Surrendering to the Divine God's Plan
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate director behind all cosmic and historical events. While conditioned souls fruitlessly attempt to make independent arrangements for their material happiness, the pure devotee recognizes the flawless, supreme plan of the Lord and perfectly aligns his life to act as a willing instrument in the hands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The Inconceivable Intelligence of the Lord
The ways of the Supreme Lord are profound and often mysterious to the conditioned intellect. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that even the greatest demigods, such as Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, or the most exhaustive philosophical inquiries, cannot fully ascertain God's plan. Therefore, the wisest course of action is to submissively abide by His supreme will.
- Bhisma wanted to impress upon Maharaja Yudhisthira that since time immemorial no one, including such demigods as Siva and Brahma, could ascertain the real plan of the Lord. So what can we understand about it?
- Although sometimes plans appear contradictory, there is a definite plan behind all action. One who is experienced and is favored by the Lord can understand that everything is being done according to the Lord's supreme plan.
- Even the exhaustive philosophical inquiries of sages cannot ascertain the plan of the Lord. The best policy is simply to abide by the orders of the Lord without argument.
The Futility of Mundane Planning
Materialists constantly scheme to conquer nature and secure their temporary sense gratification, completely ignoring the supreme authority. Śrīla Prabhupāda states that such atheistic plan-makers (duṣkṛtina) are doomed to fail because their limited intelligence is misdirected and ultimately crushed by the infallible plan of the Supreme Lord.
- Maya Danava said, "However I plan, you plan or both of us plan, the Lord has planned what is to happen. No one's plan will be successful without His sanction."
- Because the atheist's brain is improperly utilized in opposing the plan of the Supreme Lord, the atheistic planmaker is called duskrtina, which indicates that his intelligence and efforts are misdirected.
- Material energy works as the shadow moves, in accordance with the movements of the object. But still it is very powerful, and the atheist, due to his godless temperament, cannot know how it works; nor can he know the plan of the Supreme Lord.
The Divine Orchestration of Events
Nothing in existence happens by random chance. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that massive cosmic occurrences, such as universal creation and maintenance, as well as grand historical conflicts like the Battle of Kurukṣetra, are all orchestrated down to the smallest detail by the supreme plan of Godhead.
- The creation and destruction of the cosmic manifestation are under the superior guidance of God. Thus the Battle of Kuruksetra was fought according to the plan of God.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead pushes the button of creation, and different energies create the material elements and various controllers of the physical elements, and their subsequent interactions follow the inconceivable plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Without the Lord's sanction, nothing can happen. It is to be understood that there was a plan in the cursing of the Lord's devotees in Vaikuntha, and His plan is explained by many stalwart authorities.
Delivering the Conditioned Souls
The ultimate objective behind the Lord's cosmic arrangements is the salvation of the wandering living entities. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Lord repeatedly descends and executes His divine plans specifically to end the cycle of transmigration and deliver the conditioned souls from the clutches of material illusion.
- The Lord is so kind that He personally incarnates to deliver the conditioned souls, and whenever He comes, He makes His plans.
- The word hari means "one who takes away all miserable conditions," and hari-medhase means that the Lord is always planning ways to deliver the conditioned soul from the clutches of maya.
- Krsna's appearance and disappearance are meant to put an end to the living entities' transmigration from one body to another, and therefore one should understand the greatness of the plan behind Krsna's appearance and disappearance.
- There is another plan behind the creation: to help the living entities realize that they are created for the transcendental sense gratification of the Lord and not for their individual sense gratification.
The Special Mercy of Reversals
When a devotee faces sudden hardships or apparent tragedies, it is never a random stroke of bad luck. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that such reversals are actually a direct, merciful plan formulated by the Supreme Lord to rapidly detach His special devotees from mundane allurement and bring them back to Godhead.
- Seeing all these reverses affect devotees, one should not be disturbed; one should simply understand that in these matters there must be some plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Maharaja Pariksit still found the allurement of mundane family life so strong that he had to be detached by a plan of the Lord. Such direct action is taken by the Lord in the case of a special devotee.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead wanted to bring Citraketu to Vaikunthaloka as soon as possible. The Lord's plan was that Citraketu be cursed by Parvati to become Vrtrasura so that in his next life he could quickly return home, back to Godhead.
- Dear Lord, we offer our respectful obeisances unto You because Your existence is completely independent of all material influences. Your Lordship always takes away the devotee's miserable conditions, for Your brain plans how to do so.
The Glory of the Surrendered Instrument
The Lord is fully capable of executing His desires without anyone's help, yet He prefers to engage His devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights the causeless mercy of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who carefully arranges His divine plans in such a way that His faithful, confidential servants receive all the glory for the success.
- Every plan is made by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He is so kind and merciful to His devotees that He wants to give the credit to His devotees who carry out His plan according to His desire.
- What the Lord wants to do Himself by His transcendental plans, He executes through His confidential devotees. That is the way of the Lord's mercy towards His pure unalloyed devotees.
- Within 8 or ten years we have developed so much. Is it humanly possible? It is Krsna's plan. But Krsna says that "You go & preach. Take the credit." Yes. It is His plan. Actually everything is done by Krsna. He gives the credit to His devotee, that's all.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda emphatically establishes that the material world is not a chaotic realm governed by blind nature, but a highly structured environment operating strictly under God's plan. Materialists and atheists who concoct their own plans in defiance of the Supreme Lord are bound for frustration and defeat, as the formidable material energy (māyā) easily dismantles their endeavors. In stark contrast, a pure devotee understands that everything, from cosmic annihilation to perceived personal reversals, is orchestrated by Śrī Kṛṣṇa for the ultimate spiritual benefit of the conditioned souls. By abandoning personal ambitions and humbly accepting the role of a divine instrument, the sincere devotee is empowered by the Lord's causeless mercy, ultimately receiving the highest transcendental credit for fulfilling the infallible plan of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God's Plan. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.