The Philosophical Significance of God's Rewarding in Material and Spiritual Life
The Supreme Lord's system of rewarding the living entities is a perfect manifestation of both divine justice and boundless mercy, as He responds to every soul according to their consciousness and desires. As Śrīla Prabhupāda explains, whether one seeks material enjoyment, liberation, or pure devotional service, the Lord rewards accordingly, yet the nature of these rewards varies dramatically based on the spiritual understanding of the recipient. By understanding this profound principle, one can develop the wisdom to seek the highest reward of eternal loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Principle of Reward According to Surrender
The Supreme Lord explicitly states in the Bhagavad-gītā that He rewards everyone according to their degree of surrender, establishing a universal principle that applies to all living entities regardless of their position or desires. This divine law ensures that every action, whether performed in ignorance, knowledge, or devotion, receives an appropriate reaction, yet the Lord's mercy is always available to those who approach Him with a sincere heart. By understanding this principle, one can make the conscious choice to surrender fully to the Lord and receive the supreme reward of His loving association.
- All of them-as they surrender unto Me-I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha. Bhagavad-gita 4.11 - 1972.
- In the Bhagavad-gita (Bhagavad-gita 4.11) the Lord says, ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham - I reward everyone according to his surrender unto Me.
- The Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, may be realized in different stages. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (Bhagavad-gita 4.11): As men surrender unto Me, I reward them accordingly.
- This mantra of Sri Isopanisad uses the very appropriate word yathatathyatah, indicating that the Lord rewards the living entities just in pursuance of their desires.
Distinct Rewards for Devotees and Demons
While demons and fruitive workers may receive temporary material benefits or even sayujya-mukti, the pure devotees are rewarded with the superior blessing of eternal devotional service in the spiritual planets, where they remain with God in blissful existence. This distinction reveals the Lord's perfect justice, as He fulfills the desires of all living entities while simultaneously offering the opportunity for the highest perfection to those who seek it with love. By recognizing the superiority of devotional rewards, one can reorient their consciousness toward the ultimate goal of life.
- After attaining sayujya-mukti, the demons are sometimes promoted to the Vaikuntha world, where they receive the reward of the Lord's garland prasada.
- As long as the living entity is in material existence, actions performed by him are rewarded in the next life, or even in the present life. Similarly, in his spiritual life also actions are rewarded by the Lord by the five kinds of liberation.
- Even if the devotee were offered such rewards (such as live on the same planet with the Supreme Lord, having the same form or opulence as the Lord, to live with Him side by side or to merge into His existence) by the Lord, he would reject them.
- The fact is that devotees who are always engaged in devotional service in transcendental love are rewarded 100s and 1,000s of times more than the demons by being elevated to the spiritual planets, where they remain with God in eternal, blissful existence.
The Special Favor of Removing Material Possessions
Sometimes the Lord takes away all the material possessions of His devotee as the first installment of His special favor, and though this may appear as loss, it actually strengthens the devotee's dependence and leads to far greater spiritual rewards. This unique aspect of divine rewarding demonstrates that the Lord's mercy is not always expressed through material opulence but often through the removal of obstacles to pure devotion. By accepting such apparent losses with faith, the devotee opens the door to the Lord's most confidential blessings.
- As the first installment of His special favor, the Lord takes away all the possessions of His devotee. A devotee, however, is never disturbed by such a loss. He continues his service and the Lord amply rewards him, beyond the expectations of any common man.
- If we offer something to Lord, oh, that is rewarded in many millions of times. So we should not expect. The Lord is always serious to return the service of the servant, of His devotee.
The Supreme Goodness of Divine Justice
Whether the Lord appears to cheat or reward, He is always good, and His system of predestiny can be cancelled by complete surrender, demonstrating that He is the ultimate controller and well-wisher of all living entities. This profound understanding reveals that the Lord's actions are never arbitrary but are always aimed at the ultimate benefit of the soul, even when they appear challenging from a material perspective. By surrendering to this divine wisdom, one can transcend the dualities of gain and loss and experience the peace of complete dependence on the Supreme.
- By His (God's) superior intelligence, the Lord gives everyone the chance to fulfill his desires to the fullest extent, and the resultant reaction is also awarded by the Lord.
- He (God) rewards the reactions of our actions by placing us in some particular place.
- He (Lord Ramacandra) rewarded the administrative demigods by effective weapons to conquer the demons through the agency of Visvamitra.
- It is said that God is good, and this is a fact. Whether He cheats or rewards, He is always good. Bali Maharaja therefore addressed Him as Uttamasloka.
- Predestiny is there but it is cancelled if you surrender to Him, otherwise God is not the controller. Theirs is like karma mimamsa philosophy, that God is our servant and He must reward me according to my activities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Supreme Lord's system of rewarding the living entities is a perfect manifestation of both divine justice and boundless mercy, as He responds to every soul according to their consciousness and desires. As Śrīla Prabhupāda so clearly demonstrates, whether one seeks material enjoyment, liberation, or pure devotional service, the Lord rewards accordingly, yet the nature of these rewards varies dramatically based on the spiritual understanding of the recipient. By surrendering fully to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can receive the supreme reward of eternal loving service in the spiritual realm, where every moment is saturated with bliss and knowledge.
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 Rewarding. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.