1 - The jiva-souls (marginal living entities) voluntarily associate with Krsna in Goloka-Vrindavana as a friend and in four other different ways as an unlimited variety of bodily forms explained below, including their original two armed bodily form like Krsna's bodily form.
2 - Voluntarily serving Visnu/Narayana in many ways as an unlimited variety of bodily forms including a 4 armed bodily form likes Visnus, who is the Supreme God on the unlimited Vaikuntha planets that surround Krsna's central Adode of Goloka-Vrindavana.
3 - Being embodied (covered) in a temporary material bodily vessel in the impermanent material creation within 8 million 400 thousand species of bodies (400 thousands only being human form)
4 - And attempting to cease one's existence as a person by attempting to merge (extinguishing one's individuality) into the dormant "inactive" impersonal Brahmajyoti. Entering the "inactive" Impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahman to a Vaiṣṇava is considered spiritual suicide (even though the condition is also temporary)
However, such merging is only temporary and not permanent, even though the jiva-souls can stay there hovering inactively for a very, very long time, many millions of life time of Lord Brahma who lives for 311 trillion and 400 billion human years.
The dormant (inactive) jiva-souls in the Brahman effulgence eventually fall out of that inactive condition (impersonal Brahmajyoti) because the nature of the jiva-soul is to be ALWAYS active and have a reciprocal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
In fact, the jiva-souls can stay in the impersonal Brahmajyoti for so long that when they again awaken from their impersonal inactive slumber, they wrongly believe the impersonal Brahmajyoti is their origin when inactive they all come from Vaikuntha.
Srila Prabhupada - "The next question, about the living entities falling down in this material world are NOT from the impersonal brahman. Existence in the impersonal brahman is also within the category of non Krsna consciousness." (Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada - "Those who are in the brahman effulgence they 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. So long as one can maintain pure Krsna consciousness, he does not fall down. As soon as he becomes out of Krsna consciousness, immediately he has fallen down." (Letter to Revatinandana, Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
The jiva-souls forget they fell to that dormant condition in the impersonal brahman in the first place a long, long, long time ago that can equal quadrillions of life times of Lord Brahma who lives for 311 trillion and 40 billion human years.
The jiva-souls are NOT generated (originate) from some imaginary place or plane in outer space, OR from the impersonal Brahmajyoti because they have no origin, they have ALWAYS existed.
Being “generated” from the marginal plane does NOT mean the jiva-souls "originated" from some place in the Brahmajyoti (Spiritual Sky), including tatastha-sakt or from the Body of Maha-Visnu that are already fallen conditioned states the jiva-souls have fallen too.
Being "marginal" means the jiva-souls have the choice to be influenced by the spiritual energy, or the material energy-
1 - The jiva-souls nature position and full potential in the spiritual world is always being connected to the spiritual energy.
2 - Or by the material energy which is an unnatural or incompatible "conditioned state" the jiva-soul is in.
Srila Prabhupada - "As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness has now become polluted by the material atmosphere." (The Happening Hare Krsna record album, New York City, Dec 1966)
As said above, the real meaning of "marginal" means 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 - "Your question about one's relationship with Lord Krsna on Krsnaloka, does he ever fall down? The jiva-souls are endowed with minute independence as part of their nature and this minute independence may be utilized rightly or wrongly at anytime, so there is always a chance of falling down by misuse of one’s independence." (Letter to Jagadisa dasa, 4/25/1970)
Only the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) can express themselves in a seperate way from Krsna, including disageeing with Him if they choose, which means they have free will.
This is because all Visnu-tattva personalities ARE Krsna just playing unlimited roles in other ways in His own pastimes.
Mother Yasoda is not a jiva-soul, she is a direct expansion of Krsna (Visnu-tattva). In other words, just like Krsna is also Balarāma, and Radharani is also Krsna but in a different mood, Mother Yasoda is also an expansion of Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada - "Nanda and mother Yasoda are the eternal father and mother of Krsna. This means that whenever Krsna descends, Nanda and Yasoda, as well as Vasudeva and Devaki, also descend as the Lord's father and mother. Their personalities are expansions of Krsna's personal body." (SB, Canto 10 Ch 8 Text 48)
There are no new jiva-souls being created by Krsna, Maha-Visnu, or from the impersonal brahmajyoti.
The Spiritual Sky is always expanding because of the ever increasing pastimes of Krsna and Visnu.
The jiva-souls (marginal living entities) were NEVER created, they are beginningless and endless and have ALWAYS existed over infinity.
But sadly, many cannot understand these facts explained in Bhagavad Gita As It Is.
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)
Maha-Visnu does NOT create any jiva-souls, the jiva-souls go to Maha-Visnu after leaving Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, to acquire a material bodily vessel so they can enter the material creation in an attempt to experience their desires.
As said above, no jiva-souls originates from Maha-Visnu, nor does He create any jiva-souls as some wrongly teach.
The jiva-souls enter His body in a dormant condition after the annihilation of the material universes and reamian there until the next material creation.
It is important to understand there is no such thing as new jiva-souls being created because they have ALWAYS existed and were NEVER created as Bhagavad Gita As It Is explains-
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, Ch 2 Text 12)
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 "correct" 1983 edition)
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)
Only matter is temporary (like the material bodily vessel the jiva-soul is presently in), while the jiva-souls in the material bodily vessels are eternal and can NEVER cease to exist.
This means when the material vessels the jiva-soul are in breaks down due to disease, decay, old age or accidents, and ceases to function, the jiva-souls can no longer remain in that broken material body, and are forced to take another material bodily vessel in the womb of a new mother.
The jiva-souls also never lose their spiritual identity mentioned above when the outer covering or material body breaks down and decays (dies) and merges back into the oneness of material energy.
The jiva-soul NEVER dies but only vacates a material bodily vessels when it wear our and ceases to function (known as the death of the material body)
The individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities) were never created, each jiva-soul has no origin because they were never created as Chapter 2 text 12 and text 20 of Bhagavad Gita As It Is reveals above.
The jiva-souls contained in the "subtle" material body, (mind, intelligence, ego) are forced to continuously change "gross material bodies" because of the temporary decaying nature of matter.
Srila Prabhupada – "Regarding your questions where are the spirit souls coming from? These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha, but in these material worlds they are taking various grades of bodies according to their material activities. There is no new soul. New and old are due to this material body, but the soul is NEVER born and NEVER dies, so if there is no birth, so how there can be new soul?" (Letter to Jagadisa dasa 7/9/1970)
Srila Prabhupada - "The "immediate" expansions of the Lord are called svāṁśa or "personal direct" expansions (known as Visnu-tattva, where the Lord Himself plays a different role in His own pastimes). The "separated" expansions of the Krsna are called vibhinnāṁśa - (jiva-souls endowed with independence and free will) like us." (BG, Ch 10 Text 37, Purport)
The fact is, all jiva-souls are eternal without beginning or end so they have NO origin.
The marginal plane (also called tatastha-sakti along with many other names for the jiva-souls) is NOT some place of origin for the jiva-souls, rather, it is another name for the jiva-souls describing their position in the conditioned state in the material creation or impersonal Brahmajyoti.
What "condition" of existence does tatastha-sakti mean the jiva-souls are in?
Srila Prabhupada - "So this material world is the taṭastha (conditioned) characteristics, and the spiritual world is the "personal" characteristics. So our effort is to get out of this taṭastha-śakti (conditioned state) characteristics and to enter the permanent characteristics (Vaikuntha), 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, and when there is no more covering, that is brahma-bhūta stage. 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, that is māyā." (Lecture BG, Ch 7 text 4-5, Bombay, March 30, 1971)
The idea that the jiva-souls originate from tatastha-sakti is nonsense because the "marginal plane" (jiva-souls) DO NOT originate from anywhere or are created by Krsna because they are eternal like Krsna's is.
The marginal plane ARE the individual jiva-souls, there is NO origin for the jiva-souls (marginal living entities) as said above, the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) have no point of origin including from the impersonal Brahmajyoti, tatastha-sakti and the Body of Maha-Visnu.
The marginal plane or marginal living entities (individual jiva-souls) are expansions of Krsna who have ALWAYS existed WITHOUT beginning or end, just like the Sun-rays have always existed together with the Sun-disc.
Srila Prabhupada - "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)
The point made here is the jiva-souls are the same age as Kṛṣṇa, meaning there was no beginning to the jiva-soul's existence and will be no end, sometimes the jiva-souls live in the internal energy (anti-matter or spiritual energy) that is the jiva-soul's natural constitution, and sometimes they live in the external energy (matter) where the jiva-soul is covered by a material bodily vessel
The jiva-souls (marginal living entities) can NEVER exist independently from Krsna even though they can express their independent free will that Krsna provides for the purpose of allowing a "two-way" voluntary exchange of loving expressions, emotions and unique personal offerings.
The Sun-disc and the sun-rays CANNOT exist separately from each other, similarly Krsna cannot exist separately from the living entities (His parts and parcels)
Each "jiva-soul" (marginal living entity) is a one of a kind independent individual with their own unique personality and character different from other personalities including Kṛṣṇas.
No two individual jiva-souls are the same, and no jiva-souls can EVER become God (Krsna or Visnu) and also Siva.
Loving devotional service to Krsna is ALWAYS based on a "two-way" voluntary exchange of personal feelings, manifesting as loving acts of reciprocation between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees.
Such devotees (jiva-souls) "voluntarily" contribute their own unique expressions (offerings) of devotional service to Krsna in the spiritual worlds as the real meaning of "surrendering to Krsna's will" that does NOT deny the "free will" and individual expression of each jiva-soul.
Just like with the Sun-disc and the sun-rays (sunshine) there is no separation between the two, similarly Krsna (compared to the Sun-disc) and His marginal living entities or jiva-souls (compared to the sun-rays) can NEVER be separated.
The jiva-souls were NOT generated (created) from a "clear sheet of consciousness" either as some preach, because, as explained above, they have ALWAYS existed without beginning or end.
What is the original form of the jiva-soul?
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)
Devotee – "Is the original body of the jiva-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 as a flower, I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna, he becomes 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 Kṛṣṇa 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 (marginal living entities) can NEVER exist independently from Krsna, even though they CAN express their independent free will that Krsna provides for the purpose of allowing a "two-way" voluntary exchange of loving expressions, emotions and unique personal offerings between the jiva-souls and Kṛṣṇa.
There are five relationships the jiva-souls (marginal living entities) have with Krsna explained below.
Srila Prabhupada - "Love means you take and you give also. Suppose if you love somebody and you are simply taking 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 in return, that is simply exploitation." (Lecture BG, Ch 9 text 2-5, New York City, 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 by one. There must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then love." (Lecture SB, Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - "Their impersonalist philosophy is "oneness." So how there be love with just one? Is it possible? Have you got any such experience that love means one? No. Love means two. There MUST be two, the lover and the beloved. Kṛṣṇa is already lover. He loves you so much that He's trying to get you back. That is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, My dear boy, or My dear friend, My dear servant..." (Lecture SB, Canto 2 Ch 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)
A devotee has a relationship with Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes, in five different ways-
1. One may be a devotee in a passive state;
2. One may be a devotee in an active state;
3. One may be a devotee as a friend;
4. One may be a devotee as a parent;
5. One may be a devotee as a conjugal lover.''
Srila Prabhupada explains these 5 relationships in detail in His Books like "Nectar of Devotion."
A "PASSIVE" relationship (number one in above list) with Krsna in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, is an almost "inactive" position the jiva souls can CHOOSE according to their desires ("free will") such as-
cloud in the sky,
blade of grass,
tree,
rock or stone,
fence,
chair or bench,
flag pole and a flag
roadway,
chariot, etc
The point is, EVERYTHING is alive in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana, unlike the mundane dead material creation.
This means EVERYTHING from the shoes on your feet, to the clothes you wear, are all individual jiva-souls who have "shape-shifted" as that form because they have voluntarily chosen to play that particular role in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana.
This is called a "passive" relationship with Krsna.
The ORIGINAL eternal form of the jiva soul, is a body like Krsnas Prabhupada has said, two arms, two legs etc like Krsna has in Vṛndāvana.
This means the 4 armed bodily form the jiva-souls have in the Vaikuntha planets that looks like Visnu - Narayana Form is NOT the original form.
This also means ALL marginal living entities (jiva-souls) originate from Goloka-Vrindavana which is an eternal fully Kṛṣṇa Consciousness "active" abode Kṛṣṇa's eternal pastimes) meaning there is no origin.
Many jiva-souls CHOOSE to have a passive (inactive or idle) relationship with Krsna but it is NEVER impersonal.
This means they do not react visibly to something that might be expected of them, like outwardly manifesting emotions or feelings as a blade of grass or a chair that Krsna sits on.
Or like a flower or tree is only seen moving in the wind and outwardly showing no effection or passion, even though "inwardly" the jiva-soul, as that blade of grass or tree, is ecstatically and blissfully fully aware of Krsns’s personal presence, and Krsna is fully aware of those personalities as a blade of grass, a flower, a chair or a tree.
Many jiva-souls are therefore choose to be passive "living" objects in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana that do not involve visible reaction or active participation.
This is playing a passive or seemingly inactive role in God's Kingdom.
However, one should NOT confuse a "passive relationships" in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana with impersonal mundane "inactive nonsense" of the Mayavadis.
The fact is, Krsna's abode is full of diversity where the jiva-souls can voluntarily express various kinds of pure loving service to Krishna, from "active" service of being a Cow herd boy, to "inactive" service like being a flag on top of a flag pole or the pole.
These relationships with Krsna are also based on reciprocation and loving exchanges too, even if the jiva-souls manifest themselves as a cloud in the sky, or a bench for Krsna to sit on, or a plate for Krsna to eat off.
Just like we enjoy relationships with our families and society, so does Krsna. However, all of His relationships are eternal in Goloka Vrindavana as their Spiritual forms, completely free of material contamination and conditioning.
Each of Krsna’s jiva-soul's interacts with Him by their "free will" in one of five primary relationships as said above.
All jiva-souls are EQUALLY intimate with Krsna because in the spiritual world Kṛṣṇa treats them all equally with loving exchanges and responds to them individually based on their expression of love for Him.
All relationships with between Krsna and the jiva-souls are equally blissful, just like one may like a carnation flower while others like rose flower.
Loving relationships with Krsna, the jiva-souls can CHOOSE from different types.
These five are -
1 - Neutrality,
2 - Servitude,
3 - Friendship,
4 - Parental affection,
5 - And conjugal love.
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 as a flower, I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna, he becomes 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)
More intimate love of Krsna reaches its summit in romantic exchanges with Krsna, each devotee can choose to experience one of these main moods-
Devotees in the mood of "neutrality" choose to witness and support Krsna’s pastimes by their presence as plants, animals, streams, and so on, as well as normally inanimate objects like houses—all of which are fully conscious and alive in Goloka Vrindavan.
Devotees in the "service mood" choose to run errands for Krsna, pack His lunch, wash His clothes, and perform other acts of loving service for Him.
Devotees in the "fraternal mood" choose to serve Krsna by being His friends.
They are sometimes boastful, considering themselves equal to Krsna because they have no idea Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes, nor do they care.
In Krsna's company the cow herd boys and girls enjoy games in the beautiful country forest settings of Vṛndāvana.
Devotees who voluntarily choose to be in the "parental mood", see themselves as Krsna’s provider and protector.
Krsna behaves with them like a dependent child. His mother cuddles Him, carefully prepares His meals, and thinks only of His protection. His father sees that He has all the comforts of a normal home.
Devotees who choose to be in the "conjugal" (of whom many are also Visnu-tattva and NOT just jiva-souls) position, or romantic, mood offer service as Krsna’s girlfriends, relating with Him in the intimacy of lover and beloved.
Srila Prabhupada - "Regarding your question about our relationship with Srimati Radharani, She is the internal energy, we are marginal energy. 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; 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 - "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. Original Kṛṣṇa is ALWAYS in Vṛndāvana."
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) ×^^×
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