Wanting to Be Free from the Reactions of Sinful Life
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the material world is a place of confinement where living entities suffer the reactions of their past and present deeds. While everyone wants to be free from these miseries, mundane attempts at liberation—such as breaking laws, reckless behavior, or temporary atonement—only tighten the knot of material bondage. Real freedom means becoming free from the reactions of sinful life by taking complete shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. By acting exclusively for the pleasure of the Lord under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, the soul breaks the wheel of karma and regains its natural, blissful independence.
The Illusion of False Freedom
In today's society, people often mistake rebellion and unrestricted sense gratification for freedom. Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly points out that human life is meant for following rules and regulations. Those who want to be free from all laws are simply descending into animalism. Furthermore, attempting to free oneself from anxiety through artificial means, such as taking intoxicants, is useless; once the intoxication fades, the original anxieties return in full force.
- Law is meant for human beings, not for the animals. Those who want to be free, they are animals. So-called freedom means animalism.
- Those who want to be free, they are animals. So-called freedom means animalism. That is not humanism. Humanism means to follow the rules and regulations and the laws, and then he is human being.
- Taking an intoxicant doesn't help; the same anxieties are there when you are finished being drunk. If you want to be free and want life eternal with bliss and knowledge, take to Krsna. No one can know God, but there is this way:. the process of Krsna consciousness.
- If we really want spiritual life, if we really want to be freed from these material clutches, then we have to learn how to control the senses. That is wanted. That is the purpose of human life.
The Inadequacy of Mundane Atonement
Many religious traditions prescribe methods of atonement, such as confessing sins or paying a fine, to relieve the conscience. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda compares this to the bathing of an elephant, who cleans himself only to throw dirt on his back again. If the underlying desire to commit sinful acts is not removed, this cycle of atonement is useless. To be genuinely free from war, suffering, and sinful reactions, a complete purification of consciousness is required.
- The cycle of sinful activities and atonement is like that. What we actually want is to be free from suffering and war, but that does not happen.
- If you want to be free from the reaction of the sinful activities in this life - exactly in the same way as Christian Bible advises that you have to make some atonement, go to the church and confess your sinful activities and pay some fine.
- The material world is a place of confinement for the living entities who are by nature anandamaya, pleasure-seeking. They actually want to be free from the confinement of this world of conditional happiness.
- They actually want to be free from the confinement of this world of conditional happiness, but not knowing the process of liberation, they are bound to transmigrate from one species of life to another and from one planet to another.
Breaking the Entanglement of Karma
The law of karma dictates that every action performed for personal gain binds the worker to a material reaction, whether good or bad. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes the instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā: all work must be done as a sacrifice for Yajña, or Lord Viṣṇu. By shifting the purpose of our activities from personal sense gratification to the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, we become completely free from the wheel of fruitive work.
- If something is done for sense gratification or any other purpose, it will be binding upon the worker. If one wants to be freed from the reaction of his work, he must perform everything for the satisfaction of Visnu, or Yajna.
- If we want to be free from the entanglement of this karma, then we must work for Krsna. Krsna's another name is Yajna, Yajnabhuja, Visnu.
- The instruction is that we must do everything for the satisfaction of Visnu and Visnu only, if we want to be free of the bondage to the wheel of our work.
- One who wants to be free of material entanglement should take to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and give up the contamination of ignorance, involving pious and impious activities.
The Necessity of Pure Association
Material attachment is the glue that binds the conditioned soul to the cycle of birth and death. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that if we want to be free from this bondage, we must deliberately transfer our attachment to a pure Vaiṣṇava. Approaching a bona fide spiritual master is not a fashion but an absolute necessity for anyone who is seriously conscious of the material miseries and truly wants to escape them.
- Attachment to the material modes brings about our bondage. If we want to be free from this bondage, we have to transfer our attachment to a sadhu.
- Kapila Muni herein (in SB 3.25.24) advises His mother, Devahuti, that if she wants to be free from material attachment, she should increase her attachment for the sadhus, or devotees who are completely freed from all material attachment.
- Approaching a spiritual master is not just a fashion but is a necessity for one who is seriously conscious of the material miseries and who wants to be free of them. It is the duty of such a person to approach a spiritual master.
- If we want to be free from the entanglement of this world, we should practice. Simply artificial practice will not help. Unless we advance in Krsna consciousness, unless we become accustomed to enjoy this ecstasy of chanting & dancing, it is not possible.
Taking Full Shelter of Kṛṣṇa
Ultimately, no one can free themselves by their own strength; it requires the mercy of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda promises that if we genuinely want to be free from the reactions of sinful life, both known and unknown, we simply have to take shelter of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. By keeping the Lord prominent within the core of our hearts and engaging in constant devotional service, Kṛṣṇa personally frees us from the influence of māyā and grants us eternal happiness.
- If we actually want to be free from the reaction of sinful life that we are doing, knowingly or unknowingly, then Krsna consciousness must be there.
- If we actually want to be free from the reactions of sinful life, we must be Krsna conscious, for then Krsna will free us from all sinful reactions.
- If one wants to be free from the influence of maya, the illusory energy, one must become Krsna conscious and always keep Krsna prominent within the core of his heart.
- One has to fix his mind first on the lotus feet of the Lord if he wants to be freed from the darkness of ignorance in material existence.
Conclusion
In summary, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that while the desire to be free is natural, pursuing it through breaking laws, intoxication, or fruitive activities only causes further entanglement. The true path to liberation requires us to recognize the binding nature of our own senses and actions. By transferring our attachment to a pure sādhu and performing all activities for the satisfaction of Lord Viṣṇu, we sever the root of our sinful reactions. When we sincerely want to be free and take full shelter of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the Supreme Lord Himself intervenes, lifting us out of the dark well of material existence and placing us in the eternal freedom of His loving devotional service.
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 Wanting to Be Free. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.