Either to the prison or to the university – It’s our choice

Government creates university also, or government creates prison house also. But it is your freedom. You make your choice: either you go to the university or you go to the prison house.

– Srila Prabhupada, Town Hall Lecture — Auckland, April 14, 1972:

Syamasundara: Does Krishna create the universe or does He just make it possible to be created?

Prabhupada: No, the universe, this material world, is created by God. That’s a fact. But if the question is that whether God has created this body for suffering in this material world, that is not God’s creation; that is our creation. Just like the government creates the prison house. That does not mean that government wants that somebody should be criminals and fill up this prison house. It is a freedom to the citizens. Government creates university also, or government creates prison house also. But it is your freedom. You make your choice: either you go to the university or you go to the prison house. It is your choice. Just like government opens some liquor shop, gives license. That does not mean that government is encouraging drinking. The liquor shop is there. Those who are drunkards, they can go. That’s a facility. That’s all. Otherwise, that is not encouragement.