I think it is my socio-spiritual responsibility, socio-spiritual duty, to say something regarding prapatti. In Saḿskrta “pra” - pat + ktin = prapatti. The idea, the spirit of “prapatti” is that whatever happens in this Universe of ours is nothing but an expression of Cosmic desire or Cosmic will. Neither can there be any volcanic eruption nor can any blade of grass move without his order. Everything is pre-ordered, pre-ordained by the Supreme Entity. Man can do nothing. Living beings cannot do anything without His support; that is, when a human desire and His desire coincide, then only does the human desire become fruitful, otherwise it is a sure failure. When the jiiva’s desire coincides with the desire of Krśńa, then it is successful, otherwise not. This is the spirit, this is the central idea of the term “prapatti”.

Bhaktiváda, that is, devotional cult, stands solely on this prapatti. Jiṋánaváda does not support prapatti and bhaktiváda solely stands upon it. People may question the practicality of prapattiváda or “prapatti-ism”. A jiṋánii, may say, a learned scholar may say, “When everything is being done by Him according to His desire or action or His saḿkalpa, what is the necessity of human endeavour?” The jiṋánii may think that this is a knotty question for a bhakta. The bhakta won’t be able to give a suitable reply. But, you know, although the jiṋániis think that they are the most intelligent, they are the intelligentsia, actually bhaktas are more intelligent than jiṋániis; and the greatest fool is the person who thinks that he is a jiṋánii.

Now, I have already said that a jiṋánii cannot even force a blade of grass to move, but the bhakta can, if he maintains a close tie with the Supreme; and there lies the excellence of a bhakta. The fact is that human ability, human capability and human efficiency are almost nil. Nothing really belongs to a human. He gets everything from the Supreme Entity. If he does not take food for three or four days continuously – or for three, four or five years – then nothing will be left of him. He will not be able to speak or move. Thus, nothing belongs to humans. A bhakta knows that what belongs to him is His, because he is His. So the first reply of the bhakta is this: “One cannot do anything by one’s own endeavour”.

All worldly knowledge and other mundane knowledge and so-called wisdom has little value. Such knowledge is known as “prápta vákya”, that is, vákya coming from, coming through, the media of different worldly persons, worldly expressions.

In old geography books, you will find that Allahabad was the capital of Uttar Pradesh. In later books you will find that Lucknow is the capital of the same state. And it may be different in the future. So such is the condition of prápta vákya. It is relative and subject to change. Bhaktas take it with a grain of salt. But intellectuals constantly fights amongst themselves in the basis of their bookish knowledge.

For a bhakta, only ápta vákya has value. What comes from Parama Puruśa is ápta vákya. When the devotee is able to hear, feel, realize and understand the will of Parama Puruśa through having developed a relationship of love with Him, it is called ápta vákya. As devotees, you should follow only ápta vákya. You should remember that the Sixteen Points are your ápta vákya.

Your fundamental basis should be prapatti. “Everything happens as per His desire and not a single blade of grass can move without His permission”. By the Grace of, by the compassion of Parama Puruśa, you have received the ápta vákya guidelines, and it is your duty to adhere strictly to the teachings and gospel of ápta vákya. A jiṋánii has no future.