Gauragopala Das ACBSP: In the spiritual world's of Vaikuṇṭha and Goloka-Vṛndāvana, service to Krsna is always voluntary (intensional) expressed in a "two-way" exchange of loving reciprocation.

Voluntary is an adjective that describes something you do because you want to, without being influenced or forced into it.

One should understand that being part and parcel of Krsna means the jiva-souls can etenally make independent choices on how to voluntarily contribute in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan while serving Krsna or Visnu, or can even choose to reject the Lord if they choose to do so.

Srila Prabhupada - "In the spiritual world service is always voluntary. Some devotees want to serve Krsna as flower, so they become flower there. If I want that, to be a flower, I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna and become 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." (SB Canto 6.1.1-4 - Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)

Sadly, many fundamentalist narrow minded fanatics believe surrender to Krsna means allowing Krsna to takes over your every thought, deeds, and actions, where you no longer have the "free will" to serve Kṛṣṇa in a voluntary way once you enter God's Kingdom.

Such a nonsense "one-sided" dominating relationship with a so called God, is NOT what real surrender means.

Real surrender is always based on "free-will" that only works in a "two-sided" relationship of loving exchanges.

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." (Aug 9, 1976, Tehran)

Srila Prabhupada – "Love is a reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feelings. Then there is love. Not by force, no, Krsna does not want to become a lover like that." (July 8, 1976)

Srila Prabhupada - ''We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love can not be one or can not be executed only by one; there must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then love." (SB Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - "The impersonalist philosophy is oneness, so how there be love with just one? Is it possible? Have you got any such experience that love means one? No. Love means two. There must be two, the lover and the beloved. Kṛṣṇa is already lover. He loves you so much that He's trying to get you back. That is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, my dear boy or my dear friend, my dear servant." (SB Canto 2 Ch 1, text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)

Ultimately, each individual jiva-soul is a unique person who chooses for themselves how to voluntarily serve Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, or they can ignore Him also if they choose and live our their "dreams" in the material world.

When both these choices exist, then that proves free will really exists.

Both scenarios must be allowed if real freedom or free will is to truly exist. If the jiva-souls had no free will in the spiritual world as explained above, then they are no better than dead stone Prabhupada has warned.

Srila Prabhupada - "If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. Do 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 - "Free will means that you can act wrongly. That is free will. Unless there is a 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." (Discussions with Srila Prabhupada – Rene Descartes 1976)

Srila Prabhupada - "Unless there is a possibility of always misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom." (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)

The fact is, real love or devotional service is only possible when there is a voluntary relationship between two, between Krsna and the individual jiva-souls, real love can NEVER be one.

Surrendering to Krsna does not mean "extinguishing" your sense of self, individuality, personality, free will, and the ability to voluntarily express yourself in your own unique way, by allowing Krsna to control your every thoughts and actions and allow Krsna to do all your thinking and actions for you.

No! This is not surrendering to God; that is attempting to extinguish your individual identity and is therefore spiritual suicide.

Such a nonsense version of "surrender" is dangerous impersonalism because one is denying who they really are as a voluntary contributing independent individual person, with their own personality and and unique identity.

Love can never be experienced by just one like that, not even by Krsna; there must be two, even Krsna had to divide Himself into two (Radha and Kṛṣṇa) just to experience loving exchanges with another person.

So, let's be clear; loving relationships in the spiritual world are always based on the reciprocation between two because love can only exist when it is voluntary.

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 the opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this. It is free will." (Morning Walk Cheviot Hills May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)

As Prabhupada explains, Krsna never forces the jīva-souls to surrender to Him or love Him, that must be voluntary-

Srila Prabhupada – "Krsna never forces you to love Him; that must be voluntary." (Melb Australia June 25, 1974)

Krsna will never interfere with the free will of the jiva-souls, even if they choose to reject Him.

Krsna allows the jiva-souls to be separated independent individuals with their own unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality, because only then can they voluntarily contribute to their relationship with Krsna in their own way, making it a two-way exchange of loving expressions.

As Prabhupada said, having free will also means the jiva-souls can reject Krsna too if they choose; otherwise, free will has no meaning. Freedom must also include the choice that one can reject Krsna if they choose; otherwise, there is no question of having freedom.

Krsna allows the jiva-souls to have this freedom because it also allows them to voluntarily express their own unique individual loving expressions for Krsna in a two-way exchange.

This is better than being surrounded by jiva-souls who are mindless drones with no personality of their own.

Such a mindless existence means one is only programmed to only abey without question and worship Krsna unconditionally without any individual personal contributions and voluntary participation.

Such an impersonal one-sided affair is not love at all because it denies voluntary participation and personal contributions; real love can never exist on such a one-way street or in a one-sided domineering dictatorship.

Real love can only exist between two persons reciprocating with each other with loving exchanges in a two-way relationship.

If Krsna surrounded Himself with none thinking contributing jiva-souls who only did what He wanted without question, then how can voluntary loving exchanges exist?

Being forced to only obey without out personal contributions is impersonalism.

Without having personal contributions from each individual, jiva-soul is certainly not love because real love can not exist in such a one-sided oppressed atmosphere.

The individual jiva-souls are independent living entities who can voluntarily surrender to Krsna in their own unique way. This voluntary surrender with personal offerings is supported by Krsna.

Krsna does not force His dominance over the jiva-souls like a puppet master controls his puppets with strings that many claim is the real meaning of unconditional surrender.

They foolishly believe that becoming Krsna's puppet is what surrender really means, which is nonsense.

That kind of surrender is impersonalism, and sadly, there are many of these impersonalists out there.

It is complete nonsense to think surrender means only Krsna controls all loving emotions and expressions between Himself and the jiva-souls, and overrides the jiva-soul's free will, independence, individuality and voluntary contributions, by choosing everything for them once they enter the spiritual world's of Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana.

As said above, this kind of mindless impersonal surrender is spiritual suicide to a Vaisnava devotee. That kind of forceful dominance over another individual jiva-souls is called mayavadi impersonalism.

Therefore, to say the jiva-souls can never choose to fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan is also nonsense because they have a choice to stay or leave at any time.

To say they can never fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is nonsense; they can leave at any time because they have free will eternally!

Although, Prabhupada told us that only less than 10% of jiva-souls make that choice to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan, while the rest (over 90%) do not choose to fall down.

You see, it is the jiva-souls choice, too that Krsna allows, just so they can experience their full freedom that includes rejecting Krsna if they want.

As said above, Krsna never surrounds Himself with mindless living entities only programmed to love Him unconditionally and have no free will.

No, Krsna does not want emotionally apathetic (thoughtless) servants like that around Him who can never voluntarily contribute to their relationship with Krsna.

We are all unique individual jiva-souls who each have their own individual personality different from Krsna's Personality, who can voluntarily contribute to their relationship with Krsna.

Each jiva-soul can voluntarily contribute with their own unique loving offerings to Krsna in their own personal way.

Therefore, only such reciprocation of loving exchanges between Krsna and the jiva-souls is what makes selfless love (Krsnaprema) real, and Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana are worth going to.

In Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana, personal voluntary expressions of loving exchanges are always encouraged by Krsna in His relationship with the jiva-souls. This adds flavour, variety, and mystery to their association with the Lord.

This means the Kingdom of God (Goloka-Vrindavana and Vaikuntha) are NOT a "one-sided dominating" impersonal domain devoid of free will that does not allow or encourage voluntary personal contributions to be offered in a "two-way exchange" that will actually expand, enriche and flavour one's eternal relationship with Krsna (God).

Voluntary loving service to Krsna and exchanges with Him can not exist if there is only a "one-sided" affiliate of total supremacy or preeminence devoid of "free will."

The fact is that genuine loving relations and services are based on free will, which includes loving exchanges between two and is never a one-sided dominating affair!

Free will only have meaning when the jiva-souls can express themselves in a two-sided relationship with Krsna.

In other words, loving reciprocation is only possible between two, with each contributing to the relationship, expanding the variety of nectarine mellows.

The words reciprocation and exchanges only have meaning when there are "two" involved, not one!

"Free will" is eternally the constitutional make-up of every marginal living entity (jiva-soul) and the foundation of all relationships with Krsna.

Many, in fact most, do not understand what the spiritual world is and the points made here.

The "free will" to feel envy means you want to enjoy like Krsna and be in the centre instead of Krsna, such self centred desires immediately disqualifies you to remain in the spiritual world (Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana) and immediately you a transferred to the material creation managed by Maha-Visnu.

Your spiritual memories are in the spiritual world and you cannot take them with you to the material world because they are NOT material.

Once the jiva-souls enter the material world, their free will is almost non-existent, and instead are directed by the demands of the material senses - eating, sleeping, mating and defending, found controlling all species of material life.

Therefore, there is no choice in the spiritual world influenced by "matter" or "maya" because matter (maya) does NOT exist in the spiritual world.

Also, maya is NOT the cause of the jiva-souls fall down from the spiritual world to the material world, "free will" is the cause of fall down, and that means there is always a choice that some nonsense sangas and their gurus cannot understand.

The jiva-souls can only enter the material world in a material bodily vessel provided by Maha-Visnu, and NOT as their spiritual eternal bodily form.

All knowledge of Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana is in the spiritual body, but now covered because one has entered the material world and is now covered by a temporary decaying material bodily vessel.

In the spiritual world, as their original spiritual bodily form, all jiva-souls are female in their intimate original relationship with Krsna.

Yes, we are all female.

Not to confused with mundane transgender in the material world because if one is given a material bodily vessel of either a male or female, then that life is who they are in that life. In their next life, one can be either male, female, dog, Cow, tree - all material life forms have a jiva-soul.

However, in the spiritual world, even though one is originally female, they can appear as male, a cow, a tree, a bird, a street sign, a blade of grass, anything they like to serve Krsna.

Srila Prabhupāda - "There is form, just like this material body is compared with the dress. Now, just like in your present material form you have got hand; therefore your coat has got hand. You have got legs; therefore your pant has got legs. Therefore it is to be assumed that the spirit soul always has got form, and is expressed as hands, legs, heads, everything. The spirit soul is not formless; it has got form. But with our material eyes at the present, gross eyes, we cannot find it; therefore we say and foolishly believe it has no form." (Lecture BG 2.14, Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)

Devotee – "Is the original body of the spirit soul a human form?"

Srila Prabhupada – "Yes, human form, God is also human form. "Man is made after the shape of God." I think there is in the Bible. Is it not? So God is also like human form. Here you see Krsna, two hands, two legs."

Hari-sauri – "How do we understand, then, that there are peacocks and flowers and trees in the spiritual world? Are these not eternal forms?"

Srila Prabhupada – "[describing material form first]: Yes, they are more covered. Just like if you cover your body with blanket, the hands and legs are invisible. But you are not the blanket. So the trees and plants, they are more covered. They are not in full manifestation. The human form is the full manifestation of the soul."

Hari-sauri - "They are covered in the spiritual world?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Not in the spiritual world. There that is voluntary. Some devotee wants 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." (SB Canto 6 Ch 1 text 1-4 - Melb, May 20, 1975)

Srila Prabhupada - "The spirit soul is NOT formless; it has got form, the spirit soul always has form and is expressed as hands, legs, heads, everything. But with our material eyes at the present, our gross eyes, we cannot see these facts; therefore we foolishly believe the jiva-souls have no form." (Lecture on BG 2.14 - Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)

Devotee - "What is the form of the spiritual body. If the spirit soul is non-material, what is the form?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Your question about one's relationship with Lord Krsna on Krsnaloka, does he ever fall down? The jiva-souls are endowed with minute independence as part of their nature and this minute independence may be utilized rightly or wrongly at anytime, so there is always a chance of falling down by misuse of one’s independence." (Letter to Jagadisa dasa, 4/25/1970)

Srila Prabhupada - "In the broader sense, everyone comes from Krsnaloka (Goloka-Vrindavana). When one forgets Krsna, he is conditioned (nitya-baddha), when one remembers Krsna he is liberated (nitya-siddha)." (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)×**×..