A simple explanation of free will

[dattaseva]

If you place your finger in fire, you get burnt. On the other hand, if you place your finger in cold water, it remains cool. There is no freedom for you to change the specific fruit of a specific action. But there’s full freedom for you to place your finger in fire or water. That is to say, you can definitely choose the direction in which you act. If even this freedom is absent, all souls simply become equal to inert robots.

The Creator does not enjoy the fruit of any action done by you. God is completely free from any blame since He propagated the right knowledge of fire and water from the beginning of creation. You can’t also blame God for giving such free will to souls in this world. After all, due to this free will, all souls are not spoiled. In spite of this freedom of will, there are several souls who live wisely and in a just manner.

Ultimately, you’re responsible for your good and bad deeds, for which heaven and hell are related places respectively in the afterlife. And for some souls, life in this world itself may be like a heaven or hell due to the deeds done in their past lives.