In the morning discourse there was a detailed discussion on “Kuru puńyam ahorátram”. You know what jiṋána [knowledge], karma [action] and bhakta [devotion] are, and you know that ultimately there is no other path except bhakta or devotion. You also know that devotion is based on prapattiváda.

What is prapattiváda? Human beings and other created beings perform a multitude of actions. The ultimate action, however, is prapatti or total surrender. Without His wish, not even a leaf of a tree, nor even a blade of grass can move. Total surrender to the Supreme Entity is called prapatti. The cult of devotion is based on prapatti. It is the divine sport, the divine drama of Parama Puruśa. And in this drama one will have to act according to the role assigned to one by Parama Puruśa. The drama is long and at times beset with difficult scenes for the playwright. One such scene occurred after the total defeat of the Kaoravas at the hands of the Pandavas, who also suffered heavy losses in the battle. Dhrtaráśt́ra, Gándhárii and others had reached the battle field. Opposite them were Lord Krśńa, the five Pandava brothers and their mother. Both parties were in tears. Suddenly, Krśńa came across to the Kaorava camp. They stood facing each other. Gándhárii and the one hundred daughters-in-law were also profusely weeping. Following the social custom of the day, Krśńa tried to console Gándhárii, saying, “Why are you shedding tears, mother? As you are an intelligent person, you know very well that this is the law of the world. ‘Ját́syahidhruvarnrtyú’ – ‘Whoever is born is destined to die some day.’ ‘Yah ágacchati sah gacchati’ – ‘Whoever comes, goes.’”

Then Gándhárii said, “Krśńa, when other people lament, one can easily go to their houses to console them. But when one is grief stricken oneself, one forgets this and feels even more grief on hearing those words of consolation.” (The fact is that when an accident takes place in someone’s family, one should not mention the event but should simply go and sit near the grief stricken person.) Krśńa remained silent. “Krśńa,” she continued, “I know that you are the person whose duty it is to direct the drama. I accept this. In your drama you have assigned a certain role to the Kaoravas and a certain role to the Pandavas. But you could have assigned the role of the virtuous to my sons instead. Why have you chosen to show your partiality in this way?”

It was difficult for Krśńa to reply to this question. Krśńa could have reversed the roles, making the Pandavas the sinners and the Kaoravas the virtuous. Why did He not do this? This was her grievance against Krśńa. Krśńa had to remain silent.

The fact is that for Parama Puruśa all created beings are equally important, just like the ten fingers on one’s hands. He can make them dance exactly as He wishes. This is His sole privilege. However, human beings are entitled to raise this question, as they, too, have certain rights. Otherwise, why would He have provided them with a vocal cord? If He says that He does not wish to listen to human reasoning, it is not to be accepted. As He has equipped humans with the means to speak, He will have to listen to them. Human beings will definitely have something to say; they are expected to tell their troubles to their nearest and dearest ones. Otherwise, to whom should they go? To whom should they complain? Of course, this may be a little inconvenient for Parama Puruśa.

Gándhárii said, “Krśńa, I will lay a curse on you.” What was Gándhárii’s complaint? She wanted to know why Krśńa had assigned the role of the wicked to the Kaoravas and the role of the virtuous to the Pandavas. On that occasion Krśńa was unable to give any answer, although there was an answer which could have been given. Gándhárii persisted, “Krśńa, you must give me permission to lay a curse on you.” Before laying a curse on Parama Puruśa, one must first obtain His permission. Gándhárii continued, “Just as all my sons died before my own eyes, let your entire dynasty be destroyed before [[your]] own eyes.” Krśńa said in affirmation, “Let it be so.”

Everything in this universe takes place according to His wish. This is prapatti. The volumes of books on devotion are based on the concept of prapatti.

Now, among human beings there are some prominent jiṋániis and renowned karmiis. But in the practical world practical skills are more important than theoretical knowledge. It is useless to lose oneself in the world of theory. In practical life, one should always be pragmatic. Suppose you meet a great karmi and ask him if he is successful in everything he undertakes. He will certainly say, “No.” If you ask him if he ever gets tired of working, he will say that he definitely gets tired on different occasions. And when he gets tired does he not pray to Parama Puruśa to give him more strength? No matter how great a karmii one might be, one will have to eventually take shelter in Parama Puruśa, one will have to eventually surrender to Him.

Similarly, a jiṋánii often becomes fatigued with the continuous cultivation of knowledge. Sometimes, after prolonged thinking, the brain simply refuses to function any more and it becomes increasingly difficult to implement one’s internal thoughts and ideas. What happens at that time? Knowledge concedes defeat and the ego has no choice but to surrender. Finally, one is compelled to plead, “Oh Parama Puruśa, please help me, please save my prestige.”

Some so-called bhaktas – those who do not have genuine devotion - pretend to be devotees just to cheat others. That is, they ring the bells as they should be rung and light the candles as they should be lit, but without any feeling, so that after some time they become like machines. A person lacking devotion becomes like a machine. There is no more joy; only the mechanical turning of the parts. A heart devoid of joy is as barren as a desert. When one becomes as dry as the desert sands, one is compelled to cry out, “Oh Lord, save me. Protect me from the scorching heat of the desert.”

When people get fatigued, be they jiṋánis, karmis or bhaktas, they say, “There is nothing more I can do.” In such a situation they can only take shelter in Parama Puruśa. This is called “sharańágati.” Here shelter means one hundred percent dependence on Parama Puruśa to the exclusion of all other objects. “A” means “coming” and “gati” means “mobility”. When all mobility terminates in Parama Puruśa, it is called “sharańágati”. When sharańágati occurs, one is said to have accomplished the final attainment. You should remember this supreme truth.