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)
The Spiritual worlds of Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are personal Kingdoms based on voluntary loving exchanges and cooperation between Krsna and His devotees, it is NEVER a "one-way" street of forceful demands.
Ultimately we are all Krsna's servant and are very dear to Him however, that does not mean we have to give up our "free will", "individuality" and unique personality to be Krsna's friend and servant.
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)
As already explained, "free will" in its full potential, ONLY fully exists in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, and is greatly restricted and almost does not exist in the material creation (only minutely in the human species).
On the other hand, "free will" exists fully in Goloka Vrindavana and Vaikuntha because it is part and parcel of the natural constitutional make up of every marginal living entity (individual jiva-soul).
Krsna ALWAYS allows "free will" in His eternal abode because if He didn't, then how can voluntary loving exchanges and personal contributions exist?
If Krsna denied the jiva-soul's their free will, then they can NEVER experience love or know what love is.
Therefore, as explained above, love is a "two-way" street, a two-way exchange of feelings, it is NEVER a one-way or one-sided affair.
Without loving exchanges between two, then how can love or service exist? Without "free will" and being encouraged to contribute personal offerings based on one's unique independent choices, then one is no better off than dead stone.
Even though fully dependent on Krsna, the jiva-souls will NEVER experience wonderful loving reciprocal exchanges unique between them, with out free will.
The fact is, free will or the ability to choose is eternally part and parcel of the jiva-souls (marginal living entities) natural constitution and ALWAYS exists fully in the Spiritual Worlds.
Therefore freedom or "free will" means the jiva-soul can choose to serve Krsna, or even reject Him if they want, it is their choice.
Krsna does not force the jiva-souls to surrender to Him, if He did, then that is NOT love, it is exploitation.
Srila Prabhupada - "In Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.¹” 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". (Washington DC July 1976)
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. (Excerpt from: Philosophy Discussions with Srila Prabhupada – Rene Descartes)
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)
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)
The individual jiva-souls are unique independent living entities in the Spiritual Worlds who have their own personality and a sense of independent self that is separate from Krsna's Personality, yet simultaneously are dependent on Krsna as His parts and parcels.
The reason is very clear, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes including the jiva-soul's free will.
Krsna gives the jiva-souls their independence and "free will" so they can choose how to serve Him voluntarily in their own unique personal way, or even reject Him if they choose.
This freedom also allows the jiva-souls to always contribute their own unique offerings out of unconditional personal love, without the need of any pressure or force from Krsna or His devotees (however, their are always words of encouragement and suggestions from other genuine devotees)
Srila Prabhupada - ''We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be one, or love cannot be executed by only one, there MUST be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then there is love''. (Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 2 text 6, Delhi, November 12, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - ''So how can there be love with just one? Is it possible? Have you got any such experience? Love means one? No. "Love means two". There must be two, the lover and the beloved. Kṛṣṇa is already lover. He's so lover of you that He's trying to get you back. That is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, My dear boy, or My dear friend, My dear servant..." (Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)
"Real love" or service can ONLY exist when "free will" allows the jiva-souls to "voluntarily" participate in "loving devotional exchanges" and contribute to their relationship with Krsna in their own unique way.
Srila Prabhupada - ''Love means you take and you give also. Suppose if you love somebody and you simply take from him, but you don't give. Oh, do you think it is very good? No. It is not good. That is NOT love. That is exploitation. If I go on simply taking from you, and if I don't offer you anything, that is simply exploitation". (Lecture on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 text 2-5, New York, November 23, 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - “The jiva-soul's position in the spiritual world is voluntary. Some devotees want to serve Krsna as flower; they become flower there. If I want to be a flower I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna," he becomes flower, voluntarily, and he can change his, from flower to human body. That is spiritual life. There is no restriction. If some devotee wants to serve Krsna as cow, he serves Krsna as cow, as calf, as flower, as plant, as water, as ground, field, or as father, as mother, as friend, as beloved, anything. It is inconceivable, yet a fact". (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.1-4 - Melbourne, May 20, 1975).
Can we predict that returning back home back to Godhead will be permanent? Can we predict that?
Syamasundara - "Can we predict that 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". (Discussions with Syamasundara > Henri Bergson).
The amazing thing is, Krsna ALWAYS serves (loves) His pure devotees far more than they can EVER serve Him!!
Thank you Srila Prabhupada for inspiring all these realizations based on your teachings.×*×.
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