Back To Prabhupada, Issue 65, Vol 1, 2020
The
concept of Krsna's "causeless mercy" is mentioned in numerous
places in Srila Prabhupada's books. However, even this is now
being challenged by those who claim to know more than Srila
Prabhupada. All quotes in the shaded boxes are taken from a "Darshan"
given by ISKCON guru HH
Hridayananda Dasa Goswami ("HD"), which was streamed
live on 15/9/19. Emphases added.
"causeless mercy seems to emphasize that the
person did not deserve it. So how could Krsna, Who says over
and over again, in the Bhagavad-gita, that He is
equal to everyone, how could He give preference to one soul
over another [...] for no good reason just gives causeless
mercy to someone and therefore when you go on sankirtana,
people are getting causeless mercy, is that really practical?"
However, Srila Prabhupada explains in regards to
Krsna:
"You act independently of the service
rendered by Your servants. [...] Indeed, by Your
causeless mercy, You can give liberation to anyone. Those
who receive Your mercy are called krpa-siddha.
[...] even without undergoing severe austerities, one
can attain perfection by Your mercy. [...] A pure
devotee continuously offers transcendental loving service to
You, but You may nonetheless offer mercy to anyone,
without depending on his service."
(SB, 8.12.7, purport)
Thus, regardless of what HD imagines is
"practical", Srila Prabhupada states that although a pure
devotee "continuously offers transcendental loving service",
Krsna may offer mercy to anyone regardless of the service they
may or may not render. Also, since everyone can receive
Krsna's causeless mercy, everyone is equally eligible to
receive such causeless mercy due to Krsna's sweet will. Which
means that Krsna is equal to all in regards to who
is eligible to receive such causeless mercy.
"So if you say that a pure devotee is not equal to
everyone, he gives special mercy to this one or that one,
you're not glorifying the pure devotee, you're actually
criticizing him. You're saying he's not following Krsna."
So, having derided the idea that Krsna gives
causeless mercy, HD now claims that a pure devotee of Krsna
would also not give such special or causeless mercy. However,
Srila Prabhupada states the opposite – just as Krsna has
freedom to give causeless mercy, so does His pure devotee:
"Krpa-siddhi means that
you are not willing to take this bag. I say, "Take it,
take it, take it." [laughter] "No." That is krpa-siddhi.
Even you are unwilling, I give you in your pocket, push
it. That is krpa-siddhi."
(Srila Prabhupada, Morning Walk, 25/3/76)
"Another devotee is called krpa-siddha.
Krpa-siddha means even if he has not
followed strictly all the regulative principle, still, by
the mercy of acarya or a devotee or by Krsna, he
is elevated to the perfectional stage. That is special."
(Srila Prabhupada, Bhajan & Purport, 6/1/69)
Thus, through krpa-siddhi, the pure
devotee can give "special" mercy to persons who HD may think
are not "deserving" of it.
"So what does causeless mercy actually mean?
[...] Krsna says [...] ‘the four kinds of people worship me',
[...] although those people go to Krsna intentionally,
consciously, with different motives, but still they're
conscious of going to Krsna, they're not unconsciously being
brought to Krsna."
In the purport to this Bhagavad-gita
verse that HD mentions here, Bg., 7.16, Srila
Prabhupada actually states that it is possible even for miscreants,
who obviously would not be "consciously" going to Krsna, to be
brought to Krsna unconsciously "by chance":
"As far as the miscreants are concerned,
for them devotional service is very difficult because their
lives are selfish, irregular and without spiritual goals. But
even some of them, by chance, when they come in contact
with a pure devotee, also become pure devotees."
(Bg., 7.16, purport)
Thus, causeless mercy does mean that one
can also unconsciously be brought to Krsna through
receiving the pure devotee's mercy.
"So the idea that, let's say someone will see the
sankirtana party, or eat prasadam or buy a
book, and they'll simply be carried into Krsna consciousness –
that applies, according to Bhagavad-gita, to people
that have practiced Krsna consciousness in a past life."
HD claims that one will get carried into Krsna
consciousness only due to having already practised
Krsna consciousness in a past life. But Srila Prabhupada
states that one can also receive causeless mercy
that is not generated by our actions, whether in this or a
previous life:
"So far the first grade platform is
concerned, it is not attained by our endeavor, but
it is possible when we have full Grace of Krishna. It completely
depends on the causeless Mercy of Krishna."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, 29/7/68)
Hridayananda: "So
Prabhupada, if some people say, "Well, I have no free will,"
that means they are actually lazy."
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes. You have got free
will, but must utilize it properly. [...]"
Svarupa Damodara: "Our free will."
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes."
Svarupa Damodara: "God interferes."
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes. That is
Krsna's special favor. Because by your free will you are
going to hell. If Krsna interferes, that is Krsna's
special favor. Just like a child is going to
touch fire by free will, and father, "Eh, don't do it." That
is his special favor."
Devotee: "Jaya."
Svarupa Damodara: "But it's
called causeless mercy."
Srila Prabhupada: "Ah? Causeless
mercy."
(Morning Walk, 4/12/73)
HD should understand this point since he himself
was present at this conversation with Srila Prabhupada! Thus,
causeless mercy does exist, and it does not depend
on one having done previous Krishna conscious activity.
So, again we are faced with the
choice of accepting Srila Prabhupada's teachings, or those
given by ISKCON's leaders, which are different. We can have
Krsna's teachings explained to us by Srila Prabhupada, or a
contradictory explanation from HD.
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