Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.
This is in continuation of the transcription of the nectarean and inspiring class given by our beloved spiritual master HH Mahavishnu Goswami Maharaj in London on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1, Chapter 9. In previous offerings we had heard about how fate played in the life of Bhishmadev and some of the lessons we need to learn from the same. Now we shall continue to hear the conversation between Maharaj and the devotees on this topic.
Devotee 1: Maharaj, does it mean that if we have done some wrong thing in the past life or previous years, take go-hatya for example, even though now we are Vaishnavas and have taken to Krishna consciousness, does the cow-slaughter done in the past still have a effect on us?
Maharaj: It does. It does have an effect.
Devotee 2: Then why we say in tulsi pooja - 'yāni kāni ca pa pāni' - if you do puja to tulsi and circumambulate her, then all the sins that we have committed are washed away, even the sin of killing a brahmana. It is also said that even if we observe ekadasi fast, the sins are washed away.
Maharaj: The sins are washed away. But the difficulties will not go away. There is a difference between the two. It will come. It will come. You have to understand this. The difficulties are bound to come. Whatever we have sown, it is going to grow. Nobody can stop it. Only thing is that the misery will be less. That is the point to be understood. We have to suffer. If we do anything wrong, we have to suffer. If anyone is leading a sinful life and as a result is suffering from disease or some problem in their life, after taking to Krishna consciousness, they might have improved their health or they might have improved in their life, but death is there. The effect of previous karmas, cannot be paired. Whatever activities they have done, it cannot be changed to 'not done'. But it has to be suffered.
Devotee 1: So does it mean that it cannot be mitigated?
Maharaj: How can it be mitigated? Now take your own example. Your mother is dead. That was your bhagya. You have come to Krishna. But you cannot ask Krishna to bring her back. No. You can't do it. However hard you try, she will not be replaced. Why? It is your bhagya. So bhagya is already there. But you are saved by the Lord and that is why, you don't feel it. You have accepted it. That is the way. It can never be undone. Do you follow my point?
Devotee 1: I know that it cannot be undone. But..
Maharaj: Just like how that cannot be undone, nothing can be undone. The reactions will be there, but you will not feel the suffering. Just like how you are happy now. No doubt there is no mother and you cannot have the mother back. Difficulty is there, but you are not suffering now. Same way, difficulties are bound to come. But it will not affect you.
Krishna willing we shall continue to hear more nectar on fate in the subsequent offering.
Thank you very much.
Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sudarshana devi dasi.
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