5 Comments
User's avatar
Ash 1952's avatar

As per astrological stars it maps your route but it is a guide so you can avoid pitfalls .

Expand full comment
Rose's avatar

Very nice 👌 Krishna sounds a lot like Jesus of Nazareth. Was Krishna an historical figure? Or is Krishna a God who has never lived a human life ?

Expand full comment
Caitanya Chandra Dasa's avatar

Jesus said he was the son of God. Krishna is God himself, present in a visible (although fully spiritual) form. In this way, he was amongst us, but He was never one of us.

Expand full comment
Rose's avatar

Ok thanks 🙏

Expand full comment
Dev Jariwala's avatar

Yes you are right about the consciousness being determined by past karma

Why not consider the same for devotees?

As per the description of bhakti from books like Madhurya kadambini, Nectar of devotion a.k.a Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu we know that Bhakti is like an energy that manifests in the jiva by mercy which is causeless and it is not in the jiva's hand to increase or decrease bhakti, it is self manifest and bhakti is the cause of more bhakti

Now about the 2 opportunities discussed-

How to spend time on the flight?(consciousness) And the next destination (desire leading to freedom or bondage)

If there is less bhakti the consciousness will be more under the 3 modes and the jiva doesn't get the eternal benefit beyond his karma

On the contrary, if bhakti is more then automatically the consciousness is on the transcendental platform and the past karma is like an external dream that just passes by.

Thus if consciousness depends on bhakti manifested in the jiva then it thus proves that the jiva has no free will in that.

Moreover, since the bhakti is less the desires created in the jiva are dependent on the varieties of past samskaras Or experiences that shape the jiva's life in the material world

Desire arises out of craving (raaga) and fear-- from the cues that are advertised to the subtle body via the senses and the mind

A person absorbed in krishna will desire him more because of the deep experience of bhakti and vice versa

Thus the desires are also dependent on the manifestation of bhakti and the past karma and experiences or samskaras

Also the purports and verses from Isopanishad evidently prove the supreme Lord as the controller

There are more points to deeply explain this and dwell on this

But it is evident that there is free will but it simultaneously depends on the external factors completely

Thus it appears that the jiva has the free will to choose but he chooses that which dominates.. If bhakti is manifesting Or dominating automatically the jiva chooses krishna over maya

Every name we chant even with offenses is because of the bhakti manifested

Every act of devotional service (pure or impure)is an effect of bhakti in the jiva manifested to whatever degree.

Even when Srila Prabhupada was born it is clear from his astrological chart that in his old age he will spread the message of Dharma and the name, fame wealth , followers etc can be seen

Thus it is evident that even by knowing this a person meant to make advancement in bhakti will do so even though after reading this he feels like giving up and depending on the Lord because the jiva is a puppet in the hands of maya and krishna and both influence accordingly appearing that the jiva has misused or properly used his limited free will... Thus free will is like a semblance , like a mirror image for the jiva.

There are verses in the Mahabharata clearly stating that the supreme Lord is the cause of bondage and liberation and he makes the jiva do sinful and pious activities and other activities that give freedom from maya and so on..

Expand full comment