Freewill

Jeeva-SvAtantrya or Human Free Will

By Shri Kesava Rao Tadipatri

1. Introduction:

The human Free will (the term used is svAtantrya) has been a topic of contention for thousands of years. There are basically three options.

1-1. The humans have Free will in all aspects except major things like birth, death and disease. Their contention is “I conduct my life as I wish.”

1-2. The humans have minute amount of Free will in very small insignificant things.

1-3. The humans have no Free will at all any where and any time.

Various schools take different positions. Interestingly, it is possible that the same school may have multiple positions or may not adhere to the same position or may not be specific and leave it open-ended. In such cases, the followers of these schools also may have varied positions.

2. Why the confusion exists:

The cause for the confusion is for two different reasons.

2a. The flow of thought, the logical reasoning and individual affinity varies depending on personal thinking mode.

2b. Presence of the scriptural statements that seem to support both the Free will and absence of Free will.

The statements can be grouped into the following four categories.

2c. The statements in the common scriptures like the Vedas, Itihasas, and Puranas, etc. that seem to support Free will and also that are acceptable to all the schools.

2d. The statements in the common scriptures like the Vedas, Itihasas, and Puranas, etc. that seem to support absence of Free will and also that are acceptable to all the schools.

2e. The statements in the scriptures of individual schools that use their understanding of the Vedas, Itihasas, and Puranas, etc. and seem to support Free will.

2f. The statements in the scriptures of individual schools that use their understanding of the Vedas, Itihasas, and Puranas, etc. and seem to support absence of Free will.

Any of the following possibilities exist for various schools.

2g. A school may present both kinds of statements and thus leave scope for ambiguity.

2h. A school may take a particular position very clearly and use the appropriate statements from the common scriptures and just ignore the statements from common scriptures that seem to go against their view.

2i. A school may take a particular position very clearly and not only use the appropriate statements from the common scriptures but also convincingly interpret properly the statements from common scriptures that seem to go against their view so as to remove the apparent contradiction.

Dvaita school and Madhvacharya went with no 2i. above and have been very specific and fixed on the notion that there is absolutely no human Free will and even to the extent that even the gods like Lakshmi, Brahma, Vayu, Rudra, et al, have no Free will at all. All the major commentators have been consistent as well. Both Vyasa sAhitya and dAsa sAhitya are in agreement as well. Yet some people, who have recognition as scholars have subscribed to the notion that there is tiny amount of Free will or svAtantrya due to the will of the Lord. They confused themselves and confused others also. To support their wrong position, they use the scriptures from Madhva schools themselves and if we analyze, we can see loopholes in their understanding. But, there are no loopholes in both the common scriptures and Madhvacharya Parampara scriptures. Even before we proceed, we must understand the exact definition of svAtantrya or Free will, which is deeply connected with kartRutva or Doer-ship. Etymologically the precise word for svatantra or svAtantrya is self-dependent or self-dependence rather than independent or independence, though they may ultimately mean the same thing. There is a full adhikaraNa in Brahmasutras, called kartRutvAdhikaraNa, comprising of ten sutras, which deals with this topic and it penetrates so deeply that it differentiates the two concepts and establishes using both the logic and scriptures that only Parabrahma or Narayana has svatantra kartRutva or Self-dependent doer-ship. All others have parAdhIna kartRutva or doer-ship dependent on the Lord. No one can bypass the Lord. Some wrongly state “I do not have freedom to act and so I will not do anything” (forgetting the fact that they do not have the Free will not to act also). The Free will to act or svatantra kartRutva means complete freedom irrespective of any one “to act, not to act or to change the course (kartuM, akartuM and anyathA kartuM).”

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A Brief Summary of KartRutvAdhikaraNa in Brahma sutras::

In second adhyaya of Brahmasutras, 3^rd pAda, karTrutvAdhikarana comes, which has ten Sutras.

Madhva BhAShya:

Ishvarasyaiva kartR^itvamuktam. | yatkarma kurute tadabhisaMpadyata \(bR^ihadAraNyakoapaniShat\) iti jIvasyopalabhyate |

ata Aha |

ईश्वरस्यैव कर्तृत्वमुक्तम्।। यत्कर्म कुरुते तदभिसंपद्यत (बृहदारण्यकोपनिषत्) इति जीवस्योपलभ्यते।

अत आह।

1. OM kartA shAstrArthavattvAt OM. - 33

१. ॐ कर्ता शास्त्रार्थवत्त्वात् ॐ। - ३३

jIvasya kartR^itvAbhAve shAstrasyAprayojakatvaprApterjIvo.api kartA | 33 / 251

जीवस्य कर्तृत्वाभावे शास्त्रस्याप्रयोजकत्वप्राप्तेर्जीवोऽपि कर्ता। ३३ / २५१

The doership of Paramatma is well established in scriptures.It is known that Paramatma is the agent. But from the statement in Bruhadaranyakopanishat, we see that what ever karma the jIva performs, as per that, it obtains the fruits of that karma. Thus the Jiva is also an agent and its doership is there. If that were not so, there will be no purpose for the scriptures.

2. OM vihAropadeshAt OM - 34

२. ॐ विहारोपदेशात् ॐ - ३४

'स्त्रीभिर्वा यानैर्वा ज्ञातिभिर्वाऽज्ञातिभिर्वे' (छां.उ. ८-१२-३) त्यादि मोक्षेऽपि ॥ ३४ ॥

The Jiva is an also an agent as the scriptures are declaring the blissful activities 
of the liberated Jiva. Based on the ChandogyopaniShat, we get it. This shows that 
in liberated state, where there is no sAdhana as such, the Jiva is described to 
revel with his partner and vehicles. That is possible, only when the Jiva is doer 
or agent. 

3. OM upAdAnAt OM. - 35

३. ॐ उपादानात् ॐ। - ३५

साधनायुपादानप्रतीतेश्च ॥ ३५ ॥

Not only in liberation, but also in this world, the sAdhana is done by the Jiva. 
The reason for obtaining the bliss in liberation, the sAdhana has to be done in 
this saMsAra. Thus the doer-ship of the Jiva even here is not imaginary.

4. OM vyapadeshAchcha kriyAyAM na chennirdeshaviparyayaH OM. - 36

४. ॐ व्यपदेशाच्च क्रियायां न चेन्निर्देशविपर्ययः ॐ। - ३६

'आत्मानमेव लोकमुपासीत' (वृ.उ. ३-४-१५) इति क्रियायां व्यपदेशाच्च। अन्यथाऽऽत्मैव लोकमिति 
निर्देशः स्यात् ॥ ३६ ॥

It has been explicitly stated (vyapadesha is declaration) in shruti - 
AtmAnameva lokamupAsIta \(bR^ihadAraNyakoapaniShat\). 
The loka or world of Jivas has to engage in the kriyA or action of upAsana 
so as to achieve the end result of mokSha. This means that the Jiva is also 
the agent. If this is not so (na chet) - meaning if such interpretation is not given,
 if the Jiva is not the doer at all, then the viparyaya (reversal) happens to the 
nirdesha or pointer that in that statement, Atma means Paramatma. If only 
Paramatma is doer, then “loka” has to mean Paramatma and then Paramatma 
has to do upAsana of Paramatma, which becomes absurd. So, this further 
confirms that the word “loka” means Jiva, which is also the agent or doer. 

तर्हि कथमीश्वरस्यैव कर्तृत्वमित्यतो वक्ति -

5. OM upalabdhivadaniyamaH OM. - 37

५. ॐ उपलब्धिवदनियमः ॐ। - ३७

यथा ज्ञाने इदं ज्ञास्यामीत्यनियमः प्रतीयते एवं कर्मण्यपि जीवस्य । 'य आत्मानमन्तरो यमयती'ति 
च श्रुतिः ॥ ३७ ॥

If a question is raised, how come there are two contradicting positions, 
like only Paramatma is the agent or doer and then saying Jiva is also the doer, 
this answers that by giving an example. It is like “there is no control (aniyama) 
in the upalabdhi (acquiring the knowledge)”. 

We make an effort to know. But that knowledge coming to us is not in our control. 
Some power makes us get the knowledge. Though we say “I am performing the act of knowing”, 
the actual act of knowledge coming to us happens due to some controling power. 
Similarly even when we are doing the act, Some controling power is making the will to make 
us do it without our knowledge. We do not realize this. This separates the actual act and the 
will behind it. 

Thus if we look at the following four statements. 

1. The ultimate controling agent (which we are calling as Brahman) is the doer.

2. The ultimate controling agent (Brahman) is not the doer.

3. The Jiva or any living being is the doer.

4. The Jiva or any living being is not the doer.

And ask a question - which one of these is true, then in a way all are 
true by proper qualification.

1. The ultimate controling agent (Brahman) is self-dependent 
(or independent) doer. (Brahman has the Free will that does not 
depend on any one else.)

2. The ultimate controling agent (Brahman) is not dependent doer.
(Brahman never loses Free will and so never depends))

3. The Jiva or any living being is dependent doer.
(Jiva never has the Free will and so depends on Brahman.)

4. The Jiva or any living being is not self-dependent (or independent) 
doer.
(Jiva, without the Free will, can not avoid Brahman.It can not be 
self-driving.)

Thus the real key is the realiization that the agentship or doer-ship and Free 
will or svAtantrya are two different things that do not have to go together. 
Due to ignorance, we see them together all the time.

कुतः ?-

6. OM shaktiviparyayAt OM. - 38

६. ॐ शक्तिविपर्ययात् ॐ। - ३८

अल्पशक्तित्वाजीवस्य ॥ ३८ ॥

If a question is raised as to why we separate them and why we assign Free 
will only tto Brahman and not the Jiva, it is answered by this sutra. 
The reason is on account of the difference in power. The Absolute agecy rest 
with Brahman, because of His infinite power. The Jiva has very limited power 
and that too is dependent on Brahman only. It can never avoid Brahman. 

7. OM samAdhyabhAvAchcha OM. - 39

७. ॐ समाध्यभावाच्च ॐ। - ३९

समाध्यभावाच्चास्वातन्त्र्यं प्रतीयते ॥ ३९ ॥

If a question is raised as to why this difference in power, it is answered by this 
sutra. Such a difference is due to the absence of the feeling or experience for the 
Jiva that it is prefcetly positioned or it is fully accomplished. Such feeling and 
awareness of perfection rests only with Paramatma. Thus the absolute agentship 
of the Lord and the dependent agentship of the Jiva have to be realized.

अतः - 

8. yathA cha takShobhayathA OM - 40

८. यथा च तक्षोभयथा ॐ - ४०

यथा तक्ष्णः कारयितृनियतत्वं कर्तृत्वं च विद्यते एवं जीवस्यापि ॥ ४० ॥

Just like the case of the carpenter, who is under the control of his master and 
also himself is the agent or doer, and so is the Jiva. But note that any example 
will not convey the full thought, but is simply a guide. The master is not the 
indwelling being residing inside the carpenter. But the Lord resides inside he 
Jiva and instigates the Jiva.

9 parAttu tachChruteH . - 41

९. परात्तु तच्छ्रुतेः। - ४१

सा च कर्तृत्वशक्तिः परादेव ।
"कर्तृत्वं करणत्वं च स्वभावश्वेतना धृतिः
यत्प्रसादादिमे सन्ति न सन्ति यदुपेक्षये"ति हि पैङ्गिश्रुतिः ॥ ४१ ॥

Even that doer-ship or agentship is totally dependent upon the Supreme 
Brahman only as mentioned in the shruti. This sutra clarifies the possible 
understanding “The capability of the carpenter rests with himself only and 
that does not lie with the master. The instructions, payments, etc only are 
with the master. So is that the case here also?”. That is not the case with Jiva. 
The Paingi Shruti says ”The agentship or doer-ship, instrumentality, the inherent 
nature, the tenacious memory, the endurance power,   

10 kR^itaprayatnApekShastu vihitapratiShiddhAvaiyarthyAdibhyaH. - 42

१०. कृतप्रयत्नापेक्षस्तु विहितप्रतिषिद्धावैयर्थ्यादिभ्यः। - ४२

The Lord instigates all the souls only according to their prior karmas and their effort so that the vidhi-nishedhas (prescriptions and proscriptions) are not purportless.

Some doubts pop up in our mind. If the Lord is the independent doer and if the souls are totally dependent on him, the scriptural prescriptions and proscriptions will be meaningless or carry no purport. If the Lord does it all and controls, then the results of the action should go to Him. But the key is that even though the Lord has absolute control, He does not do randomly, but being impartial and kind, He instigates the Jivas according their prior karmas or acts and current prayatna or effort, which are as per the inherent nature of the Jivas and gives the fruits as per their acts, and that as per the vidhi-nishedhas. Thus the scriptures have a purport and meaning and not futile at all.

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It is surprising that some so called Madhva scholars themselves started preaching the notion of tiny bit of svAtantrya as they are under the impression that if such is not there, then the jIvas become as good as jaDas or inert objects and that is not appropriate. But that is not true. The jaDas do not have feelings. But the Chetanas have feelings, which of course, is granted by Paramatma Himself. For jaDas, there is no kartRutva at all. But for chetanas, parAdhIna kartRutva is there.

Following are some examples for their confusion, followed by the answers that remove the confusion.

3. Day-to-day Examples that seem to give False Understanding:

Take a cow or bull tied to a stump by a rope or a bird tied to a stump by a rope. It can not go any where it wants. But it can go within the length of the rope. This means the Jivas have limited svAtantrya, although there is no absolute svAtantrya. They even use this to portray the tAratamya or gradation even in svAtantrya. Now the clarification. The examples have to be taken only to the extent that they are applicable. They should not go beyond that. The purpose of this example is to indicate the scope given by the Lord and not really the Free will or svAtantrya. Even in case of the cow and the bird, the controlling rope is lifeless and outside and the Lord inside them is the real controller, who instigates and makes them act.

Another example some quote is like this “My boss has full Free will to give me salary. If he gives salary, I can survive. He has the Free will to give me food through salary. But he does not decide what kind of items I eat. Just as he leaves that choice to me, the Lord also leaves choice in small things.”. But this is also a silly example, as the boss is not an indwelling force and he does not give instigation. The Lord is Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent and at all times, He is the instigator. Such examples will only confuse some.

Another example is the king send his representative, giving him all the rights to collect taxes on his behalf. Even here the king did not give his svAtantrya to the representative.

4. The scriptural examples that seem to give False Understanding:

In Gita, in 18^th chapter, Sri Krishna says -

iti te j~nAnamAkhyAtaM guhyAdguhyataraM mayA |

vimR^ishyaitadasheSheNa yathechChasi tathA kuru || 18-63||

इति ते ज्ञानमाख्यातं गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं मया।

विमृश्यैतदशेषेण यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु॥ १८-६३॥

In this manner, the most secret knowledge has been imparted to you. By analyzing this do as you wish.

The last part gives rise to the doubt that Arjuna has some freedom of choice even wrt the Lord. But this has to be seen in the entire context of Gita. Sri Krishna said just prior to that the following -

yadahaN^kAramAshritya na yotsya iti manyase |

mithyaiSha vyavasAyaste prakR^itistvAM niyokShyati || 18-59||

svabhAvajena kaunteya nibaddhaH svena karmaNA |

kartuM nechchhasi yanmohAtkariShyasyavashopi tat || 18-60||

IshvaraH sarvabhUtAnAM hR^iddeshe.arjuna tiShThati |

bhrAmayansarvabhUtAni yantrArUDhAni mAyayA || 18-61||

यदहङ्कारमाश्रित्य न योत्स्य इति मन्यसे।

मिथ्यैष व्यवसायस्ते प्रकृतिस्त्वां नियोक्ष्यति॥ १८-५९॥

स्वभावजेन कौन्तेय निबद्धः स्वेन कर्मणा।

कर्तुं नेच्छसि यन्मोहात्करिष्यस्यवशोपि तत्॥ १८-६०॥

ईश्वरः सर्वभूतानां हृद्देशेऽर्जुन तिष्ठति।

भ्रामयन्सर्वभूतानि यन्त्रारूढानि मायया॥ १८-६१॥

If entrenched in egoism you think “I will not fight” that determination of yours will be vain indeed. The will of the Supreme Lord will compel you to fight.

O Son of Kunti, fettered by your past actions, born of your own nature, that which you do not wish to do by delusion, you will perform being enslaved by the will of the Lord.

O Arjuna, the Supreme Lord dwells abides in the hearts of all beings, causing all the beings to revolve by the power of His own will like the puppets mounted on the puppet machine.

And also in various places - like “mayaivaite nihatAH pUrvameva nimitta-mAtraM bhava savyasAchin (मयैवैते निहताः पूर्वमेव निमित्त-मात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन्)” (These warriors are already slain by Me. O Arjuna, you become the nominal instrument in destroying them.), “mayA hatAn tvaM jahi (मया हतान् त्वं जहि)”(Kill them, who have been already slain by me - meaning I already made the decision), “kAryate hyavashaH karma sarvaH prakR^itijairguNaiH (कार्यते ह्यवशः कर्म सर्वः प्रकृतिजैर्गुणैः)” (Every one is driven to action by qualities of nature under the power of the Lord who is the absolute controller of Prakṛti.), etc.

So, Sri Madhvacharya removes the knot by making many statements like above meaningful, by interpreting 18-63 that Sri Krishna says “yathechChasi tathA kuru - यथेच्छसि तथा कुरु (do as you wish.)” in kAku-svara (a taunting tone), meaning “Arjuna, can you really do as you wish?”. This is confirmed by the response by Arjuna. He did not reply “yoddhumichChAmi - योद्धुमिच्छामि (I like to fight)”. He said -

naShTo mohaH smR^itirlabdhA tvatprasAdAnmayA.achyuta |

sthito.asmi gatasandehaH kariShye vachanaM tava || 18-73||

नष्टो मोहः स्मृतिर्लब्धा त्वत्प्रसादान्मयाऽच्युत।

स्थितोऽस्मि गतसन्देहः करिष्ये वचनं तव॥ १८-७३॥

O Acyuta, my delusion is gone I have gained knowledge through Your grace. I stand firm with my doubts dispelled, I shall act according to Your word of command.

Note that he did not say that his ichCha or desire now is to fight.

Another example from Gita -

karmaNyevAdhikAraste mA phaleShu kadAchana |

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।

(You have a right in respect of action (work) alone never in respect of its fruits.)

Some misunderstood the right as the philosophical Free will. Right is privilege or entitlement and the absolute Free will is not being controlled by any one else. Right can be granted. Free will can not be granted. Right is external. Free will is internal.

5. SvAtantrya sandhis in Sri Hari kathAmRutasAra and the word datta:

In the three sandhis -Datta svAtantrya sandhi, Svagata svAtantrya sandhi, and Sarva svAtantrya sandhi, there is description that the Lord divided His three types of svAtantrya and distributed among Himself, Lakshmi and all the other chetanas. It seems to indicate that the Lord gave some svAtantrya to all the chetanas. The confusion is further increased by the term “datta”. The word “datta” means not only ಕೊಟ್ಟ (given), but also ಇಟ್ಟ (placed). The Lord has infinite forms. From them He took some finite number of forms that He feels necessary for the functioning of the Lord and divided His own forms (known as Datta svAtantrya, Svagata svAtantrya, and Sarva svAtantrya forms) in the stated proportion and placed them in Himself, Lakshmi and all the other chetanas. The fact that no svAtantrya was given to other chetanas becomes obvious when we delve deeper into that sandhi.

In Datta svAtantrya sandhi, it is said

IraidakhiLa jIvaroLiTTa - ಈರೈದಖಿಳ ಜೀವರೊಳಿಟ್ಟ (placed ten parts in the entire Chetanas, other than the listed ones) - 16-2.

kavibhirIDita tanna kaLegaLa |

divija dAnava mAnavaroLiTTavirata guNatrayaja karmava mADi mADisuva

ಕವಿಭಿರೀಡಿತ ತನ್ನ ಕಳೆಗಳ | ದಿವಿಜ ದಾನವ ಮಾನವರೊಳಿಟ್ಟವಿರತ ಗುಣತ್ರಯಜ ಕರ್ಮವ ಮಾಡಿ ಮಾಡಿಸುವ

(By placing His own forms in gods, demons, humans, the Lord, who is extolled by the wise, always performs and makes them perform, as per the three Sattva, Rajas and Tamas of them.) - 16-4.

dEva dAnava mAnavaroLiTTavara - ದೇವ ದಾನವ- | ಮಾನವರೊಳಿಟ್ಟವರ (By placing His own forms in gods, demons, humans) - 16-5.

In 16-30, it is said -

karaNa karmava mADidare vismaraNe kAladi mAtugaLiguttarava koDadale summanippanu jAgarAvasthe ||

karuNisalu vyApAra mADuva baralu nAlkAvasthegaLu pariharisikoLanEtake svataMtranu tAneyeMbuvanu || 16-30 ||

ಕರಣ ಕರ್ಮವ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ ವಿಸ್ಮರಣೆ ಕಾಲದಿ ಮಾತುಗಳಿಗುತ್ತರವ ಕೊಡದಲೆ ಸುಮ್ಮನಿಪ್ಪನು ಜಾಗರಾವಸ್ಥೆ || ಕರುಣಿಸಲು ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ ಮಾಡುವ ಬರಲು ನಾಲ್ಕಾವಸ್ಥೆಗಳು ಪರಿಹರಿಸಿಕೊಳನೇತಕೆ ಸ್ವತಂತ್ರನು ತಾನೆಯೆಂಬುವನು || ೧೬-೩೦ ||

(If one can act/function/perform with Free will, how come some times, he enters an unconscious state and so fails to respond to words/statements, how come the person acts/functions/performs, only when the person is graced with wakeful state? If one claims to possess absolute Free will, how come the person does not have full control over his or her four states? For example it will be futile effort if one wants to have say only wakeful state all the time. If one can not even have control on one’s own dreams, where is the scope for control on the actions during wakeful state?).

The source for the svAtantrya vibhAga in Sri kathAmRutasAra is ViShNurahasya.

“svasminnardhasvatantratvaM samAdhAya tadardhakaM |

vibhajya shatadhA bhUyo.aSTAcatvAriMshadaMshakAn || 32

prANe svAtantryamAdhAya dvipaMcAshattu vedhasi |

pAdaM caturdhaM shatadhA vibhajya dashabhAgakAn || 33

jIve svAtantryamAdhAya tato viMshati bhAgakAn |

ahaMkArAtmake rudre tathA buddhau nidhAya ca || 34

manodeve tataH shakre bhAgAnpaMcadashaiva tu |

tatvadeve dashAMshAshca svAtantryaM nidadhe hariH || 35

paMcacatvAriMshadaMshAn kalimukhyeSvadhAt svayam |

viSNoH paro na cAnyo.asti svatantraH ko.api cetanaH || 36”

"स्वस्मिन्नर्धस्वतन्त्रत्वं समाधाय तदर्धकं।

विभज्य शतधा भूयोऽष्टाचत्वारिंशदंशकान्॥ ३२

प्राणे स्वातन्त्र्यमाधाय द्विपंचाशत्तु वेधसि।

पादं चतुर्धं शतधा विभज्य दशभागकान्॥ ३३

जीवे स्वातन्त्र्यमाधाय ततो विंशति भागकान्।

अहंकारात्मके रुद्रे तथा बुद्धौ निधाय च॥ ३४

मनोदेवे ततः शक्रे भागान्पंचदशैव तु।

तत्वदेवे दशांशाश्च स्वातन्त्र्यं निदधे हरिः॥ ३५

पंचचत्वारिंशदंशान् कलिमुख्येष्वधात् स्वयम्।

विष्णोः परो न चान्योऽस्ति स्वतन्त्रः कोऽपि चेतनः॥ ३६"

Note the words “AdhAya”, “nidhAya” and “nidadhe”, which basically mean “placing”. As discussed, the Lord places His own formsw, chich are called “dattasvAtantrya” in various beings. Even the expression “giving His own svAtantrya forms” has to be taken as “placing His own svAtantrya forms” Note that even Lakshmi does not have svAtantrya overriding the Lord, even though she controls all the other deities.

6. Conclusion:

The difference between jaDa and Jiva is that jaDa does not have feelings and Jiva has. Even that is given by the Lord. Some scholars both in India and outside also teach that a little bit of svAtantrya is given in small matters. I gave counter example for that. If we have two mangoes Mango-A and Mango-B and going to ask you tomorrow, which one you will pick. Let us assume that you have svAtantrya to pick one. If we ask the Lord today whether you will pick Mango-A or Mango-B, what will he answer. Of course we say that the Lord knows past, present and future. But you have svAtantrya to choose. Only tomorrow you will make the decision. If the Lord says something means He made the decision. If you have absolute power to make the decision, the Lord should say "I have given him the free will to choose and so I do not know." that will posit ignorance in Him, which is not correct. If He says "I know he will choose Mango-A or B", that means He made the decision. The only answer is that He instigates you to choose one way or other and so He knows it.

There are niravakAsha statements, which Acharya quoted.

svatantramasvatantram cha dvividham tatvamiShyate |

svatantro bhagavAn viShNurbhAvAbhavau dvidhetarau || - Tattvaviveka

(Tattvas are of two kinds, svatantra and asvatantra. Only Vishnu is svatantra. The asvatantra tattva is of two types, those that exist and those that do not exist.)

nAhaM kartA hariH kartA tatpUjA karma chAkhilam |

tathA.api matkR^itA pUjA tatprasAdena nAnyathA ||

tadbhaktistatphalaM mahyaM tatprasAdaH punaH punaH |

karmanyAso harAvevaM viShNostR^iptikaraH sadA ||

yasmAt svatantrakartR^itvaM viShNoreva na chAnyagam |

tadadhInaM svatantratvaM svAvarApekShayaiva tu ||

jIvasya vikR^itirnAma kartR^itvaM jaDasaMshrayam |

pumAn dogdhA cha gaurdogdhrI stano dogdhetivat kramAt|| - Barkashruti

नाहं कर्ता हरिः कर्ता तत्पूजा कर्म चाखिलम्।

तथाऽपि मत्कृता पूजा तत्प्रसादेन नान्यथा॥

तद्भक्तिस्तत्फलं मह्यं तत्प्रसादः पुनः पुनः।

कर्मन्यासो हरावेवं विष्णोस्तृप्तिकरः सदा॥

यस्मात् स्वतन्त्रकर्तृत्वं विष्णोरेव न चान्यगम्।

तदधीनं स्वतन्त्रत्वं स्वावरापेक्षयैव तु॥

जीवस्य विकृतिर्नाम कर्तृत्वं जडसंश्रयम्।

पुमान् दोग्धा च गौर्दोग्ध्री स्तनो दोग्धेतिवत् क्रमात्॥ - बर्कश्रुति

("I am not the doer; Sri Hari is the doer. All the actions I perform are His worship. Even then, the worship I offer is only through His grace, and not otherwise."

"That devotion and the fruits of the actions that come to me are due to His recurring grace. Surrendering all actions to Hari in this manner always pleases Lord Vishnu."

"Because self-dependent doer-ship (Svatantra-kartRutva) belongs only to Vishnu and not to anyone else, the living being's (Jiva’s) doer-ship is non-dependent wrt the inferiors only, and is also under His control only, meaning it is as per His will."

"The doer-ship of the soul is a modification depending on material nature, just like the sequential process of the man milking the cow, the cow giving the milk, and the udder being the physical means.")

Some argue that though Sri Hari is svatantra, he gives a tiny portion of it to the Jivas. SvAtantrya is the guNa or inherent quality of Vishnu. He would not give His guNa to others. You can not give your guNa to others. You can teach others, based on your guNa. Further svAtantrya is not something that can be shared. Only the adhikAra or eligibility orpermission can be shared, but not decision-making Free will. In essence a person P1 can not give his goodness to another person P2. But He can teach the ways of Goodness. Similarly P1 can not give his svAntrya to P2. He can give permission, authorization or control over others. In addition the goodness of P1 does not interfere with that of P2. But the svAtantrya of P1 in any aspect will interfere with the svAtantrya of P2 in the same aspect. We are not talking about sharing and understanding as that breaks the svAtantrya aspect. If goodness of P1 can not be given away to P2, by kaimutya nyAya, the svAtantrya of P1 can not be given to P2.