Understanding the three Viṣṇus who are the proprietors and maintainers of the material world.

The material creation is made up of unlimited massive Brahmanda material universes that includes the individual jiva-soul's temporary material bodily vessels that they "hire" from Maha-Visnu [Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu]) while visiting His temporary material creation.

Srimad Bhagavatam - "Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, the elements, the material ego, the modes of nature, the senses, the universal form of the Lord, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving." (SB, Canto 2 Ch 6 text 42, Translation)

Srila Prabhupāda - "That the material creation is not permanent has been discussed many times hereinbefore. The material creation is but a temporary exhibition of the material energy of the Almighty God. This material manifestation is necessary to give a chance to the conditioned souls who are unwilling to associate with the Lord in the relationship of loving transcendental service. 

Such unwilling conditioned souls are not allowed to enter into the liberated life of spiritual existence because at heart they are not willing to serve. Instead, they want to enjoy themselves as imitation Gods. The living entities are constitutionally eternal servitors of the Lord, but some of them, because of misusing their independence, do not wish to serve; therefore they are allowed to enjoy the material nature, which is called māyā, or illusion. 

It is called illusion because the living beings under the clutches of māyā are not factually enjoyers, although they think that they are, being illusioned by māyā. Such illusioned living entities are given a chance at intervals to rectify their perverted mentality of becoming false masters of the material nature, and they are imparted lessons from the Vedas about their eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15).

So, the temporary creation of the material manifestation is an exhibition of the material energy of the Lord, and to manage the whole show the Supreme Lord incarnates Himself as the Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu just as a magistrate is deputed by the government to manage affairs temporarily. This Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu causes the manifestation of material creation by looking over His material energy (sa aikṣata). 

In the first volume of Srimad Bhagavatam we have discussed to some extent the explanation of the verse jagṛhe pauruṣaṁ rūpam. The duration of the illusory play of material creation is called a kalpa, and we have already discussed the creation's taking place in kalpa after kalpa. 

By His incarnation and potential activities, the complete ingredients of creation, namely time, space, cause, result, mind, the gross and subtle elements and their interactional modes of nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—and then the senses and their reservoir source, the gigantic universal form as the second incarnation Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and all living beings, both moving and standing, which come out of the second incarnation, all became manifested. 

Ultimately, all these creative elements and the creation itself are but potential manifestations of the Supreme Lord; nothing is independent of the control of the Supreme Being. This first incarnation in the material creation, namely Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu, is the plenary part of the original Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, described in the Brahma-saṁhitā (BS 5.38) as follows-

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya

jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ

viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

All the innumerable universes are maintained only during the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu, or Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu, who is only a plenary part of Govinda, the original Personality of Godhead Lord Kṛṣṇa." (SB, Canto 2 Ch 6 text 42, Purport)

Understanding the three Viṣṇus who maintain the massive Brahmanda material worlds and their inner secondary worlds deep inside them. 

This also includes the individual jiva-souls (the marginal eternal entities) material bodily vessels they "hire" from Maha-Visnu so they can live in the secondary material universe inside the Brahmanda universe.  

1 - Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu (Maha-Visnu)

2 - Garbhodakaśāyī Visnu (Hiraņyagarbha) 

3 - Ksirodakaśāyī Visnu (Paramātmā, Supersoul)

Maha-Visnu (Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu) is an expansion of Balarama, the first expansion of Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.

Krsna is the Supreme individual Person as a spiritual bodily form with two-arms, two-legs etc as His eternal appearance. All marginal living entities (jiva-souls) in their original position (bodily form), are also in His image Srila Prabhupāda explains.

Devotee – "Is the original body of the spirit soul a human form?"

Srila Prabhupada – "Yes, human form, God is also human form - "Man is made after the shape of God," I think there is in the Bible, is it not? So God is also like human form. Here you see Krsna, two hands, two legs."

Hari-sauri Dasa – "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. Some devotees want to serve Krsna as flower; so they become flower there. If I want that, 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, 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 - "God is also an individual person as you are individual person, I am an individual person, but the difference between God and you and me is this, that you know your business, I know my business, but God knows everyone's business! That is the difference." (Lecture Melb, Australia April 3, 1972)

Some individual jiva-souls in the spiritual world (less than 10%) choose to give up being the Lord's servant and associate as being nitya-siddha (liberate) in the Lord’s service on the Vaikuntha planets and on Goloka-Vrindavana and become nitya-baddha (a conditioned state outside the spiritual world) by entering the material creation.  

Fall down of the individual jiva-souls to the material creation means their status of being nitya-siddha (eternally liberated only while in the spiritual world, or voluntarily preaching in the material world representing Kṛṣṇa) changes to being nitya-baddha (eternally conditioned only while in the material world and impersonal brahmajyoti)

Therefore, by choosing to reject Krsna and enter the material creation, those individual jiva-souls are no longer nitya-siddha, they are now known as nitya-baddha.

The nitya-baddha conditioned state means the individual jiva-souls have rejected Viṣṇu or Krsna, only then do the individual jiva-souls fall to the nitya-baddha conditioned state in the material world after giving up their perpetual nitya-siddha Krsna consciousness natural original status (eternally liberated) In the spiritual world.  

However, one can again become nitya-siddha (eternally liberated in the Lord’sservice) by returning back home back to Godhead.

It is an incorrect belief that nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha were created as two separate categories of the individual jiva-soul, one in the material world, the other in the spiritual world.

No, there is only one category of jiva-soul who can be either nitya-siddha (liberated in the Lord’s service), or nitya-baddha (conditioned actively in the material world or inactive in impersonal brahmajyoti). 

This belief claiming there are two separate classes of individual jiva-souls is nonsense and impersonalism because all individual jiva-souls are originally nitya-siddha as their full spiritual potential. However, due to free will, the individual jiva-souls can become nitya-baddha if they choose to reject Krsna.

Even though we are now nitya-baddha (in the material creation of repeated birth and death) we are actually originally nitya-siddha in our infinite position with Krsna or Visnu in the spiritual world, because that is the individual jiva-soul's eternal natural constitution as the marginal living entity of Kṛṣṇa (individual jiva-souls).

We just have to again realize these facts Srila Prabhupada explains-

Srila Prabhupada - "In the broader sense everyone comes from Krsnaloka. When one forgets Krsna he is conditioned (nitya-baddha), when one remembers Krsna he is liberated (nitya-siddha)." (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)

Srila Prabhupada - "There are two kinds of marginal living entities: nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha. The actual constitutional position of every marginal living entity is nitya-siddha. By following the rules and regulations and instructions of the spiritual master, he can become AGAIN nitya-siddha. So the Krsna consciousness movement is to make the nitya baddhas AGAIN nitya-siddha." (New York City Lecture CC, July 13, 1976)

Srila Prabhupada - "Nitya-baddhas are within this material world. Beginning from Brahma down to a small ant, insignificant ant, they are all nitya-baddha. Anyone who is in this material world they are nitya-baddha." (Lecture BG, July 14, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - "By following the rules and regulations and instructions of the spiritual master, he can also become siddha. He can become again nitya-siddha. So the Krsna consciousness movement is to make the nitya-baddhas AGAIN nitya-siddha, it is a difficult task." (London lecture BG, July 14, 1973)

The original spiritual form of the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) is not some nonsense impersonal inactive "spark" in Krsna's effulgence (impersonal Brahmajyoti) that is only attained when the individual jiva-souls are in a fallen condition outside the spiritual world's of the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana.

As said above, the individual jiva-souls are originally (and Infinitely) a two armed bodily (vigraha) form like Krsna's Bodily Form Prabhupada has explained. Like Krsna, the individual jiva-souls are beginning less and endless like Krsna is.

The individual jiva-souls are eternal spiritual living PERSONS as a spiritual bodily FORM who can never be destroyed, terminated or extinguished, the individual jiva-souls are indestructible. As said above, there was no beginning point to the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) existence, nor will there be an end as Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 explains. 

Srila Prabhupada – "There are no new souls, new and old are due to this material body, but the individual 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 Oct 1970)

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)

As made clear above Srila Prabhupada explains the individual jiva-souls were never created meaning they have always existed – "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, July 9, 1970)

The individual jiva-souls can fall to an inactive or dormant state called the impersonal Brahmajyoti, but they certainly did not originate from there or can eternally remain there.

Srila Prabhupada - ''Existence in the impersonal brahmajyoti 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 dasa, LA 13 June, 1970)

Even entering the impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahman is also only a temporary relief for the eternal jiva-souls who enter there to escape the suffering and pain of being embodied in the material world and trapped in the cycle of repeated birth and death.

The implications of living for infinity means the individual jiva-soul can, over the eternity of time, be anyone and almost every bodily vessel there is over eternity. There is no limitations to what the individual jiva-souls can experience in the material world.

The implications of "infinity" are mind blowing because over infinity, the individual jiva-souls can possess any material bodily form they choose if they remain in the material world. 

All individual jīva-souls are eternal persons in the spiritual and material worlds therefore, there are no new jiva-souls being created because they have always existed, meaning they are beginningless and endless.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "The 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)

Srila Prabhupada – "God (Krsna) is also human form. Man is made in the shape of Krsna, two hands, two legs." (SB, Canto 6 Ch 1 text 1-4, Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)

Infinitely all individual jiva-souls are originally nitya-siddha (eternally liberated in the spiritual world) in their natural eternal position. Although over infinity, a small minority of individual jiva-souls fall to being nitya-baddha (conditioned outside the spiritual world) Prabhupada explains.

The individual jiva-souls only become nitya-baddha (temporarily entering the eternal conditioned state) when they enter the material creation and the impersonal (inactive) Brahmajyoti.

Balarama is the first expansion of Lord Krsna who the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes. This means Krsna is the origin of all Narayana and Visnu forms of the Lord (God)

Within each Brahma's universe, the millions of demigods such as Indra, Yamaraj, Vayu etc, as well as all the material bodily vessels that all the other visiting jiva-souls possess, are part and parcel of Maha-Visnu's dreaming of the material creation going on within each of the different material secondary universes found deep within their outer Brahmandas universal covering.

Maha-Visnu creates all the material bodily vessels or containers that are eventually "hired" by all the visiting jiva-souls who have chosen to leave Vaikuntha and foolishly enter the mundane decaying material creation, which is 1/4 of the Brahmajyoti or Spiritual Sky.

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 9 July 1970)   

What does the individual jiva-souls being "marginal living entities" mean?

The marginal platform or plane means the eternal individual jiva-souls belong to that category of living entities who are influenced by either the spiritual energy, or material energy eternally), explained as follows by Prabhupada.

The marginal living entities (individual jiva-souls) are Krsna's "separated" energy (expansions) who have 50 qualities of Krsna's 64 qualities which is 78.125% of Krsna's attributes.

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 (marginal living entities or jiva-souls endowed with independence and free will) like us." (BG, Ch 10 text 37, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "The individual jiva-souls are Krsna's 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 (individual 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 - "You are also energy; you are marginal energy (individual jiva-souls) Marginal energy means the individual 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)

Srila Prabhupada - "The individual jiva-souls are marginal energy. Marginal energy means the individual 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)

As said above, the word "marginal" simply means the individual jiva-souls exist sometimes under the influence of the spiritual energy, or sometimes under the material energy due to their free will.

Srila Prabhupada - "The individual 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 BG, Ch 9 text 4 Melb, Australia April 23, 1976)

Srila Prabhupada - "The individual 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 to the material 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 - "Every living being has a particular relationship with the Lord eternally, That is called svarupa. By the process of devotional service, one can revive that svarupa, and that stage is called svarupa-siddhi-perfection of one’s constitutional position." (B.G. As It Is, Introduction)

Srila Prabhupada - "Originally the marginal living entities or jiva-souls are nitya-siddha which means eternally liberated because their real eternal home is the spiritual world." (SB, Canto 7 Ch 9 text 4, Mayapur, Feb 18, 1977)

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)

No individual jiva-souls originate from the material creation, Maha-Visnu, the impersonal (dormant inactive) Brahmajyoti (Brahman) or tatastha-sakti. All the above are a "fallen conditions" achieved only after leaving the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana.  

Revatīnandana dasa - "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 dasa - "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)

All individual jiva-souls originate directly from a Vaikuntha planet or Goloka-Vrindavana, their natural perpetual home where they have a bodily form like Krsnas Visnu, and can choose to appear in other spiritual forms too. Krsna also never interferes with the jiva-soul's free will, even if they choose to reject Him.

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 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, it is bad, but still he does it. That is free will. He cannot check his greediness, so in spite of his knowing that he is doing wrong thing—he will be punished, he knows; he has seen another thief, he was punished, he was put into prison— everything he knows, but still he steals. Why? Misuse of free will. Unless there is misuse of free will, there is no question of free will." (Discussions with Prabhupada on Rene Descartes philosophy)

Srila Prabhupada - "We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago." (Lecture BG, Aug, 6, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - "These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha." (Letter to Jagadisa dasa, 1970)

However, sadly there are some religious groups and their nonsense teachings, especially in India, polluted with Impersonalism and voidism, who cannot understand the above comments from Prabhupada. The full potential and the highest position of the jiva-souls are-

1 - Sat - eternity 

2 - Chit - knowledge 

3 - Ananda - bliss

4 - Vigraha - eternal spiritual bodily form

Maha-Visnu in His material creation lays down in the causal ocean or the Karanodak, He then impregnate seeds of this material creation into Mahā-māyā by glancing at her.

All individual jiva-souls resting in the Body of Maha-Visnu,  have originally come from the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana, Maha-Visnu does not create any individual jiva-souls.

The fact is, like Maha-Visnu, the individual jiva-souls were never created, they have always existed as Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter two teaches. 

Mahā-māyā remains the ever obedient material energy of the Supreme Lord. Maha-Visnu creates all the material "gross" elements-

1 - Sky,

2 - Fire,

3 - Water,

4 - Air,

5 - Earth,

These material elements are created along with "subtle" matter

6 - Mind,

7 - Intelligence,

8 - False ego.

After this, Maha-Visnu enters each of the larger universes known as a Brahmandas, that originate from the pores of His Body, as Garbhodaksayi Visnu, who lays down deep inside each surrounding Brahmanda material universe, within a secondary smaller universe  inside it.

Garbhodakasayi Visnu is an expansion of Maha-Visnu, there are billions of Garbhodakashayi Visnus and Lord Brahmas but only one Maha-Visnu (Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu) in the material creation (1/4 of the Spiritual Sky).

All jiva-souls (marginal living entities) are individual independent living entities who can choose to enter this material creation, to the smaller material universe that exists with all its 14 planetary systems in the stem growing from the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu who are all encased deep inside the surrounding Brahmanda universe.

From Garbhodaksayi Visnu emerges Brahma who is the secondary creator within His secondary universe that is deep inside the outer surrounding Brahmanda universe.

Garbhodakaśāyī Visnu is an expansion of Mahā-Visnu (Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu) As said above, in Gaudīya Vaisnavism the Sātvata-tantra describes three different forms of Visnu. Material nature is called prakṛti, an energy of the Lord.

Srila Prabhupada - "The science of God analyzes the constitutional position of God and His diverse energies. Material nature is called prakṛti, or the energy of the Lord in His different puruṣa incarnations (expansions) as described in the Sātvata-tantra-

viṣṇos tu trīṇi rūpāṇi

puruṣākhyāny atho viduḥ

ekaṁ tu mahataḥ sraṣṭṛ

dvitīyaṁ tv aṇḍa-saṁsthitam

tṛtīyaṁ sarva-bhūta-sthaṁ

tāni jñātvā vimucyate

"For material creation, Lord Kṛṣṇa's plenary expansion assumes three Viṣṇus-

1 - Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu (Maha-Visnu), creates the total material energy, known as the mahat-tattva. 

2 - Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, enters into all the universes to create diversities in each of them. 

3 - Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, is diffused as the all-pervading Supersoul in all the universes and is known as Paramātmā. He is present even within the atoms. Anyone who knows these three Viṣṇus can be liberated from material entanglement." (BG, Ch 7 text 4, Purport)

Each of these Visnu-tattva form, who manage the material creation, has a different role in the maintenance of the universe and its inhabitants.

1 - The first expansion in the material creation, Lord Krsna’s plenary expansion assumes three Visnus. The first, Mahā-Viṣṇu (Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu), creates the total material energy, known as the mahat-tattva and all the many "Brahmanda" universes as seen in painting below.

2 - The second, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, enters deep inside of each of these massive Brahmanda  universes, reaching its center, and then creates an inner secondary universe with its planetary systems and all its diversities.

3 - The third, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Visnu, is diffused as the all-pervading super-soul in all the universes; He is in the heart of every living beings, and is known as Paramātmā. He is present even within the atoms Prabhupada has explained.

The real objective of meditation in Yoga is attain service to Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.

Garbhodhakaśāyī Visnu is also realized as the form of Pradyumna within the material universe who the father of Brahmā who appeared from His navel and hence Garbhodakashayi Visnu is also called Hiraņyagarbha.

There are billions of Brahmanda universes all originating from the Bodily skin pores and breathing of Maha-Visnu. 

Inside each Brahmanda universe, is a secondary smaller universe where Garbhodakashayi Visnu, Lord Brahma, the many demigods and all the different planetary systems are found. 

This inner material universe, is surrounded and encased by the outer Brahmanda universe's 7 massive material layers.

The names of the 14 material planetary systems are also below in photo, just in our single material universe, which is situated deep within our surrounding massive Brahmanda are called-

1 -Satya-loka

2 - Tapa-loka

3 - Jana-loka

4 - Mahar-loka

5 - Svar-loka

6 - Bhuva-loka

7 - Bhur-loka (our earth globe realm)

8 - Atala-loka

9 - Vital-loka

10 - Sutala-loka

11 - Talatala-loka

12 - Mahatala-loka

13 - Rasatala-loka

14 - Patala-loka

The material creation has unlimited Brahmanda universes coming from the Body of Maha-Visnu (Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu)

Each massive Brahmanda universe has their own "secondary inner material universe" deep inside them surrounded by the Brahmanda universe.

The diameter of the massive Brahmanda material universes varies however, the Brahmanda our material universe is in, is 44 quadrillion 444 trillion 444 billion miles in diameter, or double that size if the measurement is taken from the outer edge of our inner material universe.

The material elements separating the outer circumference of the Brahmanda from the inner secondary material universe inside the Brahmanda are-

1 - Sky,

2 - Fire,

3 - Water,

4 - Air,

5 - Earth,

6 - Mind,

7 - Intelligence,

8 - False ego.

The accumulated massive size of these 8 material elements together is 44 quadrillion 444 trillion 444 billion miles in diameter. 

Each "secondary material universe" with its massive Brahmanda has their own number of planetary system, that are different sizes, ours has 14 different planetary systems mentioned above.

All individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities) are eternal personalities as spiritual bodily forms who are beginningless and endless like Krsna.

The spiritual body of the eternal individual jiva-soul is always a bodily form.

Srila Prabhupada - "An individual spiritual body is not formless; it is a different type of body, of which we cannot conceive with our present mundane material senses." (SB, Canto 2 Ch 9 text 32, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "God is also an individual person as you are individual person, I am individual person, but the difference between God and you and me is this, that you know your business, I know my business, but God knows everyone's business. That is the difference." (Lecture Melb, Australia April 3, 1972) 

Srila Prabhupada - "Free will means that you can act wrongly if you choose, 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, 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." (Excerpt: Discussions on Rene Descartes philosophy)

All individual jiva-souls are eternal personalities as a spiritual bodily form, who are beginningless and endless like Krsna. 

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)

Because of free will, a small minority of individual jiva-souls choose to enter the temporary material world, coming from their real perpetual home on the Vaikuntha planets of Visnu, or from Krsna's Abode of Goloka Vrindavana.

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)

The individual jiva-souls have no origin to their existence because they have always existed. 

This means they did not originate from an already fallen condition like the impersonal (dormant) brahmajyoti, or from the Body of Maha-Visnu who created the material world that includes all material bodily vessels the visiting individual jiva-souls from the spiritual world, "hire" off Him so they can enter the temporary material world. 

Every material bodily vessel in the material creation must be first "hired" from Maha-Visnu who owns them all.

The visiting individual jiva-souls who enter the material creation, must first obtain (hire) a material bodily vessel from Maha-Visnu's dreams. Every temporary material bodily vessel in the material creation are "hired" from Maha-Visnu who owns them all.

Srila Prabhupada - "We are not the owner of this body, not the owner of the senses. The senses are "hired" from the Supreme Lord. This is very subtle understanding, one should know the proprietor of the senses is God." (March 1966 NY City USA)

Each individual jiva-soul (devotee) in the spiritual world can "choose" to "voluntarily" serve Krsna in an unlimited variety of ways as an unlimited variety of spiritual bodily forms of their choose, or even reject Krsna if they choose and enter or return to the impermanent material world, or fall even futher to the inactive (dormant) impersonal brahmajyoti.

Srila Prabhupada - "Dormant continuation (existing inactively) in the impersonal brahmajyoti by the individual jiva-souls trying to escape the repeated birth and death of the material world, is not spiritual, it is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those in the impersonal brahmajyoti are already in a fallen condition that they had previously fallen too, so there is no question of falling down from an already fallen condition like the impersonal brahmajyoti. When fall takes place it means falling down from the non-fallen condition, and that non-fallen condition are the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana." (Letter to Revatinandana dasa, July 1970)

All the material bodily vessels in the material world belong to Maha-Visnu and must be aquired from Him in order to enter the material world.

However, all such material bodily vessels are temporary and subject to constant decline, decay and always in need of constant maintenance, nothing made of temporary matter lasts forever in the material world, everything is always in a constant state of decomposition or decay.

This causes the eternal individual jiva-souls within those material bodies, who are visiting from the spiritual worlds as passengers in those bodily vessels, to continue taking birth after birth in the material world and continue trying to satisfy their desires and material senses.

The temporary material world is created and maintained by Krsna's expansion's 

1 - Karanarnavasayi Visnu (Maha-Visnu), who creates all the unlimited massive Brahmanda universes. 

2 - Garbhodakashayi Visnu (Hiraņyagarbha) who creates a "secondary material universe" inside the massive surrounding Brahmanda universe.

3 - Ksirodakasayi Visnu (Paramatma or Super Soul) who resides next to every marginal living entity (jiva-soul) within what ever material bodily vessel they take out of the 8 million 400 species of material life.

Srila Prabhupada - "For material creation, Krsna's plenary expansion assumes three Visnus. The first, Mahā Viṣṇu, creates the total material energy, known as the mahat-tattva. The second, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, enters into all the universes to create diversities and the third, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Visnu, is diffused as the all-pervading super soul in all the universes; in the heart of every living being, is known as Paramātmā. He is present even within the atoms.The goal of life is to know Kṛṣṇa, who is situated within the heart of every living being as Paramātmā, the four-handed Viṣṇu form." (BG, Ch 7 text 4 Purport)

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, July 9, 1970)

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)

1 - The eternal individual jiva-souls being "marginal" have the choice to be influenced by the "active" spiritual energy which is the individual jiva-souls natural constitutional position and full potential in the spiritual world 

2 - Or they can choose to be influenced by the material energy, an unnatural conditioned position the individual jiva-soul falls too. There the conditioned individual jiva-souls remain "active" in conditional material life, covered by the temporary repeated cycle of birth and death.

3 -  Or the fallen condition jiva-souls can fall further by seeking out an "inactive" dormant conditional state in the impersonal brahmajyoti to escape the suffering and pain of being embodied in the material world and trapped in the cycle of repeated birth and death.

The individual jiva-souls can fall to an inactive or dormant state called the impersonal brahmajyoti, but they certainly did not originate from there or can eternally remain there.

Entering the impersonal brahmajyoti or brahman is also only a temporary relief for the eternal jiva-souls who enter there to escape the suffering and pain of being embodied in the material world and trapped in the cycle of repeated birth and death.

The implications of existing as an individual life force for infinity means the individual jiva-soul can, over the eternity of time, be anyone and almost every material bodily vessel there is over that eternity.  

There is no limitations to what the eternal individual jiva-souls can experience in the material world because the stage is infinite and the individual jiva-souls are indestructible and therefore will always exist.

As said above, the meaning of "marginal" means the eternal individual jiva-souls can choose to be influenced by either the spiritual energy (their natural constitution position), or the material energy (there unnatural fallen condition) based on their free will.

There is no origin to the individual jiva-souls who are eternal parts and parcel of Krsna and just as old as Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada – "The individual 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 individual jiva-souls are also permanent because they are individual personalities from the permanent spiritual world as Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 reveals." (Based on comments Prabhupada made in Melbourne Australia 1976)

Srila Prabhupada - "Free will means that you can act wrongly if you choose, 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." (Excerpt: Discussions on Rene Descartes philosophy)

Srila Prabhupada - "God is also an individual person as you are individual person, I am individual person, but the difference between God and you and me is this, that you know your business, I know my business, but God knows everyone's business. That is the difference." (Lecture Melb, Australia April 3, 1972) 

The Pancha Tattva. In Vaishnavism, the Pancha Tattva are five expansions of Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. These expansions have appeared on Earth in the late 15th century.

The five are-

1 - Lord Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is the combination of Sri Radharani and Krsna in the one spiritual bodily Form, playing the role of Krsna's devotee.

2 - Lord Nityananda is Krsna's older brother Balarama which is the first expansion of Krsna from whom all Visnu tattva expansion expand from.

3 - Sri Advaita Acharya is Maha-Visnu and Visnu-tattva.

4 - Sri Gadadhara Pandit is Srimati Radharani who is the incarnation of devotional energy and Krsna's internal potency or energy.

5 - Sri Srivasa represents the "marginal living entities" or energy known as jiva-tattva (individual jiva-souls) who is also Naradha Muni.

(jaya) sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi gaura bhakta vrnda

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Lord Krsna enjoys by manifesting Himself as the Spiritual Masters, the devotees, the diverse energies, the incarnations and the plenary portions in the form of the Panca-Tattva.

The Panca-Tattva are all five in one. I, therefore, worship the lotus feet of these five diversities of the one truth, the Panca-Tattva, by invoking their benedictions.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the spiritual masters, the devotees of the Lord, the Lord’s incarnations, His plenary portions, His energies and the primeval Lord Himself, Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami)

1 - Sri Krsna Caitanya,

2 - Prabhu Nityananda,

3 - Sri Advaita,

4 - Gadadhara,

5 - Srivasa.

Sri Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami in the Caitanya Caritamrita describes them as follows-

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Spiritually, there are no differences between these five tattvas, for on the transcendental platform everything is absolute. Yet, there are also varieties in the spiritual world, and in order to taste these spiritual varieties, one should distinguish between them." (C.C.Adi 7.5)

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Let me offer my obeisances unto Lord Sri Krsna, who has manifested Himself in five as a devotee (Lord Caitanya), expansion of a devotee (Lord Nityananda), incarnation of a devotee (Advaita Acarya), pure devotee (Srivasa), and devotional energy (Gadadhara)."(C.C.Adi 7.6)

1 - Lord Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krsna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure giving potency. Although Radha and Krsna are one in Their identity, They separated Themselves eternally. Now, these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Sri Krsna Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Srimati Radharani, although He is Krsna Himself." (C.C.Adi 1.5)

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Desiring to understand the glory of Radharani’s love, the wonderful qualities in Him that She alone relishes through Her love, and the happiness She feels when She realizes the sweetness of His love, the Supreme Lord Hari, richly endowed with Her emotions, appeared from the womb of Srimati Saci devi as the moon appeared from the ocean." (C.C.Adi 1.6)

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the source of energy for all His devotees. He is maha-vadanyavatara, the most magnanimous incarnation of the Lord, for He does not consider the offenses of the fallen souls. In order to take full benefit of the Hare Krsna Mahamantra, we must first take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

2 - Sri Nityananda Prabhu

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "May Sri Nityananda Rama be the object of my constant remembrance. Sankarsana, Sesa Naga and the Visnus who lie on the Karana Ocean, Garbha Ocean and Ocean of Milk are His plenary portions and the portions of His plenary portions." (C.C.Adi 1.7)

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "I surrender unto the lotus feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, who is known as Sankarsana in the midst of the catur-vyuha [consisting of Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha]. He possesses full opulences and resides in Vaikunthaloka, far beyond the material creation." (C.C.Adi 1.8)

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, whose partial representation called Karanadakasayi Visnu, lying on the Karana Ocean, is the original Purusa, the master of the illusory energy, and the shelter of all the universes." (C.C.Adi 1.9)

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "I offer my full obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, a partial part of whom is Garbhodakasayi Visnu. From the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu sprouts the lotus that is the birthplace of Brahma, the engineer of the universe. The stem of that lotus is the resting place of the multitude of planets." 

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "I offer my respectful obeisances unto the feet of Sri Nityananda Rama, whose secondary part is the Visnu lying in the Ocean of Milk. That Ksirodakasayi Visnu is the Supersoul of all living entities and the maintainer of all the universes. Sesa Naga is His further sub-part." (C.C.Adi 1.11)

Devotees understand that Lord Nityananda is Balarama Himself, the first expansion of Krsna. 

Vrindavan das Thakur, author of Caitanya Bhagavat prays- 

"I offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhupada's, whose long arms extend to Their knees. They have splendid golden complexions, and They inaugurated the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord. Their eyes resemble the petals of lotus flowers. They are the maintainers of all the worlds, the best of the brahmanas, the protectors of religious principles for this age. They bring happiness to the people of the world, and are the most merciful incarnations.

Lord Nityananda is even more merciful than Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu because after Nitai was struck on the head with an earthen pot by the sinful Jagai and Madhai, He stopped Lord Caitanya from killing the two criminals. He begged the Lord to spare their lives because after all, their mood was to make devotees by killing the demoniac tendencies within, not by slaying wrong-doers.

The Lord agreed to do this if the demoniac brothers would give up their sinful activities and change their bad habits into Krsna Conscious ones. By His request, Mahaprabhu spared the brothers. By this mercy, the brothers fell at the feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and immediately surrendered their lives in devotion to Lord Caitanya."

3 - Sri Advaita Acarya

Advaita means non-dual because He is non-different from the Supreme Lord.

Acarya means He is disseminating Krsna Consciousness.

Advaita Acarya is Maha visnu, whose main function is to create the cosmic material world through the actions of Maya-

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Because He is nondifferent from Hari, the Supreme Lord, He is called Advaita, and because He propagates Krsna Consciousness, He is called Acarya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord’s devotee. Therefore I take shelter of Him." (C.C.Adi 1.13)

Advaita Acarya is in the Visnu-tattva with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. These are the three masters, but Nityananda and Advaita are servants of Mahaprabhu. It was Advaita Gosai who prayed to the Lord by offering water and Tulasi leaves to His Salagram Sila Krsna Deity by loudly roaring his request for the Lord to appear.

4 - Sri Gadadhara Pandit.

Srila Prabhupada - "The pleasure potency of Śrī Kṛṣṇa formerly known as Vṛndāvaneśvarī is now personified in the form of Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita in the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī has pointed out that in the shape of Lakṣmī, the pleasure potency of Kṛṣṇa, she was formerly very dear to the Lord as Śyāmasundara vallabhā. The same Śyāmasundara vallabhā is now present as Gadādhara Paṇḍita. Formerly, as Lalitā-sakhī, she was always devoted to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī." (C.C.Adi 10.15 purport)

Gadadhara Goswami is a representative of a perfect brahmana spiritual master He is the Pleasure Potency of Sri Krsna (Srimati Radharani). He is a learned scholar and Gadadhara Pandit is simultaneously an incarnation of Srimati Radharani and Lalita sakhi

Gadadhara is the incarnation of devotional energy and of the internal potency who is sakti tattva, the confidential worshipper of the Visnu tattva. In this incarnation, Radharani was able to spend time with Her Lord as an intimate associate who helped spread the pastimes and glories of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

5 - Sri Srivasa Pandit Thakura.

Srivasa Thakura is the incarnation of the pure devotee of the Lord. He is jiva-tattva, the leader of all pure unalloyed devotees.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "All glories to Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda! All glories to Advaita Prabhu, and all glories to the devotees of Lord Caitanya, headed by Srivasa!" (C.C.Adi 10.2)

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "These two captains, with Their soldiers, such as Srivasa Thakura, travel everywhere, chanting the holy name of the Lord." (C.C.Adi 3.75)

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "The devotees headed by Srivasa are His smaller limbs. They are like His hands, face and eyes and His disc and other weapons." (C.C.Adi 6.38)

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "Srivasa, Haridasa, Ramadasa, Gadadhara, Murari, Mukunda, Candrasekhara and Vakresvara are all glorious and are all learned scholars, but the sentiment of servitude to Lord Caitanya makes them mad in ecstasy." (C.C.Adi 6.49-50).

The Lord’s marginal energy (jiva-tattva or individual jiva-soul) is Srivas Thakur who is also Naradha Muni.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "There are innumerable pure devotees of the Lord, headed by Srivasa Thakura, who are known as unalloyed devotees." (C.C.Adi 7.16)

Even cats and dogs in the household of Srivasa Thakura were liberated. Cats and dogs and other animals are not expected to become devotees, but, in the association of a pure devotee, they are also delivered. The entire family of Srivasa was made up of exalted spiritual personalities.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "In the Gaura-ganodesa dipika, Srivasa Pandita is described as an incarnation of Narada Muni, and Sri Rama Pandita, his younger brother, is said to be an incarnation of Parvata Muni, a great friend of Naradas. Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita’s wife, Mālinī, is celebrated as an incarnation of the nurse Ambikā, who fed Lord Kṛṣṇa with her breast milk, and his niece Nārāyaṇī, the mother of Ṭhākura Vṛndāvana dāsa, the author of Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata, was the sister of Ambikā in kṛṣṇa-līlā. We also understand from the description of Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata that after Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s acceptance of the sannyāsa order, Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita left Navadvīpa, possibly because of feelings of separation, and domiciled at Kumārahaṭṭa." (C.C.Adi 10.8)

The supreme energetic, the Personality of Godhead, manifesting in order to enjoy five kinds of pastimes, appears as the members of the Panca-tattva. Actually, there is no difference between them because they are situated on the absolute platform, but they manifest different spiritual varieties as a challenge to the impersonalists to taste different kinds of spiritual humors (rasas).

In the Caitanya Caritāmṛta it is said-

parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate - "The varieties of energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are differently known."

From this statement of one can understand that there are eternal varieties of humors, or tastes, in the spiritual world. Sri Gauranga, Sri Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Sri Gadadhara and Srivasa Thakura are all on the same platform. In spiritually distinguishing between them one should understand that-

1 - Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the form of a devotee, (the combination of Radha and Krsna in the mood of Radharani)

2 - Nityananda Prabhu appears in the form of a devotee’s spiritual master, (Balarama Krsna's older brother and Krsna's first Visnu-tattva expansion)

3 - Advaita Prabhu is the form of a bhakta (devotee) incarnation, (Visnu-tattva)

4 - Gadadhara Prabhu is the energy of a bhakta and the Personality of Krsna's internal energy Srimati Radharani.

5 - Srivasa Thakura is a pure devotee (jiva-tattva or individual  jiva-soul) and is also Naradha Muni.

Caitanya Caritāmṛta - "The spiritual distinctions in the Pancha tattva-

1 - The bhakta-rupa (Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu),

2 - The bhakta-svarupa (Sri Nityananda Prabhu)

3 - The bhakta-avatara (Sri Advaita Prabhu) are described as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. His immediate manifestation and His plenary expansion, and They all belong to the Visnu tattva category.

Although the spiritual and marginal energies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead Visnu, they are predominated subjects, whereas Lord Visnu is the predominator. As such, although they are on the same platform, they have appeared differently in order to facilitate tasting of transcendental mellows. Actually, however, there is no possibility of one being different from the other, for the worshiper and the worshipable cannot be separated at any stage. On the absolute platform, one cannot be understood without the other." (C. C. Adi 7.5)

The Pancha-tattva mantra-

(jaya) sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda.

Devotees of the Hare Krsna Movement (ISKCON) first offer obeisances to Lord Caitanya by chanting this Pancha-tattva mantra; then chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra-

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

There are ten offenses to avoid while chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, but these are not considered in the chanting of the Pancha-tattva mantra.

ISKCON devotees follow the four regulative principles-

1 - No meat eating including no eggs or fish

2 - No gambling 

3 - No intoxication including tea and coffee

4 - No illicit sex including homosexuality

And the devotees must chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra daily and abide by the ten offenses while chanting the holy names-

1 - The first is to blaspheme the great devotees who have tried to spread the glories of the holy name throughout the world. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa, and one who attempts to spread the holy names throughout the world is beloved of Him. Kṛṣṇa Himself does not tolerate offenses against His pure devotees.

2 - The second offense is to deny that Lord Viṣṇu is the Absolute Truth. There is no difference between His name, quality, form, pastimes and activities, and one who sees a difference is considered an offender. The Lord is Supreme, and no one is equal to or greater than Him. Consequently if one thinks that the Lord’s names are nondifferent from the names of demigods, he offends. The Supreme Lord and the demigods should never be considered on the same level.

3 - The third offense is to consider the bona fide spiritual master to be a common man.

4 - The fourth offense is to blaspheme Vedic literature and authorized scriptures like the Purāṇas.

5 - The fifth offense is to consider the glories attributed to the holy names to be exaggerations.

6 - The sixth offense is to concoct perverted theories about the holy name.

7 - The seventh offense is to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name. It is understood that by chanting the holy names one is free from sinful reactions, but this does not mean that one should act sinfully on the strength of chanting. That is the greatest offense.

8 - The eighth offense is to consider that religious rituals, austerity, sacrifices or other forms of renunciation are equal to chanting the holy name. Chanting the holy name is as good as associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pious activities are only means to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they can even be performed for some material reason.

9 - The ninth offense is to preach the glories of the holy name of God to a faithless person who is not interested in hearing them.

10 - The tenth and last offense is to maintain material attachment even after hearing and chanting the holy names of God. The idea is that by chanting the holy name without offense, one can obtain elevation to the liberated platform. On the liberated platform one is freed from all material attachment. Thus if one chants the holy names and still has material attachments, he must be committing some offense." (from the Book "The Teachings of Lord Caitanya")

Lord Caitanya is known as “maha-vadanyavatara”, the most magnanimous incarnation, for He does not consider the offences of the fallen souls.

Thus to derive the full benefit of the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, we must first chant the Pancha-tattva-mantra and then chant the maha-mantra. This will help us to succeed in getting complete benefit of chanting the maha-mantra. Lord Nityananda is even more merciful than Lord Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Also, in the rare Kali-yuga Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu appears in, there is a 10,000 year Golden Age known as the Sankirtan Movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which is the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna Maha mantra in every Town, Village and City on the planet. 

In this very rare Kali-yuga, we are very fortunate to be given the great Sankirtan Movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and help spread the chanting of Hare Krsna all over the globe.

Over Lord Brahma's life of 311 trillion and 40 billion human years (100 of Brahma's years) Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya appear "once in every day of Brahma" which is 36,000 times over Brahma's life time.*

The great Sankirtan Movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is a great gift to the entire universe, His appearance is very, very rare as He comes only to one Kali-yuga out of every 1000 Kali-yugas, which is once every 8 billion 640 million human years.

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu comes "once" in a day of Lord Brahma who lives for 100 years, which is 311 trillion, 40 billion human years.

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's rare appearance is just after Lord Krsna appears as His original childhood form, who also comes to this planet "once" in a day of Brahma.

In Kṛṣṇa Lila (pastimes) Radha and Krsna combined in one spiritual Body, is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 

Many take it for granted without realizing how rare both Lord Krsna in His original childhood Form appearing at the end of a Dvapara-yuga, and Lord Caitanya's appearance, just after Lord Krsna at the beginning of Kali-yuga (1486 A.D) [Christian calendar]

Both Lord Kṛṣṇa as His original childhood Vrindavana Form, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, come only once in every ''day/night'' of Lord Brahmā during Brahma's day-time. 

Lord Caitanya appears in one Kali-yuga out of every thousand Kali-yugas. This happens during Brahma's "day-time hours" from sunrise to sunset.

During "night-time hours" from sunset to sunrise, none of the 4 yugas (Maha-yuga) exist due to a partial annihilation happening at night and Brahma sleeping.

This takes 4 billion 320 million human years, the length of Brahma's night time period, but also the length of Brahma's day-time as well.

There are 4 yugas to a Maha-yuga or Catur-yuga. As said above, Lord Caitanya appears to one Kali-yuga out of every 1000 Kali-yugas with great His Sankirtan Movement.

And Lord Krsna as His original Form also only appears once at the end of a Dvapara-yuga, in one Dvapara-yuga out of every 1000 Dvapara-yugas just before Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's appearance at the beginning of Kali-yuga.

There are 4,320,000 human years in one maha-yuga (that is made up of 4 individual yugas), multiply that by 1000 and it will equal Brahma's 12 hour "day-time" period from sunrise to sunset, which is 4 billion 320 million human years long.

Then add another 4 billion 320 million years for Brahma's 12 hour night-time period (sunset to sunrise), when a partial annihilation, with no yugas, takes place and Brahma sleeps. 

Therefore the "day-time" hours and "night-time" hours together, adds up to 8 billion 640 million human years which is a 24 hour ''day and night'' of Lord Brahma.

A day/night also equals two Kalpas, one for daytime, one for nightime.

Therefore, we can understand that both Lord Krsna in His ''original'' Form, and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's appearance, are very, very rare as they both only come once over that enormous period of time.

Keep in mind, modern mundane science foolishly claim the entire universe began 13.5 billion years ago from a nonsense so called big bang. They have no idea what's going on.

Yes, Krsna comes once every 1000 Maha-yugas in a Dvapara-yuga,  and Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu comes once in Kali-yuga, which all happen during the day-time period of Brahma. 

This also means there are 999 Kali-yugas that have NO Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu or His Golden Age of Sankirtan in it, this only happens to one Kali-yuga in a day of Brahma and 999 Dvapara-yugas where Kṛṣṇa as His original childhood Form does not appear. 

As explained above, Brahma's night from "sunset to sunrise," is when a partial annihilation takes place. This is also called the ‘Night of Brahma’ where their are no Maha-yugas during Brahma's night-time. 

So, together a 24 hour ''day/night'' of Brahma equals 8 billion 640 million human years.

Also in the rare Kali-yuga Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu appears in, there is a 10,000 year Golden Age known as the Sankirtan Movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, which is the congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna Maha mantra in every Town, Village and City on the planet. 

In this very rare Kali-yuga, we are very fortunate to be given the great Sankirtan Movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and help spread the chanting of Hare Krsna all over the globe.

Over Lord Brahma's life of 311 trillion and 40 billion human years (100 of Brahma's years) Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya appear once in every day of Brahma which is 36,000 times over Brahma's life time.