Tatastha-sakti refers only to those marginal living entities (jiva-souls) who are already in a fallen condition in the temporary material creation and inactive in the impersonal brahmajyoti.
So, those who have fallen to the tatastha-sakti condition, that also includes those jiva-souls who have become frustrated with the temporary nature of material existence, and its suffering of repeated birth and death, attempt to extinguish their individual existence by entering a dormant state of consciousness known as the impersonal brahmajyoti.
In other words, tatastha-sakti does not describe those jiva-souls in their original "none-fallen" position in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, but rather,tatastha-sakti describes the none Krsna conscious condition of the fallen jiva-souls in both material existence and the impersonal brahmajyoti.
Srila Prabhupada - "So this temporary material world is the taṭastha (materially conditioned) characteristics, and the spiritual world is the permanent (personal) characteristics. So our effort is to get out of this taṭastha (materially conditioned) characteristics and enter the permanent (personal) characteristics. That is called spiritual elevation." (Lecture CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358, New York City, Dec 28, 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - "Because the individual soul is apt to fall down sometimes under the clutches of māyā, it is called taṭastha-śakti. Just like in the seaside the shore, the beach, sometimes you see it is covered by water and sometimes it is land. Similarly, when we are covered by māyā, that is our jīva-bhūta stage (which means struggling under the laws of material nature), and when there is no more material covering, that is brahma-bhūta stage (realizing you are the jiva-soul above material influence). When we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we are brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), and when we are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, we are materially conscious (jiva-bhuta), that is māyā." (Lecture BG, Ch 7 Text 4-5, Bombay, March 30, 1971)
The marginal living entities or jiva-souls are not called tatastha-sakti in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana as Prabhupada explains above because the word tatastha-sakti is a "conditioned" designation.
In Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana the jiva-souls are not in the conditioned state and therefore not called tatastha-sakti.
The word tatastha-sakti refers to the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) in their fallen conditioned state in both the material creation and when dormant in the (impersonal) Brahmajyoti.
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 in the impersonal Brahman (Brahmajyoti) are also fallen souls?"
Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, 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 (Goloka-Vrindavana and Vaikuntha). The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness.'' (Letter to Revatinandana, LA 13 June, 1970 and 1971 London)
The full potential and original feature of all eternal marginal living entities (jiva-souls), is a "two-arm form" like Krsna's Body. Also the jiva-souls were NEVER created, they are beginningless and endless like Krsna is
Srila Prabhupada - "God is also human form. "Man is made after the shape of God." So Kṛṣṇa is also like human form, two hands, two legs." The human form is also the full manifestation of the jiva-soul." (Melb, Australia 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 BG, Ch 2 Text 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 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, Ch 2 Text 14, Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)
As said above, the original feature of the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) is like Krsna's Bodily form, the jiva-souls do NOT originate from the impersonal Brahmajyoti, tatastha-sakti or the Body of Maha-Visnu.
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 - "Are they 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 and become flower, voluntarily, and can change from flower to human body if one desires. 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 jiva-souls are always called marginal energy whether he is in the spiritual world or in the material world. There are instances where marginal energy jiva-souls have fallen from the spiritual world, just like Jaya and Vijaya. So the potency to fall under the influence of the lower energy is always there. And thus the individual jiva-soul is called as Krsna’s marginal energy." (Letter to Rayarama, Dec 2, 1968)
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 the independent jiva-souls (marginal living entities) like us." (BG, Ch 10 Text 37, Purport)
Each individual jiva-soul in the spiritual world can "choose" to "voluntarily" serve Krsna in an unlimited variety of ways as an unlimited varieties of bodily forms, or even reject Krsna if they choose to do so, and enter or return to the impermanent decaying material world.
The marginal potency or energy ARE a collective of individual jiva-souls who were never created, have no origin, nor will they ever cease to be as Bhagavad Gita As It Is explains.
Many have misunderstood these facts about what "marginal" really means. It is NOT some place in outer space where jiva-souls are generated or originate from because they have no origin as already explained.
Being “generated” from the marginal plane does NOT mean the jiva-souls “originated” from some "so called place" in the Brahmajyoti, Spiritual Sky, Maha-Visnu or tatastha-sakti and the impersonal brahmajyoti that foolish religious cults wrongly claim.
As clearly explained, the jiva-souls, being "marginal," means they are "in-between" the influence of spirit and matter, and can choose either side at anytime.
This means they can choose "one side or the other" because they have free will.
They can choose the spiritual side (the jiva-soul's nature position and full potential), or the material side (unnatural conditioned state)
So, the real meaning of being a "marginal living entity" is the jiva-souls can choose to be with the spiritual energy, or with the material energy, based on their free will.
As said above the word tatastha-sakti refers to the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) in their fallen conditioned state in both the material creation, and when dormant in the impersonal brahmajyoti.
It is foolish to believe the jiva-souls originate from tatastha-sakti (a conditioned fallen state) Srila Prabhupada has explained above.
The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) sometimes fall down to the material creation from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana which are their original homes.
And then after being frustrated in a material body trapped in the cycle of birth and death in the material creation, they attempt to find escape by entering the impersonal (inactive or dormant) Brahmajyoti.
The fact is the jiva-souls do not originate from the Impersonal Brahman (Brahmajyoti), the Body of Maha-Visnu or tatastha-sakti (a conditioned designation) as some believe.
ALL jiva-souls (marginal living entities) are eternal and come to the material world from the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka Vrindavana.
Srila Prabhupada - ''Existence in the impersonal brahman is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those who are in the brahman effulgence (impersonal Brahmajyoti) 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, LA 13 June, 1970)
As explained above, tatastha-sakti is also an already fallen conditional state, so there is no question of falling down from an already fallen state.
Fall down means from a none fallen condition and that none fallen original position of the jiva-souls is the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana.
The "marginal living entities" are a collective of eternal individual "jiva-souls" who have no beginning nor will they ever cease to exist as Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 text 20, 1983 correct edition explains-
Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." (BG, Ch 2 text 20)
The jiva-souls are found throughout the entire Spiritual Sky.
1 - Fully active in the Spiritual worlds.
2 - Restricted and covered (embodied) in the material world.
3 - And dormant or inactive as a spiritual spark in the impersonal Brahmajyoti and within the material atom.
The jiva-souls are like the sun-rays that are found almost everywhere emanating from the sun-disc that is compared to Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.
Those jiva-souls who have made the choice to enter the temporary decomposing material creation, can later enter, due to the frustration of material life, an inactive dormant state called the impersonal aspect of Brahman or impersonal Brahmajyoti.
As said above, the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) are known in both the material creation and the impersonal Brahmajyoti as tatastha-sakti but not in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana from where they have originated Prabhupada has explained above.
So to be clear, tatastha-sakti is the "conditioned" fallen designation of the marginal living entity that describes those jiva-souls who have entered the material creation and impersonal Brahmajyoti, but does not describe those jiva-souls (marginal living entities) on the Vaikuntha planets and in Goloka Vrindavana.
This is important to try and understand as the marginal living entity (jiva-souls) has many different names describing their position and condition, and tatastha-sakti is one of those names describing the jiva-soul's "conditioned state" after falling down from the Spiritual worlds.
The jiva-souls (marginal potency) were not created from a clear sheet of consciousness either as some wrongly claim because they have always existed as explained above.
Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 text 12 and text 20 and confirms this fact.
The jiva-souls have no origin from an imaginary "clear sheet of consciousness that is said to be always growing and expanding with new jiva-souls" as some gurus and sannyasis foolishly teach.
The jiva-souls are eternal without beginning or end.
This is revealed in Bhagavad Gita As It Is "corrected 1983 edition" [NOT in the incorrect 1972 edition] Chapter 2 text 20 reveals-
Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." (BG, 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 dasa 7/9/1970)
The jiva-souls may fall to an inactive or dormant state in the impersonal Brahmajyoti, but they certainly did not originate from the impersonal Brahmajyoti, Brahman or tatastha-sakti.
Even entering the impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahman is also only temporary relief for the jiva-souls who entered there to escape the suffering and pain of being embodied in the material world in the cycle of repeated birth and death.
In fact the fallen jiva-souls can stay in the impersonal Brahmajyoti for a very, very, very long time, so long that some foolishly believe it is where they have originated from after emerging from there.
Merged in the impersonal Brahmajyoti is also only temporary because the nature of the jiva-souls is to be active not inactive therefore, all jiva-souls eventually fall out of the impersonal Brahmajyoti.
It should be made clear the dormant inactive aspect of the Brahmajyoti is not the origin of the jiva-soul, it is actually the fallen state they fall too.
The individual jiva-souls do not originate (have a beginning) from anywhere because they have always existed as part and parcel of the marginal plane collective of Krsna's living energies that are individual jiva-souls with 78.125% of Krsna's qualities (which means they have 50 of Krsna's 64 attributes.
The English word "generated" can be misleading if not properly understood in its right context because that word can mean a beginning point or an origin.
However, the jiva-souls have no origin or beginning point, this is because they have always existed and were never created as explained above in Bhagavad Gita As It Is.
The marginal living entities (jiva-souls), in their full potential, are a Spiritual bodily form (vigraha) and NOT "originally" an impersonal spark in Krsna's effulgence (impersonal brahmajyoti)
However, some time over eternity, due to free will, some jiva-souls, less than 10%, fell down from the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana and entered the temporary material creation.
The now embodied jiva-souls in their material vessels, eventually over time, became frustrated with the constant cycle of repeated birth and death and decaying nature of the material creation.
Seeking freedom from that frustration in the temporary material creation, the fallen jīva-souls then attempt to find their liberation (freedom) from the continuous difficulty of material existence (the painful cycle of repeated birth and death) by attempting to end their existence.
They do this by endeavouring to extinguish their spiritual individuality and personality by appearing as a dormant none entity (inactive) bodiless individual unit or none conscious spark in the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti.
This can also be an almost dead motionless existence in the material atom too as Prabhupada has explained.
To a devotee attempting to extinguish one's individuality by merging into the impersonal Brahmajyoti is Spiritual suicide.
However, entering the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti, or in the atom as an inactive almost dead unit, is also temporary because the natural nature of the jiva-souls are to always be active.
Therefore, eventually the jiva-souls fall out of their impersonal prision and again take birth in the material creation, within the 8 million 400 thousand species of life to again experience the suffering of repeated birth and death.
Sadly, for some who spent an enormous amount of time in the impersonal Brahmajyoti, when they eventually come out of that fallen condition, they foolishly believe the impersonal Brahmajyoti is their origin.
Being on the marginal plane means the individual jiva-souls have free will and a separate identity with their own unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality that allows the free will to even reject Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence means the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) 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." (LA, June 23, 1975)
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." (Mayapur, Feb 19, 1976)
Having free will is the constitutional make up of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) that is always part and parcel within their eternal character and personality in the spiritual worlds.
This means the jiva-souls can even choose to leave the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana if they want, this is also what free will allows and if it didn't, then they have no free will.
This is why it is foolish that some big Vedic scholars claim that once entering the spiritual worlds, the jiva-souls can never again fall down to the material worlds.
No, the jiva-souls CAN fall down again and again if they choose to do so! However, the majority (more than 90%) choose to never fall down to begin with. But over infinity that can change too Prabhupada has explained saying nothing is really permanent eternally because of free will.
The point made here is it is the jiva-souls choice that Krsna never interferes with.
And such fall downs have nothing to do with Maya (material energy) either, it is free will.
Or in rare cases, like the gate keepers of Vaikuntha, Jai and Vijay, who were cursed by the four Kumaras, the sons of Lord Brahma in his material world when they went to Vaikuntha to see Lord Visnu.
The fact is Maya or material energy does not exist on the Vaikuntha planets or in Goloka-Vrindavana.
The choice to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is possible because Krsna allows love to be a two-way street, this means one can accept or reject Krsna if they choose to do so.
HERE HERE HERE HERE
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." (LA, 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." (Talk between Rene Descartes and Prabhupada 1976)
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)
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. Anadi karama-phale. Anadi means before the creation. The real desire is how to go to home, back to Godhead."(Lecture on BG, London, Aug 6, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - "We may fall down from Vaikuntha at any moment, so even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that, "Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?" I immediately fall down." (Lecture in Honolulu, July 4, 1974)
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 if he chooses, 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." (Talk with Syamasundara and Henri Bergson)
Even though Krsna has promised there is no return to the material creation once returning to the spiritual worlds. The fact is there is return if the jiva-souls want to return as Prabhupada explains here-
Acyutananda – "In Bhagavad Gita Krsna says, once coming to the spiritual world, the jiva-soul never returns to the material worlds, so 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." (Mayapur Feb 19, 1976)
Devotee - "Well, 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 in again. So those who are going back to Godhead, they must become intelligent. Why going back to Godhead?" (Talk with Syamasundara Dasa)
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)
Therefore returning back home back to Godhead is not necessarily permanent Prabhupada has explained above, that choice to stay with Krsna or go, is also the jiva-soul's choice too.
Therefore it is not just a one-way decision that Krsna only makes, no, real loving exchanges can never exist in a one-sided affair because there is always free will
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.
Similarly Krsna does not forcibly control the jiva-souls by denying their free will, their natural constitutional right of self expression, voluntary individual contributions and having their own unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality.
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; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?" (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
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 love." (SB Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - "Love means two, there must be two, the lover and the belove." (Lecture on BG Ch 9 text 2-5, New York, Nov 23, 1966)
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)
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 or voluntary service.
Denying free will does not allow or encourage voluntary personal contributions (offerings) expressed in a two-way exchange, that can only expand, enrich and flavour one's eternal relationship with Krsna (God).
Loving service to Krsna and exchanges with Him cannot exist if there is only a one-sided affiliate of total supremacy or preeminence.
The fact is genuine loving relations and service are based on free will which includes loving exhanges between two, and is never a one-sided dominating affair!
Free will means the jiva-souls are marginal and that all decision making is a two-sided affair, that allows the jiva-souls to choose for themselves, even if it means rejecting Krsna.
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)
Having free will always allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily choose their own unique contributions that they want to selflessly offer to Krsna in loving service.
This is the real meaning of surrender.
Without free will, loving voluntary exchanges with Krsna are not possible.
Loving relationships can only work in a "two-way" exchange based on reciprocation and loving selfless service with two sharing loving exchanges.
In this way, the Kingdom of God is never a domineering one-sided dictatorship run by a forceful so called God.
No! Krsna is not like that at all.
The fact is, such a one-way impersonal master/servant dictatorship is actually a loveless relationship that only destroy one's real freedom of expression (free will) and having a sense of individual self and unique personality independent from Krsna's Personality.
How can a lifeless puppet in a puppet show express loving emotions when it is always controlled and manipulated by the strings in the hands of the puppet master?
Similarly, how can the jiva-souls express loving emotions in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana if Krsna does not allow free will or individual independence and self expression which is the real meaning of being a marginal living entity?
Surrendering to Krsna and His pure devotee is not impersonal like that, surrender does not mean giving up your intelligence, free will, individuality and the awareness of being an independent unique contributing free thinking person you are eternally.
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 BG Ch 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 executed 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 love." (Lecture on SB Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - ''The (impersonalist) philosophy is oneness. So how there can be love, 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 SB Canto 2 Ch 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)
Devotee – "Srila Prabhupada, I can’t understand why we can have impure desire when we are already serving Krsna."
Srila Prabhupada – "Because you have got little freedom, it is one's desire."
Devotee – "But 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 here, 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?" (June 25, 1974)
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." (June 25, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada - "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)
Being on the marginal plane (the jiva-souls) means those living entities have independence and free will.
This means there is always voluntary respectful loving exchanges and contributions going on between two, between Krsna and His jiva-soul independent expansions.
There are many other categories of living entities, they are in the category of Visnu-tattva (93.75% of Krsna's qualities or having 60 of Krsna's 64 attributes) and Siva-tattva (85.938% of Krsna's qualities, or having 55 of Krsna's 64 attributes)
Because of free will in the spiritual worlds the jiva-souls can reject Krsna or Visnu at any time and enter the material creation Prabhupada tells us.
Srila Prabhupada - "So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?’ I immediately fall down." (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
Paramahamsa - "But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there is no return?"
Srila Prabhupada - "There is return, but that is voluntary, return is always there."
Paramahamsa - "If we want."
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes."
Paramahamsa - "So we can come to the spiritual world and again return to the material World?"
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." 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." (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course, May 13, 1973, LA)
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." (BG lecture, Mayapur, June 20, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - "In the broader sense everyone comes from Krsnaloka. When one forgets Krsna he is conditioned, when one remembers Krsna he is liberated." (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)
Devotee - "Are all pure nitya-siddha devotees of Krsna vegetarian?
Srila Prabhupāda - "Garuḍa is not vegetarian. You know that?"
Prajāpati - "He eats snakes."
Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, he is not vegetarian. So if one becomes a sincere devotee like Garuḍa, you can allow him to become non-vegetarian. If he cannot give it up."
Nara-nārāyaṇa - "Garuḍa is from the jīva-tattva or he is an expansion?"
Srila Prabhupāda - "No, he is jīva-tattva (jiva-soul) Nitya-siddha."
Nara-nārāyaṇa - "Does that mean that there is some soul who can come under influence of māyā in the spiritual sky and some soul who cannot?"
Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, that potency is there always."
Umāpati - "Is that the difference between jīva-tattva and Viṣṇu-tattva?"
Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, therefore Viṣṇu-tattva is called acyuta, infallible." (Morning Walk - Jan 12, 1974, Los Angeles)
Conclusion-
Srila Prabhupada - "Service to the Lord is always voluntarily, one can choose who they want to be in Goloka-Vrindavana at Krsna’s lotus feet, or on the Vaikuntha planets serving Visnu. And they can change their relationship (rasa) with the Lord if they desire at any time." (Melb, May 20, 1975).^^^.
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Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence means the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) 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." (LA, June 23, 1975)
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." (Mayapur, Feb 19, 1976)
Having free will is the constitutional make up of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) that is always part and parcel within their eternal character and personality in the spiritual worlds.
This means the jiva-souls can even choose to leave the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana if they want, this is also what free will allows and if it didn't, then they have no free will.
This is why it is foolish that some big Vedic scholars claim that once entering the spiritual worlds, the jiva-souls can never again fall down to the material worlds.
No, the jiva-souls CAN fall down again and again if they choose to do so! However, the majority (more than 90%) choose to never fall down to begin with. But over infinity that can change too Prabhupada has explained saying nothing is really permanent eternally because of free will.
The point made here is it is the jiva-souls choice that Krsna never interferes with.
And such fall downs have nothing to do with Maya (material energy) either, it is free will.
Or in rare cases, like the gate keepers of Vaikuntha, Jai and Vijay, who were cursed by the four Kumaras, the sons of Lord Brahma in his material world when they went to Vaikuntha to see Lord Visnu.
The fact is Maya or material energy does not exist on the Vaikuntha planets or in Goloka-Vrindavana.
The choice to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is possible because Krsna allows love to be a two-way street, this means one can accept or reject Krsna if they choose to do so.
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." (LA, 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." (Talk between Rene Descartes and Prabhupada 1976)
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)
Srila Prabhupada - "We may fall down from Vaikuntha at any moment, so even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that, "Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?" I immediately fall down." (Lecture in Honolulu, July 4, 1974)
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 if he chooses, 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." (Talk with Syamasundara and Henri Bergson)
Even though Krsna has promised there is no return to the material creation once returning to the spiritual worlds. The fact is there is return if the jiva-souls want to return as Prabhupada explains here-
Acyutananda – "In Bhagavad Gita Krsna says, once coming to the spiritual world, the jiva-soul never returns to the material worlds, so 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." (Mayapur Feb 19, 1976)
Devotee - "Well, 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 in again. So those who are going back to Godhead, they must become intelligent. Why going back to Godhead?" (Talk with Syamasundara Dasa)
The jiva-souls are known as Krsna's “marginal energy,” the marginal energy (jiva-souls) are individual living entities, and is NOT some place in the Spiritual Sky where the jiva-souls have originated from, no, because they have no origin.
The marginal energy or potency ARE the individual jiva-souls! This means the jiva-souls are under the influence of either the spiritual energy or under the influence of the material energy.
The marginal energy or potency is NOT a place, as clearly said above, the marginal energy IS the individual jiva-souls.
Many misunderstand this fact because there is no origin to Krsna's marginal energy (an unlimited number of individual jiva-souls) who have existed as long as Krsna has existed.
The marginal platform means the jiva-souls who naturally belong as individuals in the supreme spiritual energy with Krsna.
They are called "marginal living entities" because the jiva-souls can choose to be influenced by either the spiritual energy, or material energy eternally, explained as follows by Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada – “The jiva-souls are Krsna’s marginal energy. Marginal energy means the jiva-souls may be under the control of the spiritual energy, or they may be under the control of material energy. But when the jiva-souls are under the control of the material energy, that is their precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when they are under spiritual energy, that is their original position and life of freedom.” (Los Angeles, Nov 23, 1968)
Srila Prabhupada - "We (the jiva-souls) are marginal energy (jiva-souls) Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy (jiva-souls); we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt." (Letter to Lilavati, Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969)
Srila Prabhupada - "The material energy, called as Maya, is also one of the multipotencies of the Lord, as much as we (the jiva-souls) are also marginal potency of the Lord. The living entities (jiva-souls) are described as superior energy than matter, when the superior energy is in contact with inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation. But when the supreme marginal potency (jiva-souls) are in contact with the spiritual potency, Hara, it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity." (The Happening Album, New York City, Dec 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - "You are also energy; you are marginal energy (jiva-soul) Marginal energy means you (the jiva-souls) may be under the control of the spiritual energy or you may be under the control of material energy, your marginal position. But when you are under the control of the material energy, that is your precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when you are under spiritual energy, that is your life of freedom." (Intro BG As It Is, Los Angeles, Nov 23, 1968)
Therefore, being “generated” from the marginal plane does NOT mean the jiva-souls “originated” from some so called place in the brahmajyoti.
First of all, being placed in the marginal category means having the choice to be influenced by either the spiritual energy, or influenced by the material energy.
The real meaning of being on the "marginal" plane is the jiva-souls can choose to be influenced by either the spiritual energy, or the material energy based on their free will.
There is no origin to the individual jiva-souls, they are eternally parts and parcel of Krsna and just as old as Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada – "The jiva-souls are Krsna's marginal energy. Marginal energy means we can live either in this external energy or in the internal energy, in between. So at the present moment we are living in the external energy. But this external energy is also Kṛṣṇa's energies, God's energy. It is not different from Him. But the external energy means we are captivated by the external energy. But the external energy is not permanent. The internal energy is permanent. The spiritual world is permanent, and the jiva-souls are also permanent as Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 text 20 (1983 edition) reveals.” (Lecture on BG, Ch 9 Text 4 -Melb, Australia April 23, 1976)
Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 text 20 explains the jiva-souls have existed for “infinity”
This means, just like Krsna, they are beginning less and endless, and were NEVER created-
Bhagavad Gita As It Is - “For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” (BG, Ch 2 text 20 “corrected” 1983 edition)
Bhagavad Gita As It Is - “Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (BG As It Is, Ch 2 text 12)
The jiva-souls (marginal living entities) and Kṛṣṇa have always existed and were NEVER created.
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 dasa, 7/9/1970)
Being a "marginal" living entity also means having the free will to accept or reject Krsna.
All marginal living entities (jiva-souls) are EQUALLY intimate and uniquely exclusively personal with Krsna (God) in His eyes within His Kingdom regardless of the pastime.
This is because in the spiritual world ALL relationships with Krsna are "equally blissful to each other", just like one may like a carnation flower, while others like a rose flower.
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 that "As 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, Australia May 20, 1975)
The jiva-souls are known as Krsna's “marginal energy,” the marginal energy (jiva-souls) are individual living entities and NOT some place where the jiva-souls have originated from, no, the marginal potency or realm ARE the individual jiva-souls!
The word "marginal" simply means the jiva-souls are under the influence of either the spiritual energy, or the material energy.
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