Why bad things happen to good people

Speaker:  Srila Prabhupada
Source: Oneness Is Variety

The Supersoul, Visvatma, He’s one. But because we are different, therefore we are acting differently. The question may be raised that if Visvatma, the Supersoul, is one, why there are different activities? The different activities due to our will, our selection: “I want to act in this way.” So He gives the facility. Just like somebody wants to drink, the government gives license for liquor shop. Now, it is not that everyone is drinking, but there is facility for the drunkards. Because the drunkards want to drink, so government gives facility: “All right. Here is a liquor shop. You drink.” But as soon you commit some offense by drinking, you are arrested. So this arrest of the drunkard, is it the government’s will or the person created such situation to be arrested? So in this way, the whole world is going on. Samo ‘ham sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo ‘sti na priyah. Krsna says, “I am equal to everyone. I don’t…, I’m not envious of everyone, or anyone, or I am friendly to everyone.” He’s friendly, actually He’s friendly. But people, they accuse Him: “Why God has created this distress? Why I am suffering?” You are suffering for your own fault. God created you to become happy. He’s happy. You are part and parcel of Krsna. You should be happy. But you don’t accept the way of happiness. That is your fault. You don’t accept… Krsna says that you shall be happy in this way:

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati

(BG. 5.29)

Why you claim this is your property? Why you claim? Everything is belonging to Krsna. That is your fault. So you must suffer. You are a thief. Stena eva sa ucyate. Anyone who does not offer things to Krsna before using, he’s a thief. That is prasadam. That is Vaisnava philosophy. The whole process is to accept the Supreme. So long we do not accept the Supreme, that is maya. That is maya. That is going on. Nobody wants to accept the Supreme everyone wants to become Supreme. Even after performing severe austerities, penances, still, they want to become one with the Supreme. This is also maya.