“All schemes are only useless scraps of paper in the face of war, famine, earthquakes
and other disasters. All these disasters are warnings from Mother Durga, and by
them she confirms her eternal superiority over the illusioned planmakers.”
Earthquake of 7.9 magnitude struck central Nepal on Saturday, April 25
A devastating earthquake tore through Nepal on Saturday, affecting Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara, killing at least 1,900 people, triggering a deadly avalanche at Mount Everest and reducing a landmark 19th-century tower in the capital of Kathmandu to a jagged stump.
The tremors could also be felt in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. According to international new agencies hundreds of people had been killed across Nepal. Rescuers are digging through the rubble of collapsed buildings in Kathmandu trying to reach survivors. A number of historic buildings have been destroyed.
Kathmandu, Durbar Square -before & after-
No Reported Injuries ISKCON Nepal
Patri das, ISKCON’s regional secretary in Nepal reported that the temple in Kathmandu is basically OK, but there are severe cracks in a number of buildings on ISKCON property. The Deities have been moved outside from the main temple. No devotees were injured at the temple complex, but there is a concern that since many houses in the area collapsed, it is impossible to determine at this point if all ISKCON devotees are safe.
ISKCON Kathmandu is asking devotees and well-wishers worldwide to please pray for the safely and lives of ISKCON members and all the people living in and around the affected area.
Durbar Square
The threefold miseries – The threefold miseries are called adhyatmika, adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. The word adhyatmika refers to those miseries caused by the mind and body. Sometimes the living entity suffers bodily, and sometimes he is distressed mentally. Both are adhyatmika miseries. We experience these miseries even in the womb of our mother. As we well know, there are many types of miseries that take advantage of the delicate human body and give us pain. Miseries inflicted by other living entities are called adhibhautika. These living entities need not even be large, for there are many—such as bugs—that can make us miserable even while we are sleeping in bed. There are many insignificant living entities, like cockroaches, that sometimes give us pain, and there are also other living entities who are born on different kinds of planets and who give us miseries.
As far as the adhidaivika miseries are concerned, these are natural disasters that originate with the demigods of the higher planets. For instance, we sometimes suffer from severe cold or hot weather, from a thunderbolt, or from earthquakes, tornadoes, droughts and many natural disasters. In any case, we are always suffering from either one or a combination of these three kinds of miseries. [Excerpt from Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Ch 3]
Demolished Highway Bridge
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32461019
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/25/asia/nepal-earthquake-everest/index.html
http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/nepal-earthquake/everest-avalanche-one-deadliest-recent-years-n348261
It is very unfortunate to see that such calamities as earthquakes, famine, war etc with people suffering occur. BUT what is the ACTUAL cause?
The actions of Karma are intricate:
Srila Prabhupada explains that NOTHING happens “by chance”. The effects of Karma are there what we have ALL done in the past. Sometimes the effects are stored – they have not manifest. In due course it manifests. This way there is action and reaction. Floods, earthquakes, famine etc are unseen actions of past karma.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2852739/Nepal-devotees-sacrifice-thousands-animals-Hindu-ritual.html
Madhya 24.251 The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse
“Narada Muni continued, ‘All the animals that you have killed and given unnecessary pain will kill you one after the other in your next life and in life after life.’
PURPORT
This is another authoritative statement made by the great sage Narada. Those who kill animals and give them unnecessary pain-as people do in slaughterhouses-will be killed in a similar way in the next life and in many lives to come. One can never be excused from such an offense. If one kills many thousands of animals in a professional way so that other people can purchase the meat to eat, one must be ready to be killed in a similar way in his next life and in life after life. There are many rascals who violate their own religious principles. According to Judeo-Christian scriptures, it is clearly said, “Thou shalt not kill.” Nonetheless, giving all kinds of excuses, even the heads of religions indulge in killing animals while trying to pass as saintly persons. THIS MOCKERY AND HYPOCRISY IN HUMAN SOCIETY BRING ABOUT UNLIMITED CALAMITIES; THEREFORE OCCASIONALLY THERE ARE GREAT WARS. Masses of such people go out onto battlefields and kill themselves. Presently they have discovered the atomic bomb, which is simply awaiting wholesale destruction. If people want to be saved from the killing business life after life, they must take to Krsna consciousness and cease sinful activity. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness recommends that everyone abandon meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling. When one gives up these sinful activities, he can understand Krsna and take to this Krsna consciousness movement. We therefore request everyone to abandon sinful activity and chant the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way people can save themselves from repeated birth and death.
TLK Vs 23 The Symptoms of a Sadhu
There is no one in the world materially engaged who can boldly say, “I am not suffering.” I challenge anyone to say this. Everyone in the material world is suffering in some way or another. If not, why are so many drugs being advertised? On the television they are always advertising tranquilizers and pain killers, and in America and in other Western countries they are so advanced that there are dozens of tablets for various pains. Therefore there must be some suffering. Actually, anyone who has a material body has to accept suffering. THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF SUFFERING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD: ADHYATMIKA, ADHIBHAUTIKA AND ADHIDAIVIKA. ADHYATMIKA REFERS TO THE BODY AND MIND. TODAY I HAVE A HEADACHE OR SOME PAIN IN MY BACK, OR MY MIND IS NOT VERY QUIET. THESE ARE SUFFERINGS CALLED ADHYATMIKA. THERE ARE OTHER FORMS OF SUFFERING CALLED ADHIBHAUTIKA, WHICH ARE SUFFERINGS IMPOSED BY OTHER LIVING ENTITIES. APART FROM THIS, THERE ARE SUFFERINGS CALLED ADHIDAIVIKA, OVER WHICH WE HAVE NO CONTROL WHATSOEVER. THESE ARE CAUSED BY THE DEMIGODS OR ACTS OF NATURE, AND INCLUDE FAMINE, PESTILENCE, FLOOD, EXCESSIVE HEAT OR EXCESSIVE COLD, EARTHQUAKES, FIRE AND SO ON. Nonetheless, we are thinking that we are very happy within this material world, although in addition to these threefold miseries there is also birth, old age, disease and death. So where is our happiness? Because we are under the spell of maya, we are thinking that our position is very secure. We are thinking, “Let us enjoy life,” but what kind of enjoyment is this?
760317mw.may Conversations
Prabhupada: (break) …just decorate green leaves and yellow flower. By chance? Rascals say, “By chance.” It is coming by chance? Just see. Show me anything within your experience which has come by chance. Anything, whatever you like, show me, come by chance, which has come by chance.
Hrdayananda: I can say…. “Yes, I was, became sick by chance.”
Prabhupada: Eh?
Hrdayananda: “I became sick by chance.”
Prabhupada: No, no. Then again you are rascal. You infected some disease. Then you became sick. There is no chance.
Guru-krpa: The other day, Srila Prabhupada, I went in the shower, and I turned on the shower, and the thing broke and hit me on the head. It was chance.
Prabhupada: Yes, because you are rascal, therefore it hit you…. (laughter)
Guru-krpa: So it was chance.
Prabhupada: It was not chance. You are a rascal, and you were hit on the head…. (laughs) That is not chance. The cause is your rascalism. So you cannot find out anything by chance. Madhudvisa Maharaja, you can find out anything by chance? This is simply rascaldom, chance theory.
Panca-dravida: What about…? What about gambling, Prabhupada? Somebody wins; somebody loses. That’s by chance.
Prabhupada: That is not chance.
Madhudvisa: They would say, “Everything is by chance.” You say green, yellow flower with green leaf. So…. But through evolution there has been so many other combinations. Now we’re just…
Prabhupada: But then evolution is the cause. Then evolution is the cause. How you can say “chance”?
Madhudvisa: No, it’s just many, many different combinations. Now you are seeing the yellow and green…
Prabhupada: That’s all right.
Madhudvisa: …so you are appreciating.
Prabhupada: There is a process in the evolution. Therefore you find. You cannot say it’s chance.
Panca-dravida: Well the evolution happens by chance.
Prabhupada: No.
Trivikrama: Just like he said. All the trees are growing up, not one going this way, not by chance one is…
Prabhupada: Yes. Yes. NOTHING BY CHANCE. IT IS A WRONG THEORY.
Satsvarupa: If you throw dice, they may come up in one…
Prabhupada: Then dice becomes cause? Chance?
Satsvarupa: Well, what causes it to be seven or eleven or another number?
Panca-dravida: Chance.
Prabhupada: NOT CHANCE. YOU DO NOT KNOW. THEREFORE YOU SAY.
Hrdayananda: Ah! Because they don’t know, they say “chance.”
Trivikrama: That’s right, because I don’t know, ignorant.
Prabhupada: Yes. They want to cover their ignorance by this theory, “chance.” They want to become very intelligent by chance. That is their…. That is not the fact. For intelligence you have to learn from a superior person. It cannot be done by chance. Who has become learned scholar by chance? There is none.
Pusta Krsna: Because that is sudra philosophy, this chance philosophy.
Prabhupada: Yes. Everyone has to work very hard, pass examination, and then he becomes an educated man. Where is by chance one has become learned?
Panca-dravida: What about two people born in the same circumstance? Each has equal education and equal background, but one becomes rich and one remains poor. That’s chance.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is the fate. Fate is the cause, destiny. Otherwise, so many people are working hard. Why not everyone is becoming rich by chance? Kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa. This is the instruction in the Bhagavatam. Tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham. There are two things–happiness and distress–and they are being controlled by the time. You have infected some disease. In time, it will come out, manifested, and the doctor say, “Oh, you infected this disease. Take this injection.” The time factor. It…. You have to wait to see the result. It is not chance. As soon as you do something, immediately the reaction begins. But you do not see the result immediately, but wait and you’ll find. Yes.
Madhudvisa: So we say that everything has a cause.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Madhudvisa: But then we have causeless mercy. So would that be chance?
Prabhupada: Eh?
Madhudvisa: We have also causeless mercy, meeting the pure devotee. Is that a chance?
Prabhupada: No. I…. We don’t accept that chance. The causeless is a mercy. Causeless mercy is the cause.
Tamala Krsna: Yeah. The mercy is the cause.
Prabhupada: The mercy may be causeless, but the mercy is the cause.
Madhudvisa: But the which is the cause?
Pusta Krsna: The mercy is the cause.
Tamala Krsna: That’s a cause.
Pusta Krsna: You did nothing to deserve it, but it’s caused your good fortune.
Trivikrama: Jaya.
721106ND.VRN Lectures
Pradyumna: “It is stated in the Padma-Purana that there are four kinds of effects to sinful activities, which are listed as follows: (1) the effect which is not yet fructified, (2) the effect which is lying as seed, (3) the effect which is already mature, and (4) the effect which is almost mature. It is also stated that all these four effects…”
Prabhupada: Kuta-stha-bija, prarabdha… Like that. This is, these are the… Our effects. JUST LIKE WE CAN UNDERSTAND IN THE MODERN… JUST LIKE IF YOU INFECT SOME DISEASE, IT BECOMES IMMEDIATELY KUTA-STHA. KUTA-STHA MEANS STOCKED. IN DUE COURSE OF TIME, IT WILL COME OUT, MANIFEST. SIMILARLY, WE ARE ACTING SO MANY SINFUL ACTIVITIES. SOMETIMES THEY COMPLAIN THAT “THIS MAN IS COMMITTING SO MANY SINFUL ACTIVITIES, BUT HE’S HAPPY.” BUT ACTUALLY HE’S ENJOYING THE EFFECTS OF HIS PAST SOMETHING PIOUS. NOW HE’S HAPPY, BUT THAT EFFECT OF THE IMPIOUS ACTIVITIES, THAT IS IN STOCK. IT WILL COME OUT IN DUE COURSE OF TIME. THAT IS CALLED KUTA-STHA. KUTA-STHA PHALONMUKHA, PRARABDHA. These are the Sanskrit language. That is being explained here. Go on.
Note: the reactions of Karma suffered by the devotees is GREATLY MINIMIZED:
TQK 8 Let There Be Calamities
Kunti, however, is aware of birth and death, and she is anxious not to repeat this process. This is indicated by the words apunar bhava-darsanam. If one always sees Krsna, one is in Krsna consciousness, for Krsna consciousness means always thinking of Krsna. One’s consciousness should be absorbed in Krsna thought. Therefore the spiritual master gives different varieties of engagements to devotees in Krsna consciousness. For example, under the direction of the spiritual master the devotees may sell books in Krsna consciousness. But if the devotees think that the energy invested in selling books should be diverted into selling jewelry, that is not a very good idea. Then they would become nothing more than jewelers. We should be very much careful not to be diverted from Krsna consciousness. Even if there is danger or suffering in Krsna consciousness, we should tolerate it. We should even welcome such danger, and we should pray in appreciation to Krsna.
How should we pray? Tat te ‘nukampam susamiksamanah: “My dear Lord, it is Your great mercy that I have been put into this dangerous position.” That is the viewpoint of a devotee. He doesn’t regard danger as danger. Rather, he thinks, “It is Krsna’s mercy.” What kind of mercy? Bhunjana evatma-krtam vipakam: “Because of my past activities, I was meant to suffer very much. But You are mitigating that suffering and giving me only a little.” In other words, by the grace of Krsna a devotee may receive only token punishment.
IN COURT AN IMPORTANT MAN IS SOMETIMES FOUND TO BE A CULPRIT, AND THE JUDGE MAY BE ABLE TO FINE HIM A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND KNOW THAT THE MAN CAN PAY IT. BUT HE MAY TELL THE MAN, “YOU JUST GIVE ONE CENT.” THAT IS ALSO PUNISHMENT, BUT IT IS GREATLY MINIMIZED. SIMILARLY, WE HAVE TO SUFFER FOR OUR PAST DEEDS. THAT IS A FACT, AND WE CANNOT AVOID IT. BUT KARMANI NIRDAHATI KINTU CA BHAKTI-BHAJAM (BRAHMA-SAMHITA 5.54): THE SUFFERINGS OF THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN DEVOTIONAL SERVICE IN KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS ARE MINIMIZED. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE MAY HAVE BEEN DESTINED TO BE KILLED, BUT INSTEAD OF BEING KILLED WITH A KNIFE, HE MAY INSTEAD GET SOME LITTLE CUT ON HIS FINGER. IN THIS WAY, FOR THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, THE REACTIONS OF PAST ACTIVITIES ARE MINIMIZED. LORD KRSNA ASSURES HIS DEVOTEES, AHAM TVAM SARVA-PAPEBHYO MOKSAYISYAMI: “I SHALL GIVE YOU PROTECTION FROM THE REACTIONS OF SINFUL LIFE.” SO EVEN IF A DEVOTEE HAS A HISTORY OF VERY GRIEVOUS CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES BEHIND HIM, INSTEAD OF BEING KILLED HE MAY ONLY GET A LITTLE CUT ON HIS FINGER. WHY THEN SHOULD A DEVOTEE FEAR DANGER?
We should simply depend on Krsna consciousness, because if we live Krsna consciously under all circumstances, we shall not return to this material world (apunar bhava-darsanam). If we repeatedly think of Krsna, see Krsna, read of Krsna, work for Krsna, and somehow or other remain in Krsna consciousness, we benefit in such a way that we shall be saved from taking birth again in the material world. That is true benefit. But if we become a little comfortable because of other, materialistic engagements and we forget Krsna and have to take birth again, then what is our benefit? We should be very careful about this. We should act in such a way that our Krsna consciousness can under no circumstances be disturbed, even if there is heavy suffering. That is the instruction of Kuntidevi.
Before winning the Battle of Kuruksetra, all the Pandavas were put into many dangers, as already described in the previous verses. They were given poison, they were put into a house of lac that was later set afire, and sometimes they were even confronted with great man-eating demons. They lost their kingdom, they lost their wife, they lost their prestige, and they were exiled to the forest. But throughout all those dangers, Krsna was there. When the Kauravas were trying to strip Draupadi naked, Krsna was there supplying cloth to protect her honor. Krsna was always there.
Therefore, when the Pandavas went to see their grandfather, Bhismadeva, on his deathbed, Bhismadeva began to cry. “These boys, my grandsons, are all very pious,” he said. “Maharaja Yudhisthira, the oldest of the brothers, is the most pious person. He is even called Dharmaraja, the king of religion. Bhima and Arjuna are both devotees, and they are such powerful heroes that they can kill thousands of men. Their wife, Draupadi, is directly the goddess of fortune, and it has been enjoined that wherever she is, there will be no scarcity of food. Thus they all form a wonderful combination, and moreover, Lord Krsna is always with them. But still they are suffering.” Thus he began to cry, saying, “I do not know what is Krsna’s arrangement, because such pious devotees are also suffering.”
THEREFORE, WE SHOULD NOT THINK, “BECAUSE I HAVE BECOME A DEVOTEE, THERE WILL BE NO DANGER OR SUFFERING.” PRAHLADA MAHARAJA SUFFERED GREATLY, AND SO DID OTHER DEVOTEES LIKE THE PANDAVAS AND HARIDASA THAKURA. BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE DISTURBED BY SUCH SUFFERINGS. WE MUST HAVE FIRM FAITH, FIRM CONVICTION, KNOWING, “KRSNA IS PRESENT, AND HE WILL GIVE ME PROTECTION.” DON’T TRY TO TAKE THE BENEFIT OF ANY SHELTER OTHER THAN KRSNA. ALWAYS TAKE TO KRSNA.
In Bhagavad-gita Lord Krsna says, kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati: “My dear Arjuna, you may declare to the world that My devotee is never vanquished.” Now, one may ask, why did Krsna advise Arjuna to declare this? Why did He not declare it Himself? The answer is that if Krsna Himself made this declaration, it might be suspect, because Krsna sometimes violates His own promise. BUT THE PROMISE OF A DEVOTEE WILL NEVER BE VIOLATED. THIS IS KRSNA’S CONCERN. “OH, MY DEVOTEE HAS DECLARED THIS. I MUST SEE THAT HIS WORD IS KEPT.” THIS IS KRSNA’S POSITION BECAUSE OF HIS AFFECTION FOR HIS DEVOTEE. THEREFORE LORD KRSNA SAID, “YOU DECLARE IT. IF I DECLARE IT, PEOPLE MAY NOT BELIEVE IT, BUT IF YOU DECLARE IT THEY WILL BELIEVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE A DEVOTEE.” EVEN THOUGH KRSNA MAY BREAK HIS OWN PROMISE, HE WANTS TO SEE THAT THE PROMISES OF HIS DEVOTEES ARE FULFILLED.
THEREFORE, WE MUST TAKE TO KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS AND ADHERE TO THIS CONSCIOUSNESS UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, EVEN IN THE MOST DANGEROUS POSITION. WE MUST KEEP OUR FAITH IN KRSNA’S LOTUS FEET, AND THEN THERE WILL BE NO DANGER.
Srila Prabhupada: Nothing happens accidentally. According to Vedic literature, there is no such word as “accident.” The word is adrsta: There is cause; I cannot see it. Adrsta. It is not in my vision, but there is cause. There is no question of accident.
Harikesa: What about when somebody is born with three arms or eight toes?
Srila Prabhupada: There is karma, cause, but I cannot ascertain. To me the cause is invisible. Therefore, we take adrsta. But there is cause.
(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, October 14, 1975, Johannesburg)
Srila Prabhupada could answer any question perfectly. He knew Krsna, the cause of all causes, and therefore he knew everything.
Yes thank you LW Prabhu, nice quote from Srila Prabhupada. Also in Srila Baladeva Vidyabhusan’s Govinda Basya on Vedanta Sutra, he describes ‘Adrista’ as the ‘unseen principle’ in cause & effect, always governed ultimately by the hand of the Lord.
Yhs, Bal.
Yes, Prabhu. Just like today we can see how the agents of society’s collective karma are lurking in the background unseen, yet conspiring to wreak havoc upon us all. The horrible reaction for mercilessly killing and torturing billions of animals every year and butchering millions of unborn babies is looming on the horizon. Woe is us for ignoring God’s laws and commandments. Time is running out, I’m afraid. Most people are unaware at present, but one day soon they’ll wake up and the axe will have fallen, but then it will be too late. Now is the time — athatho brahma jijnasa. Get Prabhupada’s mercy now!
P.S. Here it is: “Dead Babies In Your Food, Drinks & Makeup.” Do they actually think they’re going to get away with this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwYeKPH0fWQ
(Warning: This video is hazardous to your peace of mind.)
LW prabhu thank-you very much for the Adrsta (invisible) quote. There are many things on Karma we are not aware of HOW the people are BROUGHT TOGETHER BY FORCE OF DESTINY to die in those circumstances OR even born in a PARTICULAR society, Country:
750323AR.MAY Lectures
Prabhupada: Many countries. It is unnatural to deny God. It is unnatural. This is also Krsna’s another magic. ALL SUCH PEOPLE WHO HAD ANY DOUBT ABOUT KRSNA, THEY HAVE BEEN KEPT OVER THERE IN RUSSIA. JUST LIKE THE OTHER DAY THERE WAS A TRAIN CRASH ACCIDENT. SO ALL THESE RASCALS THEY ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER IN THAT WAY IN A TRAIN OR TWO TRAIN, AND THEY SMASHED. THAT IS… JUST LIKE KRSNA DID IN BATTLE OF KURUKSETRA. ALL THE RASCALS WERE BROUGHT INTO THE BATTLEFIELD AND FINISHED.
Note: our UNSEEN PAST deeds the FRUITIVE acts play a very BIG part in what we get in this life:
SB 7.2.40 Hiranyakasipu, King of the Demons
SOMETIMES ONE LOSES HIS MONEY ON A PUBLIC STREET, WHERE EVERYONE CAN SEE IT, AND YET HIS MONEY IS PROTECTED BY DESTINY AND NOT SEEN BY OTHERS. THUS THE MAN WHO LOST IT GETS IT BACK. On the other hand, if the Lord does not give protection, even money maintained very securely at home is lost. IF THE SUPREME LORD GIVES ONE PROTECTION, EVEN THOUGH ONE HAS NO PROTECTOR AND IS IN THE JUNGLE, ONE REMAINS ALIVE, WHEREAS A PERSON WELL PROTECTED AT HOME BY RELATIVES AND OTHERS SOMETIMES DIES, NO ONE BEING ABLE TO PROTECT HIM.
SB 9.9.33 P The Dynasty of Amsuman
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF DESTINY. KING SAUDASA WAS CONDEMNED BY THE CURSE OF VASISTHA, AND THEREFORE EVEN THOUGH HE WAS WELL QUALIFIED HE COULD NOT RESTRAIN HIMSELF FROM BECOMING A TIGERLIKE RAKSASA, FOR THIS WAS HIS DESTINY. TAL LABHYATE DUHKHAVAD ANYATAH SUKHAM (BHAG. 1.5.18). AS ONE IS PUT INTO DISTRESS BY DESTINY, DESTINY CAN ALSO PUT ONE IN A HAPPY SITUATION. DESTINY IS EXTREMELY STRONG, but one can change destiny if one comes to the platform of Krsna consciousness. Karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam (Brahma-samhita 5.54).
SB 10.4.21 The Atrocities of King Kamsa
My dear sister Devaki, all good fortune unto you. Everyone suffers and enjoys the results of his own work under the control of providence. Therefore, although your sons have unfortunately been killed by me, please do not lament for them.
PURPORT
As stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.54):
yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-
bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam atanoti
karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
EVERYONE, BEGINNING FROM THE SMALL INSECT KNOWN AS INDRA-GOPA UP TO INDRA, THE KING OF THE HEAVENLY PLANETS, IS OBLIGED TO UNDERGO THE RESULTS OF HIS FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES. WE MAY SUPERFICIALLY SEE THAT ONE IS SUFFERING OR ENJOYING BECAUSE OF SOME EXTERNAL CAUSES, BUT THE REAL CAUSE IS ONE’S OWN FRUITIVE ACTIVITIES. EVEN WHEN SOMEONE KILLS SOMEONE ELSE, IT IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE PERSON WHO WAS KILLED MET THE FRUITIVE RESULTS OF HIS OWN WORK AND THAT THE MAN WHO KILLED HIM ACTED AS THE AGENT OF MATERIAL NATURE. Thus Kamsa begged Devaki’s pardon by analyzing the matter deeply. He was not the cause of the death of Devaki’s sons. Rather, this was their own destiny. Under the circumstances, Devaki should excuse Kamsa and forget his past deeds without lamentation. Kamsa admitted his own fault, but whatever he had done was under the control of providence. KAMSA MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE IMMEDIATE CAUSE FOR THE DEATH OF DEVAKI’S SONS, BUT THE REMOTE CAUSE WAS THEIR PAST DEEDS. THIS WAS AN ACTUAL FACT.
SB 6.12.8 P Vrtrasura’ s Glorious Death
The difference between the suras and the asuras is that the suras know that nothing can happen without the desire of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas the asuras cannot understand the supreme will of the Lord. In this fight, Vrtrasura is actually the sura, whereas Indra is the asura. No one can act independently; rather, everyone acts under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. THEREFORE VICTORY AND DEFEAT COME ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF ONE’S KARMA, AND THE JUDGMENT IS GIVEN BY THE SUPREME LORD (KARMANA-DAIVA-NETRENA). Since we act under the control of the Supreme according to our karma, no one is independent, from Brahma down to the insignificant ant. Whether we are defeated or victorious, the Supreme Lord is always victorious because everyone acts under His directions.
Thank you, Mahesh Raja Prabhu, but you’re the king (raja) of Prabhupada quotes!
Yes, karma is not so easy to understand. Sometimes we fall sick or have some unfortunate thing happen to us and someone may flippingly remark, “That’s your karma, Prabhu.” That may be true, but it’s how we deal and react to that karma which is important. If we can somehow dovetail it in Krsna’s service and also deepen our understanding and dependence upon the Lord and the spiritual master, then we are spiritually triumphant while living in this material world where there is danger at every step. Srila Prabhupada summed up the proper attitude perfectly:
“Personally, I have no hope for any direct service of the coming crores of births in the sojourn of my life, but I am confident that some day or other I shall be delivered from this mire of delusion in which I am at present so deeply sunk. Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my divine master to allow me to suffer the lot for which I am destined due to my past misdoings, but to let me have this power of recollection: that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the Almighty Absolute Godhead, realized through the unflinching mercy of my divine master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command.”
(Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-Puja Offering to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Gaudiya Math, Bombay, 1935)
Also I love the following quote which you kindly provided:
“Whether we are defeated or victorious, the Supreme Lord is always victorious because everyone acts under His directions.”
(SB 6.12.8 Purport)
Jaya Sri Krsna! Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
Hare Krsna.
How can we help to Nepal ?