Devotee: Is the pure devotee more merciful than Krsna?

Prabhupada: Oh yes, yes. Because Visnu could not excuse him, but as soon as he came to Maharaja Ambarisa, fell down, and “You take all my assets of pious activities. You be saved immediately.” That is Vaisnava. When he begged, humble, “Maharaja Ambarisa, you save me, I am in danger.” “Yes, you take all my pious activities’ result. You be saved immediately.” That is devotee. Visnu refused, “No, I cannot give you protection.” Therefore he is more merciful, although he was attacked, he was harassed. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was merciful, “Let them enjoy. I don’t want to kill them.” Krsna said, “You must kill. You must kill. Why you are deviating from your path? You must kill.” Therefore he taught him Bhagavad-gita, just to induce him to kill. But he was merciful, “No, they have done so much wrong to me, never mind. They are my relatives. I excuse. I don’t want to fight.” Yes. This is Bhagavad-gita. You see? Arjuna is more merciful than Krsna. Krsna wanted to see them all killed because they were, I mean to say, offender to the devotee. Last time, Krsna says, “Arjuna, you fight or not fight, it is already settled. They are not going back home. They will be killed here. If you like, you take the credit. That’s all. It is already settled.” Then Arjuna understood that “My Lord is so persistent. [laughter] Why shall I resist Him? All right, I will do what He says.”

Bali Mardana: You are more merciful than any of them, Prabhupada. You have come to the Western countries.

Prabhupada: Hare Krsna. Yes, Vaisnava is, if one man is real Vaisnava. Just like see Jesus Christ. It is said that he took everyone’s sins and he was crucified. So how much merciful he is, just see. But these rascals have taken, that “Let us go on committing sinful activities, and Christ has taken contract. He will suffer. And we shall do this.” Such rascals. You see. They say that “Our Christian religion is so good that even we commit sinful acts, Christ will suffer, we shall not suffer.” Just see.

(Morning Walk — Los Angeles, December 2, 1973)