Srila Prabhupada - "As living spiritual jiva-souls we are all originally Kṛṣṇa conscious entities, but due to our association with matter since time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by material atmosphere".
Srila Prabhupada - ''When the superior energy is in contact with inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation. But when the supreme marginal potency is in contact with the spiritual potency, Harā, it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity.
This transcendental vibration of chanting -
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare
This is the sublime method for reviving our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
As living spiritual souls we are all originally Kṛṣṇa conscious entities, but due to our association with matter since time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by material atmosphere.
In this polluted concept of live, we are all trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in her complexities.
This illusion is called māyā, or hard struggle for existence over the stringent laws of material nature.
This illusory struggle against the material nature can at once be stopped by revival of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original energy of the living entity.
When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And the process is recommended by authorities for this age.
By practical experience also, we can perceive that by chanting this mahā-mantra, or the great chanting for deliverance, one can at once feel transcendental ecstasy from the spiritual stratum.
When one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding, surpassing the stages of sense, mind and intelligence, one is situated on the transcendental plane.
This chanting of -
Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, surpassing all lower states of consciousness namely sensual, mental and intellectual.
There is no need of understanding the language of the mantra, nor is there any need of mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this mahā-mantra.
It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in this transcendental sound vibration, without any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy.
We have seen it practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting, or even a dog can take part in it.
The chanting should be heard, however, from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effect can be achieved.
As far as possible, chanting from the lips of a nondevotee should be avoided, as much as milk touched by the lips of a serpent causes poisonous effect.
The word Harā is a form of addressing the energy of the Lord. Both Kṛṣṇa and Rāma are forms of addressing directly the Lord, and they mean "the highest pleasure, eternal." Harā is the supreme pleasure potency of the Lord.
This potency, when addressed as Hare, helps us in reaching the Supreme Lord.
The material energy, called mayā, is also one of the multipotencies of the Lord, as much as we are also the marginal potency of the Lord.
The "marginal living entities" (jiva-souls) are described as a 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 is in contact with the spiritual potency, Harā, it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity.
The three words, namely Harā, Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, are transcendental seeds of the mahā-mantra, and the chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Harā, for giving protection to the conditioned soul.
The chanting is exactly like a genuine cry by the child for the mother. Mother Harā helps in achieving the grace of the supreme father, Hari, or Kṛṣṇa, and the Lord reveals Himself to such a sincere devotee.
No other means, therefore, of spiritual realization is as effective in this age, as chanting the mahā-mantra,
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare,
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma,
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
(Purport to Hare Krsna Mantra -- as explained on the cover of the "Happening record album" December 1966 New York City, USA)
"Serving" Krsna in Goloka Vrindavana is NEVER impersonal, meaning surrendering to Krsna does NOT demand that you give up your "free will", sense of independent self and your unique individual personality.
Having "free will" ALWAYS allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily choose their own unique contributions they want to offer to Krsna in loving service.
Lord Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and "cause of ALL causes".
The phrase "THE CAUSE OF ALL CAUSES" is significant here, it means Krsna is the source of EVERYTHING including the jiva soul's "free will"
However, there is an obvious reason why Krsna ALWAYS allow free will.
The fact is without "free will", loving exchanges with Krsna are NOT possible.
Free will allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily express their own independent emotions in loving personal exchanges with Krsna.
Without free will the jiva-souls can never personally voluntarily contribute in their relationship with Krsna in a positive way, leaving them no better than a puppet controlled by the strings of the puppet master.
How can a "mindless puppet" in a puppet show express loving emotions when it is always controlled and manipulated by the strings of the puppet master?
Similarly, how can the jiva-souls express loving emotions in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana if Krsna does not allow "free will" or individual "independence" that allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily make their own contributions that enrich, expand and enhance one's eternal relationship with Krsna?
Surrendering to Krsna and His pure devotee is NOT impersonal like that, surrender does NOT mean giving up your intelligence, free will, individuality and the awareness of being the independent unique contributing free thinking PERSON you REALLY are eternally.
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 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 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 on Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 2 text 6, Delhi, November 12, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada - ''The impersonalist philosophy is oneness. So how there can 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's so lover of you 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)
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)
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)
If "free will" is taken away from the marginal living entities (jiva-souls), then they lose the ability to give and accept love.
In that condition, the jiva-soul becomes no better than dead stone Prabhupada has told us, or just become a mindless robot, slave or drone.
For love to truly exist, the jiva-souls MUST have their free will that is part and parcel of their marginal constitutional make up as said above and emphasized here.
"Free will" allows the jiva-souls to choose for themselves how they want to serve Krsna with voluntary contributions in a selflessness mood (the real meaning of surrender) in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
Srila Prabhupada - “The jiva-soul's position in the spiritual world is voluntary.
Some devotee wants to serve Krsna as flower; they become flower there. If I want to be a flower I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna, 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". (Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.1-4 - Melbourne, May 20, 1975)
Each individual jiva-soul has their own independent personality, yet dependent on Krsna, yet simultaneously separate from Krsna's Personality.
This means the individual jiva-souls have their own sense of self, including a "unique one of a kind identity" that THEY each individually have.
These "PERSONAL" attributes are part and parcel of each individual marginal living entity (jiva-soul) making each of them the unique (one of a kind) "PERSON" they eternally are.
"Free will" in its full potential, is ONLY fully experienced in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavan, which is the jiva-souls original perpetual home.
Also the Spiritual Worlds of Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana are NOT a dictatorial domineering impersonal place where everyone just does what Krsna wants them to do without offering personal contributions that allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily have a reciprocal relationship of loving exchanges with Krsna.
The Kingdoms of God (Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana) are NOT impersonal in any way, there are ALWAYS loving exchanges going on between Krsna and His devotees eternally.
The Impersonal version of God's Kingdom found in many religious cults around the world, who demand you give up your "free will" in order to enter either Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, is nonsense.
Such an impersonal version of God's Kingdom is a loveless regimented mindless fool's paradise, occupied by emotionless thoughtless drones who are no better than DEAD stone.
To Vaisnavas, those who attempt to extinguish their free will, individuality and unique personality in the name of surrender are committing spiritual suicide.
Each individual jiva-soul has their own unique personal contributions to offer to Radha or Krsna with loving effection while serving them in Goloka-Vrindavana as the perpetual individual eternal independent servant they are eternally.
As said above, no two jiva-souls are the same, each has their own unique individual personality and character when engaging in loving exchanges of service with Krsna.
Srila Prabhupāda - ''Unless there are two persons, where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange. Giving something, taking something, feeding something and to eat something, and speaking everything, no secrecy, and to know everything of the other person. When these things are transacted, then there is love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there". (Evening Darsana, August 9, 1976, Tehran)
The jiva-souls can NEVER lose their free will in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, which means their own individual ability of self expression, when choosing to offer their own personal contributions that are unique to each individual jiva-souls (jiva-tattva)
Only by entering the material creation does the jiva-soul's free will almost ceases to exist and replaced with the material modes of nature of eating, sleeping, mating and defending.
Only in the human species does Karma exist which means jiva-souls in human form are responsible for their actions good and bad.
However, in the lower species of life, it is different, the covered jiva-soul is controlled by the basic instincts of the material bodily vessel they are contained in, like a dog, monkey Lion, bird all numbering 8 million species according to Srimad Bhagavatam.
Each jiva-soul (marginal living entity) has their own eternal marginal quality of free will in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, which is part and parcel of their perpetual make up or constitution that is eternal.
In this way each jiva-soul has their own individual sense of self, free will, unique character and personality that is separate from Krsna's Personality.
Yes, each jiva-soul is a unique "one of a kind" PERSON in the Spiritual Sky different from all others including Krsna.
Again it is important to understand this means that no two jiva-souls are the same because all jiva-souls have their own unique personality seperate from Krsna's Personality.
This eternally existing spiritual social code includes free will and being an independent person with their own sense of individual self.
This is the make up, character and personality of every jiva-soul who are eternal without any beginning or end.
And this is the perpetual make up of every marginal living entity (jiva-soul) making this their eternal constitution.
This allows the jiva-souls to personally always be aware they are a unique individual person who is always able to make their own offerings, contributions and decisions while serving Krsna.
"Free will" means it is the jiva-soul's choice of how they want surrender and serve Krsna, or not serve Krsna if they choose.
Although not serving Kṛṣṇa is very rare. The fact is, as said above, more than 90% of jiva-souls NEVER choose to foolishly reject Krsna. Only less than 10% make that choice to reject Krsna and therefore enter the material creation Prabhupada has told us.
If the jiva-soul in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana reject Visnu or Krsna, then they obviously cannot stay there in the Spiritual Worlds.
The only place available for them is the temporary decaying material creation, meant for the rebellious jiva-souls who CHOOSE to leave the Spiritual Worlds.
It is also the jiva-souls choice of how THEY want to offer and contribute to the Krsna, which is the very best from their personal unique abilities and talents that THEY voluntarily choose to selflessly offer to Krsna.
Also each jiva-soul in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana have learnt to know what pleases Krsna the most, by humbly and selflessly serving the great friends and servants of the friends and servants of Krsna in Goloka-Vrindavan or Vaikuntha.
Krsna is always pleased to hear of those devotees who are the servants of the servants, or the friends of the friends of Krsna.
This "selflessness" of serving the servant of the servant of Krsna is the highest realization of love of God.
The jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana are personally responsible for their choices and actions, and such choices have nothing to do with Maya or the material energy.
This is because Maya or material energy does NOT exist in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana.
It is the jiva-souls choice in cooperation with Krsna, to stay or leave the Spiritual Worlds therefore, the jiva-souls free will is never denied by Krsna.
If the jiva-souls choose to stay in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, or choose to enter the material creation, that is THEIR free will and choice.
Such "free will" allows them to choose to remain in the Spiritual Worlds, if Krsna allows, or leave and enter the material creation.
The material Worlds are created by Maha-Visnu for those who do not want to be in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana.
This is just like there is a penitentiary in Society for those who choose to rebel against the values of Society in Countries around the world.
Not even Visnu or Krsna can interfere with the choices of each individual jiva-soul due to them having their own free will given by Krsna, for the purpose of allowing voluntary benefactions instead of being forced to submit and mindlessly surrender to Kṛṣṇa without the personal contributions of a variety of personal offerings.
It is also ridiculous to foolishly claim that no jiva-souls can AGAIN fall down to the material creation once returning back home back to Godhead to Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
There is ALWAYS free will even though Krsna DOES make the promise in Bhagavad Gita As It Is that once returning back home back to Godhead, the jiva-souls will NEVER fall down again to the material creation.
Krsna NEVER forces us to love Him, He never forces the jiva-souls to stay in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana because there is ALWAYS the choice (free will) of each jiva-soul to stay or go.
Krsna makes the promise in Bhagavad Gita As It Is that once returning back home back to Godhead, the jiva-souls will NEVER again fall down to the material creation.
Is that true?
How do we correctly understand this text in Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 8 Text 15? -
Sri Krsna - "After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection". (Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 8 Text 15)
Even though Krsna has said above there is no return, the fact is the jiva-souls CAN ignore Kṛṣṇa's promise and AGAIN return to the material creation if they choose to do so Prabhupada has also told us.
Therefore it is the jiva-soul's choice also to stay or go, and not necessarily determined by Krsna's promise in Bhagavad Gita.
In fact having free will includes choosing to ignore Krsna's promise if they want to as Prabhupada explains here -
Acyutananda – “In the Bhagavad Gita, it says, “Once coming to the Spiritual World, he never returns to the material creation. He can return?”
Srila Prabhupada – “If he likes he can return”.
Guru-kripa – “How is it that one can become envious of Krsna?”
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. Krsna-bahirmukha haïä bhoga väïchä kare. That misuse is the cause of our falldown”. (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 house yet some end up back there?''
Srila Prabhupada - "No, there is no such thing as permanent 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 again if he wants, that choice is always there.
That's why when a man is released from the prison house, that does not mean it is permanent because he can again come back however, the general law is NOT to come back, but if he likes, he can come back, otherwise what is the meaning of having independence and free will?
Just like one becomes free from the prison house, naturally he should not go there again". (Discussions with Syamasundara > Henri Bergson)
Srila Prabhupada - ''So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?’ I immediately fall down. That is natural.
A servant is serving the master, but sometimes he may think that, “If I could become the master.” They are thinking like that; they are trying to become God. That is delusion.
You cannot become God. That is not possible. But he’s wrongly thinking”.
Vipina Purandara - “Why doesn’t Krsna protect us from that desire?
Srila Prabhupada - “He is protecting you. He says, “You rascal, don’t misuse your free will. 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 Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening.
Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
Paramahamsa - “But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there’s no return?
Srila Prabhupada - “There IS return, that is voluntary. Return is there”.
Paramahamsa - “If we want”.
Srila Prabhupada - “Yes”.
Paramahamsa - “So we can come to the spiritual world and return?”
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 and enjoy the material world, otherwise what is the meaning of free will?
Every living entity has got a little free will. And Krsna is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy like this." It is free will.
Just like one goes to the prisonhouse, not that government welcomes, "Come on. We have got prisonhouse. Come here, come here." He goes out of his free will; again comes out, again goes. Like that."
Paramahamsa - ''So our desire to enjoy, we achieve these material 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)
Devotee – “When we are in the spiritual sky and serving Krsna, we have a perfect relationship with Krsna, what causes us to fall down in the material world, because we’re already serving Krsna?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Because you desire to fall down. Here it is explained that “Don’t fall down.”
Devotee – “Srila Prabhupada, I can’t understand why we should have an impure desire when we are already serving…”
Srila Prabhupada – “Because you have got little freedom. Why one is not coming here and going to the liquor shop? It is his desire.
Devotee – “In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it says that Krsna did not want us to come to this material world. If Krsna did not want us to come, why are we here?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Yes. You forced Krsna to allow you to come. Just like sometimes a child forces his father. Father says, “My dear son, do not do this. Do not go there.” But he insists, “Oh, I must go. I must go.” “All right, you go at your risk and suffer. What can be done?
So because you are son of God you have got independence, full independence, therefore you have acquired the quality of your father, so God does not interfere with your independence.
If you persist that “I must go and enjoy independently,” so God says, “All right, you can go.” This is the position. You have to take sanction. That is a fact. But when you persist, God sanctions. And you come and enjoy”. (Lecture Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974)
Srila Prabhupada - ''Because you are son of God you have got independence, so God does not interfere with your little independence.
If you persist that “I must go and enjoy independently'', God says, “All right, you can go and enjoy”. (Melbourne, Australia June 25, 1974)
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)
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)
Srila Prabhupada explains in "Nectar of Devotion", that just like the Sun-disc cannot be separated from the Sun-rays, similarly Krsna cannot be separated from His parts and parcels or be without the association of His loving devotees.
Srila Prabhupada - "As the Sun-disc and the sunshine cannot be separated, similarly Kṛṣṇa and His bodily rays, the brahmajyoti, cannot be separated". (Krsna Book, 89)
The relationship between Krsna and His jiva-tattva expansions (marginal living entities) is NEVER one-sided, never a forced relationship, therefore NEVER impersonal.
One's relationship with Krsna is ALWAYS a personal relationship based on reciprocation, gentle nurturing and voluntary service, in a "two-way" loving exchange.
Only then can there be REAL love in one's relationship with Krsna.
In this way Srila Prabhupada explained to us many years ago what reciprocation is-
“If you love me, then I will love you, this means only in a two-way exchange can there be love.
Love is only real when it is based on a reciprocal relationship between two.
Here Prabhupada is giving us the example that there must always be loving respectful cooperation, exchanges and voluntary reciprocation, responding with each other with selfless kindness and devotion.
It is not that the jiva-souls serve Krsna without any response from Him, no, the Spiritual Worlds are not a "one-way" impersonal realm like that.
Krsna also enthusiastically serves His devotees just as much as they serve Him.
In fact Krsna's love for His parts and parcels is ALWAYS expanding and increasing, thinking of better ways to serve and please His friends, family and associates more than they could ever serve Him.
In other words loving emotions can NEVER exist with just one, there MUST always be loving exchanges and cooperation between TWO or more.
The fact is 90% of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) choose to NEVER fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana, because that is THEIR choice.
That expression of freedom or "free Will" in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana is always eternally part and parcel of the marginal living entities natural constitution and has always existed as explained above.
The jiva-soul or marginal living entity has 78.125% of Krsna's quantities, which works out to be 50 of His 64 qualities.
This puts marginal living entities in the realm of having their own "sense of independent self, identity, individuality, free will, unique character and their own personality separate from Krsna's Personality.
This allows them to have the ability to choose for themselves how to serve Krsna with sincere unique emotions of individual love that no other jiva-soul duplicates, this is what unique means.
The jiva-souls always have the freedom to agree or not agree with Krsna if they choose.
Having such individuality and independence allows the jiva-souls to choose Krsna or choose to be separate from Krsna, that means entering the material creation as a rebellious soul because of that choice to reject Krsna.
The material creation technically also exists because of "free will" because if the jiva-souls never had their free will, then there would be no need of a separate existence known as the material creation where jiva-souls can go when they choose to reject Krsna (God).
Remember Maya or the material energy does NOT exist in Vaikuntha, so MAYA is unknown to the jiva-tattva souls (marginal living entities) in both Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana and therefore CANNOT cause fall down.
Therefore the cause of staying or leaving Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is simply free will.
Also there are those who have fallen from Vaikuntha to the material creation, like Jaya and Vijay, the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha, who did penance as Demons for upsetting the 4 kumaras.
And again many others come to the material creation when Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya and all Visnu-tattva expansions, have their pastimes too.
And sometimes a great devotee comes like Srila Prabhupada for the purpose of bringing fallen souls back home back to Godhead.
However, having "free will" and an independent personality separate from Krsna's Personality, means the jiva-souls have their own individual identity and can leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana at anytime they choose.
Sadly such a choice by rebellious jiva-souls to follow their mistaken desires automatically places them in the temporary decomposing material creation of Maha-Visnu where they can try to be a God instead of voluntarily serving Krsna.
Having this freedom also allows the jiva-soul to express themselves in their own unique way in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana too this is why free will is most important in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
As said above, the material creation is created because it allows the jiva-souls the freedom to choose Krsna or ignore Krsna.
Therefore "free will" is eternally part and parcel of the eternal constitutional makeup of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
The Visnu-tattva and Visnu-sakti-tattva expansions of Krsna have 60 of Krsna's 64 qualities that works out to be 93.75% of Krsna's 100% attributes.
They are a different more direct expansions of Krsna's Personality different from the more independent jiva-souls (marginal potency) who have their own personality separate from Krsna's Personality.
This is because the Visnu-tattva and Visnu-sakti-tattvas are all expansions of Krsna's Personality, or Krsna just playing another role in His own pastimes.
Visnu-tattva and Visnu-sakti-tattva personalies ARE Krsna in another role.
Unlike the jiva-souls (marginal living entities) who each have their own unique identity and personality totally separate from Krsna's Personality.
"Free will" for the jiva-souls is eternal in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, and without this freedom of being able to choose, then the jiva-soul would be no better than dead stone.
Srila Prabhupada - "If you have no free will, then you are a stone. The stone has no free will. You want to be stone? Then you must have free will. But don't misuse your free will. But don't try to become stone either. That is not life". (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 Krsna says, yathecchasi tathä kuru. “Now you do whatever you like.” (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Ultimately LOVE is not a one-way street, real love is based on reciprocation and loving exhanges between two, not just one.
The individual jiva-souĺs have THEIR choices too, even if that choice means rejecting Krsna.
This is because loving reciprocation is only possible on a two-way street between two with each contributing to the relationship.
This also means the jiva-souls are allowed to reject Krsna to establish that free will DOES truly exist.
Only impersonalists preach that "surrender" means giving up your free will, individuality, independent contributions, personal opinions and unique offerings, and just become "little Krsna imitaters" LOL.
No, such "mindless" surrender is impersonalism.
If Krsna forced His will and dominance on the jiva-souls, denying them there ability to contribute personal offerings, suggestions and services that enhance and enrich a relationship of reciprocation, then they would be no better than dead useless stone Prabhupada tells us.
Such forceful one-way "don't think and just do as I say" demands by a dogmatic impersonal so called God, will only totally destroy the jiva-soul's independent quality of self expression, voluntary contributions and personal unique offerings.
And if Krsna DID force His will on the jiva-souls, FORCING them to love Him and only do what He wants and demands denying any two-way exchange, then how can that be real genuine love?
Such forced surrender to follow Krsna's will is tyranny! But Krsna is NOT like that at all explained here.
Devotee – "If Krsna did not want us to come to the material world, then why are we here?”
Srila Prabhupada - “That means you lose your independence. That is force, in Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.’ Is it love? “You love me, otherwise I will kill you!’ Is that love?
So Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C)
Therefore by forcing the jiva-souls to comply is interfering with the jiva-soul's free will.
The fact is Krsna will NEVER make decisions for the jiva-souls, otherwise their free will is violated.
There can be no question of love if the jiva-soul has no free will to choose for themselves.
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)
Free will is never surrendered in the Spiritual World as some fools believe because without free will there can NEVER be love.
Surrender must be voluntary that includes personal unique (your own individual offerings) contributions.
Free will is eternally part and parcel of the jiva-souls natural constitutional make-up and therefore ALWAYS exists without beginning or end on all the Spiritual Planets.
Although free will in its full potential is ONLY fully experienced in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan (the SpiritualWorlds), which is the jiva-soul's original perpetual home.
The material creation is an alien unnatural environment for the jiva-souls and they should not be there.
The relationship with Krsna is NEVER a one-way dictatorship, it is never impersonal, one's relationship with Krsna is always based on reciprocation and loving exchanges.
The jiva-souls in their full potential in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are forever choosing to expand their individual expression of personal offerings to Krsna.
Such a relationship is NEVER impersonal, one-sided or one-way because Krsna always reciprocates with such genuine loving effection with His devotees.
Srila Prabhupada - "Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force, no, Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!" (Washington DC July 8, 1976)
Real love can NEVER exist on a one-way or one-sided path where so called "surrender" to Krsna only extinguishes the jiva-soul's individuality, free-will and personal contributions that are meant to enrich, intensify and forever expand loving exchanges between Kṛṣṇa and the individual jīva-souls.
This is very important to understand.*^*
