Srimad Bhagavatam - "Sakti means the "energy of Krsna." (SB, Canto 4 Ch 6 text 43)
Krsna has many different energies.
1 - The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) are one of Krsna's energies,
2 - Matter (mahat-tattva, material energy or maya) is one of Krsna's energies,
3 - The different consorts and associates of Krsna, the internal potency known as Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, are one of Krsna's energies.
4 - The direct expansions of Krsna known as Visnu-tattva, are one of Krsna's energies.
5 - Lord Siva (Siva-tattva) who is in a league of his own is one of Krsna's energies.
Furthermore love can NEVER exist when there is just "one," EVEN for Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes.
There MUST be two involved in a "two-way" exchange if love is to truly exist
Even Krsna had to divide Himself into two just so He could have a "two-way" loving relationship with a girl, and that girl is Srimati Radharani.
Srimati Rādhārāṇī is the manifestation of the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and is Krsna's direct expansion.
Krsna created Radharani just so He could experience the loving effection and association with a women because real love can only be realized when there are two in a relationship.
The marginal living entities or potency (jiva-souls) are also sakti-tattva living entities who are part and parcel of the energy of Krsna.
The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) in their natural position, are in the category known as the "internal potency" also because they are eternal spiritual beings.
The marginal potency (jiva-souls) are NOT in the category of material energy or matter because, as said above, they are spiritual beings.
There are also different categories of "sakti-tattva" including within the category of living expansions of Krsna's energies.
We are the individual "marginal living entities" (jiva-tattva or jiva-soul) expansions of Krsna also known as the marginal potency or energy.
While other living beings are direct expansions of Krsna's Personality called His internal energy or potency who are His Visnu-"sakti"-tattva expansions.
Headed by the name "Visnu" because these direct expansions of Krsna are like Visnu-tattva expansions.
Krsna's "internal potency" such as Srimati Radharani and other Visnu-"sakti"-tattva intimate inhabitants of Vṛndāvana and Visnu-tattva expansions like Balarama, are all direct expansions of Krsna.
The marginal potency (jiva-souls) are also part of the internal potency (expansions of Krsna) but in a different category called the marginal living entities.
This means the jiva-souls can choose to be under the influence of the spiritual energy, or material energy, putting them on the "margin" in-between spirit and matter, and therefore called marginal living entities.
The jiva-souls also have their own independent personality separate from Krsna's Personality, and are not full expansions of Gods like the Visnu-tattva and Visnu-(sakti)-tattva expansions are.
There is also Siva-tattva who is neither jiva-tattva, Visnu-tattva or Visnu-(sakti)-tattva
Lord Siva is in a league of his own and has 85.938% of Krsna's qualities, or 55 of Krsna's 64 qualities.
The Visnu-sakti-tattva and Visnu-tattva expansions ARE Krsna in another role but only have 93.75% of Krsna's attributes which is 60 of Krsna's 64 qualities.
The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) have 78.125% of Krsna's attributes which is 50 of Krsna's 64 qualities.
Sakti-tattva refers to all the different expansions of Krsna, each known in the following way-
1 - Visnu-tattva direct expansions of Krsna (God) like Lord Visnu, Narayana, Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakashayi Visnu, Paramatma etc.
2 - Visnu-(sakti)-tattva is Radharani and of Her associates, friends, family members and servants etc
3 - Siva-tattva in a league of his own between Visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva.
4 - Jiva-tattva (the marginal living entities) are independent beings who are not God (Krsna or Visnu). They have their own independence and unique individual personality seperate from Krsna's Personality.
The individual jiva-souls are independent living entities who choose to voluntarily serve Krsna in the spiritual world (The Kingdom of God)
The jiva-souls are also part and parcel of internal potency or energy regadless of being independent and sometimes falling down to the temporary material energy.
As said above, the jiva-souls or marginal living entities, have their own unique personality and sense of independent identity and have their own separate personality and character different from Krsna, yet are simultaneously fully dependent on Krsna as His eternal parts and parcels.
The reason why Krsna gave the jiva-souls their "free will" is so they can choose for themselves how to love Him (serve) in their own unique way without any pressure or force from Krsna.
The jiva-souls in the spiritual world are NOT programmed mindless drones who only obey and never contribute anything by thinking for themselves as independent individuals, as some nonsense religious cults who foolishly claim once the jiva-souls are in the spiritual world they never again fall down.
Only silly fools believe the nonsense that the jiva-souls can never again fall down from the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana once there.
Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, or one misuse it, that is independence. If you make it one-way only, that is not independence that is force." (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada - "Free will means that you can act wrongly. That is "free will". Unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of "free will". Where is "free will" then? If I act only one sided, that means I have no "free will". Because we act sometimes wrongly, that means free will."
Hayagriva - "A man may know better but still act wrongly."
Srila Prabhupada -"Yes, but that is "free will". He misuses his. Just like a thief, he knows that his stealing, it is bad, but still he does it. That is free will. He cannot check his greediness, so in spite of his knowing that he is doing wrong thing—he will be punished, he knows; he has seen another thief, he was punished, he was put into prison— everything he knows, but still he steals. Why? Misuse of free will. Unless there is misuse of free will, there is no question of free will." (Excerpt from: Philosophy Discussions with Srila Prabhupada – Rene Descartes)
Without "free will" the jiva-souls are no better than dead stone Prabhupada has warned us.
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 Prabhupada - ''Love means you take and you give also. Suppose if you love somebody and you simply take from him, but you don't give. Oh, do you think it is very good? No. It is not good. That is NOT love. That is exploitation. If I go on simply taking from you, and if I don't offer you anything, that is simply exploitation. (Lecture BG, Ch 9 text 2-5, New York City, Nov 23, 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - ''We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be one or love cannot be executed only one, personally. There must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then love''. (Lecture SB, Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)
Only by having "free will" can genuine loving exchanges and reciprocation take place, without free will the jiva-souls are no better than dead stone Prabhupada has warned us.
Furthermore, Krsna NEVER interfers with the "free will" of the jiva-souls because if He did and never allowed them to have the free will to make their own choices in the spiritual world, then that would mean loving exchanges of voluntarily service can never exist.
If one is forced to worship Krsna or Visnu then that is NOT love, it is tyranny, bullying, slavery and impersonalism.
That "impersonal" version of Krsna's abode of Goloka-Vrindavana or the Vaikuntha Planets, where it is DEMANDED with physical or verbal force the jiva-souls surrender their "free will" to Krsna and let Him flow through you, taking over your individual existence and doing all your thinking for you (that many nonsense sangas propagate) is dangerous IMPERSONAL religious nonsense.
Their bogus version of Vaisnavism and Krsna Consciousness must be rejected.
Having "free will" allows the jiva-souls to be the individual independent PERSON they are eternally in God's perpetual Kingdom, where they can ALWAYS choose to voluntarily contribute their own personal unique offerings to Krsna.
This is what the REAL Goloka-Vrindavana and Vaikuntha planets are like.
Srila Prabhupada - "We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be with just one, or love cannot be executed only one, there must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then love." (Lecture SB, Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)
As said above, the individual jiva-souls are independent living entities in the spiritual worlds and have their own unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality, yet are simultaneously ALWAYS dependent on Krsna as His eternal parts and parcels because EVERYTHING belongs to Krsna.
The reason why Krsna gave the jiva-souls their independence and "free will" is so they can choose for themselves how to serve Him in their own unique personal way.
This means the jiva-souls can always contribute their own unique personal offerings to Krsna without any pressure, force or dictatorial coaching.
"Real love" or service can ONLY exist when "free will" allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily participate in loving devotional service or exchanges with Krsna so they can voluntary contribute to Him in their own unique way in their relationship with Krsna.
Surrender to Krsna in the spiritual world does not mean giving up your "free will" and allowing Krsna to control your every actions, deeds and thoughts.
No, the jiva-souls in the spiritual world are NOT programmed mindless impersonal drones or slaves who only obey and never contribute to the relationship with Krsna by thinking for themselves what they want to contribute or offer to Krsna.
Only by having "free will" can genuine loving voluntary exchanges and reciprocation take place.
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)
The majority (over 90%) of jiva-souls are perpetually situated in either the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana and choose to never fall to the material creation.
Where as the Visnu-"sakti"-tattva and Visnu-tattva Personalities are eternal inhabitants of the Vaikuntha planets and Vrindavana (internal potency) who NEVER fall down because they are all Krsna playing different roles in His own pastimes or lilas.
So, obviously they never choose to forget Krsna because they ARE Krsna acting in different roles in His own eternal pastimes and affairs.
Those devotees and scholars in all Sampridayas who claim the living entities never fall down from the spiritual world, only refers to these living entities (direct expansions of Krsna) and NOT the individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities)
Those who never fall down are direct expansions of Krsna Himself and part of His intimate internal potency who ARE all full expansions of Krsna in multiple roles.
For example, the Pancha-tattva are a combination of Krsna, Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, Visnu-tattva, Siva-tattva and jiva-tattva Personalities with only one being jiva-tattva or jiva-soul.
1 - Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the combination of Radharani and Krsna in one spiritual Body.
2 - Nityananda is Krsna's first personal expansion in the form of Balarama.
3 - Advaita Acharya is the combined power of Visnu and the mysterious Siva (Harihara).
4 - Gadadhara is the combined power of Krsna's internal energy and an expansion of Srimati Radharani.
5 - Srivasa is Krsna's pure devotee and symbolizes devotion, the only marginal living entity, jiva-tattva or jiva-soul in the Pancha-Tattva.
Srila Prabhupada - "Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Śrī Gadādhara, and Śrīvāsādi. Śrīvāsādi means jīva-tattva. The jīva-tattva, śakti-tattva, viṣṇu-tattva, these are all tattvas. So Pañca-tattva, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the supreme tattva, Kṛṣṇa. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. We are worshipping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combined." (Lecture CC Adi-lila 7.5, Mayapur, March 7, 1974)
The correct understanding is that ALL the different grades of Krsna’s living energies are under the broad category of sakti-tattva.
Sakti-tattva includes ALL expansions of Krsna but in different categories-
1 -Visnu-tattva, (equal to Krsna as God)
2 - Visnu-"sakti"-tattva (internal potency (also God) that includes Radharani and Her associates)
3 - Siva-tattva, in a unique league of his own and Krsna's greatest devotee.
4 - Jiva-tattva or jiva-souls (The marginal living entities)
1 and 2 - Visnu-tattva (1) and Visnu-"sakti"-tattva (2) are direct expansions of Krsna who are all Krsna Himself playing different roles in His own pastimes.
Srila Prabhupada - "The "immediate" expansions of the Lord are called svāṁśa or "personal direct" expansions (Visnu-tattva). The "separated" expansions of the Lord are called vibhinnāṁśa - jiva-tattva or independent jiva-souls like us." (BG, Ch 10 text 37, Purport)
Each individual jiva-soul in the spiritual world can "choose" to "voluntarily" serve Krsna in an unlimited variety of ways as an unlimited varieties of bodily forms, or even reject Krsna if they choose to do so, and enter or return to the impermanent decaying material world.
The "marginal potency" (jiva-tattva) ARE the collective of individual jiva-souls who were never created, have no origin, nor will they ever cease to be as Bhagavad Gita As It Is explains.
Many have misunderstood these facts about what "marginal" really means. It is NOT some place in outer space where jiva-souls are generated or originate from because they have no origin.
Being “generated” from the marginal plane does NOT mean the jiva-souls “originated” from some "so called place" in the Brahmajyoti, Spiritual Sky, Maha-Visnu or tatastha-sakti and the impersonal brahmajyoti that foolish religious cults wrongly claim.
As clearly explained, the jiva-souls, being "marginal," means they are "in-between" the influence of spirit and matter, and can choose either side at anytime.
This means they can choose "one side or the other" because they have free will.
They can choose the spiritual side (the jiva-soul's nature position and full potential), or the material side (unnatural conditioned state)
So, the real meaning of "marginal" is the jiva-souls can choose to be with the spiritual energy, or the material energy, based on their free will.
The visiting jiva-souls who enter the material creation MUST obtain (hire) a material bodily vessel first from Maha-Visnu's dreams.
Every material bodily vessel in the material creation must be first "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 in the spiritual world can "choose" to "voluntarily" serve Krsna in an unlimited variety of ways as an unlimited varieties of bodily forms, or even reject Krsna if they choose and enter or return to the impermanent material world.
In the material world, each material bodily vessel is always available for "hire" to the jiva-souls, and are continuously available to all visiting jiva-souls who also choose to enter the temporary decaying material creation.
The REAL home of the jiva-souls is always in either the Vaikuntha planets of Lord Visnu, or Krsna's central planet of Goloka-Vrindavana and NOT the temporary mundane material creation, or merged inactively (dormant) in the impersonal Brahmajyoti.
From Maha-Visnu's point of view, the movement through material time's past, present and future all exist simultaneously, and is always there as a "permanent pathway" that unlimited jiva-souls are continuously moving through.
Srila Prabhupada – "This material creation is the spirit soul’s dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Maha-Visnu, as the Brahma-Samhita describes-
"This material world is created by the dreaming of Maha-Visnu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation." (SB, Canto 4 Ch 29 Text 83)
Srila Prabhupada – "Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present and future, is merely a dream. This is the secret in understanding in all the Vedic literature." (SB, Canto 4 Ch 29 text 2b)
Srila Prabhupada – "Our contact with matter is just like dream. Actually we are not fallen. Therefore, because we are not fallen, at any moment we can revive our Krsna consciousness, we break the dream." (Tokyo Japan 1972 lecture on SB)
Srila Prabhupada – "Factually all of material existence is only a dream. Thus there is no question of past, present or future. Persons who are addicted to karma-kanda-vicara, which means ‘working for future happiness through fruitive activities’, are also dreaming. Similarly, past happiness and present happiness are merely dreams." (SB, Canto 4 Ch 29 text 2b)
Each material bodily "pathway" that the visiting jiva-soul travels on, comes from the already "dreamed" dreams of Maha-Visnu.
Prabhupāda - "The spirit soul unfortunately misuses this God-given minute free will and falls into the dark well of nescience and illusion. Once the spirit soul takes shelter of māyā, the illusory material energy, he develops the material qualities of goodness, passion, and ignorance. The spirit soul loses his original characteristics and develops a new nature, which is controlled by the three modes of material nature, and this continues until such time as he transcends them. His actions are prompted accordingly. If it happened in any other way, then material variegatedness would not be visible in this phenomenal world. So, if a person fails to inform himself about the very subtle laws and workings of material nature, and at the same time he argues that all activities are sanctioned and inspired by the Supreme Lord, then he is reducing the Supreme Lord's position and making Him out to be partial and unjust. The Lord never favors one and discriminates against another. Factually, He advises everyone to give up all material activities, which are by nature unstable and temporary. Because of forgetfulness of God, a man becomes an eternal victim of ignorance, which then colours all his actions." (Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.9)
Within Maha-Visnu's material creation exists every possible "dream" to fulfil every desire the visiting jiva-souls have, every scenario they can come up with is eternally existing in Maha-Visnu's dreams. This means the jiva-soul's ability to express "free will" is already factored into the equation of the destiny of each material bodily vessel.
Bhagavad-gītā As It Is - "O Arjuna, whatever you wish to see, behold at once in this body of Mine! This universal form can show you whatever you now desire to see and whatever you may want to see in the future. Everything moving and nonmoving is here completely, in one place." (BG As It Is, Translation Ch 11 Text 7)
Srila Prabhupada - "No one can see the entire universe while sitting in one place. Even the most advanced scientist cannot see what is going on in other parts of the universe. But a devotee like Arjuna can see everything that exists in any part of the universe. Kṛṣṇa gives him the power to see anything he wants to see, past, present and future. Thus by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is able to see EVERYTHING!" (BG As It Is, Purport Ch 11 Text 7)
Siva-tattva and jiva-tattva can NEVER act as Krsna or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Each individual jiva-soul has their own unique personality and character that is separate from Krsna as explained above in different ways for a clearer understanding.
Srila Prabhupada - ''There are Viṣṇu-tattva, Jīva-tattva and Sakti-tattva.
1 - Viṣṇu-tattva is the Supreme Absolute Truth,
2 - jīva-tattva (jiva-souls) are part and parcel.
3 - (Visnu)-sakti-tattva is the energy of God''. (Lecture on SB 1.5.15, New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969)
Understanding the meaning of "marginal living entity or marginal potency or energy."
The jiva-souls are known as Krsna's “marginal energy,” the marginal energy (jiva-souls) are individual living entities and NOT some place where the jiva-souls have originated from, no, the marginal potency or realm ARE the individual jiva-souls!
This simply means the jiva-souls are under the influence of either the spiritual energy or under the influence of the material energy.
The marginal realm or potency is NOT a place, as clearly said above the marginal potency ARE the individual jiva-souls.
Many misunderstand this fact because there is no origin to Krsna's marginal energy (an unlimited number of individual jiva-souls), who have existed as long as Krsna has existed.
The marginal platform means the "jiva-souls" or spirit souls, who naturally belong as individuals in the supreme spiritual energy with Krsna, are called "marginal living entities" because they can choose to be influenced by either the spiritual energy, or material energy eternally, explained as follows by Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada – “The jiva-souls are Krsna’s marginal energy. Marginal energy means the jiva-souls may be under the control of the spiritual energy, or they may be under the control of material energy. But when the jiva-souls are under the control of the material energy, that is their precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when they are under spiritual energy, that is their original position and life of freedom.” (Los Angeles, Nov 23, 1968)
Srila Prabhupada - "We (the jiva-souls) are marginal energy (jiva-souls) Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy (jiva-souls); we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt." (Letter to Lilavati, Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969)
Srila Prabhupada - "The material energy, called as Maya, is also one of the multipotencies of the Lord, as much as we (the jiva-souls) are also marginal potency of the Lord. The living entities (jiva-souls) are described as superior energy than matter, when the superior energy is in contact with inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation. But when the supreme marginal potency (jiva-souls) are in contact with the spiritual potency, Hara, it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity." (The Happening Album, New York City, Dec 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - "You are also energy; you are marginal energy (jiva-soul) Marginal energy means you (the jiva-souls) may be under the control of the spiritual energy or you may be under the control of material energy, your marginal position. But when you are under the control of the material energy, that is your precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when you are under spiritual energy, that is your life of freedom." (Intro BG As It Is, Los Angeles, Nov 23, 1968)
Therefore, being “generated” from the marginal plane does not mean the jiva-souls “originated” from some so called place in the Brahmajyoti.
First of all, being placed in the marginal category means having free will, or having the choice to be influenced by the spiritual energy (their nature position and full potential) or influenced by the material energy.
As said above, the real meaning of "marginal" means the jiva-souls can be choose to be influenced by either the spiritual energy, or the material energy based on their free will.
There is no origin to the individual jiva-souls, they are eternally parts and parcel of Krsna and just as old as Krsna.
Srila Prabhupada – "The jiva-souls are Krsna's marginal energy. Marginal energy means we can live either in this external energy or in the internal energy, in between. So at the present moment we are living in the external energy. But this external energy is also Kṛṣṇa's energies, God's energy. It is not different from Him. But the external energy means we are captivated by the external energy. But the external energy is not permanent. The internal energy is permanent. The spiritual world is permanent, and the jiva-souls are also permanent as Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 text 20 (1983 edition) reveals.” (Lecture on BG 9.4 -Melb, Australia April 23, 1976)
Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 text 20 explains the jiva-souls have existed for “infinity”
This means, just like Krsna, they are beginning less and endless, and were NEVER created-
Bhagavad Gita As It Is - “For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain.” (BG, Ch 2 text 20 “corrected” 1983 edition)
Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 text 12 also confirms the jiva-souls were NEVER created. This is because they have no origin and have existed for infinity like Krsna has, as Krsna explains-
Bhagavad Gita As It Is - “Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (BG As It Is, Ch 2 text 12)
The jiva-souls (marginal living entities) and Kṛṣṇa have always existed and were NEVER created.
Srila Prabhupada – “There are no new souls, new and old are due to this material body, but the jiva-soul is never born and never dies, so if there is no birth, how can there be new souls?” (Letter to Jagadisa dasa, 7/9/1970)
Being a "marginal" living entity also means having the free will to accept or reject Krsna.
All marginal living entities (jiva-souls) are EQUALLY intimate and uniquely exclusively personal with Krsna (God) in His eyes within His Kingdom regardless of the pastime.
This is because in the spiritual world ALL relationships with Krsna are "equally blissful to each other", just like one may like a carnation flower, while others like a rose flower.
Srila Prabhupada - "The jiva-soul's position in the spiritual world is voluntary. Some devotees want to serve Krsna as flower; they become flower there. If I want that "As a flower I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna," he becomes flower, voluntarily, and he can change his, from flower to human body. That is spiritual life. There is no restriction. If some devotee wants to serve Krsna as cow, he serves Krsna as cow, as calf, as flower, as plant, as water, as ground, field, or as father, as mother, as friend, as beloved, anything. It is inconceivable, yet a fact." (SB Canto 6 Ch 1 text 1-4 - Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)
The jiva-souls are known as Krsna's “marginal energy,” the marginal energy (jiva-souls) are individual living entities and NOT some place where the jiva-souls have originated from, no, the marginal potency or realm ARE the individual jiva-souls!
The word "marginal" simply means the jiva-souls are under the influence of either the spiritual energy, or the material energy.**
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1 - As explained above, the jiva-tattva expansions are also Sakti-tattva but only have 50 of Krishna's 64 attributes which is 78.125% of Krishna's qualities. The jiva-tattva souls (marginal living entities) are MINOR independent expansions of Krishna with their own personality that is separate from Krishna's Personality.
The jiva tattva souls have their own separate identity, individuality, personality, and having their own independent expression (their own unique character).
This means the jiva-souls do NOT share Krishna's personality like the Vishnu-tattva and Sakti-Vishnu-tattva Forms do because they each have their own unique independent personality to express themselves in their own unique way.
2 - Lord Shiva is in a league of his own with 84.375% of Krishna’s 100% qualities which is having 55 of Krishna's 64 attributes.
3 - The Sakti-Vishnu-tattvas and Vishnu-tattvas are DIRECT expansions of Krishna and have 93.75% of Krishna's qualities, which is 60 of Krishna's 64 attributes.
Sakti-Vishnu-tattva expansions of Krishna are eternally engaged in their service to the Lord because such expansions have only the desire to please Krishna or Vishnu and can NEVER be covered by Maya.
This is because they ARE Krishna playing a different role within His own pastimes.
Therefore obviously their concept of free will and independence is only to please Krishna or Vishnu BECAUSE they ARE direct expansions of Godhead too.
As said above, Vishnu-tattvas and Sakti-Vishnu-tattva ARE Krishna just playing a different role in His own pastimes.
This is important to understand, and explains why Vishnu-tattva and Sakti-Vishnu-tattvas living entities can NEVER fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan.
Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are made up of many Sakti-Vishnu-tattvas and Vishnu-tattvas servants too all playing different roles, such as gopis, gopas and many, many others there.
There are also unlimited jiva-tattvas playing many different roles in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrndavana as well, as servants and friend of the Lord.
Some roles in both Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana are very difficult to know if the pastimes are played out by a Sakti-Vishnu-tattva, Vishnu-tattva or Jiva-tattva personalities.
Vishnu-tattvas ARE Krishna's direct stand-out expansions such as Narayana, Vishnu, Ramachandra, Narsinga deva etc.
But there are other Vishnu-tattva and Sakti-Vishnu-tattva expansions too who also play the role of cowherd boys (gopas) or gopis (girls).
In Goloka Vrindavana, no one knows who is who except Krishna, who is jiva-tattva, who is Sakti-Vishnu-tattva or who is Vishnu-tattva.
In fact the inhabitants in Vrindavana do not even know this little boy Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the cause of ALL causes, nor do they care.
As already explained, Sakti-Vishnu-tattva and Vishnu-tattva expansions, can never fall down because they ARE Krishna playing another role and in His own pastimes, and may not even outwardly show they are Vishnu tattva or Sakti-Vishnu-tattvas in the play they are in.
This is very advanced knowledge and difficult to even begin to properly comprehend for most of us.
And yes, in some Vishnu-tattva and Sakti-Vishnu-tattvas roles, the Lord outwardly seems to forget they are Krishna's expansion in that role or pastime they are in but only in play. After all, Krishna can do ANYTHING He likes, He is not bound by even His own rules.
Krishna is the ORIGINAL Form of God from whom ALL His Vishnu/Narayana and Vishnu-tattva forms expand from, and that number is in the Trillions.
The only difference between Srimati Radharani and Krishna, and Lord Balarama and Krishna, is Lord Krishna IS the ORIGINAL Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes and has 4 MORE qualities or attributes than both Radharani (His direct Sakti-Vishnu-tattva expansion) and Balarama (Vishnu-tattva expansion) yet both none different than Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes.
However, because they are not the original (first) form of God with the full 64 qualities, then not even Srimati Radharani, Krishna's eternal consort and other half, or Balarama, Krishna's older brother are greater than Krishna.
Vishnu-tattva and Sakti-Vishnu-tattvas do not have all of the last 4 of Krishna's unique 64 qualities in full.
Because thave ONLY 60 of Krishna's 64 qualities, which is 93.75% of Krishna's 100% attributes but again, regardless of this, they ARE still none different from Krishna.
Let's make this easy to understand that Krishna is the original Lord of all-
Lord Krishna has 64 qualities which is "exactly" 100% of those unique set qualities.
1 - Vishnu-tattva has 60 of Krishna's 64 qualities (the full 100%) which is 93.75%
2 - Sakti-Vishnu-tattva also has 60 of Krishna's 64 qualities (the full 100%) which is 93.75%
3 - Shiva-tattva has 54 of Krishna's 64 qualities which is 84.375% of Krishna's full qualities.
4 - Jiva-tattva has 50 of Krishna's 64 qualities which is 78.125% of Krishna’s full qualities.
Also the jiva-tattva souls, that have 78.125% of Krishna's qualities, can NEVER become Sakti-vishnu-tattva or Vishnu-tattvas entities who have 93.75% of Krishna's qualities.
Or become Shiva tattva who has 84.375% of Krishna’s 64 qualities, which is 54 qualities of Krishna's 64 attributes.
And the jiva-tattvas can never lose their separate individual unique identity, personality or independence they have eternally from Krishna either.
All living entities are "sakti-tattva" expansions of Krishna are His energy fully dependent on Krishna like the sun-ray expansions of the Sun that emanate from the Sun, are fully dependant on the Sun.
The Sun has no meaning without the Sun-rays, and the Sun-rays have no meaning without the Sun disc.
In other words, as explained in "Nectar of Devotion" the living entities have no meaning without Krishna, and Krishna has no meaning without the living entities.
Being part and parcel of the Lord, as explained above, the marginal living entities (jiva-tattva) souls ALWAYS have "their own" independence, personality and sense of self separate from Krishna's Personality, making them an independent free thinking individual that expresses their own unique character serving Krishna in a two exchange of mutual respect.
Srila Prabhupada - ''The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa the maintainer of all and cause of all causes. We are "separate and none separate" from Krishna simultaneously. There are many tattvas, such as viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva and śakti-tattva, but above everything is the viṣṇu-tattva, which is all-pervading. This all-pervading feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (10.42), wherein the Lord says-
"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe."
Thus Kṛṣṇa says that the entire material world is maintained by His partial representation as Paramātmā. The Lord enters every universe as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and then expands Himself as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu (Paramatma) to enter the hearts of all living entities and even enter the atoms.
Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Every universe is full of atoms, and the Lord is not only within the universe but also within the atoms.
Thus within every atom the Supreme Lord exists in His Viṣṇu feature as Paramātmā, but all the viṣṇu-tattvas emanate from Kṛṣṇa.
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.2) - aham ādir hi devānām-
Kṛṣṇa is the ādi, or beginning, of the devas of this material world—Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara. Therefore He is described here as bhagavate bṛhate. (Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 8 Chapter 3 text 17)
As explained above the jiva-tattva souls have 78.125% of Krishna's qualities and are called the ''marginal energy or potency''.
The marginal living entities (jiva tattva souls) are different living entities than the more direct internal potency expansions of the Lord who are the Sakti-Vishnu-tattvas and Vishnu tattvas however, all can play the part of gopis, cowherd boys in Krishna lila in Vṛndāvana.
Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana have so many direct expansions of Krishna's internal potency that it is mind boggling.
The jiva-tattva souls can also play the role of a gopa or gopi too just like a Sakti-Vishnu-tattva and Vishnu-tattva can however, they can NEVER become Sakti-Vishnu-tattva or Vishnu-tattva (God).
This is because the Sakti-Vishnu-tattva and Vishnu-tattva ARE Krishna Himself who has directly expanded as His own multiple personalities playing different roles in His own pastimes.
The jiva-tattvas ALWAYS have the ability to make their own choices how to serve the Lord in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan as their spiritual identity (svarupa) or even not serve Him if they choose.
The jiva souls can also play the role of Lord Brahma in the material creation but never Vishnu or Lord Shiva.
The marginal living entity (jiva-tattva souls) ALWAYS remain jiva-tattva with ONLY 78.125% of Krishna’s 100% qualities, and can NEVER become God - Vishnu-tattva and Sakti-Vishnu-tattva, or Shiva-tattva.
The jiva-tattvas, unlike Sakti-Vishnu-tattva and Vishnu tattvas, can 'choose' to forget Krishna if they desire and therefore enter the material creation of Maha Vishnu and foolishly think they are an independent god.
The Vishnu-tattvas and Sakti-Vishnu-tattva ARE direct expansion of Krishna's internal energy (they ARE Krishna playing a different role in His own pastimes) who only act out the will of Krishna because they ARE an expansion of Krishna's Personality.
Krishna actually plays out different roles, like Maha Vishnu and Garbhodakashayi Vishnu who create and manage the material creation on behalf of Krishna.
Our eternal constitution position and eternal spiritual body is in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana situated in the "eternal presence" of the Spiritual world.
We just have to wake up from this temporary material dream and return back home back to Godhead, our real home.
Do the jiva souls have the "free will" to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana?
It says in Bhagavad Gita that once reaching Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana, the jiva soul never again falls to the material creation.
However, Prabhupada was asked about this and if the jiva soul's can leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana if they choose to do so and he said "yes" they can if they desire to do so.
The reason why, Prabhupada explains, is the jiva souls have their "free will" eternally, meaning ultimately it is THEIR choice to stay or go.
This further clearly means not even Krishna's promise of never falling down can be enforced by Krishna because of free will.
This is important understanding because sadly many great scholars and devotees cannot understand "free will" as explained here by Srila Prabhupada -
Acyutananda – “In the Gita, it says, “Once coming to the Spiritual World, he never returns. He can return?”
Srila Prabhupada – “If he likes he can return”.
Guru-kripa – “How is it that one can become envious of Krishna?”
Srila Prabhupada – “You have got little independence, you can violate. Because you are part and parcel of God. God has got full independence, but you have got independence too, proportionately, because you are part and parcel, so if he likes, he can return. That independence has to be accepted. We can misuse that. Krishna-bahirmukha haïä bhoga väïchä kare. That misuse is the cause of our falldown”. (Conversation, Mayapur, February 19, 1976)
Paramahamsa - “But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there’s no return.
Srila Prabhupada - “There is return, that is voluntary. Return there is”.
Paramahamsa - “If we want”.
Srila Prabhupada - “Yes”.
Paramahamsa - “So we can come to the spiritual world and return?”
Srila Prabhupada - “Yes”.
Paramahamsa - “Fall down?”
Srila Prabhupada - “Yes. As soon as we try, “Oh, this material world is very nice,” “Yes,” Krsna says, “yes, you go.” Otherwise what is the meaning of free will? Every living entity has got a little free will. And Krsna is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this." Just like one goes to the prisonhouse, not that government welcomes, "Come on. We have got prisonhouse. Come here, come here." He goes out of his free will; again comes out, again goes. Like that. Therefore, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me, maya does not interfere anymore."
Paramahamsa - ''So our desire to enjoy, we achieve these bodies; and our desire to achieve Krsna brings us to our natural position''.
Srila Prabhupada - ''Yes. (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course--May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
Srila Prabhupada - ''So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krishna? Why not become Krishna?’ I immediately fall down. That is natural. A servant is serving the master, but sometimes he may think that, “If I could become the master.” They are thinking like that; they are trying to become God. That is delusion. You cannot become God. That is not possible. But he’s wrongly thinking”.
Vipina Purandara - “Why doesn’t Krishna protect us from that desire?
Srila Prabhupada - “He’s protecting. He says, “You rascal, don’t desire. Surrender unto Me.” But you are rascal; you do not do this”.
Vipina Purandara - “Why doesn’t He save me from thinking like that?”
Srila Prabhupada - “That means you lose your independence. That is force, in Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.’ ” Is it love? “You love me, otherwise I will kill you!’ Is that love? So Krishna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
By misusing one's free will causes the jiva soul to live separately from Krishna by entering the material creation.
And this choice has nothing to do with maya or material energy as explained above.
As Prabhupada has explained, it is one's free will that allows the jiva souls to reject Krishna.
Srila Prabhupada - “Regarding your questions concerning the spirit souls falling into Maya’s influence, it is not that those who have developed a passive relationship with Krsna are more likely to fall into nescient activities. Usually anyone who has developed his relationship with Krsna does not fall down in any circumstance, but because the independence is always there, the soul may fall down from any position or any relationship by misusing his independence. (Letter to Jagadisa 02/27/1970)
Srila Prabhupada - “The relationship with Krishna is never lost, it is simply forgotten by the influence of maya, so it maybe regained or revived by the process of hearing the Holy Name of Krsna and then the devotee engages himself in the service of the Lord which is his original or constitutional position. The relationship of the living entity with Krsna is eternal as both Krsna and the living entity are eternal; the process is one of revival only, nothing new'' (Letter to Jagadisa 02/27/1970)
Srila Prabhupada - "In the broader sense everyone comes from Krishna Loka. When one forgets Krishna he is conditioned, when one remembers Krishna he is liberated". (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)
Returning home back to Godhead is not necessarily permanent Prabhupada explains as follows because the jiva-souls have "free will" eternally.
That "choice" to stay or go is also the jiva souls choice too because of "free will", it is not just a "one way" dictatorial decision made by Krishna.
No, real loving exchanges and relationships can ONLY exist on a "two way" street, and that is only possible when there is "free will".
So this means one can also use their "free will" to reject Krishna if they choose, that choice has to be there Prabhupada explains.
Srila Prabhupada - “Unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom.” (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)
A devotee once ask Srila Bhaktisiddhanta why was the jiva soul granted free will if they could also misuse it?
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta answered-
“You are fighting for freedom. Don’t you know the value of having free will? Devoid of freedom the soul is only matter".
Furthermore freedom (free will) offers one the alternative to do either right or wrong Gandhi once told the British authorities.
”We want that freedom too”.
The British authorities replied-
“You are not fit to have self-government or your freedom. When you are fit, we shall give it to you.”
Gandhi replied,
“We want the freedom to do right or wrong”.
So, freedom does not guarantee only acting in the right way; and that choice must be there to do wrong too.
Freedom means being able to choose "right or wrong".
The possibility of also rejecting Krishna must ALWAYS be there even in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana because of "free will" Otherwise one is simply a mindless slave or servant.
Our first choice AFTER rejecting Krishna in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, is to dominate and imitate Krishna, therefore it is that choice that causes the jiva soul to enter the material world of domination.
And such choices have nothing to do with the influence of Maya or the material energy that does not exist in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana.
As a result of this "choice", everything else in the material creation has developed.
So our Srila Prabhupada has explained that the "original position" of the jiva soul is with Krishna in a servitor relationship based on voluntary loving exchanges.
As explained above, Maya can NEVER be blamed for the fall down of the jiva soul from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana in any way because Maya, in her role as the personification of material energy, does NOT exist in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, nothing material can exist there.
But "free will" does eternally exist there and has ALWAYS existed in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana!
Therefore the jiva souls are always responsible for their choices and actions in both the Spiritual Planets and the material creation.
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)
For loving exchanges to truly exist with Krishna, the marginal living entity (jiva-soul) MUST have the right to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana at anytime if they choose, therefore returning to Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is not necessarily permanent Prabhupada explains here-
Srila Prabhupada – “You have got little independence therefore you can violate. Because you are part and parcel of God you have got independence, proportionately, therefore if he likes he can return. That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We CAN misuse that. (Conversation, Mayapur, February 19, 1976)
Syamasundara - "But can we predict returning back home back to Godhead will be permanent? Can we predict that? Just like many prisoners leave the prison, however some do come back?''
Srila Prabhupada - "No, there is no permanent effect because we have got little independence. There is nothing permanent because you can misuse your independence at any time".
Syamasundara - "And some come back?"
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes. Otherwise there is no meaning of independence. Independence means you can do this, you can do that. "All right. Whatever you like."
Devotee - "Then he is so many times falling down, again and again, so will he eventually permanently come back?"
Srila Prabhupada - "He has got independence, therefore there is always the possibility he can misuse his independence, he CAN fall down. That's why when a man is released from the prison house, that does not mean permanently because he can come back again, the general law is NOT to come back, but if he likes, he can come back, otherwise what is the meaning of independence? Just like one becomes free from the prison house, naturally he should not go there again". (Discussions with Syamasundara > Henri Bergson)
For those who believe no one can ever fall down from Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana have NOT understood these clear points explained by Prabhupada.
In Bhagavad Gita As It Is Krishna promises the jiva-souls they will NEVER fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana to the material creation, and yes, Krishna will always keeps His promise!
Therefore Krishna's promise of NEVER falling down to the material creation once there, is from Krishna's point of view, however do the jiva souls have to accept Krishna's promise as final?
In other words, does this mean the jiva-souls have no "free will" in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana?
And therefore have no choice to leave Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana even if they want to leave?
The fact is, Krishna's promise of NEVER falling down to the material creation once there in Vaikuntha, is from Krishna's point of view and His promise, however, does the jiva souls also have to accept His promise as final?
In other words, does this mean the jiva-souls have no "free will" to "choose" to leave Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, even if they want to leave?
There must be choice otherwise there is no question of loving voluntary exchanges that contribute and expand a relationship.
Krishna's promise, confirmed by many past Acharays and Vaishnavas whose opinions agree that once reaching Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, the jiva-soul will never again fall down to the material World, is true for almost all jiva souls, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM!
Those great souls who quote Krishna's promise from Bhagavad Gita ARE right for the majority of jiva-souls, which is over 90% in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana because they "choose" NOT to fall down and leave the Spiritual Planets to enter the material creation.
In other words, they do not CHOOSE to misuse their "free will".
However, as Prabhupada explains, not all jiva souls make that choice to stay, less than 10% DO misuse their free will and fall down (reject Krishna) and enter the material creation.
And at the same time there are jiva souls returning back home back to Godhead from the material creation continuously.
The fact is, as part of their perpetual constitution, each individual jiva-soul is endowed with their own "free will" that allows independent thinking.
This also further explains why it is the jiva soul's choice to stay or leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, and not just Krishna making decisions for them.
In other words, Krishna's promise is NOT binding or absolute law with the living entities (jiva-tattva) because they have their own independent "free will" too that allows them to make THEIR own choices.
Srila Prabhupada explains Krishna's promise and gives the proper explanation in full, saying only a small minority of jiva-souls choose to be rebellious and leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, and as already explained, Prabhupada puts that figure at less than 10%.
Dr. John Mize – “Did all the souls that were in the spiritual sky fall out of the spiritual sky at once or at different times, or are there any souls that are always good, they’re not foolish, they don’t fall down?
Srila Prabhupada – “No, there are… Majority, 90%, they are always good. They never fall down”.
Dr. John Mize – “So we’re among the 10%.
Srila Prabhupada – “Yes. Or less than that. In the material, whole material world all the living entities they are… Just like in the prison house, there is some population, but they are not majority. The majority of the population, they are outside the prison house. Similarly, majority of living being, part and parcel of God, they are in the spiritual world. Only a few fall down”.
Dr. John Mize – “Does Krishna know ahead of time that a soul is going to be foolish and fall?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Krishna? Yes, Krishna may know because He is omniscient”.
Dr. John Mize – “Are more souls falling all the time?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Not all the time. But there is the tendency of fall down, not for all, but because there is independence… Everyone is not liking to misuse the independence. The same example: Just like a government constructing a city and constructs also prison house because the government knows that somebody will be criminal. So their shelter must be also constructed. It is very easy to understand. Not that cent percent population will be criminal, but government knows that some of them will be. Otherwise why they construct prison house also? One may say, “Where is the criminal? You are constructing…” Government knows, there will be criminal. So if the ordinary government can know, why God cannot know? Because there is tendency”.
Dr. John Mize – “The origin of that tendency (to fall from Goloka) is?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Tendency means the independence. So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that you cannot become fall down, that is not independence. That is force. Therefore Krishna says,yathecchasi tathä kuru. “Now you do whatever you like.” (Bhagavad Gita as it is. lecture, Mayapur, June 20, 1973)
Many also do not understand the variety of living entities in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana of whom many never fall down, only a very small minority in the category of jiva-tattva souls choose to fall down while the majority of other jiva tattvas choose to stay also because of their "free will".
The majority of jiva souls do not even know the material creation exists nor cares.
However, there are other categories of living entities who never fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana
The fact is, there are many different inhabitants of Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana too who are NOT jiva-tattva.
They never fall down by choice because they are more direct expansions of Krishna, known as Vishnu-tattva and Vishnu-sakti-tattvas who ARE an expansion of Krishna's Personality playing another role in His own pastimes.
Many inhabitants in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are Vishnu-tattva and Vishnu-shakti-tattva and not just jiva tattva.
Therefore they NEVER fall down because they ARE an expansion of Krishna's Personality, unlike the jiva-tattva souls who each have their own independent personality.
The Vishnu-tattvas and Sakti-Vishnu-tattvas living entities are Krishna's internal potency where Krishna expands Himself and plays many different roles, many times in disguise, as intimate Personalities in Krishna's own pastimes.
Srila Prabhupada has also explained that because the jiva-tattva souls have their independence, there will ALWAYS be a very small minority of ONLY the jiva tattva souls, less than 10% (not referring to the Sakti-Vishnu-tattva or Vishnu-tattva internal potency) who misuse their free will and "choose" to leave the Spiritual World.
"Free will" for the jiva tattva souls is eternal in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan too, because without this freedom to be able to choose to either forget or remember Krishna, then the jiva soul would have no free will, their individuality, and no independent personality, and no ability to love.
The jiva-soul would simply be mindless pawns of ''yes men and woman'' like mechanical drones in a factory, or like a dead stone Prabhupada has told us.
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". (August 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)
Srila Prabhupada - ''As soon as we try, "Oh, this material world is very nice," "Yes," Kṛṣṇa says, "yes, you can go." Otherwise what is the meaning of free will? Every living entity has got a little free will. And Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this." It is free will''. (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course, May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
Srila Prabhupada - “So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly or one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that you cannot fall down, that is not independence, that is force. Therefore Krishna says, yathecchasi tathä kuru. “Now you do whatever you like.” (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada - ''Love means you take and you give also. Suppose if you love somebody and you are simply taking from him, but you don't give. Oh, do you think it is very good? No. It is not good. That is NOT love that is exploitation. If I go on simply taking from you, and if I don't offer you anything in return, that is simply exploitation. (Lecture on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9 text 2-5, New York, November 23, 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - ''We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be one or love cannot be executed only by one. There must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then love''. (Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 2 text 6, Delhi, November 12, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - ''Their (impersonalist) philosophy is oneness. So how there be love with just one? Is it possible? Have you got any such experience that love means one? No. Love means two. There MUST be two, the lover and the beloved. Kṛṣṇa is already lover. He loves you so much that He's trying to get you back. That is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, My dear boy, or My dear friend, My dear servant..." (Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 2 Chapter 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)
There are personal intimate relationships the jiva souls (marginal living entities) have with Krishna.
A devotee has a relationship with Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes, in five different ways-
1. One may be a devotee in a passive state;
2. One may be a devotee in an active state;
3. One may be a devotee as a friend;
4. One may be a devotee as a parent;
5. One may be a devotee as a conjugal lover.''
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains these 5 relationships in detail in His Books like "Nectar of Devotion".
A "PASSIVE" relationship (number one in above list) with Krishna in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, is an almost "inactive" position the jiva souls can CHOOSE according to their desires ("free will"), such as -
A cloud in the sky,
The Sky
A blade of grass,
A tree,
A rock or stone,
A fence,
A chair or bench,
A flag pole and a flag
A roadway,
A Chariot, etc
The point is, EVERYTHING is alive in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana, unlike the mundane dead material creation.
This means EVERYTHING from the shoes on your feet, to the clothes you wear, are all individual jiva souls who have shape shifted as that form because they have chosen to play that particular role in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana.
This is called a "passive" relationship with Krishna.
The ORIGINAL eternal form of the jiva soul, is a body like Krishnas Prabhupada has said, two arms, two legs etc like Krishna has in Vṛndāvana.
This means the 4 armed bodily form the jiva souls have in the Vaikuntha Planets that looks like Vishnu/Narayana Form is NOT the original form.
This also means ALL marginal living entities (jiva-souls) originate from Goloka-Vrindavana.
And many jiva souls CHOOSE to have that passive (inert, inactive or idle) relationship with Krishna but it is NEVER impersonal.
This means they do not react visibly to something that might be expected of them, like outwardly manifesting emotions or feelings.
Like a blade of grass or a tree is only seen moving in the wind and outwardly showing no effection or passion.
Even though "inwardly" the jiva soul, as that blade of grass or tree, is ecstatically blissfully completely aware of Krishna’s personal presence, and Krishna is fully aware of those personalities as the the blade of grass and tree they are.
Many jiva souls are therefore passive living objects in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana that do not involve visible reaction or active participation
This is playing a passive or seemingly inactive role in God's Kingdom.
However one should NOT confuse a "passive relationships" in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana with impersonal mundane "inactive nonsense".
The fact is, Krishna's abode is full of diversity where the jiva souls can voluntarily express various kinds of pure loving service to Krishna, from active service of being a Cow herd boy, to inactive service like being a flag on top of a flag pole.
These relationships with Krishna are also based on reciprocation and loving exchanges too, even if the jiva souls manifest themselves as a cloud in the sky, a bench for Krishna to sit on, or a plate for Krishna to eat off.
Just like we enjoy relationships with our families and society, so does Krishna.
However, all of His relationships are eternal in Goloka Vrindavana with their "Svarūpa Spiritual form:, and completely free of material contamination.
Each of Krishna’s jiva-tattva devotees interacts with Him by their "free will" in one of five primary relationships as said above.
All jiva souls are EQUALLY intimate with Krishna because in the Spiritual World all relationships with Krishna are equally blissful, just like one may like a carnation flower while others like roses.
Although advanced loving relationship with Krishna number from one to five.
These five are -
1 - Neutrality,
2 - Servitude,
3 - Friendship,
4 - Parental affection,
5 - And conjugal love.
More intimate love of God reaches its summit in romantic exchanges with Krishna.
Each devotee eternally feels one of these main moods -
Devotees in the mood of "neutrality" CHOOSE to witness and support Krishna’s pastimes by their presence as plants, animals, streams, and so on, as well as normally inanimate objects like houses—all of which are fully conscious and alive in Goloka Vrindavan.
Devotees in the "service mood" CHOOSE to run errands for Krishna, pack His lunch, wash His clothes, and perform other acts of loving service for Him.
Devotees in the "fraternal mood" CHOOSE to serve Krishna by being His friends.
They are sometimes boastful, considering themselves equal to Krishna because they have no idea Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes, nor do they care.
In Krishna's company the cow herd boys and girls enjoy games in the beautiful country forest settings of Vṛndāvana.
Devotees who CHOOSE to be in the "parental mood", see themselves as Krishna’s provider and protector.
Krishna behaves with them like a dependent child. His mother cuddles Him, carefully prepares His meals, and thinks only of His protection. His father sees that He has all the comforts of a normal home.
Devotees who CHOOSE to be in the "conjugal" (of whom many are also Vishnu-tattva and NOT just jiva souls) position, or romantic, mood offer service as Krishna’s girlfriends, relating with Him in the intimacy of lover and beloved.^.^.
