Understanding the jiva-souls relationship with Krsna.

The jīva-soul is struggling very hard on the tree of the material body.

BG 2.22, Purport: The Vedas, like the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad, as well as the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, compare the soul and the Supersoul to two friendly birds sitting on the same tree. 

One of the birds (the individual atomic soul) is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird (Kṛṣṇa) is simply watching His friend. Of these two birds—although they are the same in quality—one is captivated by the fruits of the material tree, while the other is simply witnessing the activities of His friend. 

Kṛṣṇa is the witnessing bird, and Arjuna is the eating bird. Although they are friends, one is still the master and the other is the servant. 

Forgetfulness of this relationship by the atomic soul is the cause of one's changing his position from one tree to another, or from one body to another. 

The jīva-soul is struggling very hard on the tree of the material body, but as soon as he agrees to accept the other bird as the supreme spiritual master—as Arjuna agreed to do by voluntary surrender unto Kṛṣṇa for instruction—the subordinate bird immediately becomes free from all lamentations.

In the Fourth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, the jīva soul, is represented as forgetful of his many, many previous births, but the Lord, the Supersoul, is not forgetful.

SB 2.10.9, Purport: 

The individual living entity, the jīva, is always dependent on the Supersoul, Paramātmā, because the individual soul forgets his spiritual identity whereas the Supersoul, Paramātmā, does not forget His transcendental position. 

In the Bhagavad-gītā these separate positions of the jīva-ātmā and the Paramātmā are specifically mentioned. 

In the Fourth Chapter, Arjuna, the jīva soul, is represented as forgetful of his many, many previous births, but the Lord, the Supersoul, is not forgetful. The Lord even remembers when He taught the Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god some billions of years before.

The Supreme Lord lives with the jīva-soul as witness and sanction-giver.

SB 3.26.18, Purport: 

Here it is stated that within the heart the Supreme Personality of Godhead resides as the Supersoul. This situation is also explained in Bhagavad-gītā: the Supersoul rests beside the individual soul and acts as a witness. 

This is also confirmed elsewhere in the Vedic literature: two birds are sitting on the same tree of the body; one is witnessing, and the other is eating the fruits of the tree. 

This puruṣa, or Paramātmā, who resides within the body of the individual soul, is described in Bhagavad-gītā (13.23) as the upadraṣṭā, witness, and the anumantā, sanctioning authority. 

The conditioned soul engages in the happiness and distress of the particular body given him by the arrangement of the external energy of the Supreme Lord. But the supreme living being, or the Paramātmā, is different from the conditioned soul. 

He is described in Bhagavad-gītā as maheśvara, or the Supreme Lord. He is Paramātmā, not jīvātmā. Paramātmā means the Supersoul, who is sitting by the side of the conditioned soul just to sanction his activities. 

The conditioned soul comes to this material world in order to lord it over material nature. Since one cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supreme Lord, He lives with the jīva soul as witness and sanction-giver. He is also bhoktā; He gives maintenance and sustenance to the conditioned soul.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is different from the jīva-soul.

SB 3.28.41, Translation: 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as Parambrahma, is the seer. He is different from the jīva-soul, or individual living entity, who is combined with the senses, the five elements and consciousness.

The jīva-soul is the subordinate servitor of the Supreme Soul.

SB 3.31.13, Purport: 

As stated in the previous verse, the jīva soul says, "I take shelter of the Supreme Lord." Therefore, constitutionally, the jīva-soul is the subordinate servitor of the Supreme Soul, the Personality of Godhead. 

Both the Supreme Soul and the jīva-soul are sitting in the same body, as confirmed in the Upaniṣads. They are sitting as friends, but one is suffering, and the other is aloof from suffering.

Because of the different desires and karmic activities of the jīva-soul, different types of bodies in different species are produced.

SB 4.11.17, Purport: 

In Bhagavad-gītā it is also said that the Lord impregnates the material energy with the part-and-parcel jīvas, and thus the different forms and different activities immediately ensue. 

Because of the different desires and karmic activities of the jīva-soul, different types of bodies in different species are produced. 

In Darwin's theory there is no acceptance of the living entity as spirit soul, and therefore his explanation of evolution is incomplete. 

Varieties of phenomena occur within this universe on account of the actions and reactions of the three material modes, but the original creator, or the cause, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is mentioned here as nimitta-mātram, the remote cause. 

He simply pushes the wheel with His energy. According to the Māyāvādī philosophers, the Supreme Brahman has transformed Himself into many varieties of forms, but that is not the fact. 

He is always transcendental to the actions and reactions of the material guṇas, although He is the cause of all causes. Lord Brahmā says, therefore, in the Brahma-saṁhitā (5.1):

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥsac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥanādir ādir govindaḥsarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

There are many causes and effects, but the original cause is Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

The Lord is directing the movements of the jīva soul by offering him different types of bodies.

SB 4.23.18, Purport: Īśvara, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated within the heart of all conditioned souls, and by His supreme will the living entity, or individual soul, gets the facility to lord it over material nature in various types of bodies, which are known as yantra, or the moving vehicle offered by the total material energy, māyā. 

Although the individual living entity (jīva) and the Lord are both situated within the material energy, the Lord is directing the movements of the jīva-soul by offering him different types of bodies through the material energy, and thus the living entity is wandering throughout the universes in various forms of body and becomes implicated in different situations, partaking of the reactions of fruitive activities.

Lord Viṣṇu's impersonal aspect is known as Brahman. 

So when the jīva-soul, a product of Lord Viṣṇu's superior, spiritual energy, attains sāyujya-mukti, or liberation by merging with Brahman, it is not at all surprising.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.13: Lord Viṣṇu's impersonal aspect is known as Brahman. So when the jīva-soul, a product of Lord Viṣṇu's superior, spiritual energy, attains sāyujya-mukti, or liberation by merging with Brahman, it is not at all surprising. 

The energetic principle always enjoys the prerogative of enfolding within itself His own energy, but that does not destroy the energy's eternal individuality. 

The impersonalists, desiring to merge with Brahman and knowing that it is feasible, still experience intense suffering in their effort to reach brahmānanda, "the bliss of Brahman." 

The Lord's devotees consider the pleasures of such liberation worse than hell. 

The impersonalists, in trying to destroy the illusion inherent in material forms, do away with even the eternal spiritual forms. That is indeed very foolish.

Treating a patient to cure his disease is one thing, but ending the patient along with the disease is the work of an idiot.

The jīva soul must surrender to the Supreme Soul and relish the fruits given to him by the Lord.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1: Both the Vedas and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describe the conditioned soul with the same analogy: 

On the tree-like human body reside two similar birds. One is the Supreme Soul, the Paramātmā feature of the Supreme Lord, and the other is the jīva-soul. 

One bird, the jīva, is enjoying the fruits of material existence, while the other remains aloof, replete with all His transcendental potencies. 

The jīva-soul must surrender to the Supreme Soul and relish the fruits given to him by the Lord.

The jīva-soul, the living entity is making his fruitive action.

Lecture on BG 2.21-22 -- London, August 26, 1973: 

So Kṛṣṇa is there. Kṛṣṇa is also sitting within the heart, and I am also sitting within the heart, just like two friends on the same bar. 

This is also described in the Upaniṣad. Samāne vṛkṣe puruṣo nimagnaḥ. They are sitting, equally, on the same level. Nimagnaḥ. 

The bird is eating the fruit of the tree, or the jīva-soul, the living entity, he is making his fruitive action. Kṣetra-jña. 

These are all described. Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). The owner and the occupier. I am the occupier of this body, and the owner is Kṛṣṇa. 

Therefore, Kṛṣṇa's another name is Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa. So He is actually owner of my hand and leg and eyes, everything, all my senses. I am simply occupier. I'm not owner. That we have forgotten. 

Just like if you are in a rented apartment, you are occupier. You are given the license to occupy the room. You are not owner. But if you think that you are owner, that is, stena eva sa ucyate (BG 3.12), immediately he becomes wrongly guided.

Jantu means animal. Although he's living entity, he's not called jīva soul.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- London, August 28, 1973: 

There are two natures, spiritual and material. Materially, the inclination of sex enjoyment and eating meat—āmiṣa, āmiṣa means eating meat, flesh and fish, like that. 

That is called āmiṣa. Non-vegetarian means nirāmiṣa. So āmiṣa and mada and vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex. Loke vyavāya āmiṣa mada-sevā. 

Sex indulgence and eating meat, flesh, eggs, and drinking wine. Mada. Mada means liquor. Nityasya jantuḥ. Jantu. 

When one is in the material world he is called jantu. Jantu means animal. Although he's living entity, he's not called jīva-soul. He's called jantu. Jantur dehopapattaye. Jantu. 

This material body is developing for the jantu, animal. Anyone who is devoid of spiritual knowledge, he's called jantu, or animal. This is the shastric injunction. Jantur dehopapattaye. 

Who gets this material body? Jantu, animal. So, so long we shall get on, continually get or change this material body, we remain jantu, animal. Kleśada āsa dehaḥ. A jantu, animal, can tolerate, or he's forced to tolerate. 

Just like a bullock yoked in the cart and whipping. He has to tolerate. He cannot get out of it. 

Similarly, when they are taken to slaughterhouse to be killed, he has to tolerate it. There is no way. This is called jantu.

The Māyāvādī philosophers cannot distinguish between the jīva soul, jīvātmā, and Paramātmā.

Lecture on BG 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973: 

So both Kṛṣṇa and the living entity are sitting in one tree. That is stated in the Upaniṣad. Two birds are sitting in one tree. One is eating the fruit of the tree and other is simply witnessing. 

The witnessing bird is Kṛṣṇa. And the bird who is eating the fruits of the tree, he is the living entity. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot distinguish between the jīva soul, jīvātmā, and Paramātmā. 

They know it, but because they are monists, to establish their theory, they say there is not two, there is one. No. Kṛṣṇa says two. One kṣetrajñaḥ, the jīvātmā, and the other kṣetrajñaḥ He is, Kṛṣṇa. 

The difference between the two is that the individual living entity knows only about his kṣetra, body, but the other living entity, the supreme living entity, He knows all the bodies, everywhere, anywhere, throughout the whole creation. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15). This is the difference.

The Supersoul is overlooking the activities of the jīva soul.

Lecture on BG 13.26 -- Bombay, October 25, 1973:

Then puruṣa-prakṛti. Prakṛti is this material nature. Puruṣa, the living entity. The inferior puruṣa and the superior puruṣa. 

Anumantā upadraṣṭā, the Supersoul, He is overlooking the activities of the jīva soul, and according to his karma, He is giving a different type of body, kṣetra. Again he is working. 

Again he is creating another situation. This vast knowledge is unknown to the modern educational department. 

But here it is in the Bhagavad-gītā. They can take advantage of it. But the fools and rascals will not take advantage. They will remain like animals in the ignorance, like cats and dogs. That is their business.

The jīva soul is kṣetrajñā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976: 

So there are two kṣetrajñas. One kṣetrajña is the jīva-soul, and another kṣetrajña is Paramātmā, Bhagavān. (break) ...clearly distinguished by Kṛṣṇa that kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi: 

"You are not only kṣetrajña." The jīva-soul is kṣetrajñā. He knows, just like you know, I know, "It is my body." So there are two kṣetrajñas. 

One kṣetrajña I am. Just like I know this is my body, you know this is your body, but I do not know what is going on in your body, you do not know what is going on in my body. 

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says ca, eva, kṣetrajñaṁ ca api māṁ viddhi: "Not only you are kṣetrajña; I am also kṣetrajña because I am Parambrahman, or Supersoul." But what is difference between these two kṣetrajñas? 

The difference is that one kṣetrajña knows about his own body, but the super-kṣetrajña, he knows everyone's body. 

So in this way if we understand our position, that Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the great and we are small, that is perfect knowledge.

Just like the matter created by the male and female, the jīva-soul enters and then the body develops.

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 35 -- New York, July 31, 1971: 

Eko 'py asau, that Govinda by His one expansion of plenary portion, eko 'py asau, that expansion is meant for creating this material world. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. 

Not one universe, but billions of universes. As you see within this universe, there are millions and trillions of planets. Similarly, there are millions and trillions of universes. Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. 

So in each universe, Govinda enters, then it becomes developed. Just like the matter created by the male and female, the jīva soul enters and then the body develops. 

Similarly, this material... Matter has no power of developing. Govinda enters into the matter, and therefore the universe develops. It is very easy to understand. Simply matter, combination of matter, cannot produce any development. Govinda.

He is not belonging to the category of the jīva-soul. He belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, kṛṣṇa-varṇa.

Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 18.5 -- London, September 5, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa-varṇam. Varṇa means category. Just like brāhmaṇa-varṇa, cātur-varṇa. Varṇa means class.

Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). As Kṛṣṇa said. So kṛṣṇa-varṇam: in the category of Kṛṣṇa. So kṛṣṇa-varṇa. 

Or "One who is describing Kṛṣṇa," varṇayati. Kṛṣṇaṁ varṇayati iti kṛṣṇa, iti kṛṣṇa-varṇa. Either belonging to the category of Kṛṣṇa... He is not belonging to the category of the jīva-soul. 

He belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, kṛṣṇa-varṇa. Or chanting always the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā akṛṣṇam. Means He is Kṛṣṇa... Because He belongs to the category of Kṛṣṇa, therefore He is Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Our, this daṇḍa, there are four sticks. One stick is representing the jīva-soul.

Initiations and Sannyasa -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Our, this daṇḍa, there are four sticks. One stick is representing the jīva-soul, another stick is representing body, another stick is mind, and another stick, speech. Kaya mana vākya. 

So the jīva engages himself with his body, mind, and words for preaching work. Go on. So there is another sect of sannyāsī, Māyāvādī sannyāsī. They take one stick, eka.

Hayagrīva: ...if it shoots, grows and ripens without ceasing, then why or how could the personality or the individual jīva-soul return to a lower life-form?

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Hayagrīva: Now if, as Bergson says, our personality, which by definition would include the mind, the intelligence, the ego, and the soul also, as a person...,

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: ...if it shoots, grows and ripens without ceasing, then why or how could the personality or the individual jīva-soul return to a lower life-form? That is to say, how could a greater experience regress to a lesser experience?

Prabhupāda: The..., everything is calculated at the time of death. That is nature's process. That I was talking in the morning, that these boys, they are too much addicted to these water sports. 

Twenty-four hours they are indulging in this water sport. They are creating a mentality to become aquatic animal. 

So naturally, at the time of death, he will think of all these things and nature will give him a body. Yes. That you cannot check. After death you are completely under nature's control. You cannot dictate.

Jīva-soul, a part and parcel, cannot be separated from the Supreme.

Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Pradyumna: Do the five direct rasas take place between jīva souls also when they are...

Prabhupāda: Everything for jīva souls, all relationship. Kṛṣṇa is one, the Supreme, and all the jīva souls are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. 

Therefore the eternal relationship is there. Now they are exhibited in these twelve kinds of humor, either directly or indirectly. 

Jīva-soul, a part and parcel, cannot be separated from the Supreme. Sun and the light, electric bulb, and the diffusion of light, they cannot be separated. But this portion is covered. 

It appears darkness. So when it is covered, that is called māyā, and he thinks that "I have no relationship with God," or "I am God," "There is no God." 

This is māyā. He is covered. He cannot see. So he has to be treated by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness treatment, and the māyā will be separated, and he will see, 

"Ah, yes, I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." Then he comes to the direct relationship.

Prabhupāda: A particular jīva soul was in that body. Then it is also proved that every jīva-soul is individual.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1971, London:

Śyāmasundara: What he was telling me was that the table itself has a jīva-soul, that the table is a person.

Prabhupāda: No no.

Revatīnandana: So that's what I was asking. 'Cause I said, "Does the table have a jīva-soul?" I was trying to ask that question.

Śyāmasundara: That's what completely threw me off. I thought, "Oh..." That means the table is a person, this is a person, this is a...

Prabhupāda: A particular jīva-soul was in that body. Then it is also proved that every jīva-soul is individual. Although they are living combinedly, everything is individual.

Revatīnandana: Well, doesn't... That's all right then. Now the...

Prabhupāda: But that one jīva soul was prominent. He was visible. Others were in dormant condition. This proves that every individual jiva-soul is separate from the other; still, they can remain together. Just like the sunshine, they create... a small shining particles, combined together, molecules. So everything is combined spirit particles.

Śyāmasundara: But this body of a table, it's not an individual personality is it? There's not one jīva soul in charge of this table.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1971, London:

Śyāmasundara: But this body of a table, it's not an individual personality is it? There's not one jīva soul in charge of this table.

Revatīnandana: In other words the table itself is not a person, but within there are many persons.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: Living entities, germs, like that are in the...

Prabhupāda: God is also there.

Revatīnandana: And Kṛṣṇa is there.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is also... Everything is there. But actually, it is Kṛṣṇa, but we cannot see. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ. The whole cosmic manifestation is Kṛṣṇa but it appears it is different from Kṛṣṇa. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ. This is acintya-bhedābheda. 

So unless we accept the thesis or philosophy expounded by Lord Caitanya, inconceivable one and different... Inconceivable. 

For us it is inconceivable. You cannot have any clear distinction. Therefore take it as inconceivable, acintya. But from theoretical or by logical conclusion, everything is one: Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Brahmajyoti is combination of jīva soul.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: Brahmajyoti is combination of jīva-soul. And brahmajyoti is emanation from Kṛṣṇa. Brahmajyoti is coming from Kṛṣṇa. This is a function. Heat is coming constantly, incessantly, from the fire. But still, heat is not fire. You cannot say heat is fire. Fire is far away.

Revatīnandana: That's right. So the constitutional nature of the entities that naturally form brahmajyoti is the same as the constitutional nature of the jīvātmās that are forming the living entities?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is comparison, a small spiritual spark. That's all. We are spark. So long it does not develop a body... That body is also the same. 

So it remains as spiritual spark. But because it is spirit, it cannot remain in that impersonal stage. He wants to enjoy. So, so long he has forgotten, he develops a body which is called matter.

Śyāmasundara: Or else he develops a spiritual body? One or the other?

Prabhupāda: No. He is spirit, spiritual identity already. But as we are developing material body, similarly we can develop spiritual body.

Revatīnandana: You very clearly explained to me once in a letter that if the spirit soul then goes into the brahmajyoti, he is considered still fallen. Still fallen. Does that means the whole brahmajyoti is composed of fallen souls? You see my question? If I go there, I'm a jīva-soul, and I go to the brahmajyoti I'm still fallen.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: That means all jīva-souls there are also fallen souls.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Viśākhā: What happens to the jīva-souls who were fruits and vegetables that were offered to Kṛṣṇa?

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1971, Delhi:

Viśākhā: What happens to the jīva-souls who were fruits and vegetables that were offered to Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes, there is jīva-soul also. I say that even vegetable you are killing, but that killing responsibility goes to Kṛṣṇa. We are killing for Kṛṣṇa. Suppose in the vegetable there is life, but we are preparing food for Kṛṣṇa.

Nara-Nārāyaṇa: I think she wants to know what happens to the soul. Supposing that a plant, we are killing the plant and offering in prasādam to Kṛṣṇa. The jīva-soul who is living in the plant, what happens to him?

Prabhupāda: Because he is killed for Kṛṣṇa's purpose so he gets immediately liberation.

Yaśomatīnandana: What about hell? How does the jīva-soul go to hell?

Morning Walk -- April 7, 1974, Bombay:

Yaśomatīnandana: What about hell? How does the jīva-soul go to hell?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They go. Those who are going to hell, that is fixed up very quickly. It doesn't take much time. 

Hell means he is getting the next body, hellish body. That's all. Suppose he is going to get the hellish body to become the worm of stool, so in that way he enters the worm, mother worm, to get the body and enjoy the hell. That's all.

Satsvarūpa: Don't they sometimes have to go to Yamarāja first for practice?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is daiva-netreṇa. These things are finished very quickly. And if it takes little time, then this man who is dying, he remains in coma and does not die. Because the judgement is going on, the decision waiting, coma. 

You have seen sometimes a man is in coma for seven days, eight days? Yes. That means his judgement is going on, that... Such kind of death means very sinful death. Not yet settled up, very complicated case. Therefore it takes time.

Morning Walk -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Dharmādhyakṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, when the jīva-soul desires to enter the material world, is that an illusory desire?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Desire means he wants to enjoy, but he is not enjoyer. When he comes to enjoy, he becomes servant. That is illusion.

Dharmādhyakṣa: So when the jīva-soul descends into the material world, it is like a hallucination?

Prabhupāda: Yes. We get experience daily. In the daytime we have forgotten the night dream, and night dream we forget in this daytime existence. So which is correct? Therefore it is hallucination.

The distinction between Supersoul and individual jiva-soul must always be there.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 24 November, 1968: 

Regarding your question about Supersoul, we take it from Bhagavad-gita philosophy that the distinction between Supersoul and individual jiva-soul must always be there. 

The Supersoul never will fall under the clutches of this illusory maya and the jiva-soul has this tendency. 

So there is distinction, yet, the two, Supersoul and jiva-soul are also the same as much as the sunlight and the Sun are qualitatively the same. 

So this is Krsna's message that we are simultaneously one and different from Krsna. 

When the jiva-soul accepts the dictates of the Supreme consciousness Supersoul, his activities will no longer be for the sake of personal sense gratification but will be only for the purpose of gratifying the senses of Krsna. This attitude of service is the perfection of the living entity.

The jiva-soul is always called marginal energy whether he is in the spiritual world or in the material world.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 2 December, 1968: 

The answer to your question about the marginal energy is that the jiva soul is always called marginal energy whether he is in the spiritual world or in the material world. 

There are instances where marginal energy jiva-souls have fallen from the spiritual world, just like Jaya and Vijaya. 

So the potency to fall under the influence of the lower energy is always there. And thus the individual jiva-soul is called as Krsna's marginal energy.

The jiva-soul forgets that he is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss and identifies with the material energy.

Letter to Caturbhuja -- Los Angeles 9 May, 1973: 

In answer to your several questions, first; what is meant by conditioned soul? 

Conditioned soul means one who has accepted something illusion as reality. 

Conditioned means that due to imperfect desires the spirit soul becomes dependent on material conditions for his satisfaction.

Your second question; how does he become conditioned when the jivatma is eternal full of bliss and knowledge? 

The answer is that it is not the soul itself that becomes mixed with matter but it is his consciousness that becomes absorbed in trying to enjoy the matter. 

Out of desire to lord it over, the jiva-soul forgets that he is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss and identifies with the material energy. So it is the consciousness of the conditioned soul that is affected.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives the identification of jiva-soul as the eternal servant of Krsna's and situated as marginal potency of the Lord.

Letter to V. S. R. Chakravarti  Bombay 22 November, 1974: 

The book compiled by your father V.R. Srisaila Chakravarti, namely "The Philosophy of Sri Ramanuja," given to me by you on 2/11/74 was very interesting to read. 

Of course we Gaudiya Vaisnava follow Srila Ramanuja's philosophy almost in the same manner. 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives the identification of jiva-soul as the eternal servant of Krsna and is situated as the marginal potency of the Lord based on the philosophy of acintya-bheda bheda-tattva. 

This is almost similar to Visistadvaita vada. Vaisnava philosophy is now being pushed on all over the world under the Hare Krsna movement, and we feel Sripada Ramanuja a great support for the Vaisnava philosophical understanding. 

It is like a combination of nyaya sruti and smrti prasthans. 

The Bhagavad-gita supports the Vedanta Sutra brahma-sutra-padais caiva/ hetumadbhir viniscitaih (BG 13.5).

To the jiva brahma identification is one part of acintya-bheda bheda-tattva. 

As spirit soul or identical brahma, or jiva brahma is identical with the Supreme Brahma or the param brahma. In this sense jiva-soul is avheda or non-different from the param brahma. 

But on account of the param brahma being the supreme, the biggest, the identical brahma or jiva brahma being very minute, it is different from the param brahma. 

The summary is that the simultaneous one and different jiva brahma is simultaneously one with and different from the param brahma. 

Because it is appreciated simultaneously which is very difficult to comprehend by the common man, this philosophy is called acintya-bheda bheda tattva, inconceivable. 

This is supported by the Katho Upanisad 2/5/13 nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam/ eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. This is almost similar to the visista-dvaita vada.

The jiva soul in the heart and the jiva soul within the cells, they are separate.

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Los Angeles 23 June, 1975: 

Regarding your question about the jiva-soul in the heart and the jiva-soul within the cells, they are separate. 

Both are jiva atmas, but a particular jiva-soul belongs to a particular body. 

There is the jiva-soul in this body, but there are also jiva-souls within the cells. Just like I am living within this apartment, but does it mean that no other living entity can live here. 

There are so many ants, flies, bugs, they are also living within the apartment. Even in my stool there are thousands of living entities.