Question: Could you please explain Bhagavad Gita 18.61. Translation: The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

Jayapataka Swami: So we may desire to be the Lord, the king, but our karma may be such that we are not qualified to be a human king, become king of the crocodiles! So we may desire certain things, but to what extent we will get that, depends on what we deserve, what our karma was. We don’t remember, but Krsna does! He knows what we want, He knows what we did. So accordingly, He lets us enjoy what we want, but to the extent that we deserve it. We may want money, though we don’t deserve much. So we get few hundred thousand. Sometimes we get millions! Why one is born with lots of money and one born poor? So they all want money. One person, he may have done such activities that he deserves to have more facility. Then if he misuses that, next life he will be in a difficult situation. There was a man, he had no money and no children, but he was born in a brahmana family. So, he went to one rishi and asked, why is it that I have no children and no money? He said, in your previous life, you were a rich sudra. You had hoarded your money, buried it, and didn’t give to your wife or your children, because you wanted to have all the money. Then, you suddenly died and your wife and children, they did not know where you had hidden the money! They lived in poverty although you were very rich. As a result you have no children and no money. He said, how did I get born in a brahmana family? Oh, he said, for three days, you in the month of Baisak, you had vaisnavas guest at your house and you fed him and served him. Because of that you are born in a brahmana family and you have a good wife. So what I can do? Well, there are some days left in the month of Baisak. Find some vaisnava and serve him! Ha! Then you could have children and money. So what our karma is, here is a person, he wanted money, wanted kids, but did not get it. Why? That was because of his previous karma. The rishi could see that person’s karma. He could see it. And the simple soul, he could see it. Therefore, we should surrender to Krsna, we should try to do a lot of service to Krsna and as a result, if we stay in this world, we will have better facility. Or if we desire to serve the Lord, maybe we will go back to the spiritual world and serve the Lord there. Is that clear? Thank you!
26-NOVEMBER-2019 NEW PANIHATI DHAM, ATLANTA, USA