cause for coming to KC

[Guest guest]

> Dear Sri Visnupada,

> Please accept my humble obeisances.

>

> Does one come in contact with Krsna consciousness due to karma?

>

> In answer to this you have said:

>

> > No, that’s good fortune only, good fortune,

> > due to ajnata-sukrti, due to performing ajnata-sukrti, unknown

> > pious activities in the past. Or it’s the pure mercy of a devotee.

> > Like, a devotee may come up to you on the street and offer you a

> > book. And you may have had absolutely no pious activities in your

> > life. But if you just happened to like the way that devotee

> > looked, if you just happened to like what he was telling you, and

> > bought that book, all your pious activities were created for you

> > at that spot. Yes.

> > (BG 12.9, 940519, Vienna)

>

> 1. Pious activities: Are not pious activities karma? Is it possible

> to attain the opportunity for devotional service by piety?

>

 

Yes, one can get the *opportunity* to take up devotional service by

being very pious, but that is not the only reason or the cause. After

all, there are some demons who were very pious. But for one who is

naturally attracted to devotional service, he will also, by the same

nature, be attracted to pious activities. Simply piety alone is not

enough. Neither is it required in some cases for there are examples

of some attaining the spiritual world without piety (such as the

famous mouse mentioned in the Hari Bhakti Vilas).

 

> 2. Pure mercy: But your karma also directed you to walk that way

> that day. And it also dictates whether you will be in a favorable

> disposition and able to take the book.

>

 

Not true. The karma creates the happiness and distress one feels at

present, and also the surroundings that one is in, but not in all the

decisions that one makes with his life. Otherwise, without free will

then why are some elevated and some degraded? Is it just the material

nature pushing people up and down (thus ultimately Krsna is

controlling this) or do we have something to do with our destinations?

Obviously there is an element of free will in everyone's life.

 

> Can you please explain your above statement a little more?

>

> your servant,

> Ramesvara dasa.