We are also energy, marginal energy. Taṭastha (jiva-tattva)

Srila Prabhupada - "Kṛṣṇa expands as His energy, this material energy, this material world, the spiritual world, spiritual energy, and we are also energy, marginal energy. Taṭastha. 

Taṭastha means, marginal means... You can have a conception of marginal in the sea beach. 

The same place, walking, is sometimes covered with water, and sometimes it is land. This is called marginal, between the water and the land. 

So we living entities, we are marginal. Sometimes we are under the protection of the spiritual energy, and sometimes we are under the protection of the material energy. We are under protection; we are not independent".

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973 

Srila Prabhupada - "Material energy, spiritual energy and marginal energy. We are marginal energy. 

We living entities, we belong to the marginal energy, taṭastha-śakti. Marginal means we can remain in the material energy or in the spiritual energy. 

Now, at the present moment, every one of us, we are under the control of the material energy. You can understand it very easily. Just like government. 

The government, that is one energy working. Similarly, the prison house, that is also another energy working. And the citizens, that is also another, another energy working. But the citizens are marginal. 

They can remain outside the prison walls and inside the prison walls. Therefore they are called marginal. When you are abiding by the laws of the government, you are free".

Lecture on SB 1.5.25 -- Vrndavana, August 6, 1974 

Srila Prabhupada - "Therefore we living entities, we are described, taṭastha. Taṭastha means marginal. 

Actually, we are spirit soul, our position in the spiritual world, but we are sometimes fallen down in this material world on account of our desire to enjoy. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy, not His manufactured philosophy... 

This is the actual position. He, when He instructed Sanātana Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī put before Him the question that "I was a minister and I am a brāhmaṇa, I'm very learned. They say, of course, that I am paṇḍitajī. But actually I do not know what is my position. Actually I am fool number one.

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973

Srila Prabhupada - "And that we have taken as our nature, birth and death. That is not our nature. 

We are spirit soul. We are put into marginal because... Just like the margin is explained: taṭastha. That is... We have translated into "marginal." 

Just like we go on the Pacific beach. Some day we find the water is covering the beach, and some day we see it is open. 

There is no water. So that is called marginal. Marginal. Sometimes it is covered by water; sometimes there is no water. 

Similarly, we, being marginal potency, we are sometimes influenced by this material nature, not always. 

Because at the present moment for sometimes we are under the material nature, now, if we try, then we can get out of this covering of material nature and come to the spiritual nature".

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974: 

Srila Prabhupada - "Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). You have to take āśraya, shelter, of either of the prakṛtis, parā-prakṛti or aparā-prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti is this material nature, and parā-prakṛti is the spiritual nature. 

So therefore jīva-śakti is called taṭastha. Taṭastha. Antaraṅga, bahiraṅga, taṭastha. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport), the Absolute Truth has got multi-potencies. They have been summarized into three. 

First is parā-prakṛti, spiritual nature, and then the material nature, and another nature, prakṛti—we are also prakṛti—between the two, taṭastha. Just like the beach is between the land and water. 

Beach is sometimes covered with water, and sometimes it is uncovered; the water is far away. When it is not covered, we call it beach, and it is covered, we call it sea. So similarly, our position is like that, living entities.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974: 

Srila Prabhupada - "When it is not covered, we call it beach, and it is covered, we call it sea. So similarly, our position is like that, living entities. 

Although by nature we are parā-prakṛti, spirit, spirit, but because we have got the tendency to enjoy material nature, therefore we come to this material nature. 

Therefore our position is in between the spiritual nature and the material nature, taṭastha. Taṭastha means in between.

So because we have selected this pāra-tantrya, to be conditioned by the material nature, in any condition we are dependent, either dependent on spiritual nature or on material nature. 

So if we prefer to be under the control of material nature, then it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). And if we are under spiritual nature, then... Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. Raso vai saḥ, labdhānandī.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970

Srila Prabhupada - "They have lost all these misgivings, upādhi, designations, nonsense designations. 

The nonsense designation is the cause of their bondage. So let us realize that we are not this, not this. We are eternally... 

Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately says, gives to you the highest philosophy, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). 

Taṭastha-śakti jāta acintya bhedābheda-prakāśa. In two lines He has given the whole idea of jīva-tattva. 

Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa. You can explain in so many books these two lines. The real identity of the living entity is that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970: 

Srila Prabhupada - "Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa, taṭastha-śakti acintya bhedābheda, taṭastha-śakti prakāśa. 

The jīva is the manifestation of the marginal potency of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has many potencies. Parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport)—in the Vedic injunction. 

The Absolute Truth has many varieties of energy. Those energies are consolidated into three divisions: spiritual energy, material energy and marginal energy. So these jīvas are products of this marginal energy, bhedābheda prakāśa. 

Bhedābheda means... bheda means different, and abheda means one. So jīva is one and different simultaneous. He is one in quality; he is different in quantity. So when you are free from all these designations,

Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976: 

Srila Prabhupada - "In the Padma Purāṇa, Viṣṇu Purāṇa: parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). God's energy are varieties. All those varieties are grouped into three divisions. Out of that... 

Three divisions means tatastha-śakti, antarāṅga-śakti, cit-chakti. Tatastha-śakti and this external, or this karma-śakti... The... Tṛtīyā śaktiḥ karma-saṅgā anyā. 

It is mentioned that the spiritual world is just manifestation of cic-chakti, and this material world is creation of material energy or karma-saṅgā, where everyone has to work. Without work, it is said, na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ. That is very nice example".

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.151-154 -- Gorakhpur, February 14, 1971 

Srila Prabhupada - "That liberation is theoretical. That is not practical. 

Practical liberation is when you are situated in devotional service. Then there is no chance of falling down. If you simply think that "I have become Nārāyaṇa," or Nārāyaṇa position, that is falldown. 

There are innumerable examples. So we are taṭasthā-śakti. The idea is... Taṭasthā means marginal. We can fall down in the material world, and we can raise ourself in the spiritual world. This is our position. But we are energy, not the energetic".

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976 

Srila Prabhupada - "Anyone can understand. The finger... The tree... Just like the leaf, the twigs, the flowers, the fruits. They are all tree. 

But at the same time, it is not tree; it is leaf, it is branch, it is twig, it is flower. It is very simple philosophy. Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained, taṭasthā-śakti, marginal. 

Marginal means the living entity has to become servant. That is his position. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). But when the servant wants to become master, he is under the clutches of māyā. 

And when he understands that "I am not master; I am servant," he is under Kṛṣṇa. That is taṭasthā. Taṭasthā means marginal. That taṭa... Taṭa means the beach. Sometimes the beach is covered with water, and sometimes it is land. That is called taṭasthā. So that land, sometimes water.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.108-109 -- New York, July 15, 1976

Srila Prabhupada - "Now, we are grouped under the taṭasthā-śakti, and there are other two potencies, or energies. That is called spiritual energy and material energy, the spiritual world and material world. 

We have got experience of the material world not completely. We do not know even what are going on in the whole material world. We see the universe. 

We see at night so many stars and planets, but we have no idea. So we do not know even what is this material world perfectly, and what to speak of spiritual world. 

But the spiritual world is there, as there is this material world, and the living entity belongs to the spiritual world. Actually he belongs to the spiritual world".

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966

Srila Prabhupada - "The symptoms are analyzed in two divisions. Svarūpa-lakṣaṇa means the symptom which (is) always present. 

That is called svarūpa-lakṣaṇa. And taṭastha-lakṣaṇa, the symptoms which are sometimes present and sometimes not present. They are called... 

In this way, the experienced sages, they analyze the characteristics of the avatāra, or God—two symptoms. 

One symptom is always there. As soon as there is God, that constant symptom is there. And there are other symptoms which may appear, sometimes may not appear.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966

Srila Prabhupada - "That is the..., symptom of God. Ākṛti, prakṛti. Prakṛti is His nature, supreme nature. As soon as He likes anything to do, He'll do it. There is no impediment. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyat... 

And He does in such nice way that we cannot conceive how it is being done, nature's way. Ākṛti prakṛti, these are taṭastha lakṣaṇa, uh, svarūpa lakṣaṇa, personal symptoms of God. And kārya-dvārā jñāna—ei taṭastha-lakṣaṇa. And the activities... 

Just like Kṛṣṇa, when comes as incarnation, His activities and activities of Rāma, or activities of Nṛsiṁha, activities of Vāmana, these activities may differ according to time, according to place, according to the mission. 

The activities may be different. But Their, Their ākṛti, Their feature, and Their power—extraordinary. We should understand very nicely that incarnation means Their feature and Their nature—uncommon.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966

Srila Prabhupada - "Otherwise, simply some recreation, spiritual recreation, talking something—"This is that; this is that," "Neti neti"—and I lead my life like anything... That will not help us. 

Therefore the taṭastha lakṣaṇa. Therefore we accept anyone and everyone as incarnation, because we are not trained up who is incarnation, to see. 

And, because we want to be cheated, there are so many cheaters who comes as incarnation and this and that, and the society's going on like that. Not only here—in everywhere, every part of the world. 

They are not very serious, what is the ultimate aim of spiritual life. Spiritual life and material life is that when you want to enjoy, when we want to be lord of these material resources, that is material life".

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 -- New York, December 28, 1966

Srila Prabhupada - "So Lord Caitanya gives evidences from the Mahā-purāṇam, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that the Supreme Lord, the Absolute Truth, is analyzed in two characteristics. 

What are they? 

The personal characteristics and taṭastha characteristics. Taṭastha means they are sometimes manifested and they are not sometimes manifested. 

So this material world is the taṭastha characteristics, and the spiritual world is the personal characteristics. 

So our effort is to get out of this taṭastha, or, I mean to say, taṭastha means marginal, marginal characteristics to the permanent characteristics. 

That is called spiritual elevation. We should not remain in the marginal state, but we should go to the permanent state.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.358-359 -- New York, December 29, 1966 

Srila Prabhupada - "Similarly, this material energy, you cannot say that it is false. It is false. 

The Vaiṣṇava philosophy is perfect. As the temperature (indistinct), it is sometimes manifested. And this is called taṭasthā. This characteristic, this symptom of the Supreme Lord, is called taṭasthā. 

Sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. But, so far the superior energy is concerned, that is always manifested. That is explained in the next line. Dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. Now that is paraṁ satyam, the Supreme Truth, where there is no such temporary manifestation.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 7 -- Los Angeles, May 10, 1970: 

Srila Prabhupada - "All the multi-energies grouped in three headings: 

antaraṅga-śakti, 

bahiraṅga-śakti, 

taṭastha-śakti. 

Antaraṅga-śakti means internal energy, 

bahiraṅga śakti means external energy, 

taṭastha-śakti means these living entities. 

We are śakti; we are energy. We are not the energetic. The Māyāvādī philosopher says that because the energies are not outside Brahman, therefore they're all the same. 

This is monism. 

Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy is that energy (is) simultaneously one and different. When you perceive heat, we understand, "Oh, there is fire." But that does not mean that because I am getting some heat, I am on the fire. Try to understand this philosophy. Therefore here it is said vijānataḥ.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, February 4, 1977: 

Srila Prabhupada - "So if we follow the process regularly, then we gradually become advanced in spiritual consciousness, material world and spiritual world. Material world means dirty things and spiritual world means clean.

So the living entities, they are called taṭasthā-śakta. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). 

God has many potencies, they have been divided into three primarily: 

external, 

internal, 

marginal; 

bahiraṅgā-śakti, 

antaraṅga-śakti, 

taṭasthā-śakti. 

So we jīvas, living entities, we are also another energy of Kṛṣṇa, in between the material and spiritual. So if we like we can remain in the spiritual world; if we like, we can remain in the material world. 

If we remain in the material world, then, temporary, we enjoy happiness or distress. There is no happiness. Sometimes we take distress as happiness. Actually there is no happiness, because however happy you may be, you have to change this body.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 2, 1968: 

Srila Prabhupada - "Now here is one word used, marginal potency. Marginal potency, the exact Sanskrit word is taṭastha. 

Just like at the end of the land, the sea begins. So there is a marginal land. Just you go on the coast of the Pacific beach, you'll find some land. Sometimes it is covered by water and sometimes it is open land. 

This is marginal. Similarly, we spirit souls, although we are constitutionally one with God, but sometimes we are covered by māyā and sometimes we are free. Therefore our position is marginal. When we understand our real position, then... The same... Just like the same example. Try to understand. On the beach you'll find a certain portion of land which is sometimes covered by water, and again it is land.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda - "This is not striving. By nature's way the lower animals, they come to the platform of man. Jīva-jātiṣu paryayaḥ, it is called. Paryayaḥ means one after another. There is nature's help. Up to the human being, that law works. 

And human being, being developed conscious, so he has got the power of discrimination. Because originally the soul is given independence. Just like Kṛṣṇa is asking Arjuna, yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63)". 

"Whatever you like, you do." That is the original connection. God is the Supersoul; we are soul, under Him, subordinate. So we are called taṭastha, means marginal. Marginal means we can remain either way. Either on God's side or māyā's side. That is my choice.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 17, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Thoughts actually made by spirit, but it is covered by matter. Therefore in the material condition you can think only of matter. Just like this body is covered by so many material things, but actually, the spirit is covered. 

So the soul being spirit, so long it is covered by matter, it cannot act spiritually. It is obstructed. Not obstructed. Covered. 

It cannot be obstructed. If you like, you can get out of the covering of the matter. So matter cannot obstruct. But it is the will of the soul. Therefore it is called taṭastha, marginal.

Prajāpati - "When we feel pain or discomfort, that is covering also?"

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Prabhupāda - "Acme of the knowledge you are taking, but you don't believe the source of knowledge. You are so acme of the knowledge. You don't believe in the source of the knowledge, so where is knowledge? That is darkness. 

Tama and jyoti-two things are there. This material world is tama, darkness, because here actually there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is almost absent. 

And jyoti means there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That we were discussing last night. Taṭastha-śakti. Taṭastha... The jīvas, they are in the marginal position between tama and jyoti".

Dr. Patel -"Tamas is dark and jyoti is light". (Morning Walk -- November 10, 1975, Bombay)

Srila Prabhupada - "So the jīva is between these two things internal energy and external energy. Therefore they are called taṭastha, marginal. 

Sometimes you may be in darkness and sometimes you may be in jyoti (light). That is your position. 

So those who are accepting Kṛṣṇa's word, they are in jyoti. And those who are interpreting Kṛṣṇa in darkness, they are in darkness. 

Unless one has accepted Kṛṣṇa as He is, he is in darkness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa describing him, mūḍha, narādhama. That man might have been in the jyoti, but he is losing the chance. 

Therefore he is mūḍha, narādhama. He had the chance of understanding Kṛṣṇa, but he is neglecting willfully. Therefore mūḍha naradhāma. Men so much learned? māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ" (BG 7.15) (Morning Walk, November 10, 1975, Bombay)

Srila Prabhupada - "far your question, the soul is fundamentally pure but he has an aptitude to come to the impure state of material contamination. He is therefore called tatastha or marginal. He has got the liberty of staying within the pure state or becoming contaminated. That is his choice. 

This marginal point can be understood in this way; just like you are standing on the shore of the sea. So you can remain on the land or sometimes you can jump into the water to enjoy as you will see on the beaches. 

So many young boys are e

Pnjoying. But that is dangerous at the same time. One who does not know swimming expertly well he may become drowned". (Letter to Upendra, Nairobi 9 October, 1971)