Shortly before HH Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja left his body, Srila Acaryadeva and Sesa Prabhu had a question and answer session in Gita Nagari. Acaryadeva is replying to various questions about the relation of accepting and rejecting, giving and taking, staying strong in spiritual life and grace. Unfortunately the sound quality is not very good.
Summary:
Acaryadeva explains the principle of niyamagraha (not following the rules or taking them to be the all and all) and the importance of self-evaluation. There is a danger to reduce spiritual life to a mechanism and become a sadhana-athlet. Therefore introspection and self-honesty are extremely important. The consciousness is the main aspect, because we cannot mechanize our intentions.
In regards to mercy: The term mercy has to be understood properly so that it doesn’t cancel out what Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita that He reciprocates with everyone otherwise it is a philosophical mistake). Causeless mercy doesn’t mean that we didn’t do anything on our part.
If we take mercy to mean that we are given knowledge and detachment which is produced bhakti.
Augustin had a similar misunderstanding which sometimes we find in Krsna Consciousness, a kind of super piety which claims that we didn’t do anything to receive God’s mercy. The logical consequence would be that someone else who has the same qualification is sent to hell instead.