God keeps the door to him unlocked from his side till every soul… Gita 04.36
Transcript
This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
Hare Krishna. Some traditions have the idea that God gives us only one chance, that if we don’t turn toward him, then we are doomed. If we don’t accept him as a saviour, then we will go to hell forever.
However, that is not the understanding of the Bhagavad Gita. And that understanding doesn’t even harmonize with the idea of a compassionate God. If God is graceful, then if God is merciful, then an ordinary parent gives a child many chances.
How can the supreme parent, who is said to be supremely merciful, give his children only one chance? The Bhagavad Gita explains that God’s love for us is such that no matter how much we turn away from him, how often we do wrongs, how grave the wrongs we do, still he never abandons us. It is described that he is always there with us. For example, in the fourth chapter, the Bhagavad Gita Krishna says, अपिचेदसि पापेब्यः सर्वेब्यः पापकृत्तमहा सर्वं क्यान प्लवेनेव भृजिनम् संतरिष्यसे So, in the fourth chapter, Krishna says that actually if we, if somebody ascends the boat of transcendental knowledge that he provides, then that person attains him.
Even if they may be very sinful, no matter, अपिचेदसि पापेब्यः, even if they are the most sinful among all sinners, even they can be elevated. Now, how can they get this boat of transcendental knowledge? It is described that Krishna himself provides this knowledge. The Bhagavad Gita is such a knowledge and Krishna is present in the hearts of all living beings, eager to give this knowledge to them.
In 1515 it is said, सर्वस्य चाहं रदिसं विष्टो मत्तःस्मतेर् ज्ञानमपोहनं च It is he who gives knowledge, remembrance and forgetfulness depending on what his soul desires. But what the Lord desires is that we all attain Him. And the same thing is repeated that God’s grace is inclusive.
It does not exclude anyone. This is 1861, ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानं पृत्देशे अर्जुनतिष्ठति ब्राम्यन् सर्वभूतानि यंत्रारूढानि मायया So He is present in the hearts of everyone. And He waits in the heart patiently till the point that the soul turns towards Him and attains Him.
So there is a door through which we need to walk. But the door is unlocked from His side. Now of course, we may lock the door from our side and we may turn away from that door.
But still that door remains. That means if we misuse our free will, we may go away from God and stay away from Him. But when we want to turn towards Him and to come towards Him, He is there waiting for us in our own hearts to help us attain Him.
Such is God’s unlimited, unending and untiring grace. And that grace can inspire us to turn toward Him right away and progress toward Him with our whole heart. Thank you.