THE PRABHUPADA CONNECTION
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Immediately You Become Fortunate
Devotee: So this question of freedom of jīva and control of Kṛṣṇa, that there is freedom but at the same time there is no freedom, is a very fine line between the two that sometimes we do not understand.

Prabhupāda: But why don't you understand? Just like you belong to a free nation, the America. Does it mean you are free to do anything and everything?

Devotee: With your limited freedom.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: There's a fine line between this freedom...

Prabhupāda: When you say, "I belong to this free nation," then yes, you are free. But that does not mean that you can do anything and everything.

Devotee(2): Take that example of the habit, if someone is smoking out of habit. So again. So is he free in that smoking, or is it..., has he completely surrendered his freedom?

Prabhupāda: No, no... These things are very common. Just like in your country the government has written on the cigarette box, "It is harmful to health." But if you still smoke at your risk, do it.

Devotee: So freedom... You can smoke, but you cannot avoid suffering from the result.

Prabhupāda: Yes, from the result.

Devotee: You have to suffer.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: This is the law if you smoke.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is the law.

Devotee: And you cannot smoke outside the laws. You cannot smoke a cigarette...

Prabhupāda: This is... Already warning is there, that "If you smoke, you'll suffer." And if you still do that: suffer. What can be done? Common thing.

Devotee(3): The freedom is always there—minute independence.

Devotee: Minute.

Devotee(4): Freedom with responsibility.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee(4): Just like they say that you have the freedom to yell "There's a fire" in a theater, but you don't do it.

Prabhupāda: So many examples are there. Freedom is there, but you are not absolutely free to do whatever you like.

Devotee(4): Because of the stringent laws of nature.

Prabhupāda: Because you are small. Just like children—he has got freedom, playing, but when he is doing something wrong, father: "You don't do this. Don't do this. Don't do this." But if he does it, even he is children, even he's child, he'll suffer. He cannot say, "I am child. I did not know, father." Then that does not matter. You must suffer. You must suffer, even though you are child.

Devotee: And, Śrīla Prabhupāda...

Prabhupāda: Father takes care, "My dear child, don't do this. Don't touch fire." But still, he touches; he must suffer. The fire will not excuse because he is child. That is not possible. Nature's law will act.

Devotee(2): This idea of freedom and independence, is it possible for anyone theoretically to surrender to Kṛṣṇa at any time?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee(2): So let's say someone is in a very degraded condition of life, modes of ignorance, passion. Their mind is always disturbed. Is surrender to Kṛṣṇa... Is it possible that it can be independent even of the mind?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee(2): In other words, let's say someone's mind is...

Prabhupāda: You are independent of mind always. It is your mind. You are not mind.

Devotee(2): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then you are independent of mind always.

Devotee(2): So even a person merged in the mode of ignorance can by some good fortune surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No good fortune. God, Kṛṣṇa, says, "You do it"; you do it. Here, immediately you become fortunate. There is no question of waiting for becoming fortunate. You become fortunate immediately. Suppose if I say, "Take this bag, 100,000 dollars," you can take it. Immediately you become rich man. Why don't you take it?

Devotee(4): How does kṛpā-siddhi work, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee(4): Kṛpā-siddhi. How does that work?

Prabhupāda: Kṛpā-siddhi means that you are not willing to take this bag. I say, "Take it, take it, take it." (laughter) "No." That is kṛpā-siddhi. Even you are unwilling, I give you in your pocket, push it. That is kṛpā-siddhi. (laughter)

Devotee(3): We could not wait for that.

Devotee(5): All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, March 25, 1976, Delhi)

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