Free will Vs. predicted future

[Guest guest]

Camp: Indian Airlines inflight from Mumbai, India--to Coimbatore Rathayatra

 

> Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia, 24-Jul-98

>

> Dear Srila Acaryapada: Please accept my respectful obeisances.

> All glories to Your Divine Grace. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

>

> In the Sastra said that Lord Krsna knows everything from the past, present

> and even from the *future*

 

Yes.

 

> If Lord Krsna already knows the future, we can said that the future is

> already predicted. If there is a war Lord Krsna already knows who will win

> and who will fight in each side and who will die, etc. Then, how actually

> works the free will that we have?

 

How Lord Sri Krishna knows the future is something beyond our ability to

understand. It means understanding many higher dimensional realities like

the relationship between time and space in this world and eternal time in

the spiritual world. It also means understanding how the unlimited Mind of

Lord Sri Krishna works. Since all these things are impossible for a

conditioned soul and also to a large extent even to a liberated jiva to

know---there is no need of pondering over it and getting doubtful. Lord Sri

Krishna states that we have limited free will. We have to take it from

there. If there were no free will then a law of Karma would be of no

significance.

 

> If we have a free will to choose to do a particular devotional service or

> a particular fruitive activity, Lord Krsna already knows that we will

> choice one of them. So, the future is already predicted and we can't

> change anything! How the free will that we have works. Actually we have

> it?

 

Yes you have some free will. Srila Prabhupada says it is upto you to choose

to be a devotee or not. If you serve Lord Sri Krishna then you are on the

path of perfection. If you serve Maya then you are on the path of

entanglement and illusion.

 

> If the future is already predicted I perceived some contradictory

> statements in the Sastras when said that the jiva has the independence to

> choose but actually what independence we *really* have if we can't change

> anything.

 

The jiva changed things, but Lord Sri Krishna knows what he will change.

 

> If Lord Krsna already knows the future, He also knows when/how and who

> will become his devotee and which services his devotee will do for Him.

> Normally there is more enjoyment when the person doesn't know the future.

 

Yes so as individual jivas we have the chance to enjoy some things simply

due to our having limited knowledge. In other words, limited knowledge is

also not all bad as it allows us to experience wonderment and surprise at

the wonderful activities of the SPG (Supreme Personality of Godhead).

 

In BG Lord Sri Krishna tells Arjuna that he has the free will to choose to

fight or not to fight. However, even if Arjuna chose not to fight then

still Lord Sri Krishna would have the Kurus defeated in another way.

Ultimately once the Lord decides He wants something it will happen. Who is

able to execute it and be a part of the glorious activities is upto their

free will and the Lord's mercy. You can choose to remain part of Lord Sri

krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sankirtan movement eternaly and then you will

get all the glory for preaching the Lord's message.

 

> I hope that one day I will be free of all my doubts by YDG's unlimited

> mercy.

 

So do I hope that you will be free from all doubts by mercy of Srila

Prabhupada and Lord Sri Krishna.

 

> Your servant,

> Marici das

 

I hope that this finds you in good health.

 

Your ever well wisher,

 

Jayapataka Swami