Will of the Lord (Conversations and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"God's will" |"God's will" |"Will of Sri Krishna" |"by the will of God" |"by the will of krsna" |"by the will of the lord" |"by the will of the supreme" |"krishna's will" |"lord willing" |"lord's will" |"will of God" |"will of God" |"will of Lord Sri Krsna" |"will of krishna" |"will of krsna" |"will of the Lord Krsna" |"will of the lord" |"will of the supreme"

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Father Tanner and other guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Father Tanner: Conflict in the spirit world?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, yes. Just like father has got ten sons. Some of them are opposition to the father. And some of them are very obedient.

Father Tanner: But the... I'm not saying of the spirit in man. I'm saying of spirits in themselves.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Spirit in themselves, they are not opposition.

Father Tanner: Can they be in opposition?

Prabhupāda: No. When they are in opposition, they have to accept this material body. Just like the citizens in the prison house, it means they are all in opposition to the laws of the state, similarly, anyone who is in this material world, they are in opposition to the supreme will of the Lord. Therefore they are put into this material world in varieties of life. So they can stop that opposition and again go back to home, back to Godhead.

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Then? It is a common sense affair. The God has given you independence. If you do something wrong, against the will of God, then you must suffer. Therefore we find so many varieties of living entities. In different grades of life. That is due to misuse of independence.

Morning Walk -- December 3, 1973, Los Angeles:

Yaśomatīnandana: And also, if nature made a mistake, then how could nature supply the necessities of all the living entities? After all...

Prabhupāda: No, no, there is no mistake. Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10). It is said, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. Under the supervision of Kṛṣṇa, God, nature is working. How there can be mistake? In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). This nature is working just like shadow. Real direction is from God. Icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā. By His will, nature is working. So how He can be mistaken? Nature is working under the will of God; so how there can be mistake in the part of God? There is no mistake.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So they are trying to get that siddha, the perfection, by so much yogic process, but another living entity, without understanding any yogic process, can do that. So these things are not very great gains. There are... In different planets there are different living entities. Just like we cannot touch fire, but in the sun globe there are also life, human beings, but their body is made of fire. Just like in the water. I cannot go into the water, but there are so many small fishes, they are living very nicely. So this we do not know. We are trying to gain success in these material activities, but by God's will, there are different living entities. They have already all the successes. So therefore our real business is not to waste our time to get any material success. Our real business is how we shall be successful to become an obedient servant of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is real success.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: No, we gave that you are not to think of future foolishly. Anyone who is going to school, it does not mean that he is not taking care of his body. The school-going is future, but still he's taking care of his body. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Rāmeśvara: ...of survival of the fittest. If I have a lot of sense enjoyment, then that is God's will.

Prabhupāda: But nobody is fit to survive. (laughs) That is the real problem. You are struggling for surviving, but you'll not survive. That is nature's law.

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1975, Mayapur:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But they say it is just a proof of nature, not a proof of God.

Prabhupāda: Yes, nature is instrumental, just like jail is instrument. But the proprietor of the jail, conductor of the jail, is government. Jail is not acting independently. By the government's direction. Similarly, the nature is working by the direction of God. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). That is stated. Nature is not independent. Just like the nature is that this lump of matter will lie down here, but if God desires, it can fly on the sky. That is God's will. Nature is not independent. Then it would have remained here. Just like Lord Rāmacandra collected stones, and it was floating. According to law of gravitation, how it can float?

Morning Walk -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: No, if you believe in accident, then you should not endeavor for anything. Nothing happens accidentally.

Hari-śauri: Well, then could not we say that by man's activity, then, things are happening? I had one letter from a person I used to know and...

Prabhupāda: Activity plus sanction of God, two things. There are five causes. The activity, the place, the proportion of energy, and ultimately, sanction by God. Then things happen. Otherwise there is no question of accident. Accident can happen by the will of God. That is also... Behind that accident, there is will of God.

Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: That was never any more, but if they are realizing that, that is very good.

Guest 1: But you can't say that scientists are working in a way that is opposite to God's will.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they say. They say, oh yes. I have met many scientists. They say that "We shall solve everything by scientific advancement. We have done already." They say like that.

Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:

Yogi Bhajan: We are starting a parent organization for our kids. We invite the mothers, parents, ask them to stay, and send them back. Idea is basic, and the fundamental idea is: what you are doing is God's will, these people who are following you is God's will, and those who will receive it as God's will... But it is not that everybody sees that God will.

Prabhupāda: No. God's will is open. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). God says that "You always think of Me. You just become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your respect to Me." This is God's will. "And if you do this, then you are coming back to Me." It is clearly said. God's will is declared. There is no secret. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad... Find out this ninth verse, er, Ninth Chapter. Yes. Read it.

Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: That's all. This is God's will. It is not secret. It is open. But the thing is that everyone has got his different God.

Yogi Bhajan: Well, question is very fundamental. Everybody has his own God, so let everybody bring one's own God in understanding. It's not... God is...

Prabhupāda: God... you have got own God. God says, "Always think of Me."

Morning Walk -- December 16, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What is that? God says "Let there be creation," and there was creation. Why three months?

Dr. Patel: Ah, that is, we are not... (laughing)

Prabhupāda: He says "Let there be creation"; there was creation.

Dr. Patel: It was the will of God, so this is also the will of God.

Prabhupāda: Here you see, God says, "You come here," immediately you come. "You go there," immediately you go there. (Dr. Patel laughs loudly) You cannot bring the water by your scientific process, immediately. But when God says "Immediately"—within a second. (sound of waves in background) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- December 16, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: The will of God is the real thing.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. His will is supreme. Whatever He says, that's all. As soon as you manufacture, everything is spoiled.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Cyavana: Śrīla Prabhupāda? In some parts of the Bible it describes how things were being carried out, and they say that the activities were going on according to the will of God. Does that mean that there was a God conscious civilization then?

Prabhupāda: Activities? These activities are going on. The sun is rising by the will of God; the moon is rising, will of God. You are being punished by the will of God. He is the Supreme.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Cyavana: Children were being born according to God's will.

Prabhupāda: Yes...

Cyavana: It's described in certain parts of...

Prabhupāda: Children will be born.... If you are.... If the child is sinful, then it will go to the womb of a mother who will kill him. That's all. By the will. By the.... That he should be punished. One who has used contraceptive and abortion method, by the will of God he will enter another mother, and the mother will kill him.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Now, now, you see, try, understand. You are very good Bible quoter, but try to understand each and everything. Simply you go on quoting, but understand what is that quotation. It is by the will of God. You have committed sinful life by contraceptive method. Now you enter in the womb of another mother and be killed. That is Bible.

Cyavana: So what is described there was not actually God consciousness or...

Prabhupāda: No, it is God consciousness if you understand it, that "I am now being punished by the will of God. I have done sinful activities." That is God conscious.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Devotee (4): I was thinking earlier how a farmer can put the seed in the ground, but he cannot actually make the seed grow if it is not the will of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The situation is not favorable. That is the proof that everything is a living entity. If you put the seed... The seed is not the tree, but when you put the seed on the ground, if the situation is favorable, the particular living entity who has to take the form of that tree, he comes, and then it grows. That is the proof. Just like sex. It is not the secretion of the man and the woman. It creates a situation so that the soul may come and live there, and then there is pregnancy. It is not the matter. This is the proof.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That they do not understand. That as soon as you accept a material body, either a very rich man's body or poor man's body or any body, either brāhmaṇa's body or śūdra's body, to accept material body means undergo miseries.

Indian Doctor: But you have no choice to accept. By the will of God...

Prabhupāda: No, you have got... You can become free. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti...

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: First of all, you have to decide that this money, not a single farthing should be spent for any other purpose than performing yajña. Then we can give you right direction. And if you have plan to utilize this money for any other purpose, that is not Kṛṣṇa's mission. That is your mission. So first of all you have to decide whether you are going to execute Kṛṣṇa's mission or your mission. Kṛṣṇa's mission is very clearly defined. It is there, everything is declared there in the Bhagavad-gītā. We can do it very nicely. But if you want to do any other mission, then you can do. You are government, you are in power, you can do that. But that will not be pleasing to Kṛṣṇa. He has got a mission. That is stated. Dharmasya glānir bhavati. So any dharma, so-called dharma, which does not awaken their Kṛṣṇa consciousness is glāniḥ. Kṛṣṇa does not want that. If you're against the will of Kṛṣṇa, against the mission of Kṛṣṇa, if you want to do something, you can do. People are doing so many things. That is also mentioned by Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So how you can take care with nothing? Kṛṣṇa makes you nothing, then how you can take care of your family? Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nārtasya ca... These things I have explained. That we have got so many means against struggle for existence, but that is not final. Tāvat tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām. If there is no sanction from Kṛṣṇa, you cannot do it. It is impossible. If Kṛṣṇa does not like you to be implicated in that way, that is false, then how can you do it? You are thinking that I shall take care of my family. But if Kṛṣṇa wants that you cannot take care of your family then how you'll do it? Can you go against the will of Kṛṣṇa? You can understand at least this, if not very much advanced. You cannot go against the will of Kṛṣṇa. So you have tried for the last one and a half years, you could not improve your material situation. That means you are going against the will of Kṛṣṇa. Take it from me. Kata bāccā? Four (Hindi) Separate. No more together. (Hindi) Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ (SB 7.9.45). Everything is discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Kṛpaṇa, brāhmaṇa, kṛpaṇa, tṛpyanti neha. He knows that one bāccā has given me so much trouble.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sardar Patel -- Calcutta 28 February, 1949:

The State is giving help for so many man-made purposes and I pray that a sum of Rs 2000/- per month may be allowed for starting these Gandhian movements in organized form and that on authentic basis I think if your honour as a renowned practical man accepts my humble suggestion, it may be by the will of God, that the whole atmosphere of the present world calamities may be mitigated altogether. My humble self had the privilege of taking this training under the lotus feet of my spiritual master and I am confident to organize this work in a scientific way if I am helped by the state.

Letter to Sri Biswambhar Goswami -- Shanti Kutir, Vrindaban 25 December, 1956:

The attention of Government is now turned to the side of reforming the religious activities of Indian sadhus and Sannyasis and they are now going to enact some statutes in this connection. Of course nothing is possible without the sanction of the Supreme Will of Sri Krishna but still man-made laws must have defects as the lawmakers are deficient in four primary principles of a conditioned soul.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Mrinaline -- Vrindaban 27 August, 1967:

I am very glad to learn that many of my devotees are coming to India. Students who will come here for studying Krishna philosophy as scholar and devotee will have ample opportunity. My god-brother Swami B.H. Bon, has agreed to give them free boarding, lodging and tuition, at least for ten students at a time. So they are welcome. I am also trying for their concession of passage as well as a permanent home in Vrindaban. Let us depend upon the Will of Krishna.

Letter to Rayarama -- Calcutta 23 November, 1967:

On my return I shall make practical progress so that both of us may go on compiling Srimad-Bhagavatam and opening different centers in all parts of the world simultaneously. We are completely dependent on the Supreme will of Krishna. Let us try our best to serve Him and He will give us all facilities in our mission.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Boys and Girls -- New York 21 April, 1968:

It is a very scientific movement authorized by the Vedas and accepted by all great acaryas. I think the boy Terry is God-sent. In his past life he must have cultivated this science of Krishna Consciousness and therefore he has automatically been attracted with this movement and who knows if all the boys and girls joining me were not born by the Supreme Will of Krishna just to help me in this great task of distributing Krishna Consciousness in the Western World specifically.

Letter to Cidananda -- Los Angeles 24 December, 1968:

If you can sell Back To Godhead individually as proposed by you, and some copies of our books, like Bhagavad-gita As It Is, that will be a great success. And there is no need of leading a procession of chanters for this purpose. The idea submitted by you is very nice, and I have given my 100% approval and I have given my opinion as above mentioned. Now you can do with intelligence depending on the supreme will of Krishna. I hope this will meet you in good health, and offer my blessings to all the devotees there.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Paramananda -- Los Angeles 9 January, 1969:

I understand that you are anxious to go to New Vrindaban. I think that it is Krishna's will that you shall go there and try to develop that nice land because there is so much potential there which can utilize your abilities in being developed. I hope that by now you have received a note from Hayagriva who was staying with me for more than a fortnight.

Letter to Syama -- Hawaii 30 March, 1969:

I hope by this time you must have improved your health and very soon you will be able to work fully along with your good husband. I think by the will of Krishna you two good souls, Hayagriva and yourself, are combined now to fulfill my mission of publishing the whole of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Krishna is sufficiently powerful and able to give facilities to His devotees provided a devotee works very sincerely to please Him.

Letter to Vrndavanesvari -- Los Angeles 28 July, 1969:

I was very much anxious to hear from you and Mandali Bhadra since you left Vancouver, and I am very glad to learn that things are going nicely. By Krishna's Will you are all a good combination. So continue to execute Krishna Consciousness very seriously and sincerely and take care of your child, Moyuradwaja. I have a great hope for Moyuradwaja. He is very intelligent with signs of a great devotee. My special request to you is that you take care of this child very nicely, and he will be a great son to glorify his parents.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Boston 25 December, 1969:

Please try to maintain it heart and soul with faith in Krishna, and your life will be successful. I am an old man and I may shift away from the scene at any moment; but I am very much hopeful of my disciples who are so sincerely helping me. This movement is greatly needed for the human society, so we are not working like any political party, but we are trying to execute the Will of the Supreme Lord.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1970:

The clue is given there in the Bhagavad-gita that the living entities are fragmental parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, this means that all the qualities of Krsna are therefore present in minute quantity in each of His parts and parcels. That is simultaneously one and different philosophy—the living entities thus have free will because they are parts of Krsna and Krsna has free will, but the free will of Krsna is Supreme while the freedom of the parts and parcels is minute.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Makhanlal -- Mayapur 22 June, 1973:

You have asked about whether nuclear devastation on this planet would effect the Sankirtana Movement. No, there is nothing that can stop the Sankirtana Movement because it is the will of God Himself, Lord Caitanya, that His Holy Name be heard in every town and village. Neither can the demons devastate this planet independent of the will of Krsna. Nothing happens without His sanction. If Krsna wants to kill someone no one can save Him, and if Krsna wants to save someone no one can kill him. For our parts we should just be determined to carry out our mission against all opposition, demons, nuclear war, whatever. The whole universe is finally subject to certain annihilation by the will of Krsna, but devotional service is eternal and is the only certain way one can save himself from devastation.