhupada explains-
Srila Prabhupāda – ”Unless there are two persons, where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange, then there is love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there”. (August 9, 1976, Tehran)
Srila Prabhupada – “So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, or one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that is not independence, that is force.” (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada – “So, unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom.” (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)
Ultimately each individual soul is a unique person who can choose for themselves how to voluntarily serve Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, or even ignore Him if they choose.
As Prabhupada explains, Krishna never forces you to surrender to Him, never forces you to love Him, that must be voluntary.
Srila Prabhupada – “Krishna NEVER forces you to love Him, that MUST be voluntary. (Melbourne June 25, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada – “Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force, no, Krishna does not want to become a lover like that.” (July 8, 1976)
In the following conversation Srila Prabhupada is explaining to us that Krishna is ALWAYS in control because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes.
This includes allowing the jiva souls to have their independence and free will explained here –
Syamasundara dasa – ”Does the individual soul have a little independence to choose?”
Srila Prabhupada – ”No, Bhagavad-Gita states that when the individual soul wants to act, Krsna gives the orders. Man proposes, and God disposes”.
What Srila Prabhupada is saying here, is the individual soul cannot have their little independence or free will without the sanction of Krsna first.
This is because Krishna is the cause of ALL causes, it is by His will alone that the jiva souls have their freedom so they can choose how to love or serve Krishna.
Syamasundara dasa – ”So we have no free will?”
Srila Prabhupada – ”Not without the sanction of Krsna. Without Him, we cannot do anything. Therefore He is the ultimate cause”. (Dialectical Spiritualism: A Vedic View).
The conclusion is, free will DOES and MUST exists in GoVrindavana and Vaikuntha as part and parcel of the constitutional make up of every marginal living entity (individual jiva soul).
And yes, Krishna ALWAYS allows it because without it there can be no loving exchanges.
This is why Krishna ALWAYS allow free will?
Srila Prabhupada has made it clear, it is only Krishna’s sanction and approval does the jiva soul have their free will because only then can they make their own choice to love and serve Krishna.
So the answer is both simple and obvious.
As explained and made VERY clear, if Krishna denied the jiva soul's their free will, then they can NEVER experience love or know what love is.
In other words, without free will, without being allowed to contribute personal offerings and have independent choices, even though fully dependent on Krishna, the jiva soul can NEVER experience "personal" wonderful loving exchanges, reciprocation and a unique individual meaningful relationship with Krishna.
As Prabhupada says above, without "free will" we are no better than dead stone.
Your servant Gauragopala Dasa.
Srila Prabhupada explains that the relationship between Krishna and the individual soul is NEVER a one way relationship that denies personal contributions and choices, no, love is ALWAYS based on the reciprocation between two because love can only exist when there are two as Prabhupada explains-
ReplyDeleteSrila Prabhupāda – ''Unless there are two persons, where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange, then there is love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there". (August 9, 1976, Tehran)
Srila Prabhupada – “So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, or one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that is not independence, that is force.” (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada - “Unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom.” (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)
Ultimately each individual soul is a unique person who can choose for themselves to voluntarily serve Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, or ignore Him.
As Prabhupada explains, Krishna never forces you to surrender to Him, never forces you to love Him, that must be voluntary otherwise love can never exist.
Srila Prabhupada – "Krishna NEVER forces you to love Him, that MUST be voluntary. (Melbourne June 25, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada – "Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force, no, Krishna does not want to become a lover like that." (July 8, 1976)
Krishna never interferes with the Free will of the jiva soul
Srila Prabhupada - ''As soon as we try, "Oh, this material world is very nice," "Yes," Kṛṣṇa says, "yes, you go." Otherwise what is the meaning of free will? Every living entity has got a little free will. And Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this." It is free will''. (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course, May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
Devotee – "In Srimad Bhagavatam, it says that Krishna did not want us to come to this material world. If Krishna did not want us to come, why are we here?” Why doesn’t He save me from thinking like that?”
Srila Prabhupada - “That means you lose your independence, your free will. That is force, in Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.’ ” Is it love? “You love me, otherwise I will kill you!’ Is that love? So Krishna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C)
Many foolish big scholars, past devotees and many sangas have NOT understood the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita and the eternal reality of the SPIRITUAL WORLDS.
ReplyDeleteOf course there is birth into the temporary mundane material creation however, in the Spiritual Planets, which is the original position and home of ALL living entities, there is NO birth that fools only preach there is.
The fact is, the jiva souls were NEVER created, and will NEVER cease to be, they have always existed as Gita tells us!
Chapter 2 Text 20 it states-
"For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain". (BG Chapter 2 Text 20)
Just like the Sun and the Sun-rays cannot exist without each other, similarly Krishna and the jiva souls cannot exist without each other and are both eternal "Nectar of Devotion" tells us.
Therefore jiva souls were NEVER born or created because they have ALWAYS been, they never came from some nonsense "clear sheet of consciousness" that fools preach, no, the jiva souls were NEVER created because they have ALWAYS existed.
Srila Prabhupada – "There is no “ NEW” soul. “New'’ and “old'’ are due to this material body, the soul is NEVER born and NEVER dies, so if there is no birth, how can there be new souls?'' (Letter to Jagadisa 7/9/1970)