Swedish man - ''Is there free will?''

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, just like you are sitting here. If you don’t like, you can go away. That’s your free will. There is free will, we are part and parcel of God, therefore we have got minute quantity of freedom." (Temple lecture Stockholm Sweden 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - "Every individual jiva-soul is awarded a portion of independence because each are part and parcel of God, thus he has the quality of independence, but in minute quantity, that is his individuality."

Syamasundara dasa - "Does the individual jiva-soul have a little independence to choose?"

Srila Prabhupada - "No (not without the sanction of Krsna) Bhagavad-Gita states that when the individual soul wants to act, Krsna firsts gives the orders of sanction. Man proposes, and God disposes."

Syamasundara dasa - "So we have no free will?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Not without the sanction of Krsna first, without Him we cannot do anything. Krsna is the ultimate cause of all causes."

Syamasundara dasa - "But I thought you have been saying that we have a little independence."

Srila Prabhupada - "We have independence in the sense that we may deny or affirm, but unless Krsna sanctions, we cannot do anything." (Dialectical Spiritualism: A Vedic View of Western Philosophy)

Srila Prabhupada here is confirming everything comes from Krsna and He alone is the cause of all causes therefore everything must first be sanctioned by Krsna, including free will because Krsna is the the ultimate  cause of all causes, including the "sanction" of free expression.

Nothing can happen without the sanction of Krsna first because eveything comes from Him, nothing is fully independent from Krsna because everything is dependent on His energy, not a even a blade of grass can move without first being sanctioned by Krsna.

However, Krsna will ALWAYS sanction free will because it allows the self expression of voluntary contributions. 

This allows the jiva-souls to act independently from Krsna's dominance regarding decision making by being able to choose for themselves how to act including accepting Kṛṣṇa, or rejecting Krsna.

There is no free will unless the ability to choose exists for the jiva-souls, this includes the choice to accept or reject Krsna.

Without the free will that gives one a sense of independent self, the jiva-souls can never voluntary contribute to their relationship with Krsna in their own unique way. 

This is why "real love or service" can only exists in a "two-way" exchange of feelings where "two" are always involved in voluntary reciprocal exchange with each other.  

Otherwise the jiva-souls are no better than dead stone existing like mindless lifeless puppets under the manipulative control of the puppet master. 

If Krsna denies the jiva-souls their free will, then that denies them from being able to express themselves in their own unique way as an "independent person" separate from Krsna's Personality. 

 Although Srila Prabhupada makes the point above that everything is under His control as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, as the Bhagavad-gita teaches us-

Srila Prabhupāda - "Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord." (BG, Ch 7 Text 21, Purport)

This is hard to understand because simultaneously the jiva-souls MUST have their feeling of being independent from Krsna too that allows them to make their own choices.

If Krsna must always have complete control over the jiva-soul's personal decision making, then I reject Him being the Supreme Being!

Already I have made it clear I do NOT agree with everything Prabhupada says, like the Moons distance to the earth and astronauts visiting the Moon between 1969 and 1972. But in most cases I do.

The jiva-souls have free will because it allows them to voluntarily contribute to the relationship with Krsna in their own way, or even reject Krsna if they choose.

Voluntary freedom of self expression must always exist because it proves free will exists.

Bali Mardana - "An example of free will is someone can choose Kṛṣṇa or turn away? ISP O pool p that an example of free will?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, because if you accept Kṛṣṇa, then you must follow what Kṛṣṇa says. If you don't follow Kṛṣṇa, then what is the use of talking of Kṛṣṇa? If he accepts Kṛṣṇa, he must abide by the injunction of Kṛṣṇa." (Morning Walk, Jan 22, 1974, Hawaii)

Srila Prabhupada - "So, unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom." (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)

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 but misuses his free will, just like a thief who knows he is 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. But unless there can be misuse of free will, then there is no question of free will." (Philosophy Discussions on Rene Descartes)

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)

Krsna never forces the jiva-souls to worship Him, that must be voluntary, and their choice.

Without free will in the spiritual world's of Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana, would only make the jiva-souls emotionless and mindless like dead stone!

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!" (Aug, 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)

Krsna allows this freedom because without free will, loving exchanges, reciprocation and voluntary offerings would never exist. 

Srila Prabhupada – "You have got little independence therefore you can violate. Because you are part and parcel of God you have got independence, proportionately, that independence has to be accepted, little independence. We can misuse that." (Mayapur, Feb, 19, 1976)

Having free will is the constitutional make up of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) that is always part and parcel of their eternal character and personality in the spiritual worlds.

Srila Prabhupāda – "Unless there are two consenting 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." (Aug 9, 1976, Tehran)

The individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities) can never exist independently from Krsna, even though they can express their own independent free will separate from Krsna that ultimately Krsna provides anyway.

So the conclusion is, Krsna provides the jiva-souls with free will for the purpose of allowing them to contribute in "two-sided" exchange with Him based on voluntary loving expressions and offerings.

We must never forget that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, if we properly understand this, then we will understand the above comments by Prabhupada that everything comes from Krsna for a purpose, including free will..×^..

The Karana Ocean.

Srila Prabhupada - "Mahā-Viṣṇu lies down in some part of the spiritual sky by His own free will. Thus He lies on the ocean of kāraṇa, from where He glances over His material nature, and the mahat-tattva (material creation of Brahmanda universes) is at once created. 

Thus electrified by the power of the Lord, the material nature at once creates innumerable universes (Brahmandas), just as in due course a tree decorates itself with innumerable grown fruits. 

The seed of the tree is sown by the cultivator, and the tree or creeper in due course becomes manifested with so many fruits. Nothing can take place without a cause. The Kāraṇa Ocean is therefore called the Causal Ocean. Kāraṇa means "causal." (SB Canto 1 Ch, 3 text 2 Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "The Lord then, by His plenary portion as Mahā-Viṣṇu, lies down within the water of the mahat-tattva, and the water is called the Causal Ocean (Kāraṇa-jala). While Mahā-Viṣṇu sleeps within the Causal Ocean, innumerable universes (Brahmandas) are generated along with His breathing." (SB Canto 2 Ch 5 text 33, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "At a certain time, the Personality of Godhead, Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Maha-Visnu), lies in the Kāraṇa Ocean and produces many thousands of universes (Brahmandas) from His breathing; then He enters again into each and every universe (a secondary inner universe) as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and fills up half of each universe with His own perspiration. The other half of the universe remains vacant, and that vacant region is called outer space." (SB Canto 3 Ch 20 text 17, Purport)

Caitanya Caritamrta -"May Śrī Nityānanda Rāma be the object of my constant remembrance. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Śeṣa Nāga and the Viṣṇus who lie on the Kāraṇa Ocean, Garbha Ocean and ocean of milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions." (CC Adi-lila 1.7, Translation)

Caitanya Caritamrta - "I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, whose partial representation called Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, lying on the Kāraṇa Ocean, is the original puruṣa, the master of the illusory energy, and the shelter of all the universes." (CC Adi 1.9, Translation)

Caitanya Caritamrta - "Kṛṣṇa said, “Brahmā, I cannot understand what you are saying. Lord Nārāyaṇa is He who sits in the hearts of all living beings and lies down in the waters of the Kāraṇa Ocean." (CC Adi 2.47, Translation)

Srila Prabhupada - "The three puruṣas—

1 - Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Maha-Visnu) 

2 - Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Hiraņyagarbha) 

3 - Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Paramatma) 

—all have a relationship with the material energy, called māyā, because through māyā They create the material cosmos. These three puruṣas, who lie on the Kāraṇa, Garbha and Kṣīra oceans respectively, are-  

1 - Supersoul of everything that be: Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Maha-Visnu) is the Supersoul of the collective universes, 

2 - Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Hiraņyagarbha) is the Supersoul of the collective living beings,

3 - Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is the Supersoul (Paramatma) of all individual living entities." (CC Adi 2.52, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "Nirodha: the winding up of all energies employed in creation. Such potencies are emanations from the Personality of Godhead who eternally lies in the Kāraṇa Ocean. The cosmic creations, manifested with His breath, are again dissolved in due course." (CC Adi 2.91-92, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "Outside of the Vaikuṇṭha planets is the impersonal manifestation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which is known as Brahmaloka. On the other side of Brahmaloka is the spiritual kāraṇa-samudra, or Causal Ocean." (CC Adi 5, Purport)

Caitanya Caritamrta - "May Śrī Nityānanda Rāma be the object of my constant remembrance. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Śeṣa Nāga and the Viṣṇus who lie on the Kāraṇa Ocean, Garbha Ocean and ocean of milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions." (CC Adi 5.7, Translation)

Caitanya Caritamrta - "May Śrī Nityānanda Rāma be the object of my constant remembrance. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Śeṣa Nāga and the Viṣṇus who lie on the Kāraṇa Ocean, Garbha Ocean and ocean of milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions." (CC Adi 5.7, Translation)

Caitanya Caritamrta - "I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Śrī Nityānanda Rāma, whose partial representation called Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Maha-Visnu), lying on the Kāraṇa Ocean, is the original puruṣa, the master of the illusory energy, and the shelter of all the universes." (CC Adi 5.50, Translation) 

Caitanya Caritamrta - "Outside the Vaikuṇṭha planets is the impersonal Brahman effulgence, and beyond that effulgence is the Kāraṇa Ocean, or Causal Ocean." (CC Adi 5.51, Translation)

Caitanya Caritamrta - "The water of the Kāraṇa Ocean, which is the original cause, is therefore spiritual. The sacred Ganges, which is but a drop of it, purifies the fallen souls." (CC Adi 5.54, Translation)

Caitanya Caritamrta - "Māyā-śakti resides outside the Kāraṇa Ocean. Māyā cannot touch its waters." (CC Adi 5.57, Translation)

Srila Prabhupada - "After this, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna entered a vast spiritual water. This spiritual water is called the Kāraṇa Ocean, which means that this ocean is the origin of the creation of the material world; this place is also known as Virajā, because it is free from the influence of the three qualities of the material world. 

In the Mṛtyuñjaya-tantra, a Vedic scripture, there is a vivid description of this Kāraṇa Ocean, or Virajā. It is stated there that the highest planetary system within the material world is Satyaloka, or Brahmaloka, beyond which are Rudraloka and Mahā-Viṣṇuloka. 

Regarding this Mahā-Viṣṇuloka, it is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrām ananta-jagad-aṇḍa-sa-roma-kūpaḥ: [Bs. 5.47] 

"Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu is lying in the Kāraṇa Ocean. When He exhales, innumerable universes come into existence, and when He inhales, innumerable universes enter within Him." 

In this way, the material creation is generated and again withdrawn. When Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna entered the water, it appeared that there was a strong hurricane of transcendental effulgence blowing, and the water of the Kāraṇa Ocean was greatly agitated. 

By the grace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna had the unique experience of being able to see the very beautiful Kāraṇa Ocean." (Krsna Book 89)

Srila Prabhupada - "And innumerable universes are coming out from the hair holes of the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya. His breathing. He is, within the Kāraṇa Ocean, Causal Ocean, He is sleeping. 

Yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrām [Bs. 5.47]. 

Yoga-nidrā. And while He's sleeping in His yoga-nidrā, innumerable universes are coming out through His breathing and from the air holes." (BG, Ch 4 text 10 - Bombay, March 30, 1974)

Srila Prabhupada - "The material energy is coming through the breathing of Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is lying down in the Kāraṇa, Causal Ocean. So, from the breathing there is sound. From the ether, the sound comes—this is scientific.

And from the sound, the air comes, the fire comes, then water comes, then the earth comes. The earth is the last, gross element in the material science. 

Therefore Kṛṣṇa explains this earth/bhūmi... 

1 - And where has Bhūmi/earth, come from? - water. 

2 - And where has water come from? - fire. 

3 - And where has fire come from? - air. 

4 - And where has air come from? - ether, sky. 

5 - And where has ether/sky come come? - false ego. 

6 - And where does false-ego come from? - mind.

7 - And where has mind come from? - intelligence. 

8 - And where has intelligence come? the jiva-soul." (BG, Ch 7 text 4, Bombay, Feb 19, 1974)

Srila Prabhupada - "That Saṅkarṣaṇa, before this material creation, He lies down in the Kāraṇa Ocean, kāraṇa-toya-śāyī. Then... Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya [Bs. 5.48]. 

He is lying in the Kāraṇa Ocean in the sleeping mood, and then, from His breathing, innumerable universes are coming out. That is the origin of material creation." (SB Canto 3 Ch 26 text 25, Bombay, Jan 2, 1975)

Nitāi - "May Śrī Nityānanda Rāma be the object of my constant remembrance. Saṅkarṣaṇa, Śeṣa Nāga and the Viṣṇus who lie on the Kāraṇa Ocean, Garbha Ocean and ocean of milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Saṅkarṣaṇaḥ kāraṇa-toya-śāyī

garbhoda-śāyī ca payobdhi-śāyī,

śeṣaś ca yasyāṁśa-kalāḥ sa nityā-nandākhya-rāmaḥ śaraṇaṁ mamāstu [Cc. Ādi 1.7]

So Kavirāja Gosvāmī, after offering his respectful obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and describing the purpose of His incarnation, He is now trying to describe Nityānanda." (CC Adi-lila 1.7, Mayapur, March 31, 1975)

The Kāraṇa Ocean is the beginning of the material creation, the Karana ocean is also known as nirvāṇa.*^*.

Not all devotees of Lord Visnu are vegertarian.

Srila Prabhupāda - "Did you know Garuḍa is not vegetarian, did you know that?"

Prajāpati - "Snakes."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, he is not vegetarian. So if one becomes a sincere devotee like Garuḍa, you can allow him to become non vegetarian, if he cannot give it up."

Devotee - "Garuḍa is from the jīva-tattva, or he is expansion (Visnu tattva)?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "No, he is a jīva-tattva nitya-siddha, not Viṣṇu-tattva."

Devotee - "Does that mean there are souls who choose māyā (they can reject Krsna) in the spiritual sky while others do not make that choice?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, that potency is there always."

Umāpati - "Is that the difference between jīva-tattva and Viṣṇu-tattva."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, therefore Viṣṇu-tattva is called acyuta, infallible." (Morning Walk January 12, 1974, Los Angeles)

Srila Prabhupāda - "Garuḍa, he is perfect vegetarian, you know what his food is? Snakes. (Dr. Patel laughs) 

And he is carrying the Lord. It is a devotee, you see? He is not vegetarian. And how powerful he is that one sparrow, a small bird, lost his egg. The samudra took it away. 

And he decided, "I shall dry this samudra." So he began to pick up some water. 

So Nārada Muni was passing. So he asked, "What you are doing?" And "Sir, yes, the samudra has taken my egg, so I shall dry it up." So he said, "But how you can do it? You are so small. You just pray to your head. You are bird, and he is the head of the birds. You just pray to Garuḍa. He can do it." 

So he prayed Garuḍa, and Garuḍa came and asked samudra, "Immediately deliver; otherwise I shall take step." Immediately it was delivered. 

Such powerful. Yes, and he was not a vegetarian. (Hindi with Dr. Patel) You become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the... (Hindi with Dr. Patel)

And Garuḍa also, vegetarian. But he carries the Lord Viṣṇu. That is not the point. How to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is really.... To become vegetarian, non vegetarian, that is not very important. 

But we are interested in Kṛṣṇa's prasādam. 

We are not in the group of vegetarians or non vegetarians." (Morning Walk April 15, 1976, Bombay)

Srila Prabhupada - "Thereafter, Garuḍa, the chief of birds, unloaded Mandara Mountain from his shoulder and brought it near the water. Then he was asked by the Lord to leave that place, and he left.

Garuḍa was asked by the Lord to leave that place because the snake Vāsuki, who was to be used as the rope for churning, could not go there in the presence of Garuḍa. 

Garuḍa, the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, is not a vegetarian. He eats big snakes. Vāsuki, being a great snake, would be natural food for Garuḍa, the chief of birds. 

Lord Viṣṇu therefore asked Garuḍa to leave so that Vāsuki could be brought to churn the ocean with Mandara Mountain, which was to be used as the churning rod. 

These are the wonderful arrangements of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 

Nothing takes place by accident." (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 8 Chapter 6 Text 39, Translation and Purport).**.

Krsnà (God) is the source of all things, nothing can operate or exist separate from Him.

However, the paradox here is the individual jiva-souls have their independence too, each with their own unique personality and character separate from Krsna's Personality and therefore, His absolute control, even though Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.

Such freedom must exist for the jiva-souls so they can express their unique independent nature by choosing for themselves how to voluntarily serve Krsna, or even not serve Him at all if they choose.

Without such freedom, that even includes rejecting Krsna, must be there for genuine loving exchanges to genuinely exist.

If Krsna denied the jiva-souls their free will then their existence has no meaning at all and would be no better than dead lifeless (mindless) stone.

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!" (August 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)

Free will only has meaning when the jiva-souls can express themselves in a "two-sided" affair.

In other words, loving reciprocation is only possible in a "two-way" exchange with each contributing to the relationship's expansion of nectarine mellows.

The word "reciprocation" only has meaning when there are two involved, not one! 

Free will only has meaning when the jiva-souls can express themselves in an open "two-sided" affair without being manipulated.

Being able to reject Krsna proves that "free will" does truly exist.

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." (Philosophy Discussions with Rene Descartes)

Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that you cannot become fall down, that is not independence. That is force." (Mayapur, June 20, 1973)

Having free will is the eternal constitutional make up of every marginal living entity (jiva-soul), and is the foundation for the jiva-soul's voluntary relationship with Krsna.

Srila Prabhupāda – ''Love means a relationship between "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)

Even though Krsna allows this freedom for His amusement to see what happens when the jiva-souls are given freedom, He always remains the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.

Just like the Sun-disc and the sun-rays cannot exist separately from each other, similarly Krsna cannot exist separately from His living entities (parts and parcels) and the living entities cannot exist without Krsna.

Each jiva-soul (marginal living entity) is a one of a kind independent individual with their own unique personality and character different separate from Krsna's Personality and Character, and different from other jiva-souls and expansions of Kṛṣṇa.

Loving devotional service to Krsna is always is based on a "two-way" voluntary exchange of personal feelings manifesting as loving acts of devotion between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees, who voluntarily contribute their own unique expressions (offerings) to Him as the real act of surrendering to Krsna's will that does not deny the free will of each individual jiva-soul.

On the other hand, actions expressed in a one-way domineering forceful mood from a "so called God" in His Kingdom that denies personal voluntary contributions expressed in a two-way exchange of feelings, only leaves the jiva-souls no better than dead useless stone explained above by Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada - ''Love means you take and you give also. Suppose if you love somebody and you simply take from him, but you don't give. Oh, do you think it is very good? No. It is not good. That is not love. That is exploitation. If I go on simply taking from you, and if I don't offer you anything, that is simply exploitation." (Lecture on BG Chapter 9 text 2-5, New York, Nov 23, 1966)

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

Srila Prabhupada - ''The impersonalist philosophy is oneness, so how there be love with just one? Is it possible? Have you got any such experience that love means one? No. Love means two. There must be two, the lover and the beloved. Kṛṣṇa is already lover. He loves you so much that He's trying to get you back. That is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, My dear boy, or My dear friend, My dear servant." (SB Canto 2 Chapter 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)

Srila Prabhupada – "You have got little independence therefore you can violate. Because you are part and parcel of God you have got independence, proportionately, that independence has to be accepted, little independence, we CAN misuse that." (Mayapur, February 19, 1976)

Srila Prabhupada - "So, unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom." (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes).***.