Wednesday, October 13, 2021

In the spiritual world's of Goloka-Vrindavana and the Vaikuntha planets, loving devotional service to Krsna and Visnu is never a "one-way or one-sided" dictatorial affair, no, real love or service to Krsna is ALWAYS voluntary and based on wonderful loving exchanges.

Voluntary service in the Kingdom of God (Krsna) is only genuinely expressed in a "two-way" reciprocation of loving exchanges.

Krsna will ALWAYS sanction "free will," which means voluntarily using one's abilities to choose how they want to serve Kṛṣṇa.

Without free will, the jiva-souls can never participate in voluntarily expressing their unique love for Kṛṣṇa that enrich and expand the relationship by adding varigatedness.

The jiva-soul's (marginal living entities) relationship with Krsna, is naturally a "two-way" partnership that allows shared loving exchanges with Krsna based on reciprocation and voluntary cooperation.

Krsna gives the jiva-souls "free will" for the purpose to allow love to exist which means of allowing a "two-way" to participation by having loving exchanges. 

Such loving exchanges can NEVER exist with just "one" making all the decisions, not even Krsna.  

Love can only exist in a "two-way" exchange of intimate expressions. Only a "two-sided" cooperation expands one's unique individual voluntary contributions presented to Krsna as personal offerings.

In Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, personal expressions of loving exchanges expressed by only having free will, are ALWAYS encouraged by Krsna in His relationship with the jiva-souls, that add flavour, variety and mystery to the association.

This means the Kingdom of God (Krsna's abode)) is NOT a "one-sided" dominating impersonal stagnant domain devoid of personal offerings (free will) that denies personal contributions (offerings) to God (Krsna), meant to expand, enrich and forever flavour the relationship with Kṛṣṇa with unlimited variety.

As said above, LOVE or service is NOT a "one-sided" affiliate of total supremacy or pre-eminence. 

The fact is, genuine loving relations and service are based on voluntary reciprocal exchanges and contributions between TWO, not just one!

The individual jiva-souĺs have THEIR choices too, EVEN if that choice means rejecting Krsna!

Free will ONLY has meaning when the jiva-souls can express themselves in a "two-sided" voluntary affair.

In other words, loving reciprocation is ONLY possible in a "two-way" exchange between two individuals with each contributing to the relationship's expansion of nectarine mellows.

The word "reciprocation" only has meaning when there are TWO involved, not one!

This also means the individual jiva-souls CAN reject Krsna if they choose, which in a sense proves that "free will" DOES truly exist.

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." (Philosophy Discussions - Rene Descartes)

Srila Prabhupada – "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." (Mayapur, June 20, 1973)

Having "free will" is the eternal constitutional make up of EVERY "marginal living entity (jiva-soul)," and is the foundation that begins ALL the jiva-soul's interactions with Krsna.

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!" (Aug 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)

Srila Prabhupāda – "Love means a relationship between "two-persons," then there is exchange, 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." (Aug 9, 1976, Tehran)

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 don't offer you anything in return, that is simply exploitation." (Lecture BG, Ch 9 text 2-5, New York City, Nov 23, 1966)

Srila Prabhupada - "We have got the propensity to love. Love means somebody else. Love cannot be one or love cannot be executed only by one, there must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then there is love." (SB, Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)

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." (SB, Canto 2 Ch 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)

Srila Prabhupāda - "There is also form, just like this material body is compared with the dress. Now, just like in your present material form you have got hand; therefore your coat has got hand. You have got legs; therefore your pant has got legs. Therefore it is to be assumed that the spirit soul always has got form, and is expressed as hands, legs, heads, everything. The spirit soul is not formless; it has got form. But with our material eyes at the present, gross eyes, we cannot find it; therefore we say and foolishly believe it has no form." (Lecture BG, Ch 2.14, Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)

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

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

Hari-sauri – "How do we understand, then, that there are peacocks and flowers and trees in the spiritual world? Are these not eternal forms?"

Srila Prabhupada – "[describing material form first]: Yes, they are more covered. Just like if you cover your body with blanket, the hands and legs are invisible. But you are not the blanket. So the trees and plants, they are more covered. They are not in full manifestation. The human form is the full manifestation of the soul."

Hari-sauri - "They are covered in the spiritual world?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Not in the spiritual world. There that is voluntary. Some devotees want to serve Krsna as flower; so they become flower there. If I want that, to be a flower I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna, then he become 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, Melbourne, May 20, 1975)

The full potential of the jiva-souls is bodily form always active in Krsna's pastimes and NOT some impersonal formless spark dormant or inactive in Krsna's Bodily effulgence (the impersonal aspect of the brahmajyoti)

Srila Prabhupada – “The human form is the full manifestation of the jiva-soul.” (Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)

Srila Prabhupada - "The spirit soul is NOT formless; it has got form, the spirit soul always has form and is expressed as hands, legs, heads, everything. But with our material eyes at the present, our gross eyes, we cannot see these facts; therefore we foolishly believe the jiva-souls have no form." (Lecture on BG 2.14 - Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)

Devotee - "What is the form of the spiritual body. If the spirit soul is non-material, what is the form?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "There is form, just like this material body is compared with the dress. Now, just like in your present material form you have got hand; therefore your coat has got hand. You have got legs; therefore your pant has got legs. Therefore it is to be assumed that the spirit soul always has got form, and is expressed as hands, legs, heads, everything. The spirit soul is not formless; it has got form. But with our material eyes at the present, gross eyes, we cannot find it; therefore we say and foolishly believe it has no form." (Lecture BG 2.14, Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)

Devotee - "Śrīla Prabhupāda, you state that spirit soul has form."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes."

Devotee - "Otherwise, how is the material body grown to accommodate the spirit soul? Just like a shirt has no form, but when it's put on the body, it takes the shapes of the body. Does that mean that the spirit soul has the shape of the body that is accommodating it?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, you have got body, a shape, very minute shape that we cannot see, we cannot measure. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, "anumeyam," what is that word used? Aprameyam, you cannot measure but it has a form. What is the length and breadth of that form? That is not in your power, but it is not material. If you have spiritual power then you can measure it. And that measurement is also given in the śāstra. What is that? One ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Hair is a very small point. And divide it into ten thousand parts. That one part is the measure, magnitude of the soul.

keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya

śatadhā kalpitasya ca

jīva-bhāgaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ

sa cānantyāya kalpate

(CC Madhya 19.140)

Everything is there. But you have no eyes to see, how to see one ten-thousandth portion of the top of the hair? You cannot see even the original top of the hair. Everything is there. We must have the proper eyes." (Lecture SB, Canto 1 Ch 16 text 24 - Hawaii, Jan 20, 1974)

Hayagrīva dasa - "Aquinas believed that God is the only single essence that consists of pure form. He felt that matter is only a potential and, in order to be real, must assume a certain shape or form. 

"Being in the universe have to acquire an individual form in order to actualize themselves. When matter unites with form, the form gives an object its individuality and personality. A bodily form gives an object its individuality and personality."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, the matter has no form. The spirit soul has got form. Though the matter is covering the actual form of the spirit soul, the matter appears to have form. Just like the original cloth has no form, but when the tailor cuts the cloth according to the body of the person, then the shirt and coat takes a form. The matter itself has no form. When you take clay, it has no form, but if you make it like a doll, like a man or woman, then it has a form. When the change the clay, and you manufacture a fort, then the fort has form. So form and formlessness is of the matter, but in the spiritual world everything has got form. The spirit soul has got form. God has got form. This is the truth."

Hayagrīva dasa - "Aquinas believed that only God and the angels have form that is not material. There is no difference between God's form and His spiritual self."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, as in the material world any form-man or beast or anyone—in the outward, external covering is matter, but within the matter there is the soul. The soul has form and God has form. That is real form. And the material form is simply shirting and coating over the spiritual body." (Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas)

Hayagrīva dasa - "He considered that matter was necessary to give the soul form."

Srila Prabhupāda - "No, he has got his original form."

Hayagrīva dasa - "Original form?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes."

Hayagrīva dasa - "Which is the form of the body."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Original form (like Krsna's Bodily, that is the form of the spirit."

Hayagrīva dasa - "Of the spirit."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, and the form of the body takes place on account of the form of the spirit. This is very nice example. The cloth has no form, but when it is cut according to the form of the gentleman, it takes a form. Similarly, matter has no form. When it is coated on the spiritual form of the soul, it takes the form. This is very easy to understand." (Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas beliefs)

All the individual personal contributions offered by the surrendered jiva-souls, are forever coming from their expanding unique ability of self expression and constantly re-inventing themselves in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana.

This allows the jiva-souls to always make voluntary offerings to Krsna that forever increase and expand loving emotions in healthy "two-way" exchange between Kṛṣṇa and the individual jīva-souls.

It is VERY important to understand that the individual jiva-souls are "PERSONS" with their own unique individual actions of self expression expanding always in both Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.

It must be clearly understood, for love to truly exist, each jiva-soul MUST have the free will to make their own choices, even if it means leaving Krsna if they choose, otherwise there can be no question of genuine loving service.

Srila Prabhupada - "So, unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom." (Dialectical Spiritualism, Critique of Descartes)

This quality or attribute of free will is part and parcel of the jiva-soul's marginal constitutional nature, as an independent free thinking part and parcel expansion of the Krsna.

Krsna allows this freedom for all jiva-souls have because without free will loving exchanges, voluntary contributions and reciprocation would NEVER exist.

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." (Mayapur, Feb 19, 1976)

As said above, having "free will" is the constitutional make up of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) that is ALWAYS part and parcel of their character and personality in the spiritual world. This means the jiva-souls can even choose to leave the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana if they want otherwise free will has no meaning.

"Free will" always allows this and if it didn't, then there is no question of loving exchanges or free will existing in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.


HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE




The choice to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is possible because Krsna allows a "two-way" relationship, this means one can accept or reject Krsna if they choose to do so and is proof the jiva-souls do have their free will in the spiritual world.

On the other hand in the mundane material creation there is almost no free will, so many terrible things are constantly happening and taken for granted due to ignorance.

Like the unnatural painful cycle of birth experienced trapped in a temporary material bodily vessel that is subject to disease, old age and death. 

The jiva-souls experience this while covered by a temporary  material bodily vessel they foolishly take for granted, due to forgetting they are eternal spiritual beings within the material body.

Frustration in the constantly changing material creation, will always be experienced by those jiva-souls (marginal living entities) who choose to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, and foolishly enter the material creation, because the material creation is ALWAYS in a constantly progressive state of decay, decline and forgetfulness.

Therefore one's material bodily vessel always wears out, breaks down and decays (dies)

But the jiva-soul, covered by the material temporary body, is eternal and therefore never subjected to decay or decline, but IS forced to continuously change bodies because of the temporary nature of the material creation.

The suffering of the individual jiva-soul within this temporary material nature, does NOT happen because of Krsna, He is not responsible for the jiva-soul's choices.

No, Krsna is NOT responsible for the suffering of the individual jiva-souls who have chosen to enter the material creation.

Even though the massive Brahmanda material universes, that our smaller secondary material universe is found within one of them, are all Krsna's creation. They are built by His expansion Maha-Visnu. 

And then Garbhodakashayi Visnu, who builds a secondary universe inside the massive Brahmanda universe.

The suffering in the material creation happens because at one point in the spiritual world, the individual jiva-soul has "chosen" to misuse their "free will", given to them by Krsna for the purpose of allowing voluntary diversity meant to encourage individual devotional offerings and loving exchanges. 

Therefore, as a result of mistakingly misusing their free will, the jiva-souls are forced by their own actions, to enter the temporary material creation and become entangled in the repeated cycle of birth and death.

The spherical material Brahmanda universal shells are all coming from Maha-Visnu as seen in painting.

Deep inside each Brahmanda is a secondary universe created by Garbhodakashayi Visnu, who is an expansion of Maha-Visnu.

From Garbhodakashayi Visnu Brahma is born who builds the many planetary systems within the inner material universe inside the Brahmanda as painting below reveals.

Krsna will NEVER interfere with the individual jiva-soul's free will because if he did, the jiva-souls would have no independent sense of self-expression, or the ability to accept and experience genuine loving exchanges and service.

Without having that independent sense of  being a"unique individual," which means having personal individual attributes that allows one to "choose" for themselves how to voluntary be involved in loving exchanges of service with Krsna, contributing in their own way based on loving reciprocation, then there can be no question of genuine loving exchanges. 

These are the characteristics that make the jiva-soul (marginal living entity) the individual PERSON they are eternally.

Love or service in the spiritual worlds is NEVER a "one-way" street, love can ONLY exist when "two" are exchanging loving feelings with each other.

Only then when there is loving reciprocation and exchanges of good feelings between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, does love exist.

Only when "two" are voluntarily involved in reciprocating with each other can love exist.

In this way, real love or service is ALWAYS based on a "two-way exchange of feelings."

As said above, that means offering individual contributions that will enhance, expand and perpetually uplift the relationship between Krsna and His marginal living entities (jiva-souls).

This can ONLY exist if the jiva-souls are allowed to express their own independent individuality and unique free will without interference (forced surrender) from Krsna or His disciples.

If Krsna did force His will on the jiva-souls, then there can never be genuine loving exchanges because denying "free will" is also denying the jiva-souls voluntarily contributing their own choices of devotional service to Krsna.

Srila Prabhupāda - "Unless there are "two persons", where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange. When these things are transacted, then there is love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things MUST be there." (Evening Darsana, Aug 9, 1976, Tehran)

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)

Having "free will" is the eternal constitutional make up of EVERY "marginal living entity", and is the foundation for ALL jiva-soul's voluntary relationship with Krsna.

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!" (Aug 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)

In the spiritual world or Kingdom of God (Goloka-Vrindavana), loving service can never be a one-way or one-sided affair, no, real love or service is always an exchange of voluntary loving exchanges between two in a two-way relationship.

Surrendering one's "free will" to Krsna so He has complete control over the jiva-soul's every thought and actions, just like a puppet master has absolute control over his puppets, to a Vaisnava, is dangerous impersonalism.

Srila Prabhupada - "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).

Such impersonalism is just like a puppet master controls his mindless puppet by moving the strings. 

The puppet has no sense of life, freedom or independence, similarly if Krsna had full control over the individual jiva-soul's ability to make their own choices, it would deny the jiva-souls from experiencing their own personal sense of an independent self, and being able to make their OWN decisions and choices of offering their own personal unique contributions.

Sadly, this type of bogus surrender, where immature leaders demanded you surrender your free will and let Krsna flow through you and do all the thinking for you, was a serious problem in the early pioneering years (1960s and 70s) of understanding what genuine surrendering to Krsna (God) and His pure devotees really meant. 

This kind of "mindless surrender" of being told to give up your free will, is actually impersonalism.

The fact is, if Krsna had full dictatorial control over the jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, then that one-sided relationship is only empty impersonalism, slaverly and devoid of real love. 

Only a fool would want to be Krsna's mindless slave by attempting to extinguish your individuality, free will and independence thought that makes you a person who can choose to contribute to the relationship.

Such a nonsense "one-sided" dictatorial relationship in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, would simply make the jiva-souls no better than "mindless" lifeless dead stone Prabhupada has warned, just like a lifeless puppet controlled by strings!

Therefore the jiva-souls in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavan, ALWAYS have their own independent "free will" that is part and parcel of their unique individual marginal identity (As jiva-soul)

This "freedom" of having free will, allows the jiva-souls to each make their own unique personal offerings and voluntary contributions to Visnu or Krsna, where each jiva-soul can offer or serve Krsna in their own unique personal way.

In other words, each individual jiva-soul has their own special unique (personal) association and relationship with Krsna that no other jiva-soul has like theirs.

These loving exchanges are based on a "two-way" relationship between Krsna and the jiva-souls.

However, in the temporary material creation, it is different because those who have entered the material creation have previously chosen to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan by rejecting Visnu in Vaikuntha or Krsna in Goloka Vrindavana.

So why then does Krsna allow the jiva-souls to have their independent freedom to even leave Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan if they choose?

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? 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)

First of all we read from above by Prabhupada, Krsna gives the jiva-souls "free will" in the spiritual worlds that allows them to make their own choices there. 

Having free will also makes the jiva-souls fully responsible for all their choices and actions. 

Rejecting Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan and therefore having to enter the material creation, (but only less than 10% make such a choice) was a mistake by those jiva-souls because the material creation is NOT the real home of the individual jiva-souls.

For genuine love to exist, each jiva-soul must experience the free will to make their own choices, even if it means leaving Krsna if they choose, otherwise there can be no question of genuine love or service.

Srila Prabhupada - "So, unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will, there is no question of freedom." (Dialectical Spiritualism - Critique of Descartes)

This quality or attribute of free will is part of the jiva-soul's marginal constitutional nature, as an independent free thinking part and parcels expansion of the Krsna.

Krsna allows this freedom that all jiva-souls have because without free will loving exchanges and reciprocation can NEVER exist.

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." (Mayapur, Feb 19, 1976)

Having "free will" is the constitutional make up of all marginal living entities (jiva-souls) that is ALWAYS part and parcel of their eternal character and personality in the spiritual worlds.

This means the jiva-souls can even choose to leave the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana if they want.

Free will always allows this and if it didn't, then there is no question of loving exchanges or intimate relationships with Krsna.

This is why it is foolish that big, big sannyasis, gurus and Vaisnava scholars in some other sangas (religious cults), claim once entering the spiritual worlds the jiva-souls never again leave the spiritual world.

No, they CAN fall down again and again if they "choose" to do so! But only less than 10% again choose to fall down or leave, over 90% "choose" to stay.

As said above, such choices of fall down has nothing to do with Maya (material energy) because Maya does not exist on the Vaikuntha planets and in Goloka-Vrindavana.

It is simply the misuse of "free will" that is the cause of all fall down from the spiritual world.

The choice to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is possible because Krsna allows a "two-way" relationship that includes the jiva-souls having the choice and right to accept or reject Krsna if they choose.

Srila Prabhupada  - "Free will means that you can act wrongly. That is free will. Unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of free will. Where is free will then? If I act only one sided, that means I have no free will. Because we act sometimes wrongly, that means free will."

Hayagriva - "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." (Talk with Prabhupada - Rene Descartes)

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." (Talk with Syamasundara - Henri Bergson)

Even though Krsna has promised there is no return to the material creation once returning to the spiritual worlds.

The fact is, there IS return if the jiva-souls want to return to the land of exploration as Prabhupada explains here-

Acyutananda – "In Bhagavad Gita Krsna says, once coming to the spiritual world, the jiva-soul never returns to the material creation, so He can return?"

Srila Prabhupada – "If he likes he can return, that is voluntary."

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." (Mayapur Feb 19, 1976)

Paramahamsa - "But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there’s no return to the material world?"

Srila Prabhupada - "There IS return to the material world, 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 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. 

Just like some of our students sometimes go away, again come back. 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 - "Well, I believe you once said that once a conditioned soul becomes perfected and gets out of the material world and he goes to Krsnaloka, there’s no possibility of falling back."

Srila Prabhupada - "No! There is possibility, but he does not come IF he is intelligent. Just like after putting your hand in the fire, you never put it in again. So those who are going back to Godhead, they MUST become intelligent. Why going back to Godhead?" (Talk with Syamasundara Dasa on philosophy)

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 Cheviot Hills May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)

All jiva-souls already have these 3 basic qualities.

1 - An independent sense of self worth, the ability of self-expression and the choice to voluntarily serve Krsna as they choose.

2 - Individuality, and a unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality. 

3 - Their own unique character and identity separate from Krsna and all other jiva-souls too. 

Only then can when these qualities exist can there be meaningful reciprocal loving exchanges between Krsna and His marginal living entities (jiva-souls)

It is a fact that sadly, some jiva-souls make wrong choices in the spiritual world Prabhupada has told us, giving the figure at less than 10%

This has nothing to do with Maya or material energy because Maya does not exist there but free will does.

Srila Prabhupada also explains that over 90% of jiva-souls choose to NEVER rebel or leave the spiritual worlds that would instantly transfers the less than 10% of rebellious jiva-souls to the temporary decaying material creation, where one is forced to accept the cycle of repeated birth and death.

Dr. John Mize – "Does Krsna know ahead of time that a soul is going to be foolish and fall?"

Srila Prabhupada – "Krsna? Yes, Krsna 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 free will?"

Srila Prabhupada – "Yes."

Dr. John Mize – "From where does that tendency come?"

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 Krsna says,yathecchasi tathä kuru. “Now you do whatever you like." (BG, As It Is lecture, Mayapur, June 20, 1973)

While in the material creation, their actions, good and bad, come under the laws of material nature called karma, and they have to answer for all they do, good or bad.

Therefore, the full freedom or free will that exists in Goloka Vrindavana and Vaikuntha, certainly does NOT exist in the material creation. 

Choosing to reject Krsna means the jiva-souls are FULLY responsible for their own actions. 

Krsna is NOT responsible for the choices each jiva-soul makes, they are.

All the suffering the jiva-souls experience in the material creation is caused by them leaving Krsna in the spiritual world in the first place and then reaping the reactions of their own mistaken choices of actions within a temporary material bodily vessel or container within the material creation.

In other words, the jiva-soul is punished or rewarded for what ever actions, good or bad, they have "chosen" to act out in this life that may not be payed for until the next life, or even the life after that.

No one understands how Karma fully works because no one knows how many births we have had in the material creation over billions of years!!

This is important to understand and realize, we are all responsible for our own actions and pay for them with the kind of materialbody we get.

We CANNOT blame God (Krsna) for our suffering in the material worlds. 

Without "free will" in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavan, freedom to uniquely serve and love Kṛṣṇa in one's own way from one's heart (personality) will NEVER exist.

This means the jiva-souls always have an independent sense of self worth, individuality, and their own unique character and personality separate from Krsna's Personality.

As said above, only then can reciprocal love between two exist with Krsna and His marginal living entity (jiva-soul) exist.

Srila Prabhupada has said without free will and the ability to reciprocate as an independent individual servant of Lord Krsna, then we are all no better than a dead stone.

Srila Prabhupāda – "Unless there are "two persons", where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange, 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." (Aug 9, 1976, Tehran)

The individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities) can NEVER exist independently from Krsna, even though they CAN express their own independent free will that Krsna provides separately, for the purpose of allowing a "two-way" voluntary exchange of loving expressions that encourage unique individual contributions and personal offerings.

We must never forget that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, if we properly understand this, then we will understand the following discussion that EVERYTHING comes from Krsna including free will-

Swedish man - "Is there free will?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, just like you are sitting here. If you don’t like, you can go away. That’s your free will. There is free will, we are part and parcel of God, therefore we have got minute quantity of freedom." (Temple lecture Stockholm Sweden)

Srila Prabhupada - "Every individual soul is awarded a portion of independence because each is part and parcel of God. Thus he has the quality of independence, but in minute quantity. That is his individuality."

Syamasundara dasa - "Is Krsna within each atom as an individual entity different from every other entity?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, Krsna is there, He is individual. There are varieties of atoms, and sometimes they are combined together."

Syamasundara dasa - "How is each Krsna different? How is it He is an individual in each of the atoms?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Why is He not an individual? Krsna is always an individual. He is always a person, the Supreme Person, and He can expand Himself innumerably."

Syamasundara dasa - "And is Paramatma a person?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, every expansion is a person. We are all atomic expansions of Krsna, and we are all individual persons. Paramatma is another expansion, but that is a different kind of expansion."

Syamasundara dasa - "Is the jivatma, (the individual jiva-soul), also a person?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, if he were not a person, then how would you account for the differences? We are all different persons. You may agree with my opinion or not, but in any case you are an individual. Krsna is also an individual. Nityo nityanam. There are innumerable individual jiva-souls, but He is the supreme individual person." 

Syamasundara dasa - "So even within material atoms, there is a spiritual life, a spiritual force?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, force means spiritual force."

Syamasundara dasa - "But even within the dead body there are forces. There is the force of decomposition."

Srila Prabhupada - "Krsna is within the atom, and the body is a combination of so many atoms; therefore the force for creating other living entities is also there even in the process of decomposition. When the individual soul's force is stopped within a particular body, we call that body a dead body. Still, Krsna's force is there because the body is a combination of atoms. 

The ultimate desire is of Krsna. If you take it in that way, Krsna is within every atom, and therefore Krsna wants whatever is to be.  

Therefore He wills that these two elements become one, and therefore the molecules combine to create water, or whatever. Thus there is a creation, and again there is another creation, and so on. In any case, the ultimate brain governing all creation is Krsna." (Dialectical Spiritualism: A Vedic View of Western Philosophy)

We must never forget that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes, if we properly understand this, then we will understand the following discussion that EVERYTHING comes from Krsna including free will.

Srila Prabhupada is simply confirming below that EVERYTHING comes from Krsna and MUST be sanctioned by Krsna first, including FREE WILL 

Syamasundara dasa - "Does the individual soul have a little independence to choose?"

Srila Prabhupada - "No (not without the sanction of Krsna) Bhagavad-Gita states that when the individual soul wants to act, Krsna gives the orders. Man proposes, and God disposes."

Syamasundara dasa - "So we have no free will?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Not without the sanction of Krsna. Without Him, we cannot do anything. Therefore He is the ultimate cause."

Syamasundara dasa - "But I thought you have been saying that we have a little independence."

Srila Prabhupada - "We have the independence in the sense that we may deny or affirm, but unless Krsna sanctions, we cannot do anything." (Dialectical Spiritualism: A Vedic View of Western Philosophy)

Srila Prabhupada here is simply confirming EVERYTHING comes from Krsna and MUST be sanctioned by Krsna first, including FREE WILL because Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes.

Nothing happens without the sanction of Krsna.

However, Krsna will ALWAYS sanction free will and the ability to choose, regardless of what is said above because without free will, the jiva-souls could never voluntary contribute in their own individual way to their relationship with Kṛṣṇa, which actually what makes it a "two-way" exchange.

Above, Srila Prabhupada in his discussion with Syamasundara dasa, is simply making the point that EVERYTHING is under the control of Krsna as the Bhagavad-gita teaches us-

"Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord"

In other words, we only have free will because Krsna allows it, because He wants to experience diversity, personal contributions, and see self-expression from the jiva-souls, that all together allows them to "always" have a choice.

On the other hand, without free will the spiritual worlds would be impersonal, mindless and emotionally stagnant and cold like 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!" (Aug 5, 1976, New Mayapur France)

All the individual personal contributions from the jiva-souls are forever expanding their unique ability of self expression in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana.

This allows them to always make voluntary offerings to Krsna that forever increase and expand loving emotions in healthy "two-way" exchanges between Kṛṣṇa and the individual jīva-souls.

It is VERY important to understand that the individual jiva-souls are "PERSONS" with their own personal unique individual attributes of self expression existing always in both Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.

It must be clearly understood for love to truly exist, each jiva-soul MUST have their free will to make their own choices, even if it means leaving Krsna if they choose, otherwise there can be no question of genuine love or service.

Paramahaṁsa - "So we can come to the spiritual world and return?"

Prabhupāda -"Yes."

Paramahaṁsa - "Fall down?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, as soon as we try, Oh, this material world is very nice, Yes, Kṛṣṇa says, yes, you 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)

Bali Mardana - "An example of free will is someone can choose Kṛṣṇa or turn away? Is that example of free will?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, because if you accept Kṛṣṇa, then you must follow what Kṛṣṇa says. If you don't follow Kṛṣṇa, then what is the use of talking of Kṛṣṇa? 

Kṛṣṇa says, satataṁ kīrtayanto mām: (BG 9.14) "Always chanting about Me." That is mahātmā. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ: (BG 9.13) 

"Mahātmā, those who are devotee, they are not under these material influence. If he accepts Kṛṣṇa, he must abide by the injunction of Kṛṣṇa." (Morning Walk, Jan 22, 1974, Hawaii)

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)

Cintamani (or the Cintamani Stone), is a wish-fulfilling jewel in Goloka Vrindavana.

Cintamani is ALWAYS aspired to achieve by great devotes because they ONLY desire to please Krsna.

To say you have no desires in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is impersonalism or Mayavadi nonsense!

One NEVER loses "desires" in the spiritual world because THOSE desires are forever expanding in ways to always please Krsna.

It is foolish to think one becomes desireless in the spiritual world, only impersonalist try to extinguish their desires and commit spiritual suicide.

Actually, devotees of Krsna are forever increasing their loving affection for the Lord in both Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana because they ALWAYS only desire to please Radha and Krsna in Vṛndāvana or Visnu and Lakshmi on the Vaikuntha planets unconditionally.^**^.



















Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Caitanya Caritamrita - "The Body of Krsna is an ocean of eternal beauty and youth and seen to move in waves of beauty however, one cannot understand Krsna simply by reading Vedic literature." (CC Madhya 4.137)

Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes.

Caitanya Caritamrita - "O my Lord Krsna, Your transcendental body is very sweet, and your face is even sweeter than your body. The soft smile on your face, which is like the fragrance of honey, is sweeter still." (CC, Madhya, 21.136)

Caitanya Caritamrita - "Krsna's body is a city of attractive features, and it is sweeter than sweet. His face, which is like the moon, is sweeter still. And the supremely sweet gentle smile on that moonlike face is like rays of moonshine." (CC, Madhya, 21.138)

Srila Prabhupāda - "The body of Krsna, the ocean of the eternal beauty of youth, can be seen to move in waves of beauty. There is a whirlwind at the sound of His flute, and those waves and that whirlwind make the hearts of the gopis flutter like dry leaves on trees, and when those leaves fall down at Krsna's lotus feet, they can never rise up again. There is no beauty to compare with Krsna's, for no one possesses beauty greater than or equal to His. 

Since He is the origin of all incarnations, including the form of Narayana, the goddess of fortune, who is a constant companion of Narayana, gives up Narayana's association and engages herself in penance in order to gain the association of Krsna. Such is the greatness of the superexcellent beauty of Krsna, the everlasting mine of all beauty. It is from that beauty that all beautiful things emanate." (TLC, Ch 10)

Srila Prabhupāda - "My dear friends, Krsna is so beautiful that the goddess of fortune always remains on His chest, and He is always adorned with a golden necklace. 

Beautiful Krsna plays His flute in order to enliven the hearts of many devotees.

He is the only friend of the suffering living entities. When He plays His flute, all the cows and other animals of Vrndavana, although engaged in eating, simply take a morsel of food in their mouths and stop chewing. Their ears raise up and they become stunned. They do not appear alive but like painted animals. Krsna's flute playing is so attractive that even the animals become enchanted, and what to speak of ourselves." (KRSNA Book, Ch 35)

Srila Prabhupāda - "When Krsna walked on the bank of the Yamuna, He was seen nicely decorated with tilaka on His head. He was garlanded with different kinds of forest flowers, and His body was smeared by the pulp of sandalwood and tulasi leaves. The bumblebees became mad after the treasure and sweet nectar of the atmosphere. Being pleased by the humming sound of the bees, Krsna would play His flute, and together the sounds became so sweet to hear that the aquatics, the cranes, swans and ducks and other birds were charmed. Instead of swimming or flying, they became stunned. They closed their eyes and entered a trance of meditation in worship of Krsna." (KRSNA Book, Ch 35)

Brahma Samhita - "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is adept in playing on His flute, with blooming eyes like lotus petals with head decked with peacock's feather, with the figure of beauty tinged with the hue of blue clouds, and His unique loveliness charming millions of Cupids." (BS, 5.30)

Srila Prabhupada - "The Vedic hymn known as kama-gayatri describes the face of Krsna as the king of all moons. In metaphorical language, there are many different moons, but they are all one in Krsna.There is the moon of His mouth, the moon of His cheeks, the moonspots of sandalwood pulp on His body, the moons of the fingertips of His hands and the moons of the tips of His toes. In this way there are twenty-four and a half moons, and Krsna is the central figure of all of them." (TLC, Ch 10)

Srila Prabhupada - "Krsna's face is decorated with ornaments, such as earrings resembling sharks. His ears are beautiful, His cheeks brilliant, and His smiling attractive to everyone.Whoever sees Lord Krsna sees a festival. His face and body are fully satisfying for everyone to see, but the devotees are angry at the creator for the disturbance caused by the momentary blinking of their eyes." (SB Canto 9 Ch 24 text 65)

Srila Prabhupāda - "The gopis used to relish the beauty of Krsna as a ceremony of perpetual enjoyment. They enjoyed the beautiful face of Krsna, His beautiful ears with earrings, His broad forehead and His smile, and when enjoying this sight of Krsna's beauty, they used to criticize the creator Brahma for causing their vision of Krsna to be momentarily impeded by the blinking of their eyelids." (TLC, Ch 10)

Srila Prabhupāda - "My dear friend, if you still have any desire to enjoy the company of your friends within this material world, then don’t look upon the form of Krsna, who is standing on the bank of Keshi-ghata. He is known as Govinda, and His eyes are very enchanting. He is playing upon His flute, and on His head there is a peacock feather. His whole body is illuminated by the moonlight in the sky." (NOD, Ch 13)

Srimad Bhagavatam - "My respectful obeisances are unto You, O Lord, whose abdomen is marked with a depressiI 7uùĵon like a lotus flower, who are always decorated with garlands of lotus flowers, whose glance is as cool as the lotus and whose feet are engraved with lotuses." (SB, Canto 1 Ch 8 text 22)

Brahma Samhita - "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal purusha; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth." (BS, 5.33)

Srila Prabhupada - "There was nothing comparable to the bodily features of Lord Krsna when He was present in this world. The most beautiful object in the material world may be compared to the blue lotus flower or the full moon in the sky, but even the lotus flower and the moon were defeated by the beauty of the bodily features of Lord Krsna, and this was certified by the demigods, the most beautiful living creatures in the universe." (SB, Canto 3 Ch 2 text 13, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "No one can appreciate the beauty of Krsna by properly discharging his occupational duty, or by austerities, mystic yoga, cultivation of knowledge or by prayers. Only those who are on the transcendental platform of love of God, who out of love engage in devotional service, can appreciate the transcendental beauty of Krsna. Such beauty is the essence of all opulences and is only appreciated in Goloka Vrndavana and nowhere else. In the form of Narayana the beauties of mercy, fame, etc., are all established by Krsna, but Krsna's gentleness and magnanimity do not exist in Narayana. They are found only in Krsna." (TLC, Ch 10)

Srila Prabhupāda - "Dear Lord, when You appear in Your different incarnations, You take different names and forms according to different situations. Lord Krsna is Your name because You are all attractive; You are called Shyamasundara because of Your transcendental beauty.

Shyama means blackish, yet they say that You are more beautiful than thousands of Cupids.

Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya. Although You appear in a color which is compared to the blackish cloud, because You are transcendental Absolute, Your beauty is many many times more attractive than the delicate body of Cupid." (KRSNA Book, Ch 2)

Srila Prabhupada - "It is by great fortune that one comes to Krsna consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga to become well situated according to the Vedic direction. The ideal yogi concentrates his attention on Krsna, who is called Syamasundara, who is as beautifully colored as a cloud, whose lotus-like face is as effulgent as the sun, whose dress is brilliant with jewels and whose body is flower garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahmajyoti. 

He incarnates in different forms such as Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha and Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He descends like a human being, as the son of Mother Yasoda, and He is known as Krsna, Govinda and Vasudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend and master, and He is full with all opulences and transcendental qualities. If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogi." (BG, As It Is, Ch 6 text 47 Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "It is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita that the purpose of Vedic knowledge is to find Krsna. And it is said in the Brahma-samhita that it is very difficult to find Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by systematic reading of the Vedic literature. But He is very easily available through the mercy of a pure devotee. 

The pure devotees of Vrndavana are fortunate because they can see Mukunda (Lord Krsna) all the time. This word mukunda can be understood in two ways. Muk means liberation. 

Lord Krsna can give liberation and therefore transcendental bliss. The word also refers to His smiling face, which is just like the kunda flower. Mukha also means face. The kunda flower is very beautiful, and it appears to be smiling. Thus the comparison is made." (KRSNA Book, Ch 14)

Srila Prabhupāda - "When the transcendental sound of Krsna's flute is heard, the devotee's anxiety to continue to hear that flute enables him to penetrate the covering of the material world and enter into the spiritual sky, where the transcendental sound of the flute enters the ears of the followers of the gopis. The sound of Krsna's flute always resides within the ears of the gopis and increases their ecstacy. When it is heard, no other sound can enter their ears, and amongst their family they are not able to reply to questions properly, for all these beautiful sounds are vibrating in their ears." (TLC, Ch 10)

Srila Prabhupada - "The supreme abode of the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is described in the Brahma-samhita as cintamani-dhama, a place where all desires are fulfilled. The supreme abode of Lord Krsna known as Goloka Vrndavana is full of palaces made of touchstone. There are also trees which are called 'desire trees' that supply any type of eatable upon demand, and there are cows known as surabhi cows which supply a limitless supply of milk.

In this abode the Lord is served by hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune (Lakshmis), and He is called Govinda, the primal Lord and the cause of all causes. The Lord is accustomed to blow His flute (venum kvanantam). His transcendental form is the most attractive in all the worlds - His eyes are like the lotus petals and the color of His body like clouds. He is so attractive that His beauty excels that of thousands of cupids." (BG, As It Is, Ch 8 text 21, Purport)

Srila Prabhupāda - "Know that all beautiful, glorious and mighty creations spring from but a spark of My splendor." (BG, As It Is Ch 10 text 41)

Srila Prabhupāda - "The gopis' minds are always engaged in relishing the sweetness of Krsna's body. He is the ocean of beauty, and His beautiful face and smile and the luster of His body are all-attractive to the minds of the gopis. In Krsna-karnamrita, His face, smile and bodily luster have been described as sweet, sweeter and sweetest. 

A perfect devotee of Krsna is overwhelmed by seeing the beauty of Krsna's bodily luster, His face and smile, and he bathes in the ocean of transcendental convulsions. Before Krsna's beauty, these convulsions often continue without treatment, just as ordinary convulsions which a physician will allow to continue, not even allowing a drink of water for relief." (TLC, Ch 10)

Caitanya Caritamrita - "My dear friend, if you are indeed attached to your worldly friends, do not look at the smiling face of Lord Govinda as He stands on the bank of the Yamuna at Kesighata. Casting sidelong glances, He places His flute to His lips, which seem like newly blossomed twigs. His transcendental body, bending in three places, appears very bright in the moonlight." (CC, Adi, 5.224)

Srila Prabhupāda - "Krsna is known as Madana-mohana because He conquers the mind of Cupid. He is also known as Madana-mohana due to His accepting the devotional service of the damsels of Vraja and rendering favors unto them. After conquering Cupid's pride, the Lord engages in the rasa dance as the new Cupid. He is also known as Madana-mohana because of His ability to conquer the minds of women with His five arrows called form, taste, smell, sound and touch. 

The pearls of the necklace which hangs about the neck of Krsna are as white as ducks, and the peacock feather which decorates His head is colored like a rainbow. His yellow garment is like lightning in the sky, and Krsna Himself is like the newly arrived clouds. The gopis are like footbells on His feet, and when the cloud pours rain on the grains in the field, it appears that Krsna is nourishing the hearts of the gopis by calling down His pastime rain of mercy. 

Indeed, ducks fly in the sky during the rainy season, and rainbows can also be seen at that time. Krsna freely moves amongst His friends as a cowherd boy in Vrindavana, and when He plays His flute, all living creatures, mobile and immobile, become overwhelmed with ecstasy. They quiver, and tears flow from their eyes. 

Of Krsna's various opulences, His conjugal love is the summit. He is the master of all riches, all strength, all fame, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation, and out of these, His perfect beauty is His conjugal attraction. The form of Krsna, the conjugal beauty, is eternally existent in Krsna alone, whereas His other opulences are present in His Narayana form." (TLC, Ch 10)

Srila Prabhupada - "Krsna is never conquered by anyone, but a devotee can conquer Him through devotional service.

As stated in Brahma-samhita (5.33): vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau. One cannot understand Krsna simply by reading Vedic literature.

Although all Vedic literature is meant for understanding Krsna, one cannot understand Krsna without being a lover of Krsna." (CC Madhya 4.137, Purport)^*^*.

















Explaining the position of Krsna and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Krsna, as His original childhood form, NEVER leaves Goloka-Vrindavana therefore, when He does come to our earth globe in the material creation, He comes as His Visnu-tattva expansion, who then plays the part of Krsna in the material world.

Krsna as His original childhood form, NEVER leaves the spiritual world of Goloka-Vrindavan.

As said above, Krsna in Goloka-Vrindavan actually never kills demons there because they do not exist there in the spiritual world.

Vaikuntha also means "without anxiety" so how can there be demons there, or even separation from Kṛṣṇa there?

Only in the "facsimile Vrindavana" in the material world on this earth, do demons exist and are killed by Visnu while playing the role of Krsna here in the material creation.

Krsna is the original Form of Godhead from whom all others expand from.

This means Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, being the combination or unity of Srimati Radharani and Krsna, is also a Visnu-tattva expansion of Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada - "In the category of Visnu-tattva there is no loss of power from one expansion to the next, any more than there is a loss of illumination as one candle kindles another. Thousands may be kindled by an original candle, and all will have the same candle power. In this way it is to be understood that although all the Visnu-tattvas, from Krsna and Lord Caitanya to Rama, Narasimha, Varaha, and so on, appear with different features in different ages, all are equally invested with supreme potency." (CC, Adi 3.71, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada's candle analogy draws on a traditional example found in the Brahma-samhita (5.46), objectively establishing Krsna as supreme among manifestations of the Lord-

Srila Prabhupada - "The light of one candle being communicated to other candles, although it burns separately in them, is the same in its quality. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda [Krsna], who exhibits Himself equally in the same mobile manner in His various manifestations. Brahma states this even more directly earlier in that same work (5.1)- 

Lord Brahma - "Krsna, who is known as Govinda, is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, and He is the prime cause of all causes." (BS, 5.1)

And then again (5.39)- 

Lord Brahma - "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who by His various plenary portions appeared in the world in different forms and incarnations, such as Lord Rama, but who personally appears in His supreme original form as Lord Krsna." (BS, 5.39)

Brahma reiterates this point in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.14.14) after seeing Krsna produce innumerable Visnu forms from His transcendental body. Addressing Krsna, Brahma says-

 “Are You not the original Narayana [Visnu], O supreme controller, since You are the Soul of every embodied being and the eternal witness of all created realms? Indeed, Lord Narayana is Your expansion, and He is called Narayana because He is the generating source of the primeval water of the universe. He is real, not a product of Your illusory Maya.” (SB Canto 10 Ch 14 text 14)

So, while full manifestations of Krsna are all equal, there is the fact that one comes first meaning Krsna is the original  Supreme Personality of Godhead. 

In this capacity He is known as avatari—the source of all incarnations—as opposed to avatara. Krsna and His full incarnations are the same Supreme Person in different guises for distinct purposes, ranging from accepting the regal worship of His servitors in the spiritual world to intimate exchanges with His confidential devotees in Vrindavan.

According to Srimad Bhagavatam, the oneness of Krsna's many expansions exists in the realm of "tattva", which means "philosophical truth". 

But there is a higher principle in Vaisnavism, known as rasa, or the ecstatic interactions of the spiritual realm.

It is true that several Vaisnava lines, such as the Sri Sampradaya, see Visnu, also known as Narayana, is seen as the highest manifestation of God. That is their prerogative. However, the devotees of Krsna understanding the common identity of Krsna and Visnu, respect the devotion of Visnu's devotees. 

When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met with members of this lineage, for example, He was pleased to see how devoted they were to Visnu. 

Similarly, in Sanatana Goswami's Brihad-bhagavatamrita (2.4.99–107) we learn that the residents of Vaikuntha, the majestic kingdom of God, prefer Visnu to Krsna. 

Sanatana Goswami reveals this to be their particular bhava, or emotion, and it is pleasing to Krsna that Narayana's devotees in Vaikuntha see Him in that way.

But those who come in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who revealed an esoteric side of the Vaisnava tradition, see Krsna as Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, knowing Him to be the original Personality of Godhead and source of all Narayan and Visnu forms of God. 

While this was certainly the bhava taught by Mahaprabhu, it can also be demonstrated objectively with texts such as the Srimad-Bhagavatam and the Brahma-samhita.

It is the Srimad Bhagavatam that makes the most famous statement about Krsna's primary position -

ete chamsha-kalah pumsah

krsnas tu bhagavan svayam

"All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krsna is the original Personality of Godhead." (SB Canto 1 Ch 3 text 28) 

The First Canto’s third chapter proves this point, its first four verses glorify the Visnus who appear in the beginning of creation, and then it lists a number of important incarnations, including Krsna Himself. It is only at the end of the list that we find the words-

"Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam"- Krsna is God Himself"

These words confirm Bhagavatam's statement that Krsna is the Supreme Godhead and cause of all causes.

Srila Prabhupada's commentary on this text is very clear- 

Srila Prabhupada - "In this particular stanza Lord Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, is distinguished from other incarnations. According to Srila Jiva Goswami's statement, in accordance with authoritative sources, Lord Krsna is the source of all other incarnations. It is not that Lord Krsna has any source of incarnation."

According to Sri Jiva Goswami, this verse (krsnas tu bhagavan svayam) is the paribhasa-sutra of the entire 18,000-verse Bhagavatam. 

A paribhasa-sutra states the central theme of a literary work. 

In his Krsna-sandarbha (Anuccheda 73), Sri Jiva elaborates, writing that the many verses of the Bhagavatam might be compared to an army, with this verse the monarch who commands that army. He further shows that, according to this verse and many others, Krsna is the original form of God and the ideal object of pure devotional service.

Jayadeva Goswami's Gita Govinda (circa twelth century) also proclaims Lord Krsna's primary position among incarnations, reinforcing the teaching of the Bhagavatam. 

After listing ten prominent incarnations of Visnu in the book's first chapter, Jayadeva concludes by stating that Krsna is their original source. 

In fact, Jayadeva implies Krsna's preeminence throughout the Gita Govinda and states it explicitly in Act 1, Verse 16 (da śakriti-krite krsnaya tubhyam namah): 

"O Krsna, I offer my obeisances unto You, who assume these ten spiritual forms."

Krsna's unique qualities.

In the Bhakti rasamrita sindhu, Rupa Goswami lists sixty-four characteristics or qualities exhibited by Krsna. 

Fifty of these attributes can be found in an ordinary soul (jiva-tattva or marginal living entity) which is 78.125% of Krsna's 64 qualities. 

Lord Brahma and the demigods (except for Siva who is in a league of his own) are also marginal living entities or jiva-tattva souls within the material creation.

Lord Siva possess fifty-five attributes or 85.938% of Krsna's 64 qualities, and is neither jiva-tattva or Visnu-tattva. 

Visnu/Narayana forms of God displays up to sixty of these attributes (93.75%) our of Krsna's 64 qualities. 

But the remaining "four" are found ONLY in Krsna, and unique to ONLY Him, not found in all other manifestations of the Supreme like Visnu and Narayana including Balarama. 

The four qualities unique to Krsna are as follows-

1. Lila-madhurya: He exhibits numerous wonderful pastimes for the pleasure of His devotees.

2. Bhakta-madhurya: He interacts with loving devotees in intimate ways.

3. Venu-madhurya: He plays on His divine flute, thus attracting all souls.

4. Rupa-madhurya: His beautiful form is incomparable, unrivaled in all of existence.

Embedded in these explanations of Krsna's supreme position is something more fundamental. 

Krsna's supremacy underscores the superiority of love over power, sweetness over opulence.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura - "As much as my Sri Krsna is endowed with utmost sweetness [madhurya], similarly the Lord of Vaikuntha is endowed with absolute opulence and grandeur [aishvarya]. Lord Krsna as Vrajendra-nandana [the darling of the king of Vraja] never gives up this same opulence, but such aspects of His spiritual grandeur are considered unimportant by His pure devotees." (Navadvipa Bhava Taranga (118)

In other words, while Krsna sometimes reveals an opulent side that parallels that of Visnu, as, for instance, when He enacts His kingly pastimes in Dwarka, Visnu never displays the sweetness associated with Krsna and His associates. Therefore, it can be said that Krsna has something not found in Visnu—pastimes of intimate, familiar love.

But keep in mind, Krsna never leaves Goloka-Vrindavana and when He comes to the facsimile Vrindavana in the material creation it is Visnu playing the role of Krsna as painting below reveals. As said above, Krsna in His original Vrindavana form never kills demons in the material creation because He never leaves the Spiritual world. It is Visnu who kills demons while playing the role of Krsna in the material creation.

Most beliefs in God, even in the Vaisnava tradition, naturally evoke awe and reverence, such as in the Vaikuntha Planets with Narayana and Visnu where the jiva-souls have an all in reverence relationship with Visnu who they know and worship as the Supreme God. 

However, in Goloka-Vrindavan it is different, no one sees this young Cow herd boy Krsna as God, nor do they care about such thinking. Krsna to then is simply their dear friend and protector who evokes intimacy, friendship, personal reciprocation, loving exchanges and voluntary relationships in Goloka-Vrindavan, the top most spiritual planet. 

It is this, beyond all else, that distinguishes Krsna among other manifestations or expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And voluntary loving exchanges, as we all know, is the highest phenomenon in all of existence. 

In conclusion, the Gaudiya Vaisnava vision of the Divine is that all forms of Godhead are equal—since there is only one God—but Krsna enjoys a special position as the "candle who lights all the other candles. 

In addition to His ontologically prior position as the source of all Visnu manifestations of the Supreme, He exudes a sweetness and intimacy that eclipses the power and majesty of other divine forms. In fact, His all-attractive nature (Krsna means "the all-attractive one") even attracts other manifestations of the Lord. 

Srila Prabhupada explains that Krsna is known as Madana-mohana because He conquers the mind of Cupid (Madana). When He stands in a three-curved way, He attracts all living entities, including the demigods. Indeed, He even attracts the Narayana/Visnu form presiding in every Vaikuntha planet.

Srila Prabhupada - "There is no beauty to compare with that of Krsna, who is the origin of Narayana and all other incarnations, for no one possesses beauty equal to or greater than Krsnas. 

Otherwise, why would the goddess of fortune, the constant companion of Narayana, give up His association and engage herself in penance to gain the association of Krsna? 

Such is the superexcellent beauty of Krsna, the everlasting splender of all beauty. It is from that beauty that all other beautiful things emanate." (TLC, Ch 10)*^*








Friday, October 8, 2021

The story of Krsna's fallen devotee Brahmin Ajamil

Ajamil was a Brahmin, who lived in the city of Kanya Kubja India many, many years ago.

He had a chaste and beautiful wife. Due to his birth, parentage and social upbringing, he was a young man who maintained all the practices and observances of a righteous life.

He was virtuous and pure hearted, lived in an austere way, was learned in the Vedas and other scriptures and followed the ways of conduct written there.

But one day, while he was out in the fields collecting flowers for worshipping the Lord, he happened to see a drunken sudra and a prostitute engaged in sexual embrace.

Ajamil became bewildered and attracted; his mind becoming more and more attached to the prostitute. In Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, it is said that if one contemplates sense objects, he becomes attached to them.

Although Ajamil was a strict brahmin, he became hopelessly entangled by seeing a man and woman engaged in sexual activity.

Consequently he took this prostitute into his home as a maidservant.

Inevitably, he became so entangled that he abandoned his family, wife and children and went off with the prostitute. Due to his illicit connection with the prostitute, he lost all his good qualities.

He became a thief, a liar, and a drunkard. He completely forgot about his original training as a brahmin, and his whole life was ruined.

Engaging in sinful activities, Ajamil fell down from his position, and he begot many children through the womb of the prostitute. Even towards the end of his life, around the age of eighty, he was still begetting children.

When Ajamil’s wife was carrying this child, a few saints visited their house. They took pity on their situation and said to Ajamil’s wife, “We are very pleased with your hospitality. Now you must do us a great favor. Your tenth child will be a boy, name him Narayana.”

She agreed with a smile. They did not realize that the saints had planted a seed of holiness in their home.

Narayana grew up to be a very affectionate and kind-hearted boy. His parents loved him very much. He was their child of their old age, and was around them all the time, unlike his older siblings.

Ajamil was not strong enough anymore to go out and play with Narayana, but he enjoyed watching Narayana frolic in the yard. He also came to depend upon Narayana for getting his little chores done.

When Ajamil was 88 years of age, his health started failing him. He lay in bed most of the time. He was resting one morning, when he saw three fierce-looking Yamadutas (the horrible looking messengers of death) approaching him.

They had twisted faces and hairy bodies. They carried the feared noose to arrest the subtle material body that carries the jiva-soul in the outer gross material bodily vessel and take it to Yamaraj the Lord of death. 

Ajamil was scared, he wanted to be helped.

Narayana was playing with his toys a little far away. Ajamil called out for him,

“Narayana! Narayana! Come here!”

Thus, with tears in his eyes he somehow chanted the holy name of Narayana.

Suddenly, four agents of Lord Vishnu appeared there.

They were pleasant-looking, had eyes as beautiful as lotus petals, wore yellow silk and a crown on their heads, wore ear-rings and flower garlands.

They had four arms and carried a bow, a quiver, a sword, a mace, a conch, a chakra-disc and a lotus flower.

They came because they had heard Ajamil cry out for Narayana, which is a name of Lord Vispnu.

They asked the Yamadutas to release the ''subtle material body'' of Ajamil as it was dragged by them from his ''gross material body''.

The Yamadutas were extremely surprised.

They asked the Visnudutas why they should not take a sinner like Ajamil. The Visnudutas answered with a question,

“Why do you consider Ajamil a sinner? Do you really understand the finer points of dharma? Do you know how to decide which man is and which man is not to be taken to hell?”

A heated debate began on dharma and adharma, and the effects of acts of merit and demerit. The attendants of Yamaraj, the demigod of death argued that Ajamil’s unrighteous conduct far outweighed and negated his observances of the Vedas and other scriptures.

Also, they argued, the lords of Vishnu had no right to interfere in the first place, as Ajamil had just been calling his son.

Yet Visnu’s attendants stood firm, and proclaimed,

“Whosoever utters the Lord’s name, even by accident, calls for protection.”

Furthermore, they countered,

“As a fire consumes fuel, so the Lord’s name, whether chanted with or without knowledge of the greatness of the Name, destroys the unrighteous elements in a person. 

A powerful medicine, though taken by someone unaware of its properties, is still effective.”

The Visnudutas continued,

“The word Hari means ‘One who takes away all our blemishes and bad situations’. 

The power of the names of the Lord are such that even if one says it indirectly (like Ajamil did), or in jest, or to add it to a lyric for rhyming, or even dismissively, it will instantly pay for all sins.

This is how powerful Krsna's name is.

Even when a person subconsciously says the name of the Lord Krsna while falling down from above, or tripping on the street, beaten by someone, or bitten by a snake, or as an exclamation from worldly suffering, he does not have to suffer.

The Lord’s name is like fire, if it catches a wood, it will burn it to ashes. Similarly, chanting the name of the Lord destroys the sins of a person.”

The Yamadutas had no answer. They returned to Lord Yamaraj to complain about the Visnudutas.

When Lord Yamaraj heard the story, He got up and bowed for Lord Hari and was instantly filled with devotion and said to them,

“All my authorities come from Lord Krsna who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord and cause of ALL causes. 

Lords Brahma, Visnu and Siva are his representatives.

I have dominion over only the sinners, but I am not independent, I merely serve the Lord.

You do not know dharma in all its subtleties; therefore, you did not understand the actions of the Visnudutas. 

They were absolutely correct in releasing Ajamil. Let it be a lesson that you should NEVER bring a devotee to suffer in hell.”

Saying so, Lord Yamaraj prayed for forgiveness to Lord Krsna on behalf of himself and his agents.

Meanwhile, Ajamil had revived. 

Having heard the conversation between Yamadutas and Visnudutas about him, he started thinking. For the first time after leaving his home, he felt sorry for himself. He repented for his bad deeds and decided that he will not be involved in sinful activities again.

He left home and came to Haridwar. There he devoted himself entirely to worship of the Lord and finally left his mortal body in the river Ganga.

The Visnudutas came again and took him back home back to Godhead.

Message in this story-

The many names of Krsna all-powerful and very unique.

For those who aspire for liberation, there is nothing more powerful than the chanting of the Lord’s name. 

If this can rescue Ajamil, the Srimad Bhagavatam tells us, what to say of the results that can be obtained by chanting the name of the Krsna with faith and devotion.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna 

Krsna Krsna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare.







Thursday, October 7, 2021

The most important quality of Krsna's marginal potency (jiva-souls) is their free will because without free will there can never be any voluntary exchanges of love.

The reason why Krsna gave the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) their "free will" is so they can choose for themselves how to voluntarily interact with Him.

This is achieved with Krsna, by forever increasing and enriching their individual contributions of service in loving exchanges with Krsna.

The individual jiva-souls are independent (separated) living entities in the spiritual world's of thw Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana, yet the jiva-souls are simultaneously fully dependent on Krsna or Visnu as His parts and parcels.

The most important quality of Krsna's marginal potency is their free will because without it there can never be voluntary loving exchanges and reciprocation with Krsna.

All jiva-souls (marginal living entities or the marginal potency) have their own unique personality, free will and a independent unique sense of self separate from Krsna's Personality and identity. 

The reason why Krsna gave the jiva-souls their free will as independent living entities is so they can voluntarily choose for themselves how to contribute and serve Krsna in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana in their own unique way WITHOUT being forced into any dictatorial mindless relationship.

No, Krsna does NOT want mindless stone-like servants like that, who have no mind of their own and cannot think for themselves in their own unique way and make their own decisions on how they can serve Krsna and uniquely contribute to the relationship.

In this way, without free will,  genuine loving relations and feelings with Krsna can NEVER exist!

The jiva-souls in the spiritual world are NOT programmed mindless impersonal drones who only obey, and are always told what to do, how to act and what to think, never to offer their own unique personal contributions, or allowed to decide for themselves how they want to serve Krsna in their own singular way.

As said above, only by having free will (the freedom to choose to make one's own unique contributions in their relationship with Krsna) in the spiritual world, can genuine loving exchanges and reciprocation take place.

Without "free will" the jiva-soul is no better than dead stone Prabhupada has told us.

Furthermore, Krsna NEVER interferes with the free will of the jiva-souls because if He did and never allowed them to have the "freedom" to make their own choices in the spiritual world, then loving exchanges of voluntarily reciprocation with Krsna could never exist.

We are talking here about the spiritual world and not the mundane temporary material world where free will is almost non-existent.  

In the spiritual world, If one is forced to worship Krsna or Visnu, then that is NOT having a meaningful loving exchange with the Lord that builds personal feelings of security, it is tyranny, bullying and impersonalism.

That "impersonal mayavadi" nonsense version of Krsna's abode of Goloka Vrindavana or the Vaikuntha planets, is where the jiva-souls are forced to surrender their "free will" and unique individual independence and personality to Krsna or Visnu and allow the Lord to control you like a puppet master controls his puppets.

Such bogus so called devotees and their sangas, mislead aspiring Vaishnavas by saying - 

"You MUST fully "surrender prabhu" by letting Krsna flow through you and taking over your individual existence by allowing Him to do all the thinking and actions for you."

Such dangerous IMPERSONALISM and so called surrender, is spiritual suicide to the REAL Vaishnavas (devotees of Krsna) attempting to achieve "genuine" Krsna Consciousness.

This is because this kind of nonsense "surrender" is attempting to extinguish the unique individual identity and independent personality of the jiva-souls, and be like Krsna's mindless puppet in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana.

Having "free will" allows the jiva-soul (marginal living entity) to be the individual independent PERSON they are eternally in Krsna's perpetual Kingdom, where they can ALWAYS think for themselves and choose how to voluntarily contribute the very best they have as their own personal unique offering to Krsna. 

This is the REAL Goloka Vrindavana and Vaikuntha planets that are the eternal kingdom's of God.

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 – "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  - "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 - "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 BG, Ch 9 text 2-5, New York, 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 on SB Canto 1 Ch 2 text 6, Delhi, Nov 12, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - "Their (impersonalist) philosophy is oneness. So how there be love with just one? Is it possible? Have you got any such experience that love means one? No. Love means two. There MUST be two, the lover and the beloved. Kṛṣṇa is already lover. He loves you so much that He's trying to get you back. That is Kṛṣṇa's attempt. "Please, My dear boy, or My dear friend, My dear servant..." (Lecture on SB Canto 2 Ch 1 text 3, Paris, June 12, 1974)

Srila Prabhupada - "So if by free will you choose to surrender to Krsna, then you’ll get your REAL "free will or freedom. Otherwise you are under the clutches of maya." (Morning Walk – 14 July 14, 1975, Philadelphia)

Srila Prabhupada - "Unless there is a possibility of misusing our free will and having the choice to do right or wrong, then there is no question of freedom." (Srila Prabhupada's Dialectical Spiritualism - Critique of Descartes)

Srila Prabhupada - "As soon as we try, “Oh, this material world is very nice,", 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." (Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course, May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)

Only the impersonalist prays to be an "inactive" almost dead atom in Krsna's effulgence, or merge dormantly as a "spark" in the Brahmajyoti effulgence (Krsna's Bodily effulgence)

However, a devotee does experience personalism in different ways by praying to serve Krsna by even being a flower, a tree, a blade of grass, a chair, a flag pole, a chariot in Vaikuntha or 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 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 - Melbourne, May 20, 1975)*+*