"Krishna helps those who help themselves''
All of us have to make the choice to always chant the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra every day for our spiritual growth and welfare.
That is the basic secret of advancing in spiritual life and healing the soul beyond the decaying material bodily covering it is in.
For the soul, chanting Hare Krishna Mantra is the best medicine.
However, while trapped in this material body, we find Krishna may also help us in other ways too by sending people to help us mend and better maintain our broken material bodily vessel's mind and body.
Therefore it is not that Krishna has to always personally come to help us.
In fact nearly all the time, He will send us those who can also help us and guide us.
From a Spiritual Master, to a doctor to cure or mend our material bodily vessel, or an emergency worker to save us from a flood or other natural disasters.
Like the following story reveals.
The Drowning Man who prayed to God for help
A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help. Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, "Jump in, I can save you."
The stranded fellow shouted back, "No, it's OK, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me."
So the rowboat went on.
Then a motorboat came by. "The fellow in the motorboat shouted, "Jump in, I can save you."
To this the stranded man said, "No thanks, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith."
So the motorboat went on.
Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, "Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety."
To this the stranded man again replied, "No thanks, I'm praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith."
So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.
Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned.
He went to Heaven.
He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed,
"I had faith in you but you didn't save me, you let me drown. I don't understand why!"
To this God replied, "I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?"
In early February 1973 in Sydney Australia Srila Prabhupada developed an infection on his finger from a paper cut while opening mail.
The infected finger got worse over a few days and eventually penicillin was given to Srila Prabhupada to heal the infection.
One young devotee saw that Prabhupada was constantly chanting Hare Krishna, translating Srimad Bhagavatam's 3rd Canto and preaching to the devotees.
This young boy asked Prabhupada,
''You are always chanting Krishna's name, working late at night translating Sastra into English and preaching to the devotees, why didn't Krishna heal your finger that caused you some discomfort?''
Srila Prabhupada answered and showing great faith in Lord Krishna,
''Oh yes Krishna was so kind He immediately helped me, it was Krishna who sent the penicillin that healed my finger''.
It's not that Krishna has to personally appear and wave some magic wand, it does not work that way -
''God helps those who helps themselves'' that's the secret of spiritual life.
Monday, June 29, 2020
There are three energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes Lord Krishna.
The three energies of Lord Krishna.
The marginal energy of the Lord are the individual living entities or jiva souls (jiva tattva) like you and me.
Srila Prabhupada - “The jiva soul is always called marginal energy whether he is in the spiritual world or in the material world’. - (Letter to Rayarama, December 2, 1968)
There are three energies of Lord Krishna.
1 - Spiritual internal potency of Krishna are His direct energies known as Vishnu-sakti-tattvas (Radharani and various gopis) and Vishnu-tattva (Balarama etc 93% of Krishna's qualities) who are direct expansions of Krishna.
2 - The "marginal energy" or the living entities are known as jiva tattva that have 78% of the Lords qualities.
The jiva tattva are NOT "full" expansions of Krishna meaning they are NOT Krishna's direct expansions like the Vishnu-tattvas.
This is because the jiva tattva (marginal living entities) have their own independence and individual sense of self, personality and free will that can choose to be with Krishna or reject Him if they desire.
Without the marginal living entities (jiva-tattvas) having free will with their own sense of self and responsibility, then their CANNOT be any question of experiencing loving exchanges, reciprocation, emotions and cooperation in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan the Kingdom of God.
3 - The external energy of the Lord, the dead material energy managed by Maha Vishnu and takes up 1/4 of the Spiritual Sky or Brahmajyoti.
When the marginal living entities (jiva-tattvas) enter the material creation, they are covered by two material bodily vessels, (one gross matter and the other subtle matter)
From the day the soul or jiva-tattva is in a gross body, they experience its immediate decay and temporary nature that leads to the cycle of repeated birth and death in the material creation within 8 million 400 thousand species of material bodies.
Conclusion.
Krishna is like the SUN and the marginal living entities are like the SUNRAYS, both exist eternally without any beginning!!
Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan perpetually exist in the "eternal presence"
And yes, this means Krishna never technically created the Spiritual Worlds or the marginal living entities (jiva tattvas).
This is because they have ALWAYS been and have eternally existed without beginning or end.
However, Krishna is still, and will always be the maintainer of all there is as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Only the material worlds are created and eventually destroyed.
The marginal living entity (jiva tattva) always have their free will, independence and an individual sense of self as Prabhupada explains -
Devotee - "Srila Prabhupada why did Krishna give us free will if He knew we could fall down in the material world?"
Srila Prabhupada - "If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. You want to be stone? Then you must have free will. But don't misuse your free will. But don't try to become stone either. That is not life". (August 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)
There is no beginning point or end point of all things in the Spiritual Worlds.
However, Krishna is ALWAYS the "maintainer" of all that is and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
And yes, there was no point in space-time where Krishna gave the marginal living entities (jiva tattva) free will! This is because we have ALWAYS had free will and the ability to make our own choices of how to serve in the Spiritual realms of Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan .
The fact is, there was no point in eternal time when free will was given to the jiva tattva souls because they have ALWAYS had free will that is part and parcel of the marginal living entities eternal constitution.
Direct expansions of Krishna are called Vishnu-tattva or Vishnu-shakti-tattvas and ARE acually Krishna Himself playing another part in His eternal pastimes.
And yes on this level, Krishna is technically one with Balarama and Radharani but express Himself in the mood of Balarama or the mood of Radharani.
And no Krishna, Balarama and Radharani are NOT separate individuals souls.
They are simultaneously all the ONE person but also different according to pastimes.
Krishna wanted to know how Radha expressed her love for Him and Radha want to know how Krishna expressed His love for her.
Krishna therefore became ONE with Radha and that one body is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
The jiva tattva souls or marginal living entities are different, they can NEVER become one with Krishna (God), they can never go past their 78% qualities of Krishna.
All Vishnu-tattva and Vishnu-shakti-tattvas have 93% of Krishna's qualities and are all Krishna Himself playing a different role in His pastimes.
Lord Shiva is in a league of his own, he has 84% of Krishna's qualities.
And then us, the jiva tattvas or marginal living entities with 78% of Krishna's qualities
And yes, even great devotees find this very hard to understand.
Read these books and learn this Knowledge, this is all in Prabhupada's Books....
The marginal energy of the Lord are the individual living entities or jiva souls (jiva tattva) like you and me.
Srila Prabhupada - “The jiva soul is always called marginal energy whether he is in the spiritual world or in the material world’. - (Letter to Rayarama, December 2, 1968)
There are three energies of Lord Krishna.
1 - Spiritual internal potency of Krishna are His direct energies known as Vishnu-sakti-tattvas (Radharani and various gopis) and Vishnu-tattva (Balarama etc 93% of Krishna's qualities) who are direct expansions of Krishna.
2 - The "marginal energy" or the living entities are known as jiva tattva that have 78% of the Lords qualities.
The jiva tattva are NOT "full" expansions of Krishna meaning they are NOT Krishna's direct expansions like the Vishnu-tattvas.
This is because the jiva tattva (marginal living entities) have their own independence and individual sense of self, personality and free will that can choose to be with Krishna or reject Him if they desire.
Without the marginal living entities (jiva-tattvas) having free will with their own sense of self and responsibility, then their CANNOT be any question of experiencing loving exchanges, reciprocation, emotions and cooperation in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan the Kingdom of God.
3 - The external energy of the Lord, the dead material energy managed by Maha Vishnu and takes up 1/4 of the Spiritual Sky or Brahmajyoti.
When the marginal living entities (jiva-tattvas) enter the material creation, they are covered by two material bodily vessels, (one gross matter and the other subtle matter)
From the day the soul or jiva-tattva is in a gross body, they experience its immediate decay and temporary nature that leads to the cycle of repeated birth and death in the material creation within 8 million 400 thousand species of material bodies.
Conclusion.
Krishna is like the SUN and the marginal living entities are like the SUNRAYS, both exist eternally without any beginning!!
Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan perpetually exist in the "eternal presence"
And yes, this means Krishna never technically created the Spiritual Worlds or the marginal living entities (jiva tattvas).
This is because they have ALWAYS been and have eternally existed without beginning or end.
However, Krishna is still, and will always be the maintainer of all there is as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Only the material worlds are created and eventually destroyed.
The marginal living entity (jiva tattva) always have their free will, independence and an individual sense of self as Prabhupada explains -
Devotee - "Srila Prabhupada why did Krishna give us free will if He knew we could fall down in the material world?"
Srila Prabhupada - "If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. You want to be stone? Then you must have free will. But don't misuse your free will. But don't try to become stone either. That is not life". (August 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)
There is no beginning point or end point of all things in the Spiritual Worlds.
However, Krishna is ALWAYS the "maintainer" of all that is and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
And yes, there was no point in space-time where Krishna gave the marginal living entities (jiva tattva) free will! This is because we have ALWAYS had free will and the ability to make our own choices of how to serve in the Spiritual realms of Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan .
The fact is, there was no point in eternal time when free will was given to the jiva tattva souls because they have ALWAYS had free will that is part and parcel of the marginal living entities eternal constitution.
Direct expansions of Krishna are called Vishnu-tattva or Vishnu-shakti-tattvas and ARE acually Krishna Himself playing another part in His eternal pastimes.
And yes on this level, Krishna is technically one with Balarama and Radharani but express Himself in the mood of Balarama or the mood of Radharani.
And no Krishna, Balarama and Radharani are NOT separate individuals souls.
They are simultaneously all the ONE person but also different according to pastimes.
Krishna wanted to know how Radha expressed her love for Him and Radha want to know how Krishna expressed His love for her.
Krishna therefore became ONE with Radha and that one body is Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
The jiva tattva souls or marginal living entities are different, they can NEVER become one with Krishna (God), they can never go past their 78% qualities of Krishna.
All Vishnu-tattva and Vishnu-shakti-tattvas have 93% of Krishna's qualities and are all Krishna Himself playing a different role in His pastimes.
Lord Shiva is in a league of his own, he has 84% of Krishna's qualities.
And then us, the jiva tattvas or marginal living entities with 78% of Krishna's qualities
And yes, even great devotees find this very hard to understand.
Read these books and learn this Knowledge, this is all in Prabhupada's Books....
Monday, June 22, 2020
Shyamasundara dasa - "So returning back to Godhead is permanent?" Srila Prabhupada - "No, nothing is permanent because you have your independence, if you want, you can again go to the material world" (Vaniquotes discussions with Prabhupada 1973)
Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, first expands as His older brother Balarama who then expands as all the different Narayana (Visnu) forms of the Lord within all the Vaikuntha planets and material crestion.
Krsna via His first expansion Balarama, further expands from His Visnu form to His Maha-Visnu (Karanodakshayi Visnu) form who creates all the material worlds of unlimited individual universes called "Brahmandas."
Karanodakshayi Visnu (Maha Visnu) who creates the material creation (1/4 of the Spiritual Sky) is seen sleeping in painting below.
While He is sleeping, He is always dreaming and those dreams Maha-Visnu has, are all the activities happening within each Brahmanda universes within this temporary material creation.
Everything conceivable that happens in the temporary material creation are found in the dreams of Maha-Visnu.
This is because everything the visiting jiva-souls desires, is covered within the dreams of Maha-Visnu.
No jiva-soul originates from Maha-Visnu or the impersonal Brahmajyoti as the less intelligent foolishly believe.
Srila Prabhupada has told us that entering both the impersonal Brahmajyoti and the dreams of Maha-Visnu in His material creation, are both fallen conditions.
The jiva (tattva) soul's or marginal living entities are situated in Vaikuntha serving Visnu but are originally from Krsna's pastimes in Goloka-Vrindavan.
By entering these bodily vessels, the jiva-soul's journey within the material dreams of Maha-Visnu begins.
In the material creation, Maha Visnu is the composer, creator and director of all material pastimes, material bodily vessels and ALL their facilities.
All that exists in the material creation, manifests through Maha Visnu's dreaming.
Therefore, all jiva-souls who choose to enter the dreamland of material creation, are provided with the provisions by the dreaming Maha-Visnu that simultaneously match the individual desires of each visiting jiva-soul who choose to enter Maha-Visnu's material creation.
Maha-Visnu is the creator of the unlimited massive material worlds known as Brahmanda universes.
Srila Prabhupada - "The jivas were previously active ''before'' entering the "inactive" or "dormant" Brahman effulgence." (Letter to Revatinandana Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada – "Regarding your several questions: Where are the spirit souls coming from? These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha." (Letter to Jagadisa dasa 7/9/1970)
Srila Prabhupada - “We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago." (Lecture on BG, Aug 6, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - "As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness has now become polluted by the material atmosphere."
And from Garbhodakashayi Visnu, Lord Brahma appears and is born from His naval at the top of a lotus flower.
Lord Brahma then builds the many planetary systems within the inner secondary universes he is in.
As said above, there is only one Maha-Visnu but there are billions of Garbhodakashayi Visnus and Lord Brahmas.
The size of each planetary system deep inside each Brahmanda vary in size, some larger and some smaller than others.
In our universe deep within our Brahmanda, we have 14 planetary systems and is considered a small universe.
Other universes inside their Brahmanda, have many more planetary systems.
The size of each Brahmanda and their inner universe depends on the how many heads their Lord Brahma has.
Some Lord Brahmas, like ours, has only 4 heads, while other Brahma's within their universe inside their Brahmanda, may have 10, 20, 50, 500, 1000, 100,000 or even a million or more heads.
In this way, all the billions of Brahmanda universes coming from the Body of the sleeping Maha-Visnu (as seen in painting below), ALL have a secondary inner universe deep inside of them.
As already explained, each of the billions of Brahmandas has their own Garbhodakashayi Visnu and Lord Brahma at the center of each Brahmanda.
Each Brahmanda therefore has 7 material coverings that surround and encase each inner universe.
Our small inner material universe within our Brahmanda, according to Srimad Bhagavatam, is only 4 billion miles in diameter.
While the massive Brahmanda universe we are deep within, is 44 quadrillion 444 trillion 444 billion miles in diameter.
This explanation maybe the full size of the Brahmanda or could be just from the outer edge of our inner universe (often called Bhu-Mandala because it is described as almost 4 billion miles in diameter)
The full size of our Brahmanda maybe double the figure mentioned above.
ISKCON is attempting to revive the age old Vedic Sanatan Dharma system all over the world.
When Prabhupada went back to India in 1970 with his "dancing white elephants" (American and European devotees) was the beginning of a Vedic REVIVAL and the seeds were sown for a future Golden Age of Spirituality in this degraded age of Kali-yuga.
This is important to understand, their are big changes coming to this terrible Kali-yuga that will transform it for a short time (10,000 years) into a Golden Age of Sankirtan (congregational chanting of Hare Krsna) for many.
However, today ISKCON is just only 50 years into this revival and spiritual rejuvenation and therefore there is still much to learn from Vedic teachings and learn how to practice them with potency.
Slowly ISKCON IS developing farms, setting up Sankirtan parties in every Town and Village etc all over the world.
58 years (1965 to 2023) is not a long time, it took 400 years for the Catholic Church to become established.
In 1972 Prabhupada spoke in his room explaining that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Movement will eventually bring in a new Golden Age of Spirituality.
He even said devotees in a few generations, devotees will become very powerful Brahmins, some even with mystical powers like Brahmins in Dvarapa-yuga, meaning that their chanting mantras and fire yujnas will have great powerful potency again.
He explained that even the demigods are lined up to take birth on this planet in Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's great Sankirtan Movement.
Of course devotees do not and will not seek these mystical powers, but it will happen as a bye product of tapping into higher realms of conscious awareness caused by performing massive Sankirtan under the guidance and instructions of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that will also lead to a Golden Age in this Kali-yuga.
What has begun is the REVIVAL of the Vedic Culture known as Sanatan Dharma.
Srila Prabhupada has told us that this coming Gold Age will REVIVE the Vedic standards that existed in Dvarpara yuga and even Satya yuga!
This WILL happen with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's powerful Sankirtan movement!
If this Kali-yuga mundane world studies Srila Prabhupada's Books and chants Hare Krsna very seriously, then this Golden Age will become a reality.
So why did God give us free will?
Devotee - "Srila Prabhupada, why did God give us free will if He knew we would fall down in the material world?"
Srila Prabhupada - "If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. You want to be stone? Then you must have free will. But don't misuse your free will. But don't try to become stone either. That is not life." (Aug 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)
Srila Prabhupada explains to us there is always a chance of misusing one's free will and falling down to the material world however, most souls do NOT misuse their freedom and fall down.
Prabhupada explained this to Shyamasundara prabhu when he said to Prabhupada-
Shyamasundara dasa - "So returning back to Godhead is permanent?"
Srila Prabhupada - "No, nothing is permanent because you have your independence, if you want, you can again go to the material world."
But then Prabhupada adds - "But most (90%) are good, they "choose" to never fall down."
The important point here is there is always free will in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan that allows reciprocation and voluntary loving exchanges with Krsna.
This means, it is the jivas who also decide how to conduct themselves in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, and Krishna does NOT force His will on all jiva-souls, forcing then to do what He only wants.
No, the Spiritual world is not mindless like that where the jiva tattva surrenders their free will! Such bogus "surrender" is mayavadi teachings.
Impersonal, (which also means having no sense of one's individual independent unique self as a contributing person) mindless surrender is the fake meaning of surrender that sadly many foolish devotees today believe is the meaning of surrender!
They foolishly believe you must surrender your free will to enter Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan.
If Krsna forced this nonsense meaning of surrender, then it would be impossible for REAL love to exist.
This is because Krsna would be over riding the marginal living entities free will and their individual unique abilities and sense of self that allows them to strive for loving exchanges of reciprocation and personal offerings, that are the eternal qualities and constitution of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls).
Srila Prabhupada even gives the figures of how many marginal living entities (jiva-souls) choose to leave Goloka-Vrindavan and Vaikuntha, explaining it is less than 10% that leave but most, over 90%, NEVER leave the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana.*
Krsna via His first expansion Balarama, further expands from His Visnu form to His Maha-Visnu (Karanodakshayi Visnu) form who creates all the material worlds of unlimited individual universes called "Brahmandas."
Karanodakshayi Visnu (Maha Visnu) who creates the material creation (1/4 of the Spiritual Sky) is seen sleeping in painting below.
While He is sleeping, He is always dreaming and those dreams Maha-Visnu has, are all the activities happening within each Brahmanda universes within this temporary material creation.
Everything conceivable that happens in the temporary material creation are found in the dreams of Maha-Visnu.
This is because everything the visiting jiva-souls desires, is covered within the dreams of Maha-Visnu.
No jiva-soul originates from Maha-Visnu or the impersonal Brahmajyoti as the less intelligent foolishly believe.
Srila Prabhupada has told us that entering both the impersonal Brahmajyoti and the dreams of Maha-Visnu in His material creation, are both fallen conditions.
The jiva (tattva) soul's or marginal living entities are situated in Vaikuntha serving Visnu but are originally from Krsna's pastimes in Goloka-Vrindavan.
It is due mostly because of free will, the jiva-souls choose to enter the temporary material creation.
And from there after suffering millions of births and deaths due to be covered by a temporary material bodily vessel, can they enter the impersonal (dormant or inactive) Brahmajyoti or Brahman.
When Maha-Visnu dreams He creates all the individual material universe (Brahmandas) known as the Maha-tattva which takes up 25% of the Spiritual Sky or Brahmajyoti as explained above.
The other 75% of the Spiritual Sky or Brahmajyoti is the ever fresh, always youthful and perpetually never in a state of decline or decay.
And from there after suffering millions of births and deaths due to be covered by a temporary material bodily vessel, can they enter the impersonal (dormant or inactive) Brahmajyoti or Brahman.
When Maha-Visnu dreams He creates all the individual material universe (Brahmandas) known as the Maha-tattva which takes up 25% of the Spiritual Sky or Brahmajyoti as explained above.
The other 75% of the Spiritual Sky or Brahmajyoti is the ever fresh, always youthful and perpetually never in a state of decline or decay.
The Spiritual worlds are known as the Vaikuntha planets of Lord Visnu and the central Goloka-Vrindavana planet of Krsna who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.
However, within Maha-Visnu's 25% of the Spiritual Sky, called the temporary material creation, we find is always in a state of decay, decline, impermanence and forced repeated birth and death for all those jiva-souls who choose to enter the mundane material creation and possess (enter material bodily vessels)
The jiva-souls who has chosen to enter the material creation, are continuously forced to take rebirth again and again in different material bodily vessels because what ever material bodies they get, will eventually wear out, get old, decay, break down and eventually cease to operate.
However, within Maha-Visnu's 25% of the Spiritual Sky, called the temporary material creation, we find is always in a state of decay, decline, impermanence and forced repeated birth and death for all those jiva-souls who choose to enter the mundane material creation and possess (enter material bodily vessels)
The jiva-souls who has chosen to enter the material creation, are continuously forced to take rebirth again and again in different material bodily vessels because what ever material bodies they get, will eventually wear out, get old, decay, break down and eventually cease to operate.
This continuous decay is the nature of the material worlds.
All jiva-souls who choose to enter the material creation are contained in these impermanent material bodily vessels provided by the dreaming Maha-Visnu.
All jiva-souls who choose to enter the material creation are contained in these impermanent material bodily vessels provided by the dreaming Maha-Visnu.
By entering these bodily vessels, the jiva-soul's journey within the material dreams of Maha-Visnu begins.
In the material creation, Maha Visnu is the composer, creator and director of all material pastimes, material bodily vessels and ALL their facilities.
All that exists in the material creation, manifests through Maha Visnu's dreaming.
Therefore, all jiva-souls who choose to enter the dreamland of material creation, are provided with the provisions by the dreaming Maha-Visnu that simultaneously match the individual desires of each visiting jiva-soul who choose to enter Maha-Visnu's material creation.
Maha-Visnu is the creator of the unlimited massive material worlds known as Brahmanda universes.
Within each Brahmanda universe a smaller secondary material universe exists created by Maha-Visnu's expansion Garbhodakashayi Visnu, and managed by Lord Brahma.
Maha-Visnu's dreams also include all the material bodily vessels taken by each jiva-soul who enters those material worlds.
Clearly means no jiva-souls originate from Maha-Visnu, they instead enter His dream creation from the Spiritual realm outside of the material creation.
Clearly means no jiva-souls originate from Maha-Visnu, they instead enter His dream creation from the Spiritual realm outside of the material creation.
There are billions of Garbhodakashayi Visnus and Lord Brahmas, but only one Maha-Visnu.
Within the billions of Brahmanda individual material universes in Maha-Visnu's material creation, all combinations of every material bodily feature, pathway and out come past, present and future, all exist, are all possible.
This means ever possible scenario of material combination and bodily out comes already exists within the dreams of Maha Visnu, just so all jiva-souls who enter the material creation, can experience "their" journey, no matter how strange or bizarre their self centered desires are.
What ever desires they may have, every facility imaginable exists within Maha-Visnu's dreams. He forfills all the desires of all jiva-souls.
In this way, the jiva-souls who are now separated from Krsna's eternal Spiritual abodes, can experience "anything" THEY desire from Maha-Visnu's material creation.
As said above, this attempt to enjoy separate from Kṛṣṇa places the rebellious jiva-soul outside of the Spiritual realm and within Maha-Visnu's material dreams.
It is there a suitable material bodily vessel is provided by Maha Visnu to the jiva-soul so they can experience their individual desires without Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada – "This material creation is the spirit soul’s dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Maha-Visnu, as the Brahma-Samhita describes –
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur - "This material world is created by the dreaming of Maha-Visnu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation." (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 text 83)
Srila Prabhupada - "Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present and future, is merely a dream. This is the secret in understanding in all the Vedic literature." (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 text 2b)
Srila Prabhupada - "Our contact with matter is just like dream. Actually we are not fallen. Therefore, because we are not fallen, at any moment we can revive our Krsna consciousness, we break the dream." (Tokyo Japan 1972: SB Canto 2 Ch 9 text 1)
Srila Prabhupada - "Factually all of material existence is only a dream. Thus there is no question of past, present or future. Persons who are addicted to karma-kanda-vicara, which means ‘working for future happiness through fruitive activities’, are also dreaming. Similarly, past happiness and present happiness are merely dreams." (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 text 2b)
Srila Prabhupada explains here why some jiva-souls CAN fall down from Vaikuntha if they choose to do so.
The following Conversation took place in Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974 between Srila Prabhupada and his disciples.
Devotee – "When we are in the spiritual sky and serving Krsna, we have a perfect relationship with Krsna, what causes us to fall down in the material world, because we’re already serving Krsna?"
Srila Prabhupada – "Because you desire to fall down. Here it is explained that "Don’t fall down."
Devotee – "Srila Prabhupada, I can’t understand why we should have an impure desire when we are already serving…"
Srila Prabhupada – "Because you have got little freedom. It is his desire."
Devotee – "In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it says that Krsna did not want us to come to this material world. If Krsna did not want us to come here, why are we here?"
Srila Prabhupada – "Yes, you forced Krsna to allow you to come. Just like sometimes a child forces his father. Father says, "My dear son, do not do this. Do not go there." But he insists, "Oh, I must go. I must go." "All right, you go at your risk. That’s all. And you suffer. What can be done?" Because you are Son of God you have got independence, full independence, free will, therefore you have acquired the quality of your father. You have got "little independence." So God does not interfere with your little independence. If you persist that “I must go and enjoy independently," so God says, "All right, you can go." This is the position. You have to take sanction. That is a fact. But when you persist, God sanctions. And you come and enjoy." (Melb, Australia June 25, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada - "Existence in the impersonal brahman is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those who are in the brahman effulgence are also in the fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition. When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition. The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness." (Letter to Revatinandana Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
Within the billions of Brahmanda individual material universes in Maha-Visnu's material creation, all combinations of every material bodily feature, pathway and out come past, present and future, all exist, are all possible.
This means ever possible scenario of material combination and bodily out comes already exists within the dreams of Maha Visnu, just so all jiva-souls who enter the material creation, can experience "their" journey, no matter how strange or bizarre their self centered desires are.
What ever desires they may have, every facility imaginable exists within Maha-Visnu's dreams. He forfills all the desires of all jiva-souls.
In this way, the jiva-souls who are now separated from Krsna's eternal Spiritual abodes, can experience "anything" THEY desire from Maha-Visnu's material creation.
As said above, this attempt to enjoy separate from Kṛṣṇa places the rebellious jiva-soul outside of the Spiritual realm and within Maha-Visnu's material dreams.
It is there a suitable material bodily vessel is provided by Maha Visnu to the jiva-soul so they can experience their individual desires without Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada – "This material creation is the spirit soul’s dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Maha-Visnu, as the Brahma-Samhita describes –
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur - "This material world is created by the dreaming of Maha-Visnu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation." (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 text 83)
Srila Prabhupada - "Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present and future, is merely a dream. This is the secret in understanding in all the Vedic literature." (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 text 2b)
Srila Prabhupada - "Our contact with matter is just like dream. Actually we are not fallen. Therefore, because we are not fallen, at any moment we can revive our Krsna consciousness, we break the dream." (Tokyo Japan 1972: SB Canto 2 Ch 9 text 1)
Srila Prabhupada - "Factually all of material existence is only a dream. Thus there is no question of past, present or future. Persons who are addicted to karma-kanda-vicara, which means ‘working for future happiness through fruitive activities’, are also dreaming. Similarly, past happiness and present happiness are merely dreams." (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 text 2b)
Srila Prabhupada explains here why some jiva-souls CAN fall down from Vaikuntha if they choose to do so.
The following Conversation took place in Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974 between Srila Prabhupada and his disciples.
Devotee – "When we are in the spiritual sky and serving Krsna, we have a perfect relationship with Krsna, what causes us to fall down in the material world, because we’re already serving Krsna?"
Srila Prabhupada – "Because you desire to fall down. Here it is explained that "Don’t fall down."
Devotee – "Srila Prabhupada, I can’t understand why we should have an impure desire when we are already serving…"
Srila Prabhupada – "Because you have got little freedom. It is his desire."
Devotee – "In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it says that Krsna did not want us to come to this material world. If Krsna did not want us to come here, why are we here?"
Srila Prabhupada – "Yes, you forced Krsna to allow you to come. Just like sometimes a child forces his father. Father says, "My dear son, do not do this. Do not go there." But he insists, "Oh, I must go. I must go." "All right, you go at your risk. That’s all. And you suffer. What can be done?" Because you are Son of God you have got independence, full independence, free will, therefore you have acquired the quality of your father. You have got "little independence." So God does not interfere with your little independence. If you persist that “I must go and enjoy independently," so God says, "All right, you can go." This is the position. You have to take sanction. That is a fact. But when you persist, God sanctions. And you come and enjoy." (Melb, Australia June 25, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada - "Existence in the impersonal brahman is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those who are in the brahman effulgence are also in the fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition. When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition. The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness." (Letter to Revatinandana Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada - "We do not accept anyone elevated to the brahman effulgence as actually liberated." (Letter to Revatinandana Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada - "The jivas were previously active ''before'' entering the "inactive" or "dormant" Brahman effulgence." (Letter to Revatinandana Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada – "Regarding your several questions: Where are the spirit souls coming from? These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha." (Letter to Jagadisa dasa 7/9/1970)
Srila Prabhupada - “We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago." (Lecture on BG, Aug 6, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - "As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness has now become polluted by the material atmosphere."
(Happening record album NY City December 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - "So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?’ I immediately fall down." (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
Srila Prabhupada - "In the broader sense everyone comes from Krsnaloka. When one forgets Krsna he is conditioned, when one remembers Krsna he is liberated". (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)
So within this temporary material creation we find billions of individual single Brahmanda universes coming from the Body of Maha-Visnu.
Furthermore, as explained above, deep inside each massive Brahmanda universe, there is a secondary smaller universe where Maha-Visnu expands Himself as Garbhodakashayi Visnu.
Srila Prabhupada - "So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?’ I immediately fall down." (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
Srila Prabhupada - "In the broader sense everyone comes from Krsnaloka. When one forgets Krsna he is conditioned, when one remembers Krsna he is liberated". (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)
So within this temporary material creation we find billions of individual single Brahmanda universes coming from the Body of Maha-Visnu.
Furthermore, as explained above, deep inside each massive Brahmanda universe, there is a secondary smaller universe where Maha-Visnu expands Himself as Garbhodakashayi Visnu.
And from Garbhodakashayi Visnu, Lord Brahma appears and is born from His naval at the top of a lotus flower.
Lord Brahma then builds the many planetary systems within the inner secondary universes he is in.
As said above, there is only one Maha-Visnu but there are billions of Garbhodakashayi Visnus and Lord Brahmas.
The size of each planetary system deep inside each Brahmanda vary in size, some larger and some smaller than others.
In our universe deep within our Brahmanda, we have 14 planetary systems and is considered a small universe.
Other universes inside their Brahmanda, have many more planetary systems.
The size of each Brahmanda and their inner universe depends on the how many heads their Lord Brahma has.
Some Lord Brahmas, like ours, has only 4 heads, while other Brahma's within their universe inside their Brahmanda, may have 10, 20, 50, 500, 1000, 100,000 or even a million or more heads.
In this way, all the billions of Brahmanda universes coming from the Body of the sleeping Maha-Visnu (as seen in painting below), ALL have a secondary inner universe deep inside of them.
As already explained, each of the billions of Brahmandas has their own Garbhodakashayi Visnu and Lord Brahma at the center of each Brahmanda.
Each Brahmanda therefore has 7 material coverings that surround and encase each inner universe.
Our small inner material universe within our Brahmanda, according to Srimad Bhagavatam, is only 4 billion miles in diameter.
While the massive Brahmanda universe we are deep within, is 44 quadrillion 444 trillion 444 billion miles in diameter.
This explanation maybe the full size of the Brahmanda or could be just from the outer edge of our inner universe (often called Bhu-Mandala because it is described as almost 4 billion miles in diameter)
The full size of our Brahmanda maybe double the figure mentioned above.
ISKCON is attempting to revive the age old Vedic Sanatan Dharma system all over the world.
HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE
When Prabhupada went back to India in 1970 with his "dancing white elephants" (American and European devotees) was the beginning of a Vedic REVIVAL and the seeds were sown for a future Golden Age of Spirituality in this degraded age of Kali-yuga.
This is important to understand, their are big changes coming to this terrible Kali-yuga that will transform it for a short time (10,000 years) into a Golden Age of Sankirtan (congregational chanting of Hare Krsna) for many.
However, today ISKCON is just only 50 years into this revival and spiritual rejuvenation and therefore there is still much to learn from Vedic teachings and learn how to practice them with potency.
Slowly ISKCON IS developing farms, setting up Sankirtan parties in every Town and Village etc all over the world.
58 years (1965 to 2023) is not a long time, it took 400 years for the Catholic Church to become established.
In 1972 Prabhupada spoke in his room explaining that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's Movement will eventually bring in a new Golden Age of Spirituality.
He even said devotees in a few generations, devotees will become very powerful Brahmins, some even with mystical powers like Brahmins in Dvarapa-yuga, meaning that their chanting mantras and fire yujnas will have great powerful potency again.
He explained that even the demigods are lined up to take birth on this planet in Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's great Sankirtan Movement.
Of course devotees do not and will not seek these mystical powers, but it will happen as a bye product of tapping into higher realms of conscious awareness caused by performing massive Sankirtan under the guidance and instructions of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that will also lead to a Golden Age in this Kali-yuga.
What has begun is the REVIVAL of the Vedic Culture known as Sanatan Dharma.
Srila Prabhupada has told us that this coming Gold Age will REVIVE the Vedic standards that existed in Dvarpara yuga and even Satya yuga!
This WILL happen with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu's powerful Sankirtan movement!
If this Kali-yuga mundane world studies Srila Prabhupada's Books and chants Hare Krsna very seriously, then this Golden Age will become a reality.
So why did God give us free will?
Devotee - "Srila Prabhupada, why did God give us free will if He knew we would fall down in the material world?"
Srila Prabhupada - "If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. You want to be stone? Then you must have free will. But don't misuse your free will. But don't try to become stone either. That is not life." (Aug 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)
Srila Prabhupada explains to us there is always a chance of misusing one's free will and falling down to the material world however, most souls do NOT misuse their freedom and fall down.
Prabhupada explained this to Shyamasundara prabhu when he said to Prabhupada-
Shyamasundara dasa - "So returning back to Godhead is permanent?"
Srila Prabhupada - "No, nothing is permanent because you have your independence, if you want, you can again go to the material world."
But then Prabhupada adds - "But most (90%) are good, they "choose" to never fall down."
The important point here is there is always free will in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan that allows reciprocation and voluntary loving exchanges with Krsna.
This means, it is the jivas who also decide how to conduct themselves in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, and Krishna does NOT force His will on all jiva-souls, forcing then to do what He only wants.
No, the Spiritual world is not mindless like that where the jiva tattva surrenders their free will! Such bogus "surrender" is mayavadi teachings.
Impersonal, (which also means having no sense of one's individual independent unique self as a contributing person) mindless surrender is the fake meaning of surrender that sadly many foolish devotees today believe is the meaning of surrender!
They foolishly believe you must surrender your free will to enter Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan.
If Krsna forced this nonsense meaning of surrender, then it would be impossible for REAL love to exist.
This is because Krsna would be over riding the marginal living entities free will and their individual unique abilities and sense of self that allows them to strive for loving exchanges of reciprocation and personal offerings, that are the eternal qualities and constitution of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls).
Srila Prabhupada even gives the figures of how many marginal living entities (jiva-souls) choose to leave Goloka-Vrindavan and Vaikuntha, explaining it is less than 10% that leave but most, over 90%, NEVER leave the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana.*
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Krsna is likened to the original candle that lights other candles of the same luminosity.
Furthermore, Krsna as His original Form has 64 qualities and 4 of those are unique to only Him because no other Visnu-tattva expansion has those 4 extra qualities as follows-
(1) Krsna is the performer of wonderful varieties of pastimes (especially His childhood pastimes)
(2) Krsna is surrounded by devotees endowed with wonderful love of Godhead.
(3) Krsna can attract all living entities all over the universes by playing on His flute.
(4) Krsna has a wonderful excellence of beauty which can not be rivalled anywhere in the creation.
These four qualities out of Krsna's 64 attributes are important to understand because, as said, not even Visnu/Narayana forms of God, who includes Balarama, have them in always, only sometimes exhibited partially when Krsna expands Himself and appears in the material world.
Other living entities like jiva-tattva (jiva-souls) are more independent from Krsna who each have their own personality separate from Krsna's Personality.
Another living entity, Siva-tattva, is neither Visnu-tattva or jiva-tattva but is in a league of his own.
All are Krsna's expansions each having a portion of Krsna's 64 qualities however, only Kṛṣṇa has all 64 qualities in full.
Being all-powerful Krsna can expand Himself into forms with the same power and characteristics He possesses, without diminishing Himself in anyway.
Krsna is likened to the original candle that lights other candles of the same luminosity.
Krsna in His original Form has 64 qualities, 4 of those are unique to only Him because no other Visnu-tattva expansion has those 4 extra qualities all the time.
Krsna expands Himself to enjoy in a variety of ways through relationships with His innumerable devotees.
Some of His Visnu-tattva expansions like Maha-Visnu and Garbhodakashayi Visnu manage the decaying impermanent material creation (mahat-tattva), while others manage the eternal blissful Vaikuntha planets.
The individual jiva-souls can choose to remain in the "anti-material" (eternally youthful) aspect of Spiritual Sky (75% of the Spiritual Sky), or enter the temporary "material" impermanent decaying world (25% of the Spiritual Sky) because of having the quality of free will.
Visnu-tattva expansions on the Vaikuntha planets are known as Lord Visnu/Narayana and trillions of other names also.
In the Vaikuntha planets, the relationship the jiva-souls have with Lord Visnu is all in-reverence, they see Visnu as the all powerful God and controller of everything.
In the Vaikuntha planets, the relationship the jiva-souls have with Lord Visnu is all in-reverence, they see Visnu as the all powerful God and controller of everything.
Each Lord Viṣṇu on their spiritual planet, each has a different name based on the pastimes going on in their Vaikuntha Planet.
In a feeling of complete reverence and an attitude of deep respect with an overwhelming mood of awe and dedicated loving devotion to Visnu (God)
Unlike the jiva-souls in Goloka Vrindavana who never see Krsna as God or even care, the jiva-souls (marginal living entities) in all the Vaikuntha planets always see Visnu, Narayana etc. etc as the all worshipable Supreme Lord or God.
However, Krsna in His original form remains aloof from the affairs of the material temporary decaying creation and the perpetual Vaikuntha planets.
This is because He is for ever enjoying loving pastimes with His friends, family, boy friends, girl friends and all other associates in Goloka-Vrindavana who Krsna sees are all equal to Him, even though all jiva-souls there see Him as the most amazing, caring, selfless Person they know, and love Him dearly.
Amazingly no one in Goloka-Vrindavana sees Krsna as God the Supreme controller of all, He is just their best friend, parent, lover etc.
Krsna’s first expansion is Balarama, His elder brother in Goloka-Vrindavan. From Balarama comes all other Visnu-tattva expansions.
Krsna’s first expansion is Balarama, His elder brother in Goloka-Vrindavan. From Balarama comes all other Visnu-tattva expansions.
Although Krsna expands into many forms identical to Himself, He remains the one individual original independent entity who is simultaneously one and different with His spiritual worlds and material creation.
Krsna eventually expands as Maha-Visnu (Karanodakshayi Visnu) and creates the material worlds which are actually the dreams of Maha-Visnu.
The material bodily vessels the jiva-souls occupy in the material creation, are chosen from Maha-Visnu's dreams because the entire material creation are the dreams of Maha Visnu according to Srimad Bhagavatam.
Srila Prabhupada – “This material creation is the spirit soul’s dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Maha-Visnu, as the Brahma-Samhita describes-
“This material world is created by the dreaming of Maha-Visnu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation." (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 Text 83)
This material creation is the jiva-soul’s dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Maha-Visnu.
Srila Prabhupada – “Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present and future, is merely a dream. This is the secret in understanding in all the Vedic literature.” (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 Text 2b)
Srila Prabhupada – “Our contact with matter is just like dream. Actually we are not fallen. Therefore, because we are not fallen, at any moment we can revive our Krsna consciousness, we break the dream.” (Tokyo Japan 1972 SB, Canto 2 Ch 9 Text 1)
Srila Prabhupada – “Factually all of material existence is only a dream. Thus there is no question of past, present or future. Persons who are addicted to karma-kanda-vicara, which means ‘working for future happiness through fruitive activities’, are also dreaming. Similarly, past happiness and present happiness are merely dreams.” (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 Text 2b)
Maha-Visnu is laying down sleeping and in that sleep, He dreams the material creation.
Everything past, present and future is eternally their in His dreams, and jiva-souls who choose to enter His material creation, live there in a material bodily vessel that comes from Maha-Visnu's dreams that are simultaneously the jiva-soul's desires (dreams) too.
Everything conceivable are in the dreams of Maha-Visnu that can for fill any material desire the jiva-souls have, all material bodily vessels come from Maha-Visnu and must be "hired" from Him.
Everything past, present and future is eternally their in His dreams, and jiva-souls who choose to enter His material creation, live there in a material bodily vessel that comes from Maha-Visnu's dreams that are simultaneously the jiva-soul's desires (dreams) too.
Everything conceivable are in the dreams of Maha-Visnu that can for fill any material desire the jiva-souls have, all material bodily vessels come from Maha-Visnu and must be "hired" from Him.
Only the material bodily vessels or costumes and paraphernalia the visiting jiva-souls have in the material world all come from Maha-Visnu, but NOT the jiva-souls (marginal living entities), they do not originate from Maha-Visnu or the impersonal brahmajyoti, they come (fall) from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana.
The material bodily vessels are "hired" from the dreams of Maha-Visnu by the jiva-souls so they can enter His material creation in a suitable material bodily container or vessel that matches their desires that are independent from serving Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada - "We are not the owner of this body, not the owner of the material senses. The senses are "hired" from the Supreme Lord. This is very subtle understanding; one should know the proprietor of the senses is God." (March 1966, New York City)
All the material bodily vessels in the material creation belong to Maha-Visnu and must be aquired from Him in order to enter the material world.
However, all such bodily vessels in the are temporary and subject to decay, nothing made of matter lasts forever, it is in a constant state of decomposition.
This causes the eternal jiva-souls within those material bodies, who are visiting from the spiritual worlds as passengers in those bodily vessels, to continue taking birth after birth in the material world and continue trying to satisfy their desires and material senses.
The jiva-souls, who eternally have their own personality separate from Krsna's Personality, can "choose" to "voluntarily" serve Krsna in an unlimited variety of ways, or reject Him and enter the material world.
The jiva-souls are an eternal spiritual bodily form that has always looked like Krsna as their "original" spiritual bodily form - two-arms, two legs, etc in the spiritual world, and have their own unique personality separate from the Krsna's Personality.
Maha-Visnu dreams creates the material universe known as the Maha-tattva, including all material bodily vessels, which is 25% of the Spiritual Sky and also called the Brahmajyoti.
Within that 25% of the Spiritual Sky we find billions of individual independent massive single universes called "Brahmandas," and deep inside each Brahmanda universe, Maha-Visnu expands a "secondary universe" where Garbhodakashayi Visnu, Brahma and many planetary systems exist.
So, from Garbhodakashayi Visnu, Lord Brahma appears in each inner secondary material universe and builds the many planetary systems in his universe, there are billions of Garbhodakashayi Visnus and billions of Lord Brahmas but only one Maha-Visnu.
The size of each planetary system that exists in each material universe inside their Brahmanda, vary in size, some larger, some smaller than others.
In our material universe within our Brahmanda, we have 14 planetary systems ¹1¹and is considered a small universe.
Other universes inside their Brahmanda, have many more planetary systems.
The size of each Brahmanda and their inner universe depends on the how many heads Lord Brahma has.
Some Lord Brahmas, like ours, has only 4 heads, while other Brahma's within their material universe inside their Brahmanda, may have 10, 20, 50, 500, 1000, 100,000 or even a million or more heads.
All inconceivable to the mundane mind.
All the billions of Brahmanda universes coming from the Body of the sleeping Maha-Visnu (as seen in painting below) have a secondary inner universe deep inside them.
This means each of the billions of Brahmanda universes has their own Garbhodakashayi Visnu and Lord Brahma deep inside each Brahmanda where a secondary material universe exists.
Who is Radharani and Krsna eternally in their abode of Goloka Vrindavana?
Consequently, when Krsna wants to enjoy, He expands the potency or energy within Himself that gives him enjoyment.
All the billions of Brahmanda universes coming from the Body of the sleeping Maha-Visnu (as seen in painting below) have a secondary inner universe deep inside them.
This means each of the billions of Brahmanda universes has their own Garbhodakashayi Visnu and Lord Brahma deep inside each Brahmanda where a secondary material universe exists.
Who is Radharani and Krsna eternally in their abode of Goloka Vrindavana?
Consequently, when Krsna wants to enjoy, He expands the potency or energy within Himself that gives him enjoyment.
This potency is a person, Her name is Srimati Radharani.
Radharani is not a different person from Krsna, or, rather, she is both one with and different from Him. How could two people be one person or one person be two?
A simple example will illustrate how this is so. The sun cannot exist without the sunshine, nor the sunshine without the sun. We say, "the sun is in my room"—even though the sun itself is ninety-three million miles away—because the sun appears in the form of its energy.
Therefore the energy (the sunshine) and the energetic (the sun) are simultaneously one and different.
Radharani is not a different person from Krsna, or, rather, she is both one with and different from Him. How could two people be one person or one person be two?
A simple example will illustrate how this is so. The sun cannot exist without the sunshine, nor the sunshine without the sun. We say, "the sun is in my room"—even though the sun itself is ninety-three million miles away—because the sun appears in the form of its energy.
Therefore the energy (the sunshine) and the energetic (the sun) are simultaneously one and different.
Similarly, Radha and Krsna are simultaneously one and different. Krsna, the self-effulgent Lord, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Srimati Radharani is His supreme pleasure energy.
Together They constitute the complete Absolute Truth. So, who is qualified to understand all discussed here?
One cannot understand anything about Radha and Krsna through mental speculation.
Krsna and His potencies are achintya, inconceivable, and ananta, unlimited. He is the very source of the mind itself, and therefore He is beyond the mind.
The limited mind cannot understand the unlimited Personality of Godhead.
Together They constitute the complete Absolute Truth. So, who is qualified to understand all discussed here?
One cannot understand anything about Radha and Krsna through mental speculation.
Krsna and His potencies are achintya, inconceivable, and ananta, unlimited. He is the very source of the mind itself, and therefore He is beyond the mind.
The limited mind cannot understand the unlimited Personality of Godhead.
The Vedic literature explains this very logically-
"That which is transcendental to material nature is inconceivable, whereas speculative arguments are all mundane. Since mundane arguments cannot touch transcendental subject matters, one should not try to understand transcendental subjects through mundane arguments."
When ordinary mundane intellectuals try to explain or interpret the identity or pastimes of Radha and Krsna, Krsna's unlimited nature bewilders them, and therefore they misconstrue everything.
Thus they sometimes consider Radha and Krsna to be like an ordinary boy and girl of the material world. But although they often pose as scholars, they do not know what they are talking about.
One should therefore strictly avoid the confused mundane ideas of such blundering intellectuals. If one wishes to understand Radha and Krsna, one must understand Them by hearing submissively from a bona fide authority.
The original authority on Krsna is Krsna Himself. Everyone is first an authority regarding his own self, and this is also true regarding Krsna.
Moreover, since Krsna is unlimited, no one else can understand Him fully. Krsna's disciple Arjuna confirms this as follows in Bhagavad-Gita As It Is-
svayam evatmanatmanam
vettha tvam purusottama
bhuta-bhavana bhutesa
deva-deva jagat pate
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is - "Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe!" (BG, 10.15)
When ordinary mundane intellectuals try to explain or interpret the identity or pastimes of Radha and Krsna, Krsna's unlimited nature bewilders them, and therefore they misconstrue everything.
Thus they sometimes consider Radha and Krsna to be like an ordinary boy and girl of the material world. But although they often pose as scholars, they do not know what they are talking about.
One should therefore strictly avoid the confused mundane ideas of such blundering intellectuals. If one wishes to understand Radha and Krsna, one must understand Them by hearing submissively from a bona fide authority.
The original authority on Krsna is Krsna Himself. Everyone is first an authority regarding his own self, and this is also true regarding Krsna.
Moreover, since Krsna is unlimited, no one else can understand Him fully. Krsna's disciple Arjuna confirms this as follows in Bhagavad-Gita As It Is-
svayam evatmanatmanam
vettha tvam purusottama
bhuta-bhavana bhutesa
deva-deva jagat pate
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is - "Indeed, You alone know Yourself by Your own potencies, O origin of all, Lord of all beings, God of gods, O Supreme Person, Lord of the universe!" (BG, 10.15)
Although Krsna is inconceivable to mental speculation, those to whom He reveals Himself can understand Him. Krsna first gave such transcendental knowledge to Brahma, the first created living being.
Brahma later transmitted this knowledge to his son Narada, who transmitted it to Vyasa, the author of Bhagavad Gita As It Is.
In this way, the knowledge has descended from master to disciple, through a chain of the Bhakti tradition, even down to the present day.
A spiritual master in this disciplic line is a bona fide authority regarding Krsna. He is the proper person from whom to receive transcendental knowledge.
What pleases Krsna?
According to Srila Prabhupada, Krsna is the reservoir of all pleasure, and therefore He is all-attractive. Yet Krsna Himself derives pleasure from the service rendered by His devotees.
Such devotional service attracts even Him. Krsna Himself, while speaking to a friend, confirms this as follows in Srimad Bhagavatam:
Lord Krsna - "My dear Uddhava, you may know from Me that the attraction I feel for devotional service rendered by My devotees is not to be equaled even if one performs mystic yoga, philosophical speculation or ritualistic sacrifices, studies Vedanta, practices severe austerities or gives up everything in charity. These are, of course, very nice activities, but they are not as attractive to Me as the transcendental loving service rendered by My devotees." (SB Canto 11 Chapter 12 Text 1)
Krsna is full in six opulence's-
A spiritual master in this disciplic line is a bona fide authority regarding Krsna. He is the proper person from whom to receive transcendental knowledge.
What pleases Krsna?
According to Srila Prabhupada, Krsna is the reservoir of all pleasure, and therefore He is all-attractive. Yet Krsna Himself derives pleasure from the service rendered by His devotees.
Such devotional service attracts even Him. Krsna Himself, while speaking to a friend, confirms this as follows in Srimad Bhagavatam:
Lord Krsna - "My dear Uddhava, you may know from Me that the attraction I feel for devotional service rendered by My devotees is not to be equaled even if one performs mystic yoga, philosophical speculation or ritualistic sacrifices, studies Vedanta, practices severe austerities or gives up everything in charity. These are, of course, very nice activities, but they are not as attractive to Me as the transcendental loving service rendered by My devotees." (SB Canto 11 Chapter 12 Text 1)
Krsna is full in six opulence's-
beauty,
wealth,
fame,
strength,
knowledge,
renunciation.
No amount of material opulence, therefore, can attract Him. Just as one could not attract a millionaire by offering him a few dollars, one cannot attract Krsna merely by one's limited material opulence.
Nevertheless, pure devotional service attracts even Krsna. This is the unique transcendental excellence of devotional service.
Srimati Radharani is the embodiment of pure devotional service. No one can be a greater devotee than She. The very name Radharani comes from the Sanskrit word aradhana, which means worship. Her name is Radharani because She excels all in worshiping Krsna.
Although Krsna is so beautiful that He can attract millions of Cupids and is therefore called Madana-mohana, "the attractor of Cupid," Radharani can attract even Krsna. She is therefore called Madana-mohana-mohini—"the attractor of the attractor of Cupid."
The same Krsna who is not attracted by any amount of material opulence finds Srimati Radharani irresistible.
Srimati Radharani is the embodiment of pure devotional service. No one can be a greater devotee than She. The very name Radharani comes from the Sanskrit word aradhana, which means worship. Her name is Radharani because She excels all in worshiping Krsna.
Although Krsna is so beautiful that He can attract millions of Cupids and is therefore called Madana-mohana, "the attractor of Cupid," Radharani can attract even Krsna. She is therefore called Madana-mohana-mohini—"the attractor of the attractor of Cupid."
The same Krsna who is not attracted by any amount of material opulence finds Srimati Radharani irresistible.
One time Krsna, to joke with the gopis, the cowherd girls of Vrndavana, was hiding Himself beneath a bush, but finally they spotted Him from a distance.
Krsna then changed Himself into His four-armed form of Narayana.
When the gopis approached and found Narayana instead of Kṛṣṇa, they were not very interested in Him; only Krsna's original two-armed form attracted them.
They therefore offered their respectful obeisance's unto Lord Narayana and prayed that He would bestow upon them the benediction of Krsna's eternal association. Then they went on searching for Krsna.
When Srimati Radharani passed by, however, Krsna tried to maintain His disguise as Narayana but was unable to do so; he kept slipping back into His original two-armed form. This illustrates the great influence of Srimati Radharani's pure transcendental love.
Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita As It Is that as one surrenders unto Him, He reciprocates and rewards accordingly.
When the gopis approached and found Narayana instead of Kṛṣṇa, they were not very interested in Him; only Krsna's original two-armed form attracted them.
They therefore offered their respectful obeisance's unto Lord Narayana and prayed that He would bestow upon them the benediction of Krsna's eternal association. Then they went on searching for Krsna.
When Srimati Radharani passed by, however, Krsna tried to maintain His disguise as Narayana but was unable to do so; he kept slipping back into His original two-armed form. This illustrates the great influence of Srimati Radharani's pure transcendental love.
Krsna says in Bhagavad Gita As It Is that as one surrenders unto Him, He reciprocates and rewards accordingly.
Therefore the more Radharani tries to please Krsna, the more He desires to please Her, thus in turn increasing Her enthusiasm to increase His pleasure.
Therefore although the Lord is unlimited, both He Himself and His pleasure potency are always increasing.
Therefore although the Lord is unlimited, both He Himself and His pleasure potency are always increasing.
The all-blissful reciprocation between the Lord and His pleasure potency is expressed in the transcendental pastimes of Radha and Krsna, which are described in detail in "KRSNA, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Book" by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
The reciprocation of loving exchanges between Radha and Krsna and all marginal living entities is the essence of spiritual love.
In the spiritual world, love between Krsna, and also among all His pure devotees, is based on selfless loving exchanges of service, reciprocation and personal offerings to Krsna that are unique to each individual devotee.
Such loving co-operation and selfless devotion among devotees, brings out the very best and full potential of each devotee's spiritual personality and character.
In this way, the pure devotees are always trying to please beautiful Krsna in so many ways in service and in playful sport in the mood of Krsna Consciousness.
And Krsna is so kind He always reciprocates in so many amazing ways.
However, all the pure devotees serve Krsna selflessly and unconditionally in their own unique way but in the mood of loving co-operation without any desire for personal gain.
Srila Prabhupada - "Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force! Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!" (Washington D.C. July 8, 1976)
Srila Prabhupada - ''Because you are Son of God you have acquired the quality of your father. You have got little independence. So God does not interfere with your little independence. If you persist to go off and enjoy independently then God says, "All right, you can go." (Melb, Australia June 25, 1974)
The reciprocation of loving exchanges between Radha and Krsna and all marginal living entities is the essence of spiritual love.
In the spiritual world, love between Krsna, and also among all His pure devotees, is based on selfless loving exchanges of service, reciprocation and personal offerings to Krsna that are unique to each individual devotee.
Such loving co-operation and selfless devotion among devotees, brings out the very best and full potential of each devotee's spiritual personality and character.
In this way, the pure devotees are always trying to please beautiful Krsna in so many ways in service and in playful sport in the mood of Krsna Consciousness.
And Krsna is so kind He always reciprocates in so many amazing ways.
However, all the pure devotees serve Krsna selflessly and unconditionally in their own unique way but in the mood of loving co-operation without any desire for personal gain.
Srila Prabhupada - "Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force! Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!" (Washington D.C. July 8, 1976)
Srila Prabhupada - ''Because you are Son of God you have acquired the quality of your father. You have got little independence. So God does not interfere with your little independence. If you persist to go off and enjoy independently then God says, "All right, you can go." (Melb, Australia June 25, 1974)
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