The brāhmaṇa said - "My dear friend, even though you cannot immediately recognize Me, can't you remember that in the past you had a very intimate friend? Unfortunately, you gave up My company and accepted a position as enjoyer of this material world." (4th Canto Chapter 28 text 53)
The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) sometimes fall down to the material creation from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana which are their original home.
This means they do not originate from the Impersonal Brahman (Brahmajyoti) or the Body of Maha-Visnu as some believe.
Srila Prabhupada - ''Existence in the impersonal brahman is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those who are in the brahman effulgence are also in the fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition. When fall takes place it means falling down from the non-fallen condition. The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness - Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana." (Letter to: Revatinandana, Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
The following Conversation took place in Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974 between Srila Prabhupada and his disciples-
Devotee – "When we are in the spiritual sky and serving Krsna, we have a perfect relationship with Krsna, what causes us to fall down in the material world, because we’re already serving Krsna?"
Srila Prabhupada – "Because you desire to fall down. Here it is explained that “Don’t fall down."
Devotee – "Srila Prabhupada, I can’t understand why we should have an impure desire when we are already serving…"
Srila Prabhupada – "Because you have got little freedom. Why one is not coming here and going to the liquor shop? It is his desire."
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?"
Srila Prabhupada – "Yes, you forced Krsna to allow you to come. Just like sometimes a child forces his father. Father says, "My dear son, do not do this. Do not go there." But he insists, "Oh, I must go. I must go. All right, you go at your risk and suffer. What can be done?" So because you are Son of God you have got independence, full independence, therefore you have acquired the quality of your father, so God does not interfere with your independence. If you persist that “I must go and enjoy independently,” so God says, "All right, you can go." This is the position. You have to take sanction. That is a fact. But when you persist, God sanctions. And you come and enjoy." (Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974)
The spiritual planets of Visnu/ Narayana known as Vaikuntha, and the central abode of Krsna known as Goloka-Vrindavana, are not dictatorial impersonal abodes one enters by surrendering their eternal constitutional nature of free will that allows them to voluntarily contribute to the relationship with Krsna in their own unique personal way allowing reciprocation and loving exchanges.
The jiva-souls relationship with Krsna is never a one-way street, it is always a two-way relationship based on mutual respect of voluntary service between Krsna and His devotees (the jiva-souls).
Krsna's pure devotees never take Krsna for granted, many in Vrindavana do not know who He really is, but sees Him as an amazing very special little boy who will always protects His dear friends
To visiting sages like Narada Muni, they know Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes but most in Vrindavana do not know nor care.
Also having free will includes the choice to rejecting Krsna if one wants otherwise there is no meaning to having free will Prabhupada has explained.
Free will means there is always a choice of voluntarily loving exchanges, cooperation and reciprocation going on with Krsna and Visnu, or rejecting Them.
Srila Prabhupada has made it clear that if we do not have free will in both Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana to leave at anytime we choose, then we are no better than dead lifeless stone.
In other words, there must also be the free will to reject Krsna too otherwise loving voluntary exchanges with Krsna can never voluntarily exist.
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 – "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)
This means surrendering to Krsna and His pure devotee is not forced, it does not mean giving up your intelligence, free will, individuality and the ability to express yourself in your own unique way with voluntarily contributions offered to one's relationship with Krsna.
Question - Is there a place in the spiritual worlds from where the jiva-souls can never fall down from?
Answer - No, because their is always free will and independence. One's relationship with Krsna and Visnu is based on free will which allows loving exchanges to happen on a two-way platform or reject Krsna at any time if they choose.
There is always choice in one's voluntary relationship with Krsna. If Krsna forced the jiva-souls to love Him, then how can that forced so called surrender to Krsna be genuine love?
Loving relationships can only exist in a two-way exchange with Krsna based on reciprocation and cooperation and never in a one-way dominating manipulative relationship.
The Kingdoms of God (Krsna and Visnu) are never a one-sided domineering dictatorial affair because all one-sided dominating affairs only destroy's one's natural independent nature, unique individuality and free will (free expression)
Only in a two-way relationship can there be the unique sense of individuality of having a personality separate from Krsna's Personality.
Srila Prabhupada - "Love means two, there must be two, the lover and the beloved." (Lecture on BG Chapter 9 text 2-5, New York, Nov 23, 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - ''We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be "one" or love cannot be experienced by on one, there must be two, 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)
Genuine love is voluntary and can never exist in a one-way or one-sided domineering relationship where personal contributions are denied, ignored or never appreciated as a personal contribution.
That kind of impersonal association only extinguishes the jiva-soul's self esteem, individuality, free-will, and their ability to voluntarily contribute their own unique offerings.
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)
Srila Prabhupada - "In the spiritual world service is voluntary. Some devotees want to serve Krsna as flower; so they become flower there if they want to be a flower and lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna, then he becomes flower, voluntarily, and he can change from flower to human body also. 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)
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)
Such freedoms explained above must be there if genuine love and service is to truly exist.
Remaining in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana eternally is based on choice. The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) always have, as part of their constitutional make up, the right to make their own choices without any force from Krsna or Visnu.
This means being able to freely choose for themselves in Goloka Vrindavana and Vaikuntha what to offer the Lord.
This allows them to voluntary offer the very best from their unique personality, contributing with love to the Lord while associating with Him as the perpetual individual servant they are eternally.
No two jiva-souls are the same, each has their own unique individual personality and character when engaging in loving exchanges of service with Krsna.
Srila Prabhupāda - ''Love means two persons, then there is exchange. Giving something, taking something, feeding something and to eat something, and speaking everything, no secrecy, and to know everything of the other person. 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)
The jiva-souls never lose their free will in Krsna's Kingdom, which is their own individual ability of self expression when choosing to offer personal contributions to the relationship.
Each jiva-soul (marginal living entity) has their own eternal qualities unique to them, which is part and parcel of the perpetual make up or constitution of each marginal living entity or jiva-soul eternally.
In this way, each jiva-soul has their own individual sense of self, character and personality separate from Krsna, being one of a kind in the Spiritual Sky different from all other jiva-souls.
As said above, no two jiva-souls are the same, each are independent with their own unique personality.
This eternally existing spiritual code includes free will and an independent personal sense of individual self that is the character and personality uniquely of each individual jiva-soul.
Such qualities of the jiva-souls are without any beginning or ending point, being part and parcel of every marginal living entities (jiva-souls) eternal constitution.
This allows the jiva-souls to personally be aware that they are a unique individual independent personalities who serve Krsna voluntary.
Free will means it is the jiva-soul's choice of how to they want surrender and serve Krsna also, or even not surrender to Krsna if they choose.
Although that is rare, the fact is more than 90% of jiva-souls never choose to foolishly reject Krsna, only less than 10% choose to reject Krsna and therefore enter the material creation Prabhupada has explained.
If the jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana reject Visnu or Krsna, then they obviously cannot stay there.
The only place available for them is the temporary material creation meant for those who choose to leave the spiritual worlds.
It is also their choice of what they want to offer or contribute to the Lord, which is their very best from their personal abilities that they voluntary choose to selflessly offer to Krsna.
Each jiva-soul in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana knows when they please Krsna the best most by humbly and selflessly serving the servants of the servants of the servants of Krsna in Goloka-Vrindavan or Visnu on the Vaikuntha planets.
This selflessness of serving Krsna's devotees is the highest realization of love of God.
The fact is, one will not fall from God's personal Kingdoms is also up to the jiva-soul's personal choices too, they are fully responsibility for their independent choices and Krsna will never interfere with that choice even if they reject Him.
This means their free will allows them to choose, and nobody else including Krsna, interferes with that choice because Krsna never forces the jiva-souls to love Him.
Srila Prabhupada - "Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling, then there is love. Not by force! Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, "You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!" (Washington DC July 8, 1976)
Srila Prabhupada - ''Because you are Son of God you have got independence, so God does not interfere with your little independence. If you persist that "I must go and enjoy independently," God says, "All right, you can go and enjoy." (Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada explains in "Nectar of Devotion", that just like the Sun-disc cannot be separated from the sun-rays, similarly the living entities have no meaning without Krsna, and Kṛṣṇa has no meaning without the living entities.
Srila Prabhupada - "As the Sun-disc and the sunshine cannot be separated, similarly Kṛṣṇa and His bodily rays, the brahmajyoti, cannot be separated." (Krsna Book,89)
As explained above, the relationship between Krsna and His jiva-soul individual expansions (marginal living entities) is never one-sided, never forced and never impersonal, it is always a personal relationship of reciprocation, nurturing, voluntary service, in a two-way mood of loving exchanges, only then can there be real loving exchanges in a relationship.
Srila Prabhupada explained to us many years ago-
"If you love me, then I will love you"
Srila Prabhupada is giving us the example that there must always be a voluntary two-way exchange of loving cooperation and kindness so genuine reciprocation exists on a two-way street.
In other words, love can never exist with just one, there must always be loving exchanges and cooperation between two.
The fact is 90% of all living entities (jiva-tattva souls or marginal living entities) choose to never fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana, because that is their choice.
That expression of freedom or free will in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana is always eternally the part and parcel of the marginal living entities natural constitution and has been.
How to understand this.
The jiva-tattva soul or marginal living entity, has 78.125% of Krsna's quantities, which is 50 of His 64 qualities.
This puts marginal living entities in the realm of having their own sense of independent self, identity, individuality, unique character and personality separate from Krsna's Personality, allowing them to make their own choices.
This means the jiva-souls have the ability to agree or not agree with Krsna.
This sense of individuality and independence allows the jiva-souls the right to choose Krsna or choose to be separate from Krsna and enter the material creation if they want.
Remember Maya and the material energy does not exist in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, so Maya is unknown to the jiva-souls (marginal living entities) there.
However, having free will and independently experiencing a unique sense of individual self with the ability of self expression, is eternally the constitutional makeup of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
The jiva-souls have 78.125% of Krsna's qualities that makes them minor a expansion of the Lord with their own personality separate from Krsna's Personality.
Unlike the direct Visnu-tattva and Visnu-sakti-tattva expansions who all have 60 of Krsna's 64 qualities (93.75%) who are different personalities of the one Krsna, all playing a different role in His own pastimes.
If free will is taken away from the marginal living entities, then they lose the ability to give and accept love, the jiva-souls would be no better than dead stone or mindless drones.
For love to truly exist, the jiva-souls (jivatma or jiva-tattva) must have their free will as part and parcel of their marginal constitutional make up, so they can choose for themselves how to serve Krsna by voluntary serving Him.
This is the the real meaning of surrendering to Krsna's will in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana at all times.
Included in Krsna's will is the jiva-soul's free will.
Sadly a small minority of jiva-souls do choose to leave Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavan (less than 10%), regardless of that foolishly deny this claiming once in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, one never again falls down.
Such immature devotees including some gurus and sannyasis do not understand the meaning of free will.
To say those in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana will never fall down is true, but only for those who choose not to fall down.
In other words, it is not up to Krsna, if the jiva-souls wants to leave the spiritual worlds, it's up to them otherwise there is no meaning to having free will.
To make the blanket nonsense comment that "not even the leaves fall down from Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana" does not take into consideration the "free will" of the jiva-souls.
However, they should remember what Prabhupada said, that over 90% of jiva-souls never enter the material creation in a fallen condition because they choose not to fall down and forget Krsna.
To leave Vaikuntha and end up in the material creation is ultimately the jiva-soul's individual right of choice, and the fact is, Krsna does not interfere with that, even though Krsna has promised there is no return to the material creation, the fact is, there is return if the jiva-souls wants to return as Prabhupada explains here -
Acyutananda – "But in the Bhagavad Gita it says, "Once coming to the spiritual world, he never returns". 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." (Conversation, Mayapur, February 19, 1976)
Returning home back to Godhead is not necessarily permanent Prabhupada explains as follows, that choice to stay or go is also the jiva souls choice too, it is not just a one way decision that Krsna makes, no, real loving exchanges can never exist without free will.
For loving devotion to truly exist with the marginal living entity, the jiva-soul must have the right to choose to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana at anytime if they want, therefore returning there is not necessarily permanent Prabhupada explains here.
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." (Conversation, Mayapur, February 19, 1976)
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." (Discussions with Syamasundara > Henri Bergson)
For those who believe no one can ever fall down from Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana have not understood these clear points explained by Prabhupada.
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 you cannot fall down, that is not independence, that is force. Therefore Krsna says, yathecchasi tathä kuru. "Now you do whatever you like." (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Many also do not understand the variety of living entities in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, and that it is only a very small minority of jiva-tattva souls who can choose to leave if they want to.
The majority of jiva-souls (over 90%) do not choose to leave, and all other categories of living entities (Krsna's more direct expansions) never fall down.
The fact is, there are many different other inhabitants of Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana too who are not jiva-souls and therefore never fall down by choice because they are direct expansions of Krsna, such as the Visnu-tattva and Visnu-sakti-tattvas living entities who are Krsna Himself just playing another role in His own pastimes.
They are simultaneously His eternal associates and Krsna Himself experiencing Himself in unlimited different ways.
So for the Visnu-tattvas and the Visnu-sakti-tattvas, they are Krsna, and only do what Krsna plans for them in a particular pastimes.
They even sometimes playing the part of a demon in one of Krsna's play, but only in the material creation because there are no demons in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
Krsna's direct Visnu-tattva and Visnu-sakti-tattvas expansions play different roles in Krsna's eternal pastimes.
Just like the Pancha-tattva devotees where only one out the the five is a jiva-soul, all the rest are different direct expansions of Krsna mixed with other personalities like Siva.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa Himself (Svayam Bhagavan) a combination of Radharani and Krsna.
Śrī Nityānānda Rāma Prabhu is Kṛṣṇa's first personal expansion with the combined power of Balarama.
Śrī Advaita Ācārya is the combined power of Śri Viṣṇu and Śri Śiva (Harihara).
Śrī Śrīvāsa Thakura is Kṛṣṇa's pure devotee and symbolizes devotion (Bhakti).
Śrī Gadadhāra Pandita is the combined power of Kṛṣṇa's internal energy (Śakti).
"I offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, who is nondifferent from His features as a devotee (bhakta-rūpa; Śrī Caitanya), devotional incarnation (svarūpakam; Śrī Nityānānda), devotional manifestation (bhaktāvatāraṁ; Śrī Advaita), pure devotee (bhaktākhyaṁ; Śrī Śrīvāsa), and devotional energy (bhakta-śaktikam; Śrī Gadadhāra)." (Caitanya Caritamrita Adi 1.147.6)
Srila Prabhupada - ''Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Śrī Gadādhara, and Śrīvāsādi. Śrīvāsādi means jīva-tattva. The jīva-tattva, śakti-tattva, viṣṇu-tattva, these are all tattvas. So Pañca-tattva. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the supreme tattva, Kṛṣṇa. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. We are worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combined." (Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974)
Devotee - "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 again. So those who are going back to Godhead, they must become intelligent." (Discussions with Syamasundara Dasa)
As said above, Prabhupada has explained there will always be a very small minority of jiva-souls, less than 10% (not the Visnu-sakti-tattva or Visnu-tattva) who can misuse their free will leave if they want.
Free will for the jiva-souls is eternal in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana, and without this freedom of being able to choose to either forget or remember Krsna, then the jiva-souls would have no independent personality and no ability to give or receive love, the jiva-souls would simply be mindless ''yes men and woman'' like puppets in the hands of the puppeteer.
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)
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 At Cheviot Hills Golf Course, May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
In Bhagavad Gita As It Is Krsna promises the jiva-souls they will never fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana once there to the material creation, and yes, Krsna will always keeps His promise.
However, Krsna's promise of never falling down to the material creation once there, is from Krsna's point of view, so does the jiva-soul also have to accept His promise as final, Do they have a choice?
In other words, does this mean the jiva-souls have no choice and can never leave Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana even if they want to leave?
Krsna's promise that once reaching Vaikuntha, the jiva-souls will never again fall down to the material world, is true for most jiva-souls, but not all of them simply because of free will.
Those who quote Krsna's promise from Bhagavad Gita are right for the majority of jiva-souls, which is over 90% who never fall down with the 10% that do, or leave to enter the material creation, but this does not mean all jiva-souls.
The fact is, any jiva-soul can eventually fall down in this regards, nothing is permanent even in the spiritual world because of free will.
Each jiva-soul has their own free will and independent thinking, this means it is their choice if they stay or leave and not just Krsnas.
In other words, Krsna's promise is not binding or an absolute law with all living entities because the jiva-souls have their free will, making it their choice too.
Srila Prabhupada explains Krsna's promise and gives the proper explanation in full saying a small minority of jiva-souls do choose Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana and puts that figure at less than 10%.
So why do some souls fall down?
To understand this one must realize that ultimately loving exchanges are not just a one-way street or dictatorship, it is based on reciprocation and loving exhanges between two, not just one.
This means even Krsna had to divide Himself into two just to experience loving exchanges and those two are Radharani and Krsna.
Therefore we must not forget the jiva-soul's right of expression too, the jiva-souls also have their choices and say too expressed from their point of view.
This is because love is always based on reciprocation, a two-way street between two.
Only impersonalists preach that surrender means giving up your free will, individuality and your unique personality.
It is a fact Krsna can do anything He wants to do however, if Krsna forced His will and complete dominance on the jiva-souls, then they would be no better than dead stone Prabhupada tells us.
Such absolute one way control by this kind of God will only totally destroy the jiva-soul's independent expression of individuality and there natural eternal constitution right of self expression and free will (freedom)
And if Krsna did force His will on the jiva-souls to love Him, then how can that be real genuine love as Prabhupada explains above?
By promising He will never let the jiva-souls fall by forcing the jiva-souls to comply, can be seen as interfering with the free will and individuality of the jiva-soul's ability to make their own choices.
This is because, they too are entitled to their choice of serving or even not serving Krsna if they choose.
The fact is Krsna will never make that decision for the jiva-souls, otherwise one's free will is violated, and there can be no question of love if the jiva-souls have no right to choose for themselves.
Devotee - "Srila Prabhupada why did Krishna give us free will if He knew we would miss use it?"
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)
Free will or freedom of choice, is something never acquired, nor ever given up or surrendered in the spiritual world as some foolishly believe.
Free will is eternally part and parcel of the jiva-souls (marginal living entities) natural constitution and therefore always exists without beginning or end in the spiritual planets.
However, free will in its full potential, is only fully experienced in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, which is the jiva-souls original perpetual home.
Ultimately in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana, because of free will, it is also the jiva's choice of how to serve and not just Krsna's dictates to the jiva-souls.
This is because Krsna only wants loving servants who voluntary choose to be with Him through their own free will and personal offerings of service.
To serve Krsna and love Him voluntarily is never forced by Krsna, it is always voluntary.
To serve Krsna and believe, once you are in Goloka-Vrindavana, never again will you leave or fall down, is true for those who choose that way but not every jiva-souls think that way.
No, that is not Krsna's complete call because it is not only His choice, each jiva-soul has their choice too.
A loving relationship can only exist when there are two consenting personalities, meaning it is also the jiva-soul's choice to remain there as servant of the servant, or leave Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana if they want.
The jiva-soul's independent nature actually allows them to make their own choices, including leaving the spiritual world if they choose.
The relationship between servant and Master is never one-way or one-sided, never impersonal, it is a perpetual relationship based on reciprocation of loving exchanges between two.
The promise by Krsna that the jiva-soul will never again fall down into the material world, is from His point of view as explained above.
Ultimately it is not only Krsna's will and complete control, no, it is a joint decision between the jiva-souls and Kṛṣṇa.
The spiritual worlds are not dictatorships where one is a yes man or women denying their personal contributions and offerings.
And yes, over 90% of jiva-soul's do choose to accept Krsna's promise and never leave the spiritual worlds. This means less than 10% do choose to leave, and that is their right otherwise what is the point of having free will?
The fact is each jiva-soul is an independent unique individual with 78.125% of Krsna's qualities and attributes with their own personality, sense of self and unique identity.
Devotee – "In 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).
The jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana are forever expanding their expression of individuality with personal offerings based on free will and selfless loving reciprocation with Krsna, it is never a one-sided affair of only obeying and being told what to do and think like some crazy religious cults and dictatorial Governments demand from their followers.
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)
Real love or bhakti is reciprocal, as said above, it is never a one-way street where surrender to Krsna takes away one's free will, individuality and ability to voluntary offer personal contributions.
This is important to understand because each individual jiva-soul has their own independent personality, sense of self and unique personality and characteristics that they only have, that is part and parcel of each individual marginal living entities make up as the independent unique person they are eternally.
Srila Prabhupada - "Because you are Son of God you have got independence, full independence, therefore you have acquired the quality of your father. "So God does not interfere with your independence."(Conversation Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974)
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 a 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; then they become flower there. If I want to be a flower, I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna; he becomes flower, and voluntarily he can change 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)
Srila Prabhupada - "We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago." (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita on August 6, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - ''These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha." (Letter to Jagadisa das, 1970)
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." (Philosophy Discussions with Rene Descartes)
Most jiva-souls (more than 90%) choose to never fall down from the spiritual worlds of Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana and enter the mundane decaying material universes.
Dr. John Mize – "Did all the souls that were in the spiritual sky fall out of the spiritual sky at once or at different times, or are there any souls that are always good, they’re not foolish, they don’t fall down?"
Srila Prabhupada – "No, majority, 90%, they are always good; they never fall down."
Dr. John Mize – "So we’re among the 10%."
Srila Prabhupada – "Yes, or less than that. In the material, the whole material world all the living entities they are. Just like in the prison house, there is some population, but they are not majority. The majority of the population is outside the prison house. Similarly, the majority of living being, part and parcel of God, they are in the spiritual world. Only a few fall down."
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 independenc. Everyone is not liking to misuse their independence. The same example, just like a government constructing a city and constructs a prison house because the government knows that somebody will be a criminal. So, their shelter must also be constructed. It is very easy to understand. Not that cent per cent population will be criminal, but the government knows that some of them will be. Otherwise, why do they construct a 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 can not know also, 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 – "So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, or one can misuse it. That is independence; that tendency is always there. If you make it one way only, that you cannot 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)**..
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.