God has kept me in this way

Just like sometimes foolish persons, they say that “Krsna, God, has kept me in this way. According to His desire, I am now in this position because nothing can happen without His desire.” This argument they say. That is another rascaldom. So Prahlada Maharaja clears, therefore, that baddhah sva-karmabhih: “It is not desired by You. I have created this situation.”

Baddhah sva-karmabhih. I have been put into this condition by my own work, sva-karmabhir. Baddhah sva-karmabhir usattama. You cannot overcome this resultant action of your karma. You must suffer. The same example: just like if you infect some contaminous disease, you must suffer, similarly, we are creating karma and we are suffering. Baddhah sva-karmabhih. My work. Sastra does not say that you steal. Nobody says. Neither sastra says, nor the moral codes say, nor the law, government law, say that “You can steal whatever you like.” No. Everybody says… The government says, “Don’t steal.” The sastra, scriptures, they also say, “Don’t drink. Don’t steal. Don’t do this. Don’t.” All forbidden. But I steal. So that is sva-karmabhih. There is forbidding everywhere, but still, I steal. Then whose fault it is? It is government’s fault or my fault? If I kill, I’ll be hanged. “Thou shall not kill.” Lord Christ says, “Thou shall not kill.” But if I kill, then I must suffer. But they say, give some false argument, “Lord Christ says, ‘Thou shall not kill’ and if I kill, Christ has taken the contract that whatever sinful activities we do, he will excuse.” This is Christian document. They say that “Our Christ is so kind that whatever sinful activities we do, he will suffer for us.” Is it not? This is Christian theory. Just see foolishness. “You do something, and I suffer for that.” No. You have to suffer. You have done something wrong; you must suffer. This is the real philosophy, sva-karmabhih usattama te ’nghri-mulam pritah apavarga-saranam.

So we are very much entangled in this material world. One should be very much afraid. Prahlada Maharaja says… Prahlada Maharaja was not afraid of Nrsimha-murti, but he is very much afraid of this material existence. It is really very, very fearful. People do not know the seriousness of material existence, and they continue and waste their, the chance, human being. Human form of life is a chance to rectify, but they do not care. Therefore the Krsna consciousness movement is so important. Everyone, door to door, a devotee has to go and teach them that “You are leading a very, very irresponsible life. Be responsible to your consciousness and be a devotee of Krsna. That will save you.”
Thank you very much. (end)

Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.16
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Mayapur, February 23, 1976