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the exponent of the Visishtadvaita philosophy - ebooks - ISKCON ...

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46 THK LIFE OF IIAMANOJA. CH. Vlll.<br />

keeping <strong>of</strong> God, that very doubt is pro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> his want <strong>of</strong> trust in<br />

God. A true believer in God is only he who feels quite sui-c<br />

<strong>of</strong> his soul's safety in His arms, and that his body is a temporary<br />

form begot by Karma,^ ceasing when Karma ceases.<br />

prapanna is thus one who has intellectually divested himself<br />

thus <strong>of</strong> all concern, ei<strong>the</strong>r as regards his<br />

A<br />

soul or his body, Iwth<br />

being in <strong>the</strong> keeping <strong>of</strong> two divergent determining agents.<br />

This i-esigned attitude <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mind constitutes <strong>the</strong> true prapanna<br />

(believer). Dwell on <strong>the</strong> sense contained in <strong>the</strong> Holy Name<br />

NArfiyana, as it contains <strong>the</strong> sum <strong>of</strong> all divine wisdom. It is<br />

^ KariftO' means act. This is <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong> Christian in order to invest<br />

inherent will in <strong>the</strong> eouI. This God with all-power, demurs to Carina<br />

being owned by <strong>the</strong> soul, is he<br />

will is subjective. This shapes out<br />

an objective, for which matter is <strong>the</strong>n prepared to transfer all Karma<br />

associated with. Like God, Soul is to God, and in order to maintain<br />

eternal, like <strong>the</strong>etcrnality <strong>of</strong> God's that God must create soul, Karini<br />

attributes,— because <strong>of</strong> God's etcrnality.<br />

Kariiia, or will which is exonerated <strong>of</strong> all personal responsi-<br />

and all iu time ? Then <strong>the</strong> soul is<br />

innate in <strong>the</strong> soul, iseteroal with it. bility. It has nei<strong>the</strong>r merit nor<br />

'<br />

A Christian might say : that this demerit ; rewards and punishments<br />

dogma puts a limit to God's power, are not for it. A non-eternal will,<br />

inasmuch as Karma or soul is something<br />

which He. did not make, gates from God's power ra<strong>the</strong>r than<br />

as creation supposes, <strong>the</strong>refore dero-<br />

and <strong>the</strong>refore, circumscribing <strong>the</strong> enhance and glorify it, as when<br />

sovereignty <strong>of</strong> God. Karma becomes<br />

<strong>the</strong>refore ano<strong>the</strong>r "Unknown Time-limitations on God is thas as<br />

He is endowed with eternal will.<br />

God ", containing in itself possibilities<br />

for <strong>the</strong> soul's future, and <strong>the</strong>re-<br />

man with God, postulated by<br />

bad a<strong>the</strong>ism, as that <strong>of</strong> identifying<br />

fore <strong>the</strong> soul can Birire for itself monism. Karma in soul, not originating<br />

in time, and its being so by<br />

without or independent <strong>of</strong> God. In<br />

short, by <strong>the</strong> dogma <strong>of</strong> Karma, God God's eternal will, reconciles at<br />

is made dependent, if not altoge<strong>the</strong>r once, soul's responsibility for his<br />

rendered iiug.atory. Karma <strong>the</strong>refore<br />

is incompatible wich an inde-<br />

power to rule over this state <strong>of</strong><br />

acts (Karma), and God's supreme<br />

pendent sovereign God." To this things as long as He maj' please,<br />

we say, that Karma, by itself as a and reserving to Himself <strong>the</strong> power<br />

fact inherent in <strong>the</strong> soul, eternal which may bo called grac«, by<br />

with it, and as operative oa <strong>the</strong> which to annul Karma in toto, and<br />

destinies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> soul, is all that, by ga<strong>the</strong>r His flock to Himself. Eternal<br />

Karma <strong>the</strong>refore is compatible<br />

virtue <strong>of</strong> an eternal God eternally<br />

so willing. If God is capable <strong>of</strong> with sovereign God's Oneness, His<br />

willing something in fnne, his capability<br />

is all <strong>the</strong> more greater,<br />

unrestricted Power and His nncon-<br />

when<br />

lie can will things from all eternitij.<br />

This is oallcd <strong>the</strong> yiitija-sankalpa<br />

power <strong>of</strong> God. With this basis<br />

<strong>the</strong>n. <strong>of</strong> God's eternal will, <strong>the</strong>re is<br />

nothing conlvadiotary or iuterfor.<br />

ing with God's paramouutcy. If<br />

ditional Grace. To call in question<br />

<strong>the</strong>refore <strong>the</strong> power <strong>of</strong> God to<br />

eternally order things is to limit<br />

Him. To endow Him with eternal<br />

will is to truly conceive <strong>of</strong> His<br />

Intiaite nature. If it still be contended<br />

that Karmri, even when eter-

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