Just like one may like a carnation flower, while others like a rose flower.
This means all the individual jiva-souls in the spiritual world voluntarily express themselves in their own unique way by offerings personal contributions to Krsna as their service to Him.
Loving exchanges, cooperation, reciprocation and voluntary expressions from the jiva-soul's unique personality, MUST be there as contributions when serving Krsna in a "two-way" exchange that makes the relationship personal, caring and genuine.
Loving feelings and emotions towards Krsna can only exist in a "two-sided" exchange where the jiva-souls also voluntarily add to the relationship and friendship.
In other words, love can only exist when voluntarily expressed in a "two-way" exchange, where the jiva-soul's contributions adds to one's relationship with Krsna that can only be expressed by having their unique free will.
Having the "free will" to contribute to one's relationship with Krsna, allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily participate personally, by contributing to the relationship with Krsna in their own personal unique way, and not allow even Kṛṣṇa to impersonally control one's every thoughts and actions like a puppet master controls his puppets.
Surrender to Krsna does NOT mean you "surrender" your intelligence, your free will, your ability to express yourself as the individual and independent PERSON you are eternally.
These special qualities gives meaning to the jiva-souls existence as an independent contributing servant of Krsna, that allows the jiva-souls to "actively" express themselves independently from Krsna, yet simultaneously, be always fully dependent and dedicated to loving Krsna unconditionally
Such personal voluntary service deepens one's loving exchanges with Krsna, through personal exchanges that enhances, enriches and forever continues to add flavour to one's unique relationship with Krsna.
Spiritual life is never stagnant, everything is forever fresh and new in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana (the eternal youthful Kingdoms of God)
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 BG, Ch 9 text 2-5, New York City, 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 and become flower, voluntarily, and 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." (SB, Canto 6 Ch 1 Text 1-4 Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)
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 loves you so much that He is trying to get you back, that is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, My dear boy and girl, or My dear friend, My dear servant." (Lecture SB, Canto 2 Ch 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)
HERE HERE HERE HERE INSERT
Some foolishly claim free will does not exist in the spiritual world Actually it is the other way round, free will almost does not exist in the material world.
In fact, only the 400 thousand human species have a very little free will while the other 8 million species of life have no free will at all.
They act only out of instinct which is eating, sleeping, mating and defending. There is NO free will with the 8 million lower species of material life in the material world.
The spiritual world is different because free will ALWAYS exists there Prabhupada explains
This is because the eternal individual jiva-souls are fully aware of who they serving Krsna as an individual voluntary servant who choose how they want to serve Krsna - this is what free will is..
If free will did not exist on the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana, then personalism cannot exist there either which means the individual jiva-souls would be no better than dead useless stone.
Free will means each individual jiva-soul has a separate unique personality different from Kṛṣṇa and can always voluntary choose to serve Krsna in unlimited ways, or even reject Him if they choose.
Without free will the individual jiva-souls are like dead emotionless stone, they would only be Kṛṣṇa's mindless puppet who have no choice in how they serve Him.
But Kṛṣṇa is not like that, He never denies the individual jiva-soul's their free will-
Srila Prabhupada – ''Regarding your questions about how and from where did the conditioned souls fall, your first question if someone has a relationship with Lord Krsna on Krsnaloka (Goloka Vrindavana), does he ever fall down? The souls are endowed with minute independence or free will as part of their nature and this minute free will may be utilized rightly or wrongly at anytime in the spiritual world, so there is always a chance of falling down by misuse of one’s free will."(Letter to Jagadisa dasa 25th April 1970)
Srila Prabhupada - "So everyone can know that free will means one can use it properly or one can misuse it. That is free will. If you make it one way only, that you cannot become fall down, that is not free will, that is force. Therefore Krsna says, yathecchasi tathä kuru. "Now you do whatever you like." (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada - “The individual jiva-soul's position in the spiritual world is always voluntary, they decide how they want to serve Krsna, 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 and become a flower, voluntarily, and one can change his form in the spiritual world 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)
Srila Prabhupada - "Free will in the spiritual world 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 you have the free will to voluntarily serve Krsna in the way you choose." " (Talk on Rene Descartes philosophy with Hayagriva dasa 1969 )
Srila Prabhupada - "So, unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom." (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)
Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, or one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that is not independence; that is force." (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Surrender to Krsna in the spiritual world never means giving up your free will and independent identity and personality by allowing Krsna to control all your actions, deeds, words and thoughts.
No, the jiva-souls in the spiritual world are not programmed mindless drones like that, who only obey and never contribute to their relationship with Krsna in their own special unique way, by thinking for themselves of how to please and serve Krsna in many different ways.
The eternal jiva-souls (marginal living entities) can NEVER lose their individuality, free will, independent identity and unique personality on the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka Vrindavana.
This is because free will allows the jiva-souls to have the individual ability of self expression that allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily offer their own personal contributions to Krsna.
Such a quality is unique in the character and personality of each individual jiva-soul.
Only by having "free will" can the jiva-souls express their unique personality and individual character by sharing their loving emotions and feelings with Krsna, otherwise the jiva-souls are no better than dead mindless stone Prabhupada has said.
Free will allows genuine loving exchanges and reciprocation to take place, and, as said by Prabhupada, without free will the jiva-souls are no better than dead stone.
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, and never allowed them to think for themselves of what they choose to voluntarily offer to Kṛṣṇa, then that would mean personal offerings of loving exchanges and reciprocation with Krsna, would never exist!
If one is forced to worship Krsna or Visnu then that is NOT love, it is mindless slavery therefore, no devotee who truly understands the eternal constitutional position of the jiva-souls, wants to be Krsna's eternal mindless slave.
It is only natural to want a loving reciprocal relationship with Krsna, not a "one-sided" dictatorship of obeying without person contributions.
Real love can only exist when there are "two-way" exchanges.
In this way, an increasing variety of personal devotional offerings, based on free will, are offered to Krsna.
In the beginning of being trained up on the path of devotional service, does the devotee pray to be taken over by Krsna's pure devotee and used by him to spread Krsna Consciousness in the service of the Lord.
In the beginning stages one MUST strictly follow the instructions of the Spiritual Master, Teacher or Guru in a "one-sided" discipline in order to learn proper actions and philosophy and process to a more mature "two-way" relationship with the Spiritual Master, otherwise by neglecting the orders of the spiritual master one will again fall down to the lower species of life suffering repeated birth and death for what could be an almost eternity.
However, eventually over time the relationship, if it matures in spiritual life, will begin to blossom and mature into a "two-way" loving exchange under the guidance of a genuine bonafide spiritual master, where the disciple progresses to being Krsna's dear friend and experiences loving personal exchanges and reciprocates with Krsna.
Eventually the jiva-souls who are properly trained up by the spiritual master, reaches their full potential and can choose to voluntarily enter one of the 5 categories of service to Krsna.
The five transcendental rasas of a devotee.
1 - Sant-rasa - means the position of neutrality or fully attached to the Lotus Feet of Krsna. For example, they can become a throne, a flower, grass, trees a flag pole, a chariot etc to please the Lord.
However, there is no full exchange or reciprocation with Krsna as these forms, there is no active service to the Lord only appreciation of the greatness of being with the Lord.
Srila Prabhupada - "Santa-rasa means appreciation of the greatness of the Lord, but there is no active service of the Lord. The land, the grass, the trees, the plants, fruits, or the cows in the transcendental world are supposed to be situated in the santa-rasa.
As spiritual beings, they are all conscious of Krsna, but they prefer to appreciate Krsna's greatness remaining as they are." (Letter to Rupanuga, San Francisco 12 March, 1968)
2 - Dasya Bhav rasa means service or servitude to the Lord. From santa-rasa is dasya-rasa, which means voluntary offering of some service.
For example here the devotee offers service and bhakti to Krsna or Visnu on the Vaikuntha planets in awe, reverence and respect so there are formalities to follow putting restrictions a complete exchange of love.
3 - Sakhya Bhav rasa means the different moods of friendship with Krsna. Sakhya rasa is service in spirit of friendship and well-wisher.
4 - Vatsalya rasa is service as well wisher and affection. Vatsalya Bhav also means loving relationships, parental love, to love Kṛṣṇa as a mother loves her child.
Here, the devotee is older and senior to Krsna and is in the mood of parents and sees Krsna as their little lalla or dear most child.
There is a free flow of motherly, fatherly (or paternal love) for Krsna which is indeed beautiful, but yet there is a scope for a more free flow of love without any restrictions.
5 - Madhurya rasa is conjugal love and the conclusion of Srimad Bhagavatam. This is the topmost madhurya rasa where the devotee is Krsna's dear sakhis (female friends) and lovers.
All the boundaries that were there in earlier 4 bhavas are crossed here.
The flood gates of prema-rasa fully open in this bhav and the heart of devotee and Krsna is flooded with love. Here, the devotee does everything for satisfaction and pleasure for only Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada - "Madhura rasa is intimate service, friendship, affection and conjugal love. So in the Madhura rasa, everything is complete; there is Santa rasa, Dasya rasa, Sakhya rasa, Vatsalya rasa, and Madhura rasa. But each and every one of the rasas is complete in itself. A person in Santa rasa or Sakhya rasa is as good as one in Madhura rasa because in the spiritual world everything is absolute. But from the platform of spiritual vision, where there is transcendental discrimination, one can appreciate Madhurya rasa as complete as anything." (Letter to Rupanuga, San Francisco 12 March, 1968)
So, on the Vaikuntha planets and on Goloka-Vṛndāvana everything is voluntary, one's personal choice of relationship. Everyone is Kṛṣṇa's dear friend who experience loving exchanges with Him even if you choose to be a blade of grass or a pebble Krsna walks over.
The spiritual relationships in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are unlimited and experienced in 5 main mellows mentioned above. There are also no demons in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana as well, they only exist in the material creation when Krsna has His pastimes in there.
Even Krsna never leaves Goloka-Vrindavana to enter the material creation, instead Krsna as His 4 armed Visnu-tattva form, instead enters the material creation playing the part of the two-armed original Vrindavana form of Kṛṣṇa.
Vaikuntha means without anxiety, so how can demons be there?
Kṛṣṇa’s first expansion is Balarama from whom all Visnu-tattva expansions manifest however, all manifestions including the jiva-souls, are beginningless and endless because they are eternally part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.
And for Kṛṣṇa to experience loving relations with a women, He divided Himself into two, and that is how Radharani appears.
However, the paradox is both are eternal because Radharani is eternally part of Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa as His original form NEVER leaves Vṛndāvana in the spiritual world.
All of Krsna’s pastimes in the material creation including killing demons, are carried out by Krsna's Visnu-tattva expansion. In the spiritual world no demons exist or are killed by Krsna and Balarama.
Srila Prabhupada - "When Kṛṣṇa kills the demons outside Vṛndāvana, He is not original Kṛṣṇa; He is Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). When Kṛṣṇa is acting universally, that is Vāsudeva. The original Kṛṣṇa is always in Vṛndāvana and never leaves." (Morning Walk, July 17, 1975, San Francisco)
Srila Prabhupada - "The original Lord Kṛṣṇa never leaves Goloka Vṛndāvana. All the plenary expansions are one and the same Viṣṇu-tattva, and there is no difference in Their potency." (SB, Canto 3 Ch 1 Text 34)
Srila Prabhupada - "Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Baladeva (Balarama) is Kṛṣṇa's immediate expansion. Because Kṛṣṇa NEVER leaves Vṛndāvana, all the forms of Kṛṣṇa that appear elsewhere are His expansions." (BG, As It Is Ch 10 Text 37)
Also, the intense separation Radharani and the gopis felt for Kṛṣṇa, only happens in the facsimile Vrindavana in the material world and not in the spiritual world.
The word Vaikuntha means "without anxiety" therefore how could there be demons there? And how could the gopis ever feel separation from Kṛṣṇa there? After all Krsna NEVER leaves Goloka Vrindavana.
Jayatīrtha - "If the original Kṛṣṇa is always in Vṛndāvana, then why do the gopīs and Rādhārāṇī feel separation from Him?"
Srila Prabhupada - "That is here, in this material world. In the spiritual world Kṛṣṇa does not leave."
Jayatīrtha - "Oh."
Srila Prabhupāda - "And even in the material world, Kṛṣṇa superficially has gone to Mathurā, but He has captured the heart of the gopīs. So He is not leaving. Gopīs are enjoying Kṛṣṇa by separation. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's feeling, how He is appreciating Kṛṣṇa by separation." (Morning Walk, July 17, 1975, San Francisco)
The impersonal version of being in God's Kingdom is where the jiva-souls are forced to give up their free will and individuality and then allow their version of God to take over their every actions and thoughts, such nonsense version of "surrender" is mayavadi impersonalism.
Therefore, denying the individual jiva-souls to have their own unique independent personality, character separate from Krsna's Personality and foolishly claim the real meaning of "surrender" is allowing God to "flow through you" and do all the thinking and actions for you in the name of "surrender," is dangerous impersonalism.
Having free will allows the jiva-souls to be independent thinking persons who can voluntarily choose for themselves what to contribute in their personal unique relationship with Krsna.
Voluntary service is the correct meaning of surrender in Goloka Vrindavana and Vaikuntha, which are the permanent eternal homes and origin of all the marginal living entities (jiva-souls).
The jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana are forever expanding the expressions of their unique individual personality with unlimited varieties of service that forever increase and expand the loving exhanges between Kṛṣṇa and the jiva-souls.
In this way, an increasing variety of personal devotional offerings, based on free will, are offered to Krsna.
It is never a nonsense "one-sided" master/slave mindless relationship with Krsna.
Krsna does not control the truly surrendered jiva-souls by force like a puppet master controls every movement of his puppets by manipulating strings connected to the puppets, denying self-expression, individual contributions and voluntary service.
However, Krsna does control His pure surrendered devotees by showing them with loving effection and serving them more than they can ever serve Him as reciprocation for their selfless love for Him.
This is why over 90% of jiva-souls never choose to leave Krsna but sadly less than 10% do because free will is part and parcel of the constitutional makeup of each jiva-soul.
Without free will (where one can choose for themselves) there can never be love.
The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) are eternal beings who were never created, nor will they ever cease to be as Srila Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita As It Is (1983 corrected edition) Ch 2 text 12 and Ch 2 text 20 explains.
The jiva-soul's eternal relationship with Krsna is NEVER an impersonal "one-sided" master/slave mindless non-contributing association with Krsna.
Krsna does not control the truly surrendered jiva-souls by force like a puppet master controls every movement of his puppets by manipulating strings connected to the puppets, denying self-expression, individual contributions and voluntary service.
However, Krsna does control His pure surrendered devotees by showing them with loving effection and serving them more than they can ever serve Him as reciprocation for their selfless love for Him.
Without free will (where one can choose for themselves) there can never be love because free will allows voluntary personal expressions of devotional service
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 – Rene Descartes)
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."
Vipina Purandara - "Why doesn’t Krsna protect us from that desire?"
Srila Prabhupada - "He’s protecting, He says, "You rascal, don’t desire like that, 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.)
Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence (free will) 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 we have free will."
Hayagriva - "A man may know better but still act wrongly."
Srila Prabhupada -"Yes, but that is free will. He misuses his free will. Just like a thief, he knows that his stealing 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." (From Philosophy Discussions with Srila Prabhupada and Rene Descartes)
The individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities) are unique independent living beings in the spiritual worlds, who have their own personality separate from Krsna's Personality, individuality, independence and free will. Yet simultaneously the jiva-souls are always dependent on Krsna because everything comes from Krsna including them the (jiva-souls)
We must never forget that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, which includes the jiva-soul's having their "free will."
Krsna gives the jiva-souls their independence and free will so they can choose to serve Kṛṣṇa in their own unique way (voluntary), or even reject Krsna if they choose. This is what it means when you have free will, to be able to do good or bad, right or wrong otherwise having free will is meaningless.
Therefore having "free will" is the basis of spiritual life and participating in loving exchanges with Krsna.
Free will always allows the jiva-souls to contribute in their own unique way out of unconditional personal love, without the need of any pressure or force from Krsna or His devotees.
Although, there are often nurturing words of encouragement and suggestions from other genuine devotees who selflessly want to see service to Krsna also increase.
Srila Prabhupada - ''We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be one, or love cannot be executed by only one, there must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then there is love." (Lecture SB Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)
Acyutananda - ''But in the Bhagavad Gita it says, "Once coming back there to the spiritual world, he never returns to the material world?"
Srila Prabhupada - ''But if he likes, he can return, that is voluntary."
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 is no return."
Srila Prabhupada - "There is return, that is voluntary, return is there."
Paramahamsa - "If we want."
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes."
Paramahamsa - "So we can come to the spiritual world and 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."
Just like here almost nobody is interested in Krsna consciousness because they want to 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 one opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this."
Just like some of our students, Krsna conscious, sometimes go away, again come back. 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.
Krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare, nikata-stha maya tare japatiya dhare.
The police is there. Just like the police car was there. We have nothing to do with it. But if you do anything criminal, immediately you will be arrested, under police custody.
Maya may be there, but maya captures him who is not a devotee of Krsna. That’s all.
Therefore, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, maya does not interfere anymore."
Paramahamsa - ''So our desire to enjoy, we achieve these bodies; and our desire to achieve Krsna brings us to our natural position."
Srila Prabhupada - ''Yes." (May 13, 1973, LA California)
Srila Prabhupada - "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. 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." (The "Happening Record Album" Dec 1966 New York City)^^^^
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