Does free will exist? An answer from Vedic wisdom.

We see many scholars deny "free will's" existence and joke about free will and destiny claiming it does not really exist.

While others make the topic of free will a great mystery and not understanding what "free will" really is or means.

And yes, it is a fact many souls are NOT always granted free will however, what does that really mean and where is free will not granted?

Yes, "free will" IS restricted to many jiva-souls, but ONLY in the material creation and NEVER on the Spiritual Planets.

In the material creation almost all species of life are FORCED to act under the modes of material nature which are eating, sleeping, mating and defending.

And yes, they have no "free will" in that bodily conditioned state.

And there is very little "free will" in the rare human bodily form also, where karmic reactions to one's pious and impious actions also enter the mix, but ONLY in the human bodily form.

However "free will" in its "full potential" IS always experienced in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana (The Kingdoms of God) where it ALWAYS exists so one can have meaningful loving voluntary exchanges with Krsna.

If the jiva-souls have no "free will" in the Spiritual World, then they are no better than dead stone Prabhupada tells us.

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)

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 - "Free will" means that you can act wrongly. That is "free will". Unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of "free will". Where is "free will" then? If I act only one sided, that means I have no "free will". Because we act sometimes wrongly, that means free will."

Hayagriva - "A man may know better but still act wrongly".

Srila Prabhupada -"Yes", but that is "free will". He misuses his. Just like a thief, he knows that his stealing, it is bad, but still he does it. That is free will. He cannot check his greediness, so in spite of his knowing that he is doing wrong thing—he will be punished, he knows; he has seen another thief, he was punished, he was put into prison— everything he knows, but still he steals. Why? Misuse of free will. Unless there is misuse of free will, there is no question of free will. (Excerpt from: Philosophy Discussions with Srila Prabhupada – Rene Descartes)

Srila Prabhupada - "So if by "free will" you choose to surrender to Krishna then you’ll get your REAL "free will, freedom". Otherwise you are under the clutches of maya".(Morning Walk – 14 July 14, 1975, Philadelphia)

The jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are forever voluntarily expanding the expression of their individuality with an increasing variety of personal devotional offerings based on free will, it is NEVER a one sided master/slave none contributing mindless relationship with God as Prabhupada explains.

Srila Prabhupada – "Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force, no, Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!" (Washington DC July 8, 1976)

Real love or Bhakti is reciprocal, it is NEVER a one way street where surrender to Krsna takes away one's sense of self, individuality and personal loving contributions or voluntary offering. 

Each individual jiva-soul has their own independent personality (yet dependent on Krsna), separate from Krsna's Personality, which means having their own sense of self, and a "unique identity" that THEY only individually have.  

These attributes are part and parcel of each individual marginal living entity (jiva-soul) making each of them the unique "PERSON" they eternally are.

"Free will" in its full potential, is ONLY fully experienced in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, which is the jiva-souls original perpetual home.

Srila Prabhupada - “As soon as we try, “Oh, this material world is very nice,", Krsna says, “yes, you go and enjoy the material world", otherwise what is the meaning of free will? Every living entity has got a little free will. And Krsna is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this." It is free will. Just like one goes to the prisonhouse, not that government welcomes, "Come on. We have got prisonhouse. Come here, come here." He goes out of his free will; again comes out, again goes. Like that." (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course, May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)

Devotee – "In Srimad Bhagavatam, it says that Krsna 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 Krsna 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).

The jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are forever voluntarily expanding their chosen service to Krsna with personal selfless offerings based on "free will" and loving exchanges with Krishna.

Such a relationship even with God (Krsna), is NEVER a one sided affair, it is always a "two-way" respectful exchange of feelings with Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes.

Srila Prabhupada - "So Krsna does not want to become lover by force, by 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.)

Srila Prabhupada - ''We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be "one" or love cannot be executed only one, there must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then love''. (Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 2 text 6, Delhi, November 12, 1973)

Srila Prabhupāda – ''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)

Real love of God, Bhakti or service is ALWAYS based on reciprocal exchanges between two as said above. 

Loving relations are NEVER a one sided one way affair with Krsna where surrender means one has to give up their "free will", their independence and having a unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality that allows each jiva soul to make their own personal contributions and offerings THEY choose to make as a gift to Krsna.

This is important to understand because each jiva-soul has their own independent identity with individual characteristics and an unique personality that is separate from Krsna's Personality, that THEY only exclusively have.

These qualities are part and parcel of each individual marginal living entity (jiva-soul) that makes them the unique "PERSON" they are eternally.

Srila Prabhupada - “Because you are Son of God you have got independence, full independence, therefore you have acquired the quality of your father. So God does not interfere with your independence. (Conversation Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974)

"Free will" is factored into the fabric of space-time's past, present and future for the jiva-soul's journey through the temporary material creation.

Within the material creation, Maha Visnu has ALREADY created every possible out come conceivable just so the visiting jiva-souls from Vaikuntha, can experience their independent desires from Krsna.

This means all material bodily pathways exists within Maha Visnu's dreams like stories found in books in a library.

Having "Free will" means the jiva-souls can desire, good or bad if they choose, without having that choice there is no question of freedom.

Everything the jiva-souls can desire already exists within the dreams of Maha Visnu.

In this way, Maha Visnu's dreams fulfil every desire conceivable that each visiting jiva-soul has.

The jiva-souls can desire what ever they want when they first choose to enter the material creation because what ever desires they seek to achieve, actually already exists in Maha-Visnu's "Library of Dreams" that allow the jiva-souls to experience their desires and maintain the right to ALWAYS execute their "free will". 

In other words, regardless of what desires the visiting jiva souls have, those desires are already within the dreams of Maha Visnu activated by the the choices (desires) of the visiting jiva-souls.

No jiva-souls originate from Maha Visnu or the impersonal Brahmajyoti.

What actually happens is the jiva-soul's desires automatically tune into the dreams of Maha Visnu that match the jiva-soul's desires to enjoy separately from Krsna.

In the material creation all facilities to fulfill the jiva-soul's desires come from Maha Visnu.

Having "Free will" means the jiva-souls can desire, good or bad if they choose.

Without having that choice there is no question of freedom.

Everything the jiva-souls can desire already exists within the dreams of Maha Visnu.

Maha Visnu's dreams can fulfil every desire conceivable that each visiting jiva-souls soul has.

Once the jiva-soul chooses to leave Vaikuntha and therefore enter the material creation, the desires of the jiva souls are matched with the dreams of Maha Visnu so the jiva souls can experience their desires

All the dreams of Maha Visnu (which is everything there is in the material creation) exist under the movement of material time which is past, present and future.

This means if the jiva-soul desires a separate existence from Krsna or Visnu, then it is Maha Visnu's dreams of the material creation that provide all the facilities to the visiting jiva-souls, including the material bodily vessels the jiva-souls are given, just so they can experience their desires separate from Krsna. 

The desires of the jiva-soul in the material creation are always fulfilled by the dreams of Maha-Visnu, He provides them with everything while in the material creation. 

As said above, all material bodily vessels and facilities are owned by and provided by Maha Visnu.

All jiva-souls move through the material fabric of space-time, attracting from Maha Visnu's dreams, those dream realities that match the jiva-soul's individual material desires created by their "free will".

As said above, every desire the visiting jiva-souls have already exists within the dreams of Maha Visnu.

EVERYTHING that can exist in past, present and future is already existing within Maha Visnu's dreams.

Past, present, and future all exist simultaneously in the material worlds (Brahmanda universes) from the viewpoint of Maha Visnu. 

He is above the movement and flow of material time's past, present and future and can view the beginning, middle and end of the roadway of time simultaneously, from above like one sees a roadway in an Aircraft or Spacecraft.

All material bodily vessels the jiva souls have chosen to possess (enter), are obtained from Maha Visnu's dreams, just like one gets a costume from a costume shop to play out a role in a play.

All facilities of material bodily costumes and their pathway from birth to death, are provided by Maha Visnu because He is the creator and maintainer of all the material universes (Brahmandas).

The jiva-souls are the passenger in such material vessels possessed for the purpose of fulfilling the jiva-soul's desires.

All material bodily vessels and their facilities are owned by Maha Visnu.

Material bodies or vessels the jiva-souls are contained in while in the material creation, all originate from Maha Visnu's dreams.

No jiva-souls originate from Maha Visnu or His material creation, Maha Visnu creates ALL the material universes (Brahmandas) that provide ALL the material bodily vessels and facilities to the visiting jiva-souls from Vaikuntha, so they can experience their chosen desires in the material creation.

Srila Prabhupada – “This material creation is the spirit soul’s dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Maha-Visnu, as the Brahma-Samhita describes–

“This material world is created by the dreaming of Maha-Visnu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation”. (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 4 Chapter 29 text 83)

Srila Prabhupada - “Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present and future, is merely a dream. This is the secret in understanding in all the Vedic literature.” (Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 4 Chapter 29 text 2b)

Srila Prabhupada - “Our contact with matter is just like dream. Actually we are not fallen. Therefore, because we are not fallen, at any moment we can revive our Krsna consciousness, we break the dream.” (Tokyo Japan 1972, Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 9 text 1)

Srila Prabhupada - "Factually all of material existence is only a dream. Thus there is no question of past, present or future. Persons who are addicted to karma-kanda-vicara, which means ‘working for future happiness through fruitive activities’, are also dreaming. Similarly, past happiness and present happiness are merely dreams" (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 4 Chapter 29 text 2b)

"Space-time" is the fabric in all material universes responsible for the movement of past, present and future that Maha Visnu has arranged.

All Brahmanda universes originate from the pores and breathing of Maha-Visnu.

Inside each Brahmanda universe is a secondary smaller universe where Garbhodakashayi Visnu, Lord Brahma and many planetary systems are found.

Material time is a roadway divided into past, present and future and also seen as the movement of beginning, to middle and progressing to end. 

The beginning, middle and end of a roadway are seen simultaneously from above by Maha Visnu and is permanently there even after one passes over such a roadway.

In other words all 'time of past, present and future' exists just like each part of the roadway exists after passing over it. 

This means that within the fabric of space-time, the material body we are in IS like the roadway that starts from birth, childhood, youth, middle age, and ends at old age and death.

The fact is, the jiva-souls are simply the passengers ''on the roadway'' and "a passenger also in the material bodily vessel" because the soul or jiva is NOT made of matter that the roadway and bodily vessel the jiva-soul is in/on IS made of.

Past, present, and future all exist simultaneously in the material world to Maha Visnu because He is God and knows and sees all.

Maha Visnu dreams the entire material creation which means every possible outcome that the individual jiva souls can experience, already exists in the material dreams of Maha Visnu.

This means every possible outcome is already existing in the dreams of Maha Visnu.

There are billions of Brahmanda universes, each with a smaller secondary universe deep inside them where Maha Visnu expands as Garbhodakashayi Visnu.

And from Garbhodakashayi Visnu's navel Lord Brahma appears who then builds the different Planetary Systems.

This happens in all of the billions of Brahmanda universes that originate from the pores and breathing of Maha Visnu.

There is only one Maha Visnu in the material creation but there are billions of Garbhodakashayi Visnus and Brahmas.

As already explained, from above, the movement of material time (past, present, and future) everything exists simultaneously in the material world to Maha Visnu who naturally knows all things, past, present and future.^^.