Artificial Boundaries

This entire planet is God's country, and we are all God's children. So why we should be restricted from traveling? This is due to man's false sense of being the lord of all he surveys. Because of these artificial boundaries instead of it being easy for us to travel from Sofia, Bulgaria to Skopje, Macedonia, we have to arrange for the devotees from Bulgaria to drive us to the border with Macedonia where after walking a considerable distance with our luggage we are then met on the other side of the border by the devotees from Macedonia. We have to make this arrangement in both directions. Of course, for the sake of spreading Krishna consciousness we joyfully accept whatever austerities we may have to perform. But still the governments of the world should not be placing these sort of impediments on those who are traveling all over the world to free the people of all nations from their suffering.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Macedonia/Bulgaria Border

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Free Will Under Krishna's Control?

Dear Gurudeva,

As I have understood, we the souls are part and parcel of Krishna. Though we are one with him we are still distinct. If all souls emanate from Krishna and Krishna is the controller then how is it that we have a free will? How is it that we can choose between our own desires and Krishna? Isn't it Krishna deciding even that? How would desires take birth in our minds in the first place? Wouldn't it be Krishna's plan?

Also, I understand that we exist so that Krishna can enjoy a loving relationship with us. We don't exist of our own. All the yugas of this material realm will come and go as Krishna has wished. These pastimes of Krishna are eternal. So is it that the whole of existence is created by Krishna solely because Krishna wants to receive love and give love? Please forgive me if I have not been able to put any queries appropriately.

With deep respect,

Sakshi

Answer: We Can Choose Which Energy to Serve

Krishna has two different controlling energies: the material energy and the spiritual energy. We, the living beings, have the free choice of which energy we would like the serve: the material or the spiritual. Either way we are under the control of Krishna. This is compared to a person's choice of voluntarily following the laws of the state as a law abiding citizen or involuntarily following the laws of the state as a criminal who is sent to prison.

Krishna is always fully independent in His desires. And we, being part and parcel of Him, eternally share this quality with Him, just as a drop of ocean water has the same chemical composition as the entire ocean. This is why we always have the free choice to serve Him or to try to avoid Him.

Yes, everything is going on so that Krishna can enjoy unlimited loving relationships. This is the purpose of the existence that is being eternally manifested by Krishna.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari