“The soul within the body is acting to bring about the results of activity and is therefore known as karta, “the doer.” That the soul is the knower and the doer is stated in the sruti. Eṣa hi draṣṭā sraṣṭa (Praśna Upaniṣad 4.9). It is also confirmed in the Vedānta-sutra by the verses jno ’ta eva (2.3.18) and karta sastrarthavattvat (2.3.33).” (Swami Srila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-Gita Purport 18.14)

Based on karma (deserves and desires of the soul), a soul will enter the womb of a particular mother in a particular situation (poor or rich mother, good or bad mother), particular country, particular family, particular street, and particular house. Nothing happens by chance. Everything is precision based on the karma of the soul. The soul is the doer (what situation it is placed in) and not God.

  1. Some souls are impregnated into the womb of human females and some into the womb of animal females. This is all directed by Lord Krishna and based entirely on the karma of the soul. The soul is the doer (which body it enters) and not God.
  2. We suffer or enjoy now based on the actions we took in our past (karma). Which also includes previous lives. We will face the results of our current actions in the future which could also be in future lives. The soul is the doer of whatever good or bad happens to it and not God.
  3. The daily actions (good and bad) we take are based on our own desires and not God. People commit murders, rape etc… and not God.
  4. The daily reactions we face is due to our own actions (karma). God does not make us do anything, nor does He make us face good or bad reactions. We do everything based on our own desires and we will face appropriate reactions. 
  5. We are responsible for our degradation or elevation based on the thoughts and actions we take. God is not responsible for our degradation nor elevation.
  6. The high court judge gives judgment to the criminal based on the crimes he committed. He is not responsible for the sentence (punishment). In a similar way, God gives judgment based on the actions we took (karma). He is not responsible for the judgement we receive.
  7. If you constantly touch someone with Corona virus, you will also have Corona virus. You are the doer and not God.
  8. Whether you go to a casino or the Temple, it is up to you. God does not force people to go to places. It’s your choice.
  9. If you don’t pay your mortgage, you will be evicted, God is not going to stop the eviction. If you don’t work, you won’t be able to eat and pay your bills. God is not going to pay your bills. You have to keep your house clean, God is not going to clean it for you.
  10. When we talk, we are selecting the words to speak based on our own desires. God is not selecting the words. If God was selecting the words. Then we speak lies, God would be called the liar and not us. God Himself has made lying most sinful (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 8.20.4). There are some foolish people who speak from their own mouth and say God (Deity form) is making them say the words. This is complete nonsense. If God wanted to speak, He would use His own mouth.
  11. People are being raped daily in every country. Is God carrying out the rapes or man? It is man who rapes and not God. Man is responsible for the rapes and not God.
  12. People are being murdered daily in every country. Is God carrying out the murders or man? It is man who murders and not God. Man is responsible for the murders and not God.

If God was the doer, then everything would be perfect like in the spiritual world and this material world would serve no purpose. The purpose of the material world is to allow the living entities to lord it over. Thus be the doer, but there is a law and order in place, the law of Karma. This makes the living entities suffer or enjoy based on the actions taken.

“Just like when you are condemned to death by the judgment of the high court, so who is the doer? The high-court judge, or you? Huh? Is the high-court judge your enemy, that he has condemned you to death? He has given the judgment; you cannot say he is the doer. You are the doer. So ātmā and Paramātmā. You do, and Paramātmā gives judgment. Daiva-netreṇa. By the superior judgment. This is the position.” (Swami Srila Prabhupada 23DEC1975, Bombay)

All the above statements are supported by the following Vedic scriptural references.

“The Personality of Godhead said: Under the supervision of the Supreme Lord and according to the result of his work, the living entity, the soul, is made to enter into the womb of a woman through the particle of male semen to assume a particular type of body.” (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 3.31.1)

“The life and death of an embodied soul and his destination in the next life are all caused by himself through his own activity. Therefore, O King, no other agent is actually responsible for creating one’s happiness and distress.” (Shrimad-Bhagavatam (SB)12.6.25)

“The results of whatever a living entity does in this life are enjoyed in the next life.” (SB 4.29.58)

“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of both Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. (cc Madhya 19.151)

“Nature is said to be the cause of all material causes and effects, whereas the living entity is the cause of the various sufferings and enjoyments in this world.” (Lord Krishna, Bg 13.21)

“The great sage Nārada Muni continued: You must understand that Purañjana, the living entity, transmigrates according to his own work into different types of bodies, which may be one-legged, two-legged, three-legged, four-legged, many-legged or simply legless. Transmigrating into these various types of bodies, the living entity, as the so-called enjoyer, is known as Purañjana.” (SB 4.29.2)

“Covered by the mode of ignorance in material nature, the living entity is sometimes a male, sometimes a female, sometimes a eunuch, sometimes a human being, sometimes a demigod, sometimes a bird, an animal, and so on. In this way he is wandering within the material world. His acceptance of different types of bodies is brought about by his activities under the influence of the modes of nature.” (SB 4.29.29)

“Lord Kṛṣṇa said: It is by the force of karma that a living entity takes birth, and it is by karma alone that he meets his destruction. His happiness, distress, fear and sense of security all arise as the effects of karma.” (SB 10.24.13)

“Living beings in this world are forced to experience the consequences of their own particular previous work…” (SB 10.24.15)

“Because it is karma that causes the conditioned living entity to accept and then give up different high- and low-grade material bodies, this karma is his enemy, friend and neutral witness, his spiritual master and controlling lord.” (SB 10.24.17)

“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.” (Bhagavad-Gita 18.61)

Some people think the above verse means God is the doer, because it says “directing the wanderings of all living entities’. This is completely incorrect. This verse is saying that God is directing all the activities of living entities, but based on the what the living entity deserves, karma. So the soul is the doer and not God.

For example, say a person named Mr X killed someone in his last life. Based on the law of karma, Mr X must also be killed. For every action there will be an equal reaction, this is the law of karma. So God will direct someone to engage in activities which will result in Mr X being killed, and God will direct Mr X to engage in activities which will result in him being killed. So God is directing both persons, but He is not the doer, the soul Mr X is the doer. The killer of Mr X also has a karmic connection with Mr X. Nothing happens by chance to anyone.

Another example, say a person named Mr Y cheated someone in his last life or present life. God will direct someone to cheat Mr Y and God will direct Mr Y to be cheated. The soul is the doer and not God.