Srimad Bhagavatam 10.04.21 - Philosophy without Character has no Meaning (download mp3)
by Radhanath Swami at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net
SB 10.4.21
tasmad bhadre sva-tanayan
maya vyapaditan api
manusoca yatah sarvah
sva-krtam vindate 'vasah
Translation:
My dear sister Devaki, all good fortune unto you. Everyone suffers and enjoys the results of his own work under the control of providence. Therefore, although your sons have unfortunately been killed by me, please do not lament for them.
Purport:
As stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.54):
yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-
bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam atanoti
karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Everyone, beginning from the small insect known as indra-gopa up to Indra, the King of the heavenly planets, is obliged to undergo the results of his fruitive activities. We may superficially see that one is suffering or enjoying because of some external causes, but the real cause is one's own fruitive activities. Even when someone kills someone else, it is to be understood that the person who was killed met the fruitive results of his own work and that the man who killed him acted as the agent of material nature. Thus Kamsa begged Devaki's pardon by analyzing the matter deeply. He was not the cause of the death of Devaki's sons. Rather, this was their own destiny. Under the circumstances, Devaki should excuse Kamsa and forget his past deeds without lamentation. Kamsa admitted his own fault, but whatever he had done was under the control of providence. Kamsa might have been the immediate cause for the death of Devaki's sons, but the remote cause was their past deeds. This was an actual fact.
