Vedanta - Discussion Forum I (introductory))

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Gangajal says:
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Yes, an omniscient being is aware of all future. Sri Krishna showed Arjuna
the fate of all the Kaurava warriers before the war even started.
...
Ishwara is very powerful
compared to Jivas but does not have infinite power.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
omniscient but not omnipotent? Most people would claim even omnipotence with the Ishvara.

I had also thought of the example from Gita that you mentioned. But the Ishvara who is omniscient and the Ishvara who advices the Arjuna on right conduct seem so separated. From the level of omniscient, whatever choices Arjuna is going to make are all determined. While on his level Arjuna sees many options of actions open to him, and ShrI Bhagavan teaches him the "correct" path, meaning at that level even Shri Bhagavan accepts the freedom of choice.

Many questions boil down to the nature and scope of "free will" or "icchaa-shakti". Is it really free or is it predetermined.

"ichha-shakti" makes sense only within time, in the realm of MahA-kAla or mahA-kAlI. For a timeless being, there is no meaning to iccha-shakti, or for that matter any purpose, dharma etc. Omnicience implies a sort of timelessness. While Ishvara also acts within time. Hence the difficulty. Ishvara apparently combines within himself timelessness as well as a temporal aspect.