Meaningful reciprocal association in the Kingdom of God only works in a loving way when there are "two-way" exchanges nurtured and encouraged by Krsna.
Living in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana is based on personal voluntary unique expressions of loving exchanges that are always encouraged in the relationship between jiva-souls and Krsna.
This means the Kingdom of God is NOT a one-sided dominating impersonal stagnant domain devoid of free will, that does not allow personal contributions or offerings to God (Krsna) meant to expand, enrich and flavour the relationship.
On the other hand in the mundane material creation, so many terrible things are constantly happening and taken for granted due to ignorance.
Like the unnatural painful cycle of birth, disease, old age and death the jiva-souls experience while covered by a material bodily vessel and foolishly take for granted.
Frustration in the constantly changing material creation, will always be experienced by those jiva-souls (marginal living entities) who choose to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana because the material creation is ALWAYS in a constantly progressive state of decay and decline.
Therefore one's material body always wears out, breaks down and decays (dies)
But the jiva-soul, covered by the material temporary body, is eternal and therefore never subjected to decay or decline, but IS forced to continuously change bodies because of the temporary nature of the material creation.
The suffering of the individual jiva-soul within this temporary material nature, does NOT happen because of Krsna, He is not responsible for the jiva-soul's choices.
No, Krsna is NOT responsible for the suffering of the individual jiva-souls who have chosen to enter the material creation.
Even though the massive Brahmanda material universes are His creation, built by His expansion Maha-Vishnu.
The suffering in the material creation happens because at one point in the Spiritual Worlds, the individual jiva-soul has "chosen" to misuse their "free will", given to them by Krsna for the purpose of allowing voluntary diversity meant to encourage individual offerings and loving exchanges.
Therefore, as a result of mistakingly misusing their free will, the jiva-soul is forced by their own actions, to enter the temporary material creation and become entangled in the repeated cycle of birth and death.
The spherical material universal shells coming from Maha Visnu, are called Brahmandas.
Deep inside each Brahmanda is a secondary universe created by Garbhodakashayi Visnu, who is an expansion of Maha Visnu.
From Garbhodakashayi Visnu Brahma is born who builds the many planetary systems within the inner material universe inside the Brahmanda as painting below reveals.
Krsna will NEVER interfere with the individual jiva-soul's free will because if he did, the jiva-souls would have no independent sense of self, or abilities to accept and experience genuine loving exchanges and service.
Without having that independent sense of "unique self", which is having personal individual abilities that allows one to "choose" for themselves how to voluntary be involved in loving exchanges of service with Krsna, contributed in their own way based on loving reciprocation, then there can be no question of genuine love.
These are the characteristics that make the jiva-soul (marginal living entity) the individual PERSON they are eternally.
Love or service in the Spiritual Worlds are NEVER a one-way street, love can ONLY exist when "two" are exchanging loving service to each other.
Only then when there is loving reciprocation and exchanges of good feelings between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, does love exist.
Only when "two" are voluntarily involved in reciprocating with each other can love exist.
In this way, real love or service is ALWAYS based on a "two-way exchange of feelings".
h said above, that means offering individual contributions that will enhance, expand and perpetually uplift the relationship between Krsna and His marginal living entities (jiva-souls).
This can ONLY exist if the jiva-souls are allowed to express their own independent individuality and unique free will without interference (forced surrender) from Krsna.
If Krsna did force His will on the jiva-souls then there can never be genuine loving exchanges because denying free will is also denying the jiva-souls to voluntary contribute their own choices of service.
Srila Prabhupāda - ''Unless there are "two persons", where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange. When these things are transacted, then there is love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things MUST be there''. (Evening Darsana, August 9, 1976, Tehran)
Srila Prabhupada - "Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force, no, Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!" (Washington DC July 8, 1976)
Having "free will" is the eternal constitutional make up of EVERY "marginal living entity", and is the foundation for ALL jiva-soul's relationship with Krsna.
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!" (August 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)
In the Spiritual World or Kingdom of God (Goloka-Vrindavana), loving service can never be a one-way or one-sided affair, no, real love or service is always an exchange of voluntary loving exchanges between two in a two-way relationship.
Surrendering one's "free will" to Krsna so He can have complete control over your every thoughts and actions, and does all the thinking for you, is dangerous impersonalism.
Srila Prabhupada - "In Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.’ ” Is it love? “You love me, otherwise I will kill you!’ Is that love? So Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C)
Such impersonalism is just like a puppet master controls his mindless puppet by moving the strings.
The puppet has no sense of life, freedom or independence, similarly if Krsna had full control over the individual jiva-soul's ability to make their own choices, it would deny the jiva-souls from experiencing their own personal sense of an independent self, and being able to make their OWN decisions and choices of offering their own personal unique contributions.
Sadly this type of bogus surrender, where immature leaders demanded you surrender your free will and let Krsna flow through you and do all the thinking for you, was a serious problem in the early pioneering years of understanding what surrendering to Krsna (God) really meant.
This kind of mindless surrender is actually impersonalism.
The fact is, if Krsna had full dictatorial control over the jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, then that one-sided relationship is only empty impersonalism, slaverly and devoid of real love.
Only a fool would want to be Krsna's mindles slave by attempting to extinguish your individuality, free will and independence thought that makes you a person who can choose to contribute to the relationship.
Such a nonsense "one-sided" dictatorial relationship in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana, would simply make the jiva-souls no better than "mindless" lifeless dead stone Prabhupada has warned, just like a lifeless Puppet controlled by strings!
Therefore the jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, ALWAYS have their own independent "free will" that is part and parcel of their unique individual marginal identity (As jiva-tattva)
This "freedom" of having free will, allows the jiva-souls to each make their own unique personal offerings and voluntary contributions to Visnu or Krsna, where each jiva-soul can offer or serve Krsna in their own unique personal way.
In other words, each individual jiva-soul has their own special unique (personal) association and relationship with Krsna that no other jiva-soul has like theres.
These loving exchanges are based on a "two-way" relationship between Krsna and the jiva-souls.
However, in the temporary material creation, it is different because those who have entered the material creation have previously chosen to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan by rejecting Visnu in Vaikuntha or Krsna in Goloka Vrindavana.
So why then does Krsna allow the jiva-souls to have their independent freedom to even leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan if they choose?
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, why are we here?” Why doesn’t He save me from thinking like that?”
Srila Prabhupada - “That means you lose your independence. That is force, in Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.’ ” Is it love? “You love me, otherwise I will kill you!’ Is that love? So Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C)
First of all we read from above by Prabhupada, Krsna gives the jiva-souls "free will" in the Spiritual Worlds that allows them to make their own choices there.
Having free will also makes the jiva-souls fully responsible for all their choices and actions.
Rejecting Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan and therefore having to enter the material creation, (but only less than 10% make such a choice) was a mistake by those jiva-souls because the material creation is NOT the real home of the individual jiva-souls.
It must be clearly understood for love to truly exist, each jiva-soul MUST have their free will to make their own choices, even if it means leaving Krsna if they choose, otherwise there can be no question of genuine love or service.
Srila Prabhupada - "So, unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom.” (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)
This quality or attribute of free will is part of the jiva-soul's marginal constitutional nature, as an independent free thinking part and parcels expansion of the Krsna.
Krsna allows this freedom that all jiva-souls have because without free will loving exchanges and reciprocation can NEVER exist.
Srila Prabhupada – “You have got little independence therefore you can violate. Because you are part and parcel of God you have got independence, proportionately, therefore if he likes he can return. That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We CAN misuse that. (Mayapur, February 19, 1976)
Having "free will" is the constitutional make up of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) that is ALWAYS part and parcel of their eternal character and personality in the Spiritual Worlds.
This means the jiva-souls can even choose to leave the Vaikuntha Planets or Goloka-Vrindavana if they want.
Free will always allows this and if it didn't then there is no question of loving exchanges.
This is why it is foolish that big, big sannyasis and gurus in some other sangas ( religious cults) claim once entering the Spiritual Worlds the jiva-souls can never leave or down again.
No, they CAN fall down again and again if they choose to do so!
And as said above, such choices or fall downs have nothing to do with Maya (material energy) because Maya does not exist in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana.
It is simply the misuse of free will that is the cause of fall down.
The choice to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is possible because Krsna allows a "two-way" relationship, this means one can accept or reject Krsna if they choose to do so.
Srila Prabhupada - "Free will means that you can act wrongly. That is free will. Unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of free will. Where is free will then? If I act only one sided, that means I have no free will. Because we act sometimes wrongly, that means free will."
Hayagriva - "A man may know better but still act wrongly".
Srila Prabhupada -"Yes", but that is free will. He misuses his. Just like a thief, he knows that his stealing, it is bad, but still he does it. That is free will. He cannot check his greediness, so in spite of his knowing that he is doing wrong thing—he will be punished, he knows; he has seen another thief, he was punished, he was put into prison— everything he knows, but still he steals. Why? Misuse of free will. Unless there is misuse of free will, there is no question of free will. (Talk with Rene Descartes)
Syamasundara - "But can we predict returning back home back to Godhead will be permanent? Can we predict that? Just like many prisoners leave the prison, however some do come back?''
Srila Prabhupada - "No, there is no permanent effect because we have got little independence. There is nothing permanent because you can misuse your independence at any time".
Syamasundara - "And some come back?"
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes. Otherwise there is no meaning of independence. Independence means you can do this, you can do that. "All right. Whatever you like."
Devotee - "Then he is so many times falling down, again and again, so will he eventually permanently come back?"
Srila Prabhupada - "He has got independence, therefore there is always the possibility he can misuse his independence, he CAN fall down. That's why when a man is released from the prison house, that does not mean permanently because he can come back again, the general law is NOT to come back, but if he likes, he can come back, otherwise what is the meaning of independence? Just like one becomes free from the prison house, naturally he should not go there again". (Talk with Syamasundara and Henri Bergson)
Even though Krsna has promised there is no return to the material creation once returning to the Spiritual Worlds, the fact is there IS return if the jiva-souls want to return as Prabhupada explains here-
Acyutananda – “In Bhagavad Gita Krsna says, once coming to the Spiritual World, the jiva-soul never returns, so He can return?”
Srila Prabhupada – “If he likes he can return”.
Guru-kripa – “How is it that one can become envious of Krsna?”
Srila Prabhupada – “You have got little independence, you can violate. Because you are part and parcel of God. God has got full independence, but you have got independence too, proportionately, because you are part and parcel, so if he likes, he can return. That independence has to be accepted. We can misuse that. Krsna-bahirmukha haïä bhoga väïchä kare. That misuse is the cause of our falldown”. (Mayapur February 19, 1976)
Paramahamsa - “But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there’s no return?
Srila Prabhupada - “There IS return, that is voluntary. Return there is”.
Paramahamsa - “If we want”.
Srila Prabhupada - “Yes”.
Paramahamsa - “So we can come to the spiritual world and return?”
Srila Prabhupada - “Yes”.
Paramahamsa - “Fall down?”
Srila Prabhupada - “Yes. As soon as we try, “Oh, this material world is very nice,” “Yes,” Krsna says, “yes, you go and enjoy the material world, otherwise what is the meaning of free will?
Every living entity has got a little free will. And Krsna is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this."
Just like some of our students sometimes go away, again come back. It is free will. Just like one goes to the prisonhouse, not that government welcomes, "Come on. We have got prisonhouse. Come here, come here." He goes out of his free will; again comes out, again goes. Like that."
Paramahamsa - ''So our desire to enjoy, we achieve these material bodies; and our desire to achieve Krsna brings us to our natural position''.
Srila Prabhupada - ''Yes. (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course, May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
Devotee - “Well, I believe you once said that once a conditioned soul becomes perfected and gets out of the material world and he goes to Krsnaloka, there’s no possibility of falling back”.
Srila Prabhupada - “No! There is possibility, but he does not come IF he is intelligent. Just like after putting your hand in the fire, you never put it in again. So those who are going back to Godhead, they MUST become intelligent. Why going back to Godhead? (Talk with Syamasundara Dasa).
Srila Prabhupada - ''As soon as we try, "Oh, this material world is very nice," "Yes," Kṛṣṇa says, "yes, you can go." Otherwise what is the meaning of free will? Every living entity has got a little free will. And Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this." It is free will''. (Morning Walk Cheviot Hills May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
All jiva souls must have these 3 basic qualities.
1 - An independent sense of self worth,
2 - Individuality,
3 - Their own personal unique character and personality.
Only then can there be reciprocal loving exchanges between Krsna and His marginal living entities (jiva-souls)
It is a fact that sadly, some jiva-souls make wrong choices in the Spiritual World Prabhupada has told us, giving the figure at less than 10%
This has nothing to do with Maya or material energy because Maya does not exist there but free will does.
Srila Prabhupada also explains that over 90% of jiva-souls choose to NEVER rebel or leave the Spiritual Worlds that would instantly transfers the less than 10% of rebellious jiva-souls to the temporary decaying material creation, where one is forced to accept the cycle of repeated birth and death.
Dr. John Mize – “Does Krsna know ahead of time that a soul is going to be foolish and fall?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Krsna? Yes, Krsna may know because He is omniscient”.
Dr. John Mize – “Are more souls falling all the time?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Not all the time. But there is the tendency of fall down, not for all, but because there is independence… Everyone is not liking to misuse the independence. The same example:
Just like a government constructing a city and constructs also prison house because the government knows that somebody will be criminal.
So their shelter must be also constructed. It is very easy to understand. Not that cent percent population will be criminal, but government knows that some of them will be.
Otherwise why they construct prison house also? One may say, “Where is the criminal? You are constructing…” Government knows, there will be criminal.
So if the ordinary government can know, why God cannot know? Because there is tendency”.
Dr. John Mize – “The origin of that tendency (to fall from Goloka) is…?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Yes”.
Dr. John Mize – “From where does that tendency come?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Tendency means the independence. So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that you cannot become fall down, that is not independence. That is force. Therefore Krsna says,yathecchasi tathä kuru. “Now you do whatever you like.” (Bhagavad Gita As It Is. lecture, Mayapur, June 20, 1973)
While in the material creation, their actions, good and bad, come under the laws of material nature called karma, and they have to answer for all they do, good or bad.
Therefore, the full freedom or free will that exists in Goloka Vrindavana and Vaikuntha, certainly does NOT exist in the material creation.
Choosing to reject Krsna means the jiva-souls are FULLY responsible for their own actions, life after life in the material creation.
Krsna is NOT responsible for the choices each jiva-soul makes, they are.
All the suffering the jiva souls experience is caused them leaving Krsna and then by the reactions of their own mistaken choices and actions, and by being confined within a temporary material bodily vessel or container within the material creation.
In other words, the jiva-soul is punished or rewarded for what ever actions, good or bad, they have "chosen" to act out in this life that may not be payed for until the next life, or even the life after that.
No one understands how Karma fully works because no one knows how many births we have had in the material creation, it maybe over billions of years!
This is important to understand and realize, we all responsible for our own actions.
We CANNOT blame God (Krsna) for our suffering in the material worlds.
Without "free will" in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, freedom and love will never exist.
This means the jiva-souls must always have an independent sense of self worth, individuality, and their own unique character and personality.
As said above, only then can reciprocal love between two exist with Krsna and His marginal living entity (jiva-soul) exist.
Srila Prabhupada has said without free will and the ability to reciprocate as an independent individual servant of Lord Krsna, then we are all no better than a dead stone.
Srila Prabhupāda – ''Unless there are "two persons", where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange, then there is love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there". (August 9, 1976, Tehran)
Srila Prabhupada – “So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, or one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that is not independence, that is force.” (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
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