Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Krsna allows the individual jiva-souls (His dear devotees) to voluntarily express their "free will."

This is because Krsna wants to see unique independent willing contributions and expressions of love from His devotees that creates a "two-way" voluntary reciprocal exchange. Only then can genuine love exist.

Kṛṣṇa always allows personal individual contributions from His devotees who always have their own unique thoughtful offerings to contribute without any influence from Krsna. This is what independent "free will" really means regarding the individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities). 

A relationship with Krsna (God), where the individual devotees are always told what to do, how to think, how to act, and only obey without personal voluntary contributions (personal unique offerings to Krsna) and without intelligent inquiry and investigation, will only de-personalize the individual devotee's ability to voluntarily contribute to their relationship with Krsna, that will only deny a "two-sided" cooperation with Krsna and experience loving exchanges. 

This denial of a "two-way" relationship will only lead to making devotees and aspiring devotees impersonal "mindless," loveless "yes" men and women who never contribute to their "existence" with Krsna which means they 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)

Srila Prabhupāda – “Unless there are two persons in a two-way exchange of feelings, where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange. Giving something, taking something, feeding something and to eat something, and speaking everything, no secrecy, and to know everything of the other person. When these things are transacted, then there is love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there.” (Evening Darsana, Aug 9, 1976, Tehran)

The relationship with Krsna and His devotees in the spiritual world (The Kingdom of God) is never a “one-way or one-sided” mindless place where the devotee are "yes" men and women who are forced to think and act and only do what they are told to do in the in a bogus interpretation of surrender!

No, this kind of dangerous impersonal character destroying so called surrender only denies the individual devotees the freedom of self-expression and voluntary contributions, unique loving exchanges and individual expressions of loving emotions that can only be experienced in a cooperative "two-way" relationship with Krsna. 

Therefore, "free will" must eternally exist for Krsna's devotees because if Krsna denied "free will," then His devotees could not voluntarily express themselves in their own unique way, creating a "two-way" exclusive exchange with Krsna which is the only way that leads to transformations based on loving reciprocation and character building returns. This is also because love can only exist in a relationship of two, and never one.

In other words, Krsna allows "free will" so His dear devotees can uniquely express themselves in a loving way they choose, with their own unique individuality, by voluntarily offerings their own thoughtful contributions to Him.

Śrīla Prabhupāda – “Kṛṣṇa does not want His devotees to become a lover with Him at the point of revolver and forced to love Him, "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.)

Krsna wants His devotees to be personally creative and original in their independent voluntary personal contributions, friendship and service to Him in the spiritual world, and not be thoughtless, mindless and impersonal by only being told what to do and think under the  so called bogus heading of "surrendering" to Krsna.

In other words, Kṛṣṇa wants a voluntary "two-sided" open reciprocal cooperative contributing relationship of loving exchanges with His devotees which is the real meaning of surrender, where the devotee chooses to serve and express themselves in their own unique way as a separate independent individual from Krsna. Only then when personal contributions are encouraged by Krsna and voluntary offered by His devotees, does real surrender to Krsna become personalism.

The relationship with Krsna must be this way because love can never be experienced with just one, there must be an open "two-sided" reciprocal relationship between two, otherwise love can never exist. 

In this way, Krsna gave His devotees their freedom (free-will) so they can voluntarily choose to serve Him in unlimited creative ways, or even reject Him if they choose, this only proves Krsna has allowed free will.

Ultimately this is all Krsna's creation and how He manages it is entirely up to Him, the devotees having their freedom of self expression (free will) must be this way because Krsna knows if He never gave His devotees their independence or freedom of expression, then genuine loving voluntary exchanges, affection, reciprocation and cooperation in a open "two-way" exchange, could never exist, making Krsna no different from a dictatorial puppet master who manipulates and controls everything his puppets do and think.

Such a mindless totalitarian existence without "free will" (unique self expression that allows voluntary offerings to Krsna) is dangerous impersonalism. Therefore, Krsna's devotees (individual jiva-souls) are eternal independent free thinking thoughtful spiritual individual living PERSONS as originally a spiritual bodily perpetual form like Krsna's Bodily Form but can change to any bodily form they choose in the spiritual world.

Srila Prabhupada - "The individual jiva-soul's position in the spiritual world is always voluntary, some devotees choose to serve Krsna as flower; so they become flower there. If the devotee voluntarily choose to be a flower they shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna and become a flower, voluntarily. And the devotee can change from flower to any form they choose, including the human bodily form, 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, as a field, as a flagpole, as a chair, as a chariot etc, or as father, as mother, as friend, as beloved, anything. It is inconceivable, yet all a fact." (Based on Lecture SB, Canto 6 Ch 1 text 1-4, Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)

On the Vaikuntha planets and in Goloka Vrindavana, personal voluntary expressions of loving exchanges expressed through free will, are always encouraged by Krsna in His eternal relationship with His devotees that adds flavour, variety and mystery to the association and intimate relationship. This means the Kingdom of God is not a "one-sided" dominating impersonal domain devoid of free will (voluntary service and personal contributions) 

Such a "one-sided" dictatorial relationship does not allow personal contributions or offerings to God (Krsna) that are only found in a "two-way" relationship that expands, enrichs and flavours the devotees personal voluntary service to Krsna.

In an impersonal "one-sided" relationship, where a devotee is always told what to do, how to think and how to act, only denies the devotee's their individual God given ability of self expression that provides unique contributions and voluntary loving exchanges.

As said above, love or service is never a "one-sided" affiliate of total supremacy or pre-eminence in the spiritual world, love can only exist when there is a "two-way" cooperative exchange of loving emotions, feelings and actions.

The is because genuine loving relationships between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees are based on voluntary reciprocal exchanges and personal contributions between two, love can never be experienced by just one, there must be two engaging in cooperative loving exchanges!

The devotees have their personal offerings they want to serve and please Krsna with too, or they can even choose to reject Krsna if they want, this is the consequence of having free will.

Loving reciprocation is only possible on a "two-way" street between two, with each contributing to the relationship's expansion of nectarine mellows.

The words "reciprocation cooperation and exchanges" only have meaning when there are two involved, not one! 

The individual jiva-souĺs (devotees) have their choices too, even if that sometimes means rejecting Krsna and doing their own thing in the temporary material world meant also for those who reject Krsna.

The individual devotees in their full potential on the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana, are forever positively re-inventing themselves by always choosing how to continuously increase their variety of devotional voluntary service to Krsna or Visnu.

This is achieved by forever positively discovering a variety of ways to expand their individual expressions of personal offerings and affection to Krsna in their perpetual unique relationship with Him.

Srila Prabhupada – “Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force, no, Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!” (Washington DC July 8, 1976)

As said above, real love (service) is always a "two-way" cooperative exchange between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees and can never exist on a “one-way" impersonal path because love can only exists when "two" are involved in voluntary reciprocal contributing loving exchanges.

Srila Prabhupada – “The 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)

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)

The relationship with Krsna in the spiritual world (The Kingdom of God) is never a “one-way or one-sided” mindless place where the devotee is "forced" to think and act what they are only told, denying personal voluntary contributions, unique loving exchanges and an individual expression of loving emotions experienced in a cooperative "two-way" relationship. 

Such a loveless stagnant unproductive one-sided mindless relationship of only obeying, is like machines on a factory floor devoid of life, where personal thoughtful individual unique contributions (life) is denied and rejected. 

Therefore, without a voluntary loving reciprocal "two-sided" cooperative exchange with God, only means the deluded devotee's "so called surrender" to his so called God, is really on the path of dangerous loveless spiritual suicidal impersonalism. 

This impersonal Kingdom of God, explained above, attained under the bogus heading of so called surrender to Krsna, must be rejected and seen as dangerous mayavadi teachings that will only extinguish the devotees unique personality, sense of independent self, and individual contributions under the bogus name of "surrender." 

Such a fool God and his useless Gurus and spiritual masters demand you surrender your "free will" and individuality and just be told what to do and think.

The individual devotee's relationship with Krsna is always personally voluntarily productive, based on "free will" that allows a variety of personal unique creative voluntary contributions (offering) in an unlimited diversity of services to Krsna, only then can genuine loving exchanges with Krsna exist that expand the relationship on a two-way front.

Śrīla Prabhupāda – “Love means "two-persons," 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, then these things must be there.” (Aug 9, 1976, Tehran)

Personal voluntarily self chosen contributions offered by Krsna's devotees, are different from Krsna's shower of loving affection to His devotees, putting the relationship on a "two-way" street of loving exchanges.

The relationship between Krsna and His devotees are eternally a "two-way" mystery of exchanges that only further enriches, intensifies and expands loving expressions and affection between the devotees and Krsna.

Such personal unique contributions from the individual devotee's independent expressions, coming from their independent execution of free will, forever expands their personal ability to make voluntary offerings to Krsna in the spiritual world that forever increase their loving emotions for Krsna in a healthy "two-way" exchange of loving reciprocation.

Krsna encourages His dear pure devotees to be personally creative, inventive and original in their self expression, offerings, contributions, cooperation, friendship and service to Him, by being the individual unique productive independent person each devotee is.

This does not mean the devotee changes the basic teachings of the Krsna consciousness movement, no, those teachings are strictly followed in the foot steps of the great Acharyas. 

It only means presenting those eact same teachings in the devotees own unique way like Srila Prabhupada did when he left the Gaudiya Math, his Spiritual Master's organisation, and created his own world wide ISKCON movement in 1966 (The International Society for Krishna Consciousness) 

The individual jiva-souls are eternal living PERSONS as a spiritual bodily form who can never be destroyed, cut into pieces, terminated or extinguished, the individual jiva-souls are indestructible. 

There is no origin to Krsna's marginal energy, an unlimited number of individual jiva-souls, who have all existed for as long as Krsna has existed, which is eternity.

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 - "As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change." (BG, Ch 2 text 13)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "O son of Kuntī, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed." (BG, Ch 2 text 14)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "O best among men [Arjuna], the person who is not disturbed by happiness and distress and is steady in both is certainly eligible for liberation." (BG, Ch 2 text 15)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "Those who are seers of the truth have concluded that of the nonexistent [the material body] there is no endurance and of the eternal [the soul] there is no change. This they have concluded by studying the nature of both." (BG, Ch 2 text 16)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "That which pervades the entire body you should know to be indestructible. No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul." (BG, Ch 2 text 17)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - “The material body of the indestructible, immeasurable and eternal living entity is sure to come to an end; therefore, fight, O descendant of Bharata." (BG, Ch 2 text 18)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "Neither he who thinks the living entity the slayer nor he who thinks it slain is in knowledge, for the self slays not nor is slain." (BG, Ch 2 text 19)

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 - "O Pārtha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, eternal, unborn and immutable kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?" (BG, Ch 2 text 21)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." (BG, Ch 2 text 22)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapon, nor burned by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind." (BG, Ch 2 text 23)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "This individual soul is unbreakable and insoluble, and can be neither burned nor dried. He is everlasting, present everywhere, unchangeable, immovable and eternally the same." (BG, Ch 2 text 24)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "It is said that the soul is invisible, inconceivable and immutable. Knowing this, you should not grieve for the body." (BG, Ch 2 text 25)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "If, however, you think that the soul [or the symptoms of life] is always born and dies forever, you still have no reason to lament, O mighty armed." (BG, Ch 2 text 26)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament."  (BG, Ch 2 text 27)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "All created beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their interim state, and unmanifest again when annihilated. So what need is there for lamentation?" (BG, Ch 2 text 28)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him, cannot understand him at all." (BG, Ch 2 text 29)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "O descendant of Bharata, he who dwells in the material body can never be slain. Therefore, you need not grieve for any living being." (BG, Ch 2 text 30)

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, 9 July 1970)

Nothing can operate or exist separate from Krsna, not even a blade of grass can move without the will of the Lord because Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cause of all causes and proprietor of all things.

So, how does free will fit into Krsna ultimate control of all things? And further more, how is it that the individual jiva-souls can express themselves independently from Krsna when ultimately all of Krsna's creation is under His control?

Paradoxically the individual jiva-souls have always been able to express themselves in their own unique distinctive way under Krsna's blessing. 

Krsna allows this independent nature just so His devotees can voluntarily act independently, creating a two-sided relationship with Krsna. This means the individual jiva-souls can act in anyway they choose, for or against the desires of Kṛṣṇa.

In this way, the individual jiva-souls can always express themselves in their own unique distinctive way, separate from being controlled by Krsna the way a puppet master controls his puppets. 

Krsna allows this freedom because he knows a one-sided none contributing dictatorial relationship is loveless. This is why Krsna allows a "two-way" constructive cooperative voluntary relationship based on loving exchanges between Krsna and His devotees.  

Krsna knows that without this freedom of expression there can never be any loving exchanges or a voluntary cooperative reciprocal relationship between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. 

Genuine loving exchanges can never exist for the pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa if their association with Krsna, the Supreme Lord, was not voluntary in a "two-way" relationship based on mutual reciprocation and respect.

Srila Prabhupada - "The individual jiva-soul's position in the spiritual world is always voluntary, some devotees choose to serve Krsna as flower; so they become flower there. If the devotee voluntarily choose to be a flower they shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna and become a flower, voluntarily. And the devotee can change from flower to any form they choose, including the human bodily form, 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, as a field, as a flagpole, as a chair, as a chariot etc, or as father, as mother, as friend, as beloved, anything. It is inconceivable, yet all a fact." (Based on Lecture SB, Canto 6 Ch 1 text 1-4, Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)

Respect must go both ways in a reciprocal loving relationship with Krsna in order to have genuine exchanges, loving reciprocation and unique voluntary service.

Krsna gave His devotees (individual jiva-souls) their freedom (free-will) so they can voluntarily choose to accept Kṛṣṇa, or even reject Him if they choose. 

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 dasa - "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 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." (Discussion on Rene Descartes philosophy)

It must be this way because Krsna knows if He never gave the devotees their freedom (free will) then genuine loving exchanges could never exist and Krsna would be no different from a puppet master who manipulates and controls everything his puppets do and think.^//^. 

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