karma and forgetfulness

[Guest guest]

> Is there any record of Srila Prabhupada's reply to the following query, or

> a similar version of it?

>

> > Karmic reactions and reincarnation are, so to say, a sort of didactic

> > punishment by God, meant to teach and awaken rebellious souls through

> > continual experience of suffering and pain. But what is the point, what

> > is the purpose of such a didactic means if we cannot remember our past

> > lives? How can it function at all if we don't have the whole picture, if

> > we aren't aware of our past mistakes and their causal reactions? It is

> > as if someone would beat you because you deserved it, but he wouldn't

> > tell you why. One can argue that this is why the holy scriptures and

> > teachings exist, to tell us why we suffer, but still it is not as

> > substantial as realization and insight based upon personal experience.

> > "You deserved your suffering because it says so in the books."

 

Woman (2): ...may ask the question... You spoke about transmigration of

souls, and reincarnation.

Prabhup€da: Stand up.

Woman (2): ...transmigration of souls, or reincarnation as karma.

Prabhup€da: Yes.

Woman (2): ...if you believe in it, could you answer me by telling me how

someone who has entered a new body and a new life doesn’t remember anything

of the past? If, for example, I suffer today because of what I did in the

past, any form of retribution or suffering should be for me a total

consciousness.

Prabhup€da: Yes. Do you remember from your birth up to date, everything? You

remember? Do you remember?

Woman (2): Pardon?

Prabhup€da: From your birth till today, do you remember everything?

Woman (2): No.

Prabhup€da: Then why do you forget in this life? Things which have happened

in this life, in your childhood, so many things happened, but do you

remember all of them? So that, does it mean that you did not do so?

Woman (2): No.

Prabhup€da: Therefore you, you remember or not remember, it doesn’t matter.

Woman (2): But if I’m, if I’m...

Prabhup€da: That is your nature: you forget. So you do not remember even the

incidences of this life. How you can remember the incidents of your past

life? Because you are forgetful. You are so imperfect that you forget after

two hours everything. That is your nature. That does not mean that you had,

you did not do anything. And, besides that, the... You remember or not

remember. Suppose your guardian remembers, “My dear child, when you were a

small baby, you did it.” But you remember no... Similarly KŠa is there.

Ÿvaraƒ sarva-bh™t€n€ˆ hd-dee arjuna ti˜hati [bg. 18.61]. Anumant€

upadra˜€. He knows everything. You may forget. But KŠa knows. “You wanted

this thing. All right. Take it. You worked for this. Now I give you the

opportunity. You take this. You wanted to eat everything and anything,

without any discrimination. All right. Now you become a hog.” That is

KŠa’s favor. “And if you wanted Me...”

y€nti deva-vrat€ dev€n

pitŽn y€nti pit-vrat€ƒ

bh™tejy€ y€nti bh™...,

mad-yajino ’pi y€nti...

[bg. 9.25]

“You wanted Me. You sacrificed everything for Me. Please come on.” Tyaktv€

dehaˆ punar janma naiti m€m eti kaunteya [bg. 4.9]. So as you work... So

therefore this life is the preparation stage for your next life—either you

choice a better life, or a sinful life, or unimportant life. That is your...

Just like if you get good education, that will make your future life nice.

But if you don’t go to school, how you can get a better life? Similarly

karma... KarmaŠ€ daiva netreŠa [sB 3.31.1]. According to your karma. If you

are earned, worked very hard for nice place, you’ll get it.

 

The Nectar of Devotion (Lecture) -- Bombay, January 4, 1973