Mr. Malhotra: Whatever I am today, that is all due to my past karmas, good or bad, I mean.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Mr. Malhotra: And whatever I am doing today, that I will have to reap the harvest in the future.
Prabhupāda: You are creating the next position.
Mr. Malhotra: So that means that I am bound by my past karmas. My destiny, my fate is tied with the past karmas. So I have no other goal but to have the phala of past karmas. Or can I change my fate?
Prabhupāda: Yes. You are enjoying the past karmas, and you are creating new karmas.
Mr. Malhotra: But this means a circle that I'll always be.
Prabhupāda: Karma-cakra.
Mr. Malhotra: So how can one be out of this cakra?
Prabhupāda: That cakra, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Mr. Malhotra: Surrender to Kṛṣṇa. And put all the karmas...
Prabhupāda: Yes, He says, "You surrender. I square up all your karma."
Mr. Malhotra: Then only square up. Otherwise, no. Otherwise continue in this vicious circle.
Prabhupāda: Dharmasyāsya parantapa mām aprāpya nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). Karma-cakra, this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. One after another, one body after another, one body after another. This will continue. If you don't come to Kṛṣṇa, then nivartante, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, you have to return again to that karma-cakra.
Mr. Malhotra: The only way out is to surrender your...?
Prabhupāda: To accept Kṛṣṇa, that "You are my Lord. I forgot it. I surrender. Kindly accept me."
Mr. Malhotra: How to surrender?
Prabhupāda: Surrender, there are six items. Yes. That "If I surrender to Kṛṣṇa, He will give me protection. I am one of His servants. And whatever He does, accept that."
Mr. Malhotra: Good or bad.
Prabhupāda: There is no bad. Everything is good. And first accept what is favorable to Kṛṣṇa, to reject what is not favorable to Kṛṣṇa.
Mr. Malhotra: And what is favorable to Kṛṣṇa? How one knows?
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa says. Do that. Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Always think of Kṛṣṇa, become His devotee, offer obeisances. It doesn't require any extra endeavor. These things. Whatever you have got, you can do it. You can think of Kṛṣṇa without any impediment. Who can check it if you think of Kṛṣṇa? This is favorable. And what is unfavorable, that should be rejected. What is favorable, that should be accepted. And to believe firmly that, "Now I am surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, He will give me protection." (break) But dog has got a quality that he surrenders to his master. The master is a Vaiṣṇava, then dog gets the benefit. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya, mat para, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mat para, mat para (BG 9.32). When the process is there, everyone can surrender, that "I shall act only what is favorable to get Kṛṣṇa's mercy." Yes. "And I shall not act any way which is not favorable to Kṛṣṇa." These first two determinations. And then, "Because I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, He will give me protection." You believe in it. Kṛṣṇa says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Believe in it. "Now I have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. My all resultant actions of sinful life is finished. I will not come again." In this way.
Indian man: If one surrenders, how to know that Kṛṣṇa has accepted?
Prabhupāda: That you will understand. Just like if you eat, you will understand that you are eating. Nobody has to convince you. You will be convinced.
Mr. Malhotra: The test of the pudding is by eating. Not by simply telling.
Prabhupāda: When you eat, you haven't got to ask somebody else, "Do you think I am happy?" You'll feel yourself. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). If you are actually devotee, then you will be detestful to all material things.