Amogha: Srila Prabhupada? Why is it that some people, when they hear about Krsna consciousness, they take it, and some do not. And still, after that, some of those who take it, they stay, and some who take it take it for some time, and then they fail?

Prabhupada: That is fortunate and unfortunate. Just like one gets, inherits father’s property, many millions dollars, and he has become a poor man by his misusing the money. Like that. He is unfortunate. He got the money, but he could not utilize it.

Jayadharma: Does fortune mean it’s the mercy of Krsna, Srila Prabhupada? Does fortune mean that it’s Krsna’s mercy.

Prabhupada: Krsna’s mercy is always there. It is your misuse of free will. You do not… You are given the opportunity — that is a fortune. But you do not accept the fortune. That is your misfortune. That is stated in Caitanya-caritamrita. Lord Caitanya, ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc Madhya 19.151]. Kono — some fortunate man can accept it. Because mostly they are unfortunate. Just see, throughout the whole of Europe and America we are making propaganda. How many students they have come? A very insignificant number, although they have come. They are fortunate.

Amogha: Sometimes we see that a devotee may be very sincere, but at the same time he becomes weak somehow, and he falls down.

Prabhupada: Even if he falls down, still he is fortunate, because the injection is there. It will act, some day or another. Still he is fortunate. As a fortunate man he took it, but he falls down. But that does not mean he’s unfortunate. Still he’s fortunate, because the poison is already there. It will develop. That is called ajnata sukrti. Therefore he is not loser. He continues to be fortunate. It will take some time.

Amogha: So he became weak because he misused his individual will.

Prabhupada: He misused the instruction of his spiritual master. Therefore he became unfortunate, or he fell down.

Morning Walk Conversation — May 10, 1975, Perth