Devotee (1): What is the relationship between Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Jesus Christ?
Prabhupāda: Oh, that you know. Why do you ask me? What is Lord Jesus Christ? Don't you know?
Devotee (1): The son of God.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore relationship is father and son. But there is no difference between father and son. Both of them are authorized. Just like your father, and if you are a trustworthy son of your father, then the work done by your father and by you is the same.
Devotee (2): Swāmījī, Kṛṣṇa being the cause of all causes, how can we use our individuality if we are always under His direction?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Devotee (2): If we are always under Kṛṣṇa's direction, how is it we can use our individuality?
Prabhupāda: That is individuality, that even under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, you can use your individuality. Don't you do that? Your father says: "My dear boy, do this." You say: "No, I don't do this." That is your individuality. Otherwise what is the meaning of individuality? Individuality means if I like, I can accept; if I don't like, I do not accept. That is individuality. If I am forced to do something, that is not my individuality.
Janārdana: We are marginal energy.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Marginal energy is that, that by your individuality you can abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa, and if you like, you do not abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is your choice. That is practical everywhere. The father and son—the son may obey the father, and the son may disobey also. That is the choice of the son. That is given there, that every individual living entity has got this minute quantity of independence. And as soon as we misuse this minute quantity of independence we are in the hands of māyā.
Just like in every country . . . you are American. You are considered to be independent. But that does not mean that you are absolutely independent, you can do whatever you like. But you have got the right to do whatever you like. But as soon as you misuse your independence, you are in danger, although you belong to the independent nation. So there is possibility of misusing the independence at every moment. Therefore we have to continue Kṛṣṇa consciousness so this possibility of misusing the independence will no longer live.
All right.
Guest (3): Swāmī, one more question. If you have misused the energy of the past and go on with the results of your misuse, are you still responsible for those forms?
Prabhupāda: As you had misused your independence in the . . . in your past life or in past, similarly, you can immediately properly use your independence. Do you follow? You . . . somehow or other, you misused your independence. Similarly, immediately, if you use your independence properly, then the result of that misuse of independence is corrected. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Because the conditioned souls here in this material world, they have all misused their independence . . . anyone, beginning from the highest planet down, beginning from Brahmā down to the small ant, everyone has misused his independence. This conditional life, this material body, is due to that. Therefore our reactions of that misuse is going on life after life.
Now, Kṛṣṇa says that, "If you surrender immediately, then I take charge of you." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: "You just give up all your other engagements. Just surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall give you protection from all reaction of your misuse of independence."
Guest (4): The false . . . (indistinct) . . . is that he is misled by material consciousness to execute the things, really. If he is misled by other, by circumstances, this is . . . he has no fault of his own.
Prabhupāda: That's all right, but innocence is no excuse of law. If you say that, "Somebody misled me to go to the left side" in the court, oh, that does not mean that you will be saved from the fine. So you have to become such intelligent person that you may not be misled by others. You have got the intelligence. Why should you be misled? Then what is the meaning of this human form of life?
And you have to be educated. You have to take the opportunity of education so that you may not be misled. Why do you agree to be misled? Then you must agree to take the punishment also. If you, by innocence, put your hand on the fire, so fire will not excuse you. (laughter) So innocence is no excuse. You have to be learned. Therefore we are here to give proper education to the people.