Voluntary inquiries and service are the beginnings of genuine surrender to Guru and Krsna.
This begins one's journey back home, back to Godhead.
Returning back to Goloka Vrindavana or the Vaikuntha planets are the permanent eternal homes and origin of the marginal living entities (jiva-souls)
The jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are forever voluntarily expanding the expression of their unique individuality, with an increasing variety of personal devotional offerings based on free will, it is never a one-sided master/slave dictatorial relationship with Krsna or Visnu Prabhupada explains.
Krsna does not control the "surrendered" jiva-souls by force like a puppet master controls every movement of his puppets with the manipulations of strings, denying-
1 - Self expression,
2 - Having a unique independent personality separate from Krsna's Personality,
3 - Individual contributions,
4 - Voluntary service.
Srila Prabhupada - "The "immediate" expansions of the Lord are called svāṁśa or personal direct expansions (Visnu-tattva who are Krsna playing another role in His own pastimes) The "separated" expansions of the Lord are called vibhinnāṁśa (jiva-tattva) or independent jiva-soul's like us." (Taken from BG 10.37, Purport)
Krsna controls His pure devotees by nurturing loving exchanges and reciprocation.
The jiva-souls are inspired by Krsna’s selfless loving attention to His devotees, this only forever increases their unconditional love for Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada - "Krsna does not want to become a lover by force, from 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; no, that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?" (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
If the jiva-souls had no "free will" in the Spiritual world then they are no better than dead stone Prabhupada tells us.
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 explains below, that all jiva-souls are eternal PERSONS as their original Spiritual bodily form.
The jiva-soul's (marginal living entities) original bodily form is having the same bodily features as Krsna, which is-
sat,
cit,
ananda,
vigraha.
Which means-
eternity,
knowledge,
bliss,
form.
Remember the jiva-souls are eternal PERSONS as a Spiritual bodily form like Krsnas.
The full potential and original feature of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) is a two arm form like Krsna's Form.
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)
Also it is from Goloka-Vrindavana that some jiva-souls choose to enter the Vaikuntha planets and appear there in a blue four armed form similar to Lord Visnu.
The appearance of eternal youth only exists on the Vaikuntha planets, where as in Goloka Vrindavana one does not have a body that is blue like Visnu's body.
In Vṛndāvana it is different with more variety of bodily forms in Krsna's pastimes.
One's "rasa" is voluntary, what ever form maybe chosen although originally all jiva-souls appeared as a two-armed form like Krsnas (therefore can always change due to pastimes) like being Krsna's uncle, parents, boy friends, girl friends, the shop owner on the corner, etc.
Bodily appearance is according to pastime, everyone does not look the same in Goloka Vrindavana like the men do on the Vaikuntha planets.
Many quotes about the jiva-soul's features explains their journey entering into the material worlds, or merging into the "impersonal inactive Brahmajyoti," as a spark within Krsna's bodily effulgence (brahmajyoti).
There in the Brahman or Brahmajyoti, the individual jiva-soul is often described as an inactive spark of consciousness who enters the impersonal Brahmajyoti after becoming frustrated with the material creation's terrible cycle of repeated birth and death, experienced in temporary material bodily vessels in the material creation.
Only when Prabhupada talks about the impersonal Brahmajyoti, does he call the jiva-soul a spark, and then adds that appearing as an impersonal spark in Krsna's effulgence is an already fallen condition the jiva-soul has fall down too.
This is because originally, the jiva-souls were all in the pastimes of Krsna as individual PERSONS as a spiritual bodily form (vigraha).
Srila Prabhupada also explains this in a more simple way, that the jiva-souls have fallen from the personal pastimes of Krsna to the material creation, or further to the impersonal Brahmajyoti.
Ultimately, Prabhupada explains below, that all jiva-souls in their full potential are eternal PERSONS as their original Spiritual bodily two armed form like Krsna's form.
Srila Prabhupada - "In the broader sense everyone comes from Krsnaloka. When one forgets Krsna he is conditioned (nitya-baddha), when one remembers Krsna he is liberated (nitya-siddha)." (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)
Srila Prabhupada - "We cannot say therefore that we are not with Krsna. As soon as we try to become Lord, immediately Maya covers us. Formerly we were with Krsna in His lila or sport. But this covering of Maya may be of very, very, very, very long duration; therefore many creations are coming and going." (Letter to Madhudvisa Swami June 1972 Australia)
Srila Prabhupada - "So to go to Krsna means you will have to acquire your original spiritual body. The spiritual body is already there, but we are now covered by this material body." (Germany, June 22, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada - "We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago." (Lecture on BG, Aug 6, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - "These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha." (Letter to Jagadisa das, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada – "Regarding your several questions: Where are the spirit souls coming from? These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha." (Letter to Jagadisa 7/9/1970)
Acyutananda - "So what made the jiva-soul take birth in the first place?"
Srila Prabhupada - "In the first place?"
Acyutananda - "What is the first birth? What is the cause of the first birth."
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, that is stated in the Prema-vivarta:
krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare
nikata-stha maya tare japatiya dhare
We are eternal servant of Krsna. As soon as we want to become master, that is the beginning of our first birth in the material world. We have got independence. Krsna says, mamaivamso jiva bhutah—we are part and parcel of Krsna—so Krsna has got full independence, but we are minute; therefore we have got minute independence. Our business is to serve Krsna, but as soon as we give up this idea, we want to become master. That is the beginning of our material birth." (Lecture on SB Canto 5 Ch 5 text 2-Hyderabad, April 11, 1975)
Acyutananda - "But in the Bhagavad Gita it says, "Once coming to the Spiritual world, he never returns to the material worlds."
Srila Prabhupada - "But if he likes he can return."
Acyutananda - "He can return?"
Srila Prabhupada - "That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We can misuse that. Krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare. That misuse is the cause of our falldown." (Morning Walk, Feb 19, 1976, Mayapur)
The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) are not called tatastha-sakti in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana, it is a name describing the "fallen conditioned" state of the jiva-souls in the material creation and when in the impersonal dormant Brahmajyoti.
Therefore jiva-soul did not originate from tatastha-sakti which is an already fallen condition of the jiva-soul.
Srila Prabhupada - "So this "material world" is the taṭastha, the conditioned characteristics, and the Spiritual worlds are the Personal characteristics. So our effort is to get out of this taṭastha (conditioned characteristics) and enter the permanent characteristics (Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana). That is called spiritual elevation." (New York City, Dec 28, 1966)
Revatīnandana - "Srila Prabhupāda you very clearly explained to me once in a letter that if the jiva-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."
Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes."
Revatīnandana - "That means all jīva-souls there are also fallen souls?"
Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes." (Room Conversation Aug 17, 1971, London UK)
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." (Letter to: Revatinandana, Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada - "When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition. The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness." (Letter to: Revatinandana, Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
As explained above, in the jiva-soul's original position, they have the same bodily features as Krsna, sat-cit-ananda-vigraha which means a spiritual body that is eternal, full of knowledge, always blissful, and all held together by form.
Srila Prabhupada - "Actually the spiritual body means eternal life of bliss and knowledge. This material body which we are possessing now, is neither eternal, nor blissful, nor full of knowledge. The spiritual body is full of knowledge, just opposite. So we can get that body next life, we have to cultivate how to get that type of body. Therefore the best intelligent person will try to get next body full of blissfulness, knowledge, and eternity." (Lecture on BG 2.14, Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada - "The relationship with Krsna is never lost, it is simply forgotten by the influence of maya, so it maybe regained or revived by the process of hearing the Holy Name of Krsna and then the devotee engages himself in the service of the Lord which is his original or constitutional position. The relationship of the living entity with Krsna is eternal as both Krsna and the living entity are eternal; the process is one of revival only, nothing new.'' (Letter to Jagadisa 02/27/1970)
Devotee - "Srila Prabhupada why did Krsna give us free will if He knew we could fall down in the material world?"
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." (Aug 5, 1976, New Mayapur France).
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 and Henri Bergson)
In the Spiritual world all relationships with Krsna are "equally blissful to each other," just like one may like a carnation flower, while others may choose to like a rose flower.
So why did Krsna allow the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) to enter the temporary decaying material creation in the first place?
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. That’s all. And you suffer. What can be done?
Because you are Son of God you have got independence, full independence, almighty—therefore you have acquired the quality of your father. You have got little independence, so God does not interfere with your little 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." (Melb, Australia June 25, 1974 SB lecture)
This means all the individual jiva-souls in the Spiritual worlds can voluntarily express themselves in their own unique way by offerings personal unique contributions to Krsna.
Real love or genuine service can only exist when free will allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily participate in loving devotional exchanges by contributing to the relationship with Krsna in their own unique way.
Such voluntary service deepens one's exchanges with Krsna through personal expressions that enhances, enriches and adds a variety of flavours to one's unique relationship with Krsna.
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." (BG Ch 9 text 2-5, New York City, USA, Nov 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." (SB Canto 6 Ch 1 text 1-4, Melb, May 20, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada - "Because you are Son of God you have independence, you have acquired the quality of your father, so God does not interfere with your independence. If you persist that “I must enjoy independently,” God says, “All right, you can go.” This is the position, if you persist, God sanctions. And you can come here and enjoy." (Melb, Australia June 25, 1974)
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 - "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." (Discussions with Srila Prabhupada and Rene Descartes)
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 is expressing one's free will fully.
This 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, Gurus, sannyasis and 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." (SB Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - "The impersonalist philosophy is oneness. 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..." (SB Canto 2 Ch 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)
Surrender to Krsna in the Spiritual world never means giving up your free will and allowing Krsna to completely control all of your every actions, deeds, words and thoughts, no, such a relationship in this version of Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is impersonalism.
The jiva-souls in the Spiritual world are not programmed "mindless" drones or robots who only obey what they are told, and therefore never being able to personally contribute to their relationship to their relationship with Krsna, in their own unique way, by always thinking for themselves of the many different ways to please and voluntarily serve Krsna.
The jiva-souls can never lose their free will in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana, which is the individual ability of self expression by offering their own personal contributions to Krsna that is "unique" to each individual jiva-soul.
Only by having free will does the jiva-souls have that unique personality and individual character, otherwise the jiva-souls are no better than dead mindless stone.
Free will allows genuine loving exchanges and reciprocation to take place, and as said above, without free will the jiva-souls are no better than dead stone Prabhupada has warned us.
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." (Aug 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)
Furthermore, Krsna never interferes with the free will of the jiva-souls because if He did by never allowing free will, would only mean loving exchanges of voluntarily reciprocation with Krsna could never exist!
If one is forced to worship Krsna or Visnu then that is not love, it is tyranny, bullying and slavery.
This "impersonal" version of Krsna's abode of Goloka Vrindavana and the Vaikuntha planets explained above, where jiva-souls are forced to surrender their free will and allow a bogus version of "God" to take over their every actions and thoughts, is mayavadi impersonalism as said above.
Therefore, to deny the jiva-souls having their own unique individual "freedom of expression" (free will) and unique personality and character by forcing them to only allow their so called God to control all their thinking and actions in the name of "surrender," is dangerous IMPERSONALISM.
Having genuine free will allows the jiva-souls to be themselves, an independent unique individual contributing PERSON who can always voluntarily choose their own personal relationship Krsna.
Otherwise Krsna would only be surrounded by "mindless drones!" (yes men and women)
Voluntary service is the bases and real meaning of genuine "surrender" in Goloka Vrindavana and the Vaikuntha planets, which are the permanent eternal homes and origin for all marginal living entities (jiva-souls).
The jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana are forever voluntarily expanding the expression of their unique individuality with an increasing variety of personal devotional offerings based on free will, it is never a nonsense one-sided master/slave mindless relationship with Krsna as explained above.
Krsna does not control the "surrendered" jiva-souls by force like a puppet master controls every movement of his puppets with the manipulations of strings, denying self expression, individual contributions and voluntary service.
However, Krsna does control His pure devotees with loving affection based on "reciprocal loving exchanges." This is because the jiva-souls in their original awareness of genuine Krsna consciousness, will ONLY relate as a "contributing person" in a two-sided voluntary loving exchange with Krsna.
But there is always a choice in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
Srila Prabhupada - "Unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of free will. Where is free will if I can act only one sided? That means I have no free will. Because we can act wrongly, that means we have free will." (Discussions with Srila Prabhupada and Rene Descartes)
The "eternal marginal living entities" (jiva-souls) never lose their "free will" in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan because both are eternal as Bhagavad Gita As It Is explains regarding the jiva-soul-
Bhagavad Gita - "For the soul there is never birth nor death. Nor, having once been, does he ever cease to be. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing, undying and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." (BG As It Is, Ch 2 Text 20)
Srila Prabhupada – "There are no new souls, new and old are due to this material body, but the jiva-soul is never born and never dies, so if there is no birth, how can there be new souls?" (Letter to Jagadisa, 7/9/1970)
Also free will has nothing to do with the material body, free will is a symptom of the eternal jiva-soul and like the jiva-soul, is not a material quality or energy.
Infact, in the material creation, free will is greatly restricted and only available to the rare human species but even limited there.
In all, the 8 million other species of life have no free will, there is only the urges of material nature which are
eating,
sleeping,
mating,
defending.
Free will is the constitutional makeup of the jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana where nothing material exists, there is no Maya in the "Spiritual worlds," but there is always free will.
Many foolish scholars, academics and religious leaders cannot understand this fact, that due to "free will" the jiva-souls can leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana anytime they choose and can fall down again and again regardless of Krsna's promise that once back in the Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana they will never again fall down.
No, they can again fall down if they choose by even rejecting Krsna's promise of never falling down from Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
However, although most jiva-souls, over 90% never make that choice to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, they can if they want to Prabhupada explains here-
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 and Henri Bergson)
Srila Prabhupada - "Krsna does not want to become a lover by force, from 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; no, that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?" (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
Srila Prabhupada - "So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?’ I immediately fall down. That is natural. A servant is serving the master, but sometimes he may think that, "If I could become the master." They are thinking like that; they are trying to become God. That is delusion. You cannot become God. That is not possible. But he’s wrongly thinking he can."
Vipina Purandara - "Why doesn’t Krsna protect us from that desire?"
Srila Prabhupada - "He’s protecting. He says, "You rascal, don’t desire. Surrender unto Me." But you are rascal; you do not do this."
Vipina Purandara - "Why doesn’t Krsna 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.)
By misusing one's free will causes the jiva-soul to entering the material creation, this choice has nothing to do with maya or material energy as explained above.
As Prabhupada has explained, it is one's "free will" that allows the jiva-souls to reject Krsna. This is because Krsna has allowed each jiva-soul to be an independent individual person who can make their own choices, that includes even rejecting Krsna if they want, that instantly places them in the material creation.
Acyutananda - "But in the Bhagavad Gita it says, "Once coming to the Spiritual world, he never returns to the material worlds."
Srila Prabhupada - "But if he likes, he can return."
Acyutananda - "He can return?"
Srila Prabhupada - "That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We can misuse that. Krsna bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare. That misuse is the cause of our falldown." (Morning Walk, Feb 19, 1976, Mayapur)
Paramahamsa - "But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there’s no return."
Srila Prabhupada - "There is return, that is voluntary, returning there is possible if one desires."
Paramahamsa - "If we want?"
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes."
Paramahamsa - "So we can come to the spiritual world and return?"
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes."
Paramahamsa - "Fall down?"
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, as soon as we try, "Oh, this material world is very nice, Yes," Krsna says, "yes, you go and enjoy this material world. Otherwise what is the meaning of free will? Every living entity has got a little free will. And Krsna is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this, it is free will, just like one goes to the prisonhouse, not that government welcomes, "Come on. We have got prisonhouse. Come here, come here." He goes out of his free will; again comes out, again goes. Like that."
Paramahamsa - "So because of our desire to enjoy, we achieve these material bodies; and our desire to achieve Krsna brings us to our natural position."
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes." (May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
Srila Prabhupada - "As living spiritual jiva-souls we are all originally Kṛṣṇa conscious entities, but due to our association with matter since time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by material atmosphere. When the superior energy is in contact with inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation. But when the supreme marginal potency is in contact with the spiritual potency, Harā, it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity.
In the material creation chanting the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra is the sublime method for reviving our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As living spiritual souls we are all originally Kṛṣṇa conscious entities, but due to our association with matter since time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by material atmosphere.
In this polluted concept of live, we are all trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in her complexities. This illusion is called māyā, or hard struggle for existence over the stringent laws of material nature. This illusory struggle against the material nature can at once be stopped by revival of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And the process is recommended by authorities for this age.
By practical experience also, we can perceive that by chanting this mahā-mantra, or the great chanting for deliverance, one can at once feel transcendental ecstasy from the spiritual stratum.
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
When one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding, surpassing the stages of sense, mind and intelligence, one is situated on the transcendental plane. There is no need of understanding the language of the mantra, nor is there any need of mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this mahā-mantra.
It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in this transcendental sound vibration, without any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy. We have seen it practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting, or even a dog can take part in it.
The chanting should be heard, however, from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effect can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of a nondevotee should be avoided, as much as milk touched by the lips of a serpent causes poisonous effect.
The word Harā is a form of addressing the energy of the Lord. Both Kṛṣṇa and Rāma are forms of addressing directly the Lord, and they mean "the highest pleasure, eternal." Harā is the supreme pleasure potency of the Lord. This potency, when addressed as Hare, helps us in reaching the Supreme Lord.
The material energy, called mayā, is also one of the multipotencies of the Lord, as much as we (jiva-souls) are also the marginal potency of the Lord.
The three words, namely Harā, Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, are transcendental seeds of the mahā-mantra, and the chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Harā, for giving protection to the conditioned soul.
The chanting is exactly like a genuine cry by the child for the mother. Mother Harā helps in achieving the grace of the supreme father, Hari, or Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord reveals Himself to such a sincere devotee.
No other means, therefore, of spiritual realization is as effective in this age, as chanting the mahā-mantra. (Purport to Hare Krsna Mantra, from the "Happening Record Album" December 1966 New York City, USA)..*^^*..
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.