God Will - The Infallible Promises of the Supreme Lord
Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that in the material world, all promises and predictions are subject to the frustrating laws of nature. A conditioned soul may say, "I will do this," but they are ultimately powerless to guarantee the outcome. However, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares what He will do, it is an absolute, infallible certainty. By studying the profound promises and unchangeable laws established by the Lord in the Vedic literatures, we understand that His will is the ultimate deciding factor governing creation, annihilation, and the spiritual deliverance of the conditioned souls.
The Infallible Protector
The greatest anxiety of material life is the constant fear of danger and the reactions to past sins. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this fear is completely eradicated when one realizes that the Supreme Lord will personally protect anyone who fully surrenders to Him.
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita, "Surrender unto Me, and I will give you protection from all kinds of sinful reaction." That is His mercy. But this does not mean that one who has surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord has committed no misdeeds in his past life.
- "I shall never be alone," one should think. "Even if I live in the darkest regions of a forest I shall be accompanied by Krsna, and He will give me all protection." That conviction is called abhayam, without fear.
- If God wants to kill someone, no one can give him protection, and if God wants to protect someone, no one can kill him.
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead will certainly protect a devotee who does something sinful accidentally.
The Supreme Reciprocator
The Lord is completely self-sufficient, but out of His causeless mercy, He acts as the supreme reciprocator. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that whether one desires to enjoy the material world or serve the Lord with pure devotion, the Lord will provide the exact facilities required.
- First deserve, then desire. Why should you desire millions of dollars if you are a rogue? You must honestly work. You must have the business tactics, how to earn money. Then you will get a million dollars. Krsna will help you.
- Man proposes; God disposes. God is very kind. Whatever you desire, He will fulfill. Although He says that "This kind of material desires will never satisfy you," but we want. Therefore God supplies us, Krsna, different types of body.
- God confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita, "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I will accept it." The real ingredient is bhakti. Pure devotion is uncontaminated by the modes of material nature.
- If you do business or if you accept some employment, do so on behalf of the Lord. Whatever you may eat, you may offer the same to the Lord and be assured that He will return the food after eating it Himself.
The Promise of Revelation
Attempting to see God through our own strength or scientific research is a futile endeavor. Śrīla Prabhupāda constantly emphasizes that the Absolute Truth cannot be conquered by human intelligence; He will only reveal Himself to those who qualify themselves through submissive service.
- We cannot see God by our own endeavor, but if we qualify ourselves, God will reveal Himself, and then we will see.
- Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphurat adah. God will reveal Himself to us. We cannot see God with our blunt eyes. How then can we see Him?
- First of all you begin, try to learn how to love God. And when you are actually on the platform of love, prema, you will see God always in His form. He becomes revealed. You have not got to try to see, but He will reveal.
- If we accept the devotional service of the Lord, the Lord will gradually reveal Himself. In this way the progressive devotee will gradually realize his spiritual position.
The Inevitability of Supreme Action
The material world often appears chaotic, leading atheists to wrongly conclude that God does not exist. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that the Supreme Lord's patience should not be mistaken for absence. When the time is right, He will inevitably take supreme action.
- The atheist class, they will not accept. "What is God? I do not care for... there is no God." All right. Wait. God will come.
- Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham. When Krsna will come and put you to death, what you will do, with your clapping and your bank balance? You will be taken away.
- The material world is becoming more and more godless, and consequently everything is in a disturbed condition. If this continues, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will certainly take action, as He did in the case of Hiranyakasipu.
- At the end of this Kali-yuga, the Lord will appear as the incarnation of Kalki, and His only business will be to kill all human beings on the surface of the globe. After that killing, another golden age will begin.
Taking Charge of the Surrendered Soul
Because the material energy is overwhelmingly powerful, the conditioned soul is utterly helpless on their own. Śrīla Prabhupāda provides the ultimate solace: if one simply gives up their independent struggles and surrenders, the Lord will personally take charge of their life.
- To His devotee He says that instead of working in that way, it is better to surrender unto Him, for He will take charge of the devotee. That is the difference between a devotee and a fruitive actor.
- Life is athato brahma jijnasa: "This human form of life is meant for inquiring about Brahman." And if you engage yourself in this Brahman business, or Krsna consciousness business, rest assured, Krsna will take care of you.
- We should have firm faith that the Lord is supreme and that if we surrender to Him, He will take charge of us and indicate how we can get out of material life and return home, back to Godhead.
- One can fulfill the ultimate goal of life only by engaging in devotional service to the Lord. Then the Lord will give one proper instructions on how to go back home, back to Godhead.
The Ultimate Director from Within
The path of bhakti-yoga is not a blind or speculative journey. Śrīla Prabhupāda beautifully explains that the Supreme Lord is seated within the heart as the caitya-guru (the inner spiritual master), and He will actively direct the sincere devotee from within.
- Now it is up to you to keep on working vigorously in the service of the Lord and because He is seated within your heart, He will reveal from within all necessary intelligence for you to further extend your loving devotional service to Him.
- When God sees that you are sincere, He is within you, He will dictate, "You do like this, you do like this," and you will make advance.
- The sincere devotee should go on with sincere service of the Lord. The Lord will give proper direction as to how and where it has to be done.
- God does not interfere with our tiny independence. If we want to act according to the order of God, then He will help us.
Conclusion
The supreme assurance found in the Vedic literatures is the infallible will of the Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda methodically establishes that while the material world is a place of unpredictable miseries and broken promises, the Lord’s declarations are eternal and absolute. If the Lord decides He will destroy the atheistic civilization, no material science or weapon can prevent His arrival as the supreme force of time. Yet, this same absolute will is the greatest shelter for the devotee. The Lord guarantees that He will accept the simplest offering made with love, He will provide the intelligence needed to return to the spiritual world, and He will personally take charge of anyone who abandons their false independence. By submissively adopting the path of pure devotional service, specifically through the chanting of the holy names, a sincere soul triggers the ultimate promise: the Supreme Lord will lift the curtain of illusion and mercifully reveal His beautiful, transcendental form.
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 Will. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.