The marginal living entities are eternally existing in the entire Spiritual Sky (the spiritual world, the material world and the impersonal Brahmajyoti) in four different categories.

Srila Prabhupada - "We (the jiva-souls) are marginal energy (jiva-souls). Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy (jiva-souls); we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt." (Letter to Lilavati, Allston, Massachusetts, 25 April, 1969)

The marginal living entities, marginal potency or jiva-souls are ALWAYS found throughout the entire Spiritual Sky in four different ways.

1 - The jiva-souls associating with Krsna in Goloka-Vrindavana as a friend and four other different ways explained below.

2 - The jiva-souls serve Visnu/Narayana as the Supreme God on the Vaikuntha planets with great devotion and all in reverence worship.

3 - Being embodied (covered) in a temporary material bodily vessel in the material creation.

4 - And attempting to cease one's existence by extinguishing their individuality in the dormant "inactive" impersonal Brahmajyoti.

Entering the Impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahman to Vaiṣṇavas is considered Spiritual suicide.

However, such merging is only temporary even though the jiva-soul can stay there hovering inactively for a very, very, very long time, so long they even foolishly believe it is their origin.

The dormant jiva-souls in the Brahman effulgence eventually fall out of that inactive condition (impersonal Brahmajyoti) because the nature of the jiva-soul is to be ALWAYS active and have a reciprocal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

As said above, the jiva-souls can stay in the impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahman for so long that when they again awaken from their impersonal inactive slumber, they wrongly believe the impersonal Brahmajyoti is their origin.

Srila Prabhupada - ''The next question, about the living entities falling down in this material world are NOT from the impersonal brahman. Existence in the impersonal brahman is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness." (Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)

Srila Prabhupada - "Those who are in the brahman effulgence they are also in a fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition. When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition, that non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness. So long as one can maintain pure Krsna consciousness, he does not fall down. As soon as he becomes out of Krsna consciousness, immediately he has fallen down." (Letter to Revatinandana, Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)

The jiva-soul's forget that they fell to that dormant none active condition in the impersonal brahman in the first place a long, long, long time ago, that can equal quadrillions of life times of Lord Brahma who lives for 311 trillion and 40 billion human years.

The jiva-souls are NOT exactly generated (originate) from some imaginary place or plane in outer space (tatastha-sakti) or originate from the impersonal Brahmajyoti.

The fact is all jiva-souls are eternal without beginning or end as Bhagavad Gita As It Is Chapter 2 text 20 (1983 edition) explains has NO origin and were never created.

The marginal plane (also called tatastha-sakti along with many other names) is NOT some place of origin for the jiva-souls, rather, tatastha-sakti is another name for the jiva-souls describing their position in "the conditioned state" in the material creation or while dormant in the impersonal Brahmajyoti.

What "condition" of existence does tatastha-sakti mean the jiva-souls are in?

Srila Prabhupada - "So this material world is the taṭastha "conditioned" characteristics, and the spiritual world or Vaikuntha is the "personal" characteristics. So our effort is to get out of this taṭastha-śakti "conditioned" characteristics and to enter the personal or permanent characteristics (Vaikuntha), that is called spiritual elevation." (Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.354-358 — New York, Dec 28, 1966)

Srila Prabhupada - "Because the individual soul is apt to fall down sometimes under the clutches of māyā, it is called taṭastha-śakti.

Just like in the seaside the shore, the beach, sometimes you see it is covered by water and sometimes it is land. Similarly, when we are covered by māyā, that is our jīva-bhūta stage, and when there is no more covering, that is brahma-bhūta stage. When we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we are brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), and when we are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, we are materially conscious, that is māyā." (Lecture on BG 7.4-5 - Bombay, March 30, 1971)

The idea that the jiva-souls originate from tatastha-sakti is incorrect because the "marginal plane," that are the individual jiva-souls, is NOT a place but rather an over all discription of one of Krsna's eternal energies.

There is NO origin for the jiva-souls, they are beginningless and endless.

In fact the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) have no point of origin that some sangas and their Gurus misunderstand and wrongly believe, so claiming the jiva-souls originate from the impersonal Brahmajyoti.

The marginal plane or marginal living entities (individual jiva-souls) are expansions of Krsna who have ALWAYS existed throughout the entire Spiritual Sky WITHOUT beginning or end, just like the Sun-rays always exist together with the Sun-disc.

The point made here is the jiva-souls are the same age as Kṛṣṇa (beginningless), meaning there was no starting point to the jiva-soul's existence, nor will there be an end.

The implications of living for infinity is mindblowing if you seriously think about it however, there is also a choice of where to spend eternity, the permanent spiritual worlds, or the impermanent material worlds.

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

A good example that Krsna and the jiva-souls have always existed together for the same time is the Sun-disc and the sun-rays CANNOT exist separately from each other.

Similarly the marginal living entities cannot exist separately from Krsna because they are His eternal parts and parcels He always maintains, just like the Sun-disc maintains the sun-rays.

Each individual "jiva-soul" (marginal living entity) is a one of a kind independent PERSON with their own unique personality different from other personalities including Kṛṣṇas.

No two individual jiva-souls are the same, and no jiva-souls can EVER become God (Krsna or Visnu).

Loving devotional service to Krsna is ALWAYS based on a "two-way" voluntary exchange of personal feelings, manifesting as loving acts of reciprocation between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees.

The jiva-souls relationship with Krsna is very personal and never impersonal or dictorial.

Such devotees (jiva-souls) "voluntarily" contribute their own unique expressions (offerings) of devotional service to Krsna in the spiritual worlds as the real meaning of "surrendering to Krsna's will" that does NOT deny the "free will" and individual expression of each jiva-soul.

As explained above, just like with the Sun-disc and the Sun-rays (sunshine) there is no separation between the two, similarly Krsna (compared to the Sun-disc) and His marginal living entities or jiva-souls (compared to the Sun-rays) can NEVER be separated.

The jiva souls were NOT generated (created) from some nonsense "clear sheet of consciousness" either as some gurus preach, because, as explained above, they have ALWAYS existed everywhere in all aspects of the Spiritual Sky.

Sarva-gatah means life (including the jiva-souls) are everywhere.

What is the original form of the jiva-soul?

Devotee – "Is the original body of the jiva-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 Krishna, 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 devotee wants to serve Krsna as flower; they become flower . If I want to be as a flower, I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krstherena, he becomes flower, voluntarily, and he can change from flower to human body. That is Spiritually the 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, aslff beloved, anything. It is inconceivable, yet a fact." (SB Canto 6.1.1-4 - Melbourne, May 20, 1975)

As already explained, the jiva-souls (marginal living entities) can NEVER exist independently from Krsna, even though they CAN express their independent free will that Krsna provides for the purpose of allowing a "two-way" voluntary exchange of loving expressions, emotions and unique personal offerings between the jiva-souls and Kṛṣṇa.

There are five relationships the jiva souls (marginal living entities) have with Krsna explained below.

Srila Prabhupada - ''Love means you take and you give also. Suppose if you love somebody and you are simply taking from him, but you don't give. Oh, do you think it is very good? No. It is not good. That is NOT love that is exploitation. If I go on simply taking from you, and if I don't offer you anything in return, that is simply exploitation." (Lecture on 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 by one. There must be another one. I love somebody; somebody loves me, there must be lover, there must be beloved, and the transaction, then love." (Lecture on 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)

A devotee has a relationship with Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes, in five different ways-

1. One may be a devotee in a passive state;

2. One may be a devotee in an active state;

3. One may be a devotee as a friend;

4. One may be a devotee as a parent;

5. One may be a devotee as a conjugal lover.''

Srila Prabhupada explains these 5 relationships in detail in His Books like "Nectar of Devotion".

A "PASSIVE" relationship (number one in above list) with Krsna in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana, is an almost "inactive" position the jiva souls can CHOOSE according to their desires (free will) such as-

A cloud in the sky,

The Sky

A blade of grass,

A tree,

A rock or stone,

A fence,

A chair or bench,

A flag pole and a flag

A roadway,

A Chariot, etc.

The point is, EVERYTHING is alive in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana, unlike the mundane dead material creation.

This means EVERYTHING from the shoes on your feet, to the clothes you wear, are all individual jiva souls who have "shape shifted" as that form because they have chosen to play that particular role in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana.

This is called a "passive" relationship with Krsna.

The ORIGINAL eternal form of the jiva-soul is a body like Krsnas Prabhupada has said, two arms, two legs etc like Krsna has in Vṛndāvana.

This means the 4 armed bodily form the jiva-souls have in the Vaikuntha Planets that looks like Visnu - Narayana Form is NOT the original form.

This also means ALL marginal living entities (jiva-souls) originate from Goloka-Vrindavana which is an eternal fully Kṛṣṇa Consciousness "active" abode Kṛṣṇa's eternal pastimes) meaning there is no origin.

Many jiva-souls CHOOSE to have a passive (inactive or idle) relationship with Krsna but it is NEVER impersonal.

This means they do not react visibly to something that might be expected of them, like outwardly manifesting emotions or feelings as a blade of grass or a chair that Krsna sits on.

Or like a flower or tree is only seen moving in the wind and outwardly showing no effection or passion, even though "inwardly" the jiva-soul, as that blade of grass or tree, is ecstatically and blissfully fully aware of Krsns’s personal presence, and Krsna is fully aware of those personalities as a blade of grass, a flower, a chair or a tree.

Many jiva-souls therefore choose to be passive "living" objects in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana that do not involve visible reaction or active participation

This is playing a passive or seemingly inactive role in God's Kingdom but the ecstasy of serving Krsna is always there.

Therefore, one should NOT confuse a "passive relationships" in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana with impersonal mundane "inactive nonsense" of the Mayavadis.

The fact is, Krsna's abode is full of diversity where the jiva-souls can voluntarily express various kinds of pure loving service to Krishna, from "active" service of being a Cow herd boy, to "inactive" service like being a flag on top of a flag pole or the pole.

These relationships with Krsna are also based on reciprocation and loving exchanges too, even if the jiva-souls manifest themselves as a cloud in the sky, or a bench for Krsna to sit on, or a plate for Krsna to eat off.

Just like we enjoy relationships with our families and society, so does Krsna.

However, all of His relationships are eternal in Goloka Vrindavana as their Spiritual forms, completely free of material contamination and conditioning.

Each of Krsna’s jiva-tattva-soul devotees interacts with Him by their "free will" in one of five primary relationships as said above.

All jiva-souls are EQUALLY intimate with Krsna because in the Spiritual World because He treats them all equally with loving exchanges and responds to them individually based on their love for Him.

All relationships with Krsna are equally blissful, just like one may like a carnation flower while others like rose flower.

Loving relationships with Krsna, the jiva-souls can CHOOSE from different types.

These five are -

1 - Neutrality,

2 - Servitude,

3 - Friendship,

4 - Parental affection,

5 - And conjugal love.

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 as a flower, I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna, he becomes flower, voluntarily, and he can change 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 6.1.1-4 - Melb, May 20, 1975)

More intimate love of Krsna reaches its summit in romantic exchanges with Krsna, each devotee can CHOOSE to experience one of these main moods-

Devotees in the mood of "neutrality" CHOOSE to witness and support Krsna’s pastimes by their presence as plants, animals, streams, and so on, as well as normally inanimate objects like houses—all of which are fully conscious and alive in Goloka Vrindavan.

Devotees in the "service mood" CHOOSE to work in different ways for Krsna, pack His lunch, wash His clothes, and perform other acts of loving services and kindness for Him.

Devotees in the "fraternal mood" CHOOSE to serve Krsna by being His friends.

They are sometimes boastful, considering themselves equal to Krsna because they have no idea Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of ALL causes, nor do they care.

In Krsna's company the cow herd boys and girls enjoy games in the beautiful country forest settings of Vṛndāvana.

Devotees who CHOOSE to be in the "parental mood", see themselves as Krsna’s provider and protector.

Krsna behaves with them like a dependent child. His mother cuddles Him, carefully prepares His meals, and thinks only of His protection. His father sees that He has all the comforts of a normal home.

Devotees who CHOOSE to be in the "conjugal" (of whom many are also Visnu-tattva and NOT just jiva-souls) position, or romantic, mood offer service as Krsna’s girlfriends, relating with Him in the intimacy of lover and beloved.

Srila Prabhupada - "Regarding your question about our relationship with Srimati Radharani, She is the internal energy, we are marginal energy.

Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external.

When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy; we can be either this way or that way.

But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt." (Letter to Lilavati, Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969)

Srila Prabhupada - "When Kṛṣṇa kills the demons outside Vṛndāvana, He is not the original Kṛṣṇa; He is Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). When Kṛṣṇa is acting universally, that is Vāsudeva. Original Kṛṣṇa is ALWAYS in Vṛndāvana."

Jayatīrtha - "If the original Kṛṣṇa is always in Vṛndāvana, then why do the gopīs and Rādhārāṇī feel separation from Him?"

Srila Prabhupada - "That is here, in this material world. In the spiritual world Kṛṣṇa does not leave."

Jayatīrtha - "Oh."

Srila Prabhupāda - "And even in the material world, Kṛṣṇa superficially has gone to Mathurā, but He has captured the heart of the gopīs. So He is not leaving. Gopīs are enjoying Kṛṣṇa by separation. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's feeling, how He is appreciating Kṛṣṇa by separation." (Morning Walk, July 17, 1975, San Francisco)

From your aspiring servant Gauragopala Dasa ACBSP.*^*.

The Hare Krsna Maha mantra, its meaning and origins fully explained.

The Hare Krsna mantra is also referred to as the great mantra of deliverance.

It is a 16-word Vaisnava mantra which is mentioned in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad and which from the 15th century, rose to importance in the Bhakti movement following the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

This mantra is composed of two Sanskrit names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, "Krsna" and "Rama."

According to Gaudiya Vaisnava theology, one's original consciousness and goal of life is to "voluntarily" engage in pure loving service to God, who is Lord Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.

Since the 1960s, the Hare Krsna mantra has been made well known outside India by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and his ISKCON movement, the International Society for Krsna Consciousness known as the "Hare Krsnas" or the Hare Krsna movement.

The Hare Krsna Maha mantra-

"Hare Krsna Hare Krsna,

Krsna Krsna Hare Hare,

Hare Rama Hare Rama,

Rama Rama Hare Hare"

The Hare Krsna mantra is composed of Sanskrit names in the singular vocative case: Hare, Krsna, and Rama (in Anglicized spelling). 

It is a poetic stanza in anuṣṭubh meter (a quatrain of four lines (pāda) of eight syllables with certain syllable lengths for some of the syllables).

The actual mantra in the Upanishad is as follows:

''Hare Rāma Hare Rāma

Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa

Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare''

( Kali-Saṇṭāraṇa Upaniṣad)

However, when Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu promulgated the maha mantra, it was rendered with Krsna's name's first.

"Hare" can be interpreted as either the vocative form of Hari, another name of Visnu meaning "he who removes illusion".

Another interpretation is as the vocative of Harā, a name of Rādhā, Krsna's eternal consort or His energy (Krsna's sakti).

According to Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Harā refers to "the energy/sakti of Supreme Personality of Godhead" while Krsna and Rama refer to Supreme Godhead Himself, meaning "He who is All-Attractive" and "He who is the Source of All Pleasure".

In the hymn Visnu Sahasranama spoken by Bhishma in praise of Krsna after the Kurukshetra War, Krsna is also called Rama.

It is sometimes believed that "Rama" in "Hare Rama" means "Radharamana" or the beloved of Radha (another name for Kṛṣṇa).

The more common interpretation is that Rāma refers to Rama of the Ramayana, an earlier Visnu-tattva avatar (expansion) of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes.

Rama can also be a shortened form of Balarama, Krsna's first Visnu-tattva expansion."

The Hare Krsna mantra is repeated, either sung out loud (bhajan), congregationally (kirtan), or to oneself aloud or mentally on prayer beads made of Tulasi (japa).

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami describes the process of chanting the Maha Mantra as follows-

Srila Prabhupada - ''Krsna 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.

This chanting of 'Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare' is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness – namely sensual, mental, and intellectual.

As such anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification." (From "The Happening record Album" New York City Dec 1966)

The mantra is first attested in the Kali-Saṇṭāraṇa Upaniṣad (Kali Santarana Upanishads), a Vaisnava Upanishad associated with the Krsna Yajurveda. 

In this Upanishad, Narada is instructed by Brahma- 

Hearken to the wisdom which all Srutis (the Vedas) keep secret and hidden, through which one may cross the Saṃsāra (mundane existence of repeated birth and death) in Kali-yuga. 

He shakes off (the evil effects of) Kali-yuga through the mere uttering of the name of Lord Narayana, who is the primeval Purusha.

Narada asks to be told this name of Narayana, and Brahma replies:

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna Hare Hare; 

These sixteen names will destroy the evils of Kali-yuga.

The mantra was popularized by Caitanya Mahaprabhu born February 18th 1486 during the early part of the 16th Century A.D when he began his mission to spread this mantra publicly to "every town and village" in the world, travelling throughout India, and especially within the areas of Bengal and Odisha.

Some versions of the Kali Santarana Upanishad give the mantra with Hare Rama preceding Hare Krsna (as quoted above), and others with Hare Krsna preceding Hare Rama, as in Navadvipa version of the manuscript.

The latter format is by far the more common within the Vaisnava traditions. It is a common belief that the mantra is equally potent when spoken in either order.

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, a pure devotee of Krsna in disciplic succession, on the order of his guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, brought the teachings of Sri Caitanya from Bharat (India) in 1965 and single-handedly took the responsibility of spreading them around the Western world.

Beginning in New York City, he encircled the globe fourteen times in the final eleven years of his life, thus making 'Hare Krsna a well-known phrase in many parts of the world.

In the mid 1960s and early 1970s, the Hare Krsnas WERE part the hippie counterculture scene, in fact the Hare Krsna Movement grew out of the LSD Hippie culture of the 1960s.

Although the ideals of the hippies with their drugs, sex (love ins) and rock and roll, were very, very different than Prabhupada's teachings, who was trying to encourage them to chant Hare Krsna, eat prasadam and give up their drugs, meat eating, gambling and illicit sex.

Although Prabhupada was open to anyone becoming a member of the Hare Krsnas, they had to follow the four regulative principles, one of which is strict abstention from intoxicants, gambling, illicit sex and meat eating  (no fish, meat or eggs)

These are the four principles (or "four Commandments" as Srila Prabhupada once referred to them)

The Hare Krsna mantra appears in a number of famous songs, notably those of George Harrison. 

His first solo single "My Sweet Lord" reached the No. 1 spot on the UK, United States, Australia etc Singles Charts around the world.

Harrison put a Hare Krsna sticker on the back of the headstock of Eric Clapton's 1964 Gibson ES-335; the sticker also appears on Gibson's 2005 reproduction of the guitar.

Produced by Harrison, Radha Krsna Temple's recording "Hare Krsna, Mantra" was issued as a single on the Beatles' Apple record label in 1969.

The single was a commercial success, peaking at No. 12 in the UK, and led to the Temple devotees appearing on the popular British music chart television programme Top of the Pops.

The mantra also prominently appears in Jesus Loves You's "Bow Down Mister" (1990) and in the Pretenders' "Boots of Chinese Plastic" from their 2008 album, Break Up the Concrete. Stevie Wonder used the devotees chanting Hare Krsna in his song "Pastime Paradise."

Less well-known recordings of the Hare Krsna mantra include versions by the Fugs on their 1968 album Tenderness Junction (featuring poet Allen Ginsberg), by Nina Hagen.

In multiple songs by English psychedelic rock band Quintessence (produced by John Barham, a frequent collaborator of George Harrison)

And by Hüsker Dü on their 1984 album Zen Arcade.Kula Shaker, Boy George, and members of the Rubettes have recorded music tracks about Krsna Consciousness.

In a 2010 experimental study involving both devotees and non-devotees, singing vowels like "ah" and "eh" was found to be more joyful than singing vowels like "oh" and "uh", possibly due to a facial feedback effect.

The practice of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra is recommended in the Puranas, the Pancharatra, and throughout Vaishnava literature in general. For example-

''All the grievous sins are removed for one who worships Lord Hari, the Lord of all lords, and chants the holy name, the Maha-mantra''. (Padma Purana, 3.50.6)

When the sixteen names and thirty-two syllables of the Hare Krsna mantra are loudly vibrated, Krsna dances on one's tongue

Stava-mala-vidyabhusana-bhasya, Baladeva Vidyabhushana in Bhaktisiddhanta's Gaudiya Kanthahara 17:30

Anyone can immediately become eligible to perform Vedic sacrifices if he once utters the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or chants about Him, hears about His pastimes, offers Him obeisances or even remembers Him." (SB Canto 3 Ch 33 text 6)

Poem by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

"He reason ill who tells that Vaisnavas die

When thou art living still in sound!

The Vaisnavas die to live, and living try

To spread the Holy Name around!" 

(Poem by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura) 

ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

[I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who, with the torchlight of knowledge, has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.]

saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-

trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam

prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

[The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. 

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.]

mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta-

vāditra-mādyan-manaso rasena

romāñca -kampāśru-taraṅga-bhājo

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

[Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. 

Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. 

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.]

saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-

trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam

prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

This song is offering obeisances particularly to the spiritual master, and the symptoms of the spiritual master are described in this prayer. 

The spiritual master has two kinds of symptoms in his activities. One kind is called constant, and other kind is called temporary.

So the first verse says that the constant symptom of the spiritual master is that he can deliver his disciple from the blazing fire of this material existence. That is the eternal qualification of spiritual master.

[break] Trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam. Trāṇāya means for deliverance; kāruṇya means compassionate, very merciful. 

The spiritual master comes to the deliverance of the fallen souls out of his causeless mercy.

Nobody has any business for the sufferings of others. The best example is Lord Jesus Christ, that he suffered for others. And it is the principle, in the Bible, that he accepted all the sins of others. 

This is the sign of spiritual master, that he voluntarily accepts the sinful activities of others and delivers them. That is the qualification of spiritual master.

How it is? 

Just like ghanāghanatvam. Ghanāghanatvam means dense cloud in the sky. The first example has been said that this material existence is just like forest blazing fire. 

Now, to extinguish the forest blazing fire, there is no use of sending fire brigade. The fire brigade cannot approach the forest fire; neither any man can go there to extinguish the fire.

One has to depend completely on the mercy of nature. That means one has to completely depend on the clouds in the sky. Otherwise, there is no question of pouring water on that blazing fire. 

So the example is very appropriate. As man-made engine or fire brigade is unable to extinguish the forest blazing fire; similarly, the material existentional blazing fire cannot be extinguished by any man-made method.

They are planning to be very comfortable in this material existence, but they are still more being confused and failure. That peace movement, that United Nation movement, everything is failure. 

Why? 

These miseries of this material existence cannot be stopped by any material means. One has to take the shelter of spiritual means. 

Just like the blazing fire in the forest has to wait for the cloud in the sky, similarly, one has to wait for the merciful cloud as the spiritual master. That is described. Trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam, prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya.

[The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. 

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.]

So the spiritual master is not self-made. It is not that if anyone comes before you and bluffs you that "I have attained spiritual perfection, and I have realized something by some method." 

No. The spiritual master, bona fide spiritual, means he has to receive the power from authority. Otherwise it is useless. 

No. It is not that one can become spiritual master overnight. He has to take the power from his spiritual master. 

Therefore it is called prāptasya. Prāptasya means one who has obtained, one who has got the merciful blessings of his spiritual master.

We should always remember that the spiritual master is in the disciplic succession. The original spiritual master is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He blesses His next disciple, just like Brahmā. 

Brahmā blesses his next disciple, just like Nārada. Nārada blesses his next disciple, just like Vyāsa. Vyāsa blesses his next disciple, Mādhvācārya. 

Similarly, the blessing is coming. Just like royal succession—the throne is inherited by disciplic or hereditary succession—similarly, this power from the Supreme Personality of Godhead has to receive.

Nobody can preach, nobody can become a spiritual master, without obtaining power from the right source. Therefore the very word, it is stated here, prāptasya. 

Prāptasya means "one who has obtained." Prāptasya kalyāṇa. 

What he has obtained? Kalyāṇa. Kalyāṇa means auspicity. He has received something which is auspicious for all the humankind. Prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya.

Here is another example: guṇārnava. Arṇava means ocean, and guṇa means spiritual qualities. Just like the same example is going on. 

It is very nice poetry. There is nice rhetorics and metaphor. The example is set, blazing fire, and it is to be extinguished with the cloud. And wherefrom the cloud comes?

Similarly, wherefrom the spiritual master receives the mercy? The cloud receives his potency from the ocean. 

Therefore the spiritual master also receives his power from the ocean of spiritual qualities, that is, from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya. Such kind of spiritual master one has to accept, and vande guroḥ śrī caraṇāravindam, and one has to offer his respectful obeisances to such authorized spiritual master. 

(Bhajan and Purport to Śrī-Śrī-Gurv-aṣṭakam Jan. 2, 1969, Los Angeles)

All Glories To His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada!

There are no new jiva-souls being created, all jiva-souls (marginal living entities) were NEVER created and will never stop existing, they are beginningless and endless for infinity!

Srila Prabhupada - "There is no new soul, new and old are due to this material body, but the soul is NEVER born and NEVER dies, so if there is no birth, so how there can be new soul?" (Letter to Jagadisa dasa 7/9/1970)

Srila Prabhupada - "We (the jiva-souls) are marginal energy (jiva-souls). Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy (jiva-souls); we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt." (Letter to Lilavati, Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969)

Also Maha-Visnu does NOT create any jiva-souls as some foolishly believe and teach their disciples. The jiva-souls go to Maha-Visnu after leaving Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, and there aquire a material bodily vessel so they can enter the material creation in an attempt to experience their desires separate from Krsna and Visnu. No jiva-souls originates from Maha-Visnu, nor does He create any jiva-souls as many so called scholars wrongly teach, because all jiva-souls (marginal living entities) originate from Vaikuntha.

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

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

Srila Prabhupada – "Regarding your questions if someone has a relationship with Lord Krsna on Krsnaloka, does he ever fall down? The souls are endowed with minute independence as part of their nature and this minute independence may be utilized rightly or wrongly at anytime, so there is always a chance of falling down by misuse of one’s independence." (Letter to Jagadisa dasa, 4/25/1970)

Srila Prabhupada – "These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha, but in these material worlds they are taking various grades of bodies according to their material activities. There is no new souls. New and old are due to this material body, but the soul is never born and never dies, so if there is no birth how there can be new soul." (Letter to Jagadisa Dasa, 7/9/1970)

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

Srila Prabhupada – "The jiva-souls are Krsna’s marginal energy. Marginal energy means the jiva-souls may be under the control of the spiritual energy, or they may be under the control of material energy. But when the jiva-souls are under the control of the material energy, that is their precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when they are under spiritual energy, that is their original position and life of freedom." (Los Angeles, Nov 23, 1968)

Srila Prabhupada - "The material energy, called as Maya, is also one of the multipotencies of the Lord, as much as we (the jiva-souls) are also marginal potency of the Lord. The living entities (jiva-souls) are described as superior energy than matter, when the superior energy is in contact with inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation. But when the supreme marginal potency (jiva-souls) are in contact with the spiritual potency, Hara, it becomes the happy, normal condition of the living entity." (The Happening Hare Krsna record album, New York City, Dec 1966)

Srila Prabhupada - "The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) are NOT from the impersonal brahman. We do not accept anyone elevated to the brahman effulgence as actually liberated. Existence in the impersonal Brahmajyoti is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness and a fallen condition therefore, those who are in the brahman effulgence are also in the fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition. When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition and that non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness. To remain in the brahman effulgence is also another phase of that fallen condition. Those who are thinking that they are liberated by being situated in brahman effulgence are described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam as impurely intelligent. In other words, they are actually NOT liberated, and because they are not actually liberated they again come down to the material world. So, we do not accept anyone elevated to the brahman effulgence as actually liberated." (Letter to Revatinandana dasa, Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)

All jiva-souls (marginal living entities) originally came from either the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana Prabhupada teaches. The visiting jiva-souls who enter the material creation MUST obtain (hire) a material bodily vessel first from Maha-Visnu's dreams. Every material bodily vessel in the material creation is first "hired" to the jiva-souls from Maha-Visnu who owns them all.

Each individual jiva-soul (marginal living entity) in the spiritual world ALWAYS have a choice to be with Krsna or reject Krsna which is the meaning  of being "marginal," otherwise free will has no meaning.

The jiva-souls can "choose" to "voluntarily" serve Krsna in an unlimited variety of ways as an unlimited varieties of spiritual bodily forms in the spiritual world. Or they can reject Krsna and enter the impermanent material world and experience their independent desires. And this has nothing to do with Maya or material energy because Maya does not exist in the spiritual world, nothing material can exist there but free will ALWAYS exists in the spiritual world.

Srila Prabhupada – "The jiva-souls are Krsna’s marginal energy. Marginal energy means the jiva-souls may be under the control of the spiritual energy, or they may be under the control of material energy. But when the jiva-souls are under the control of the material energy, that is their precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when they are under spiritual energy, that is their original position and life of freedom." (Los Angeles, Nov 23, 1968)

Srila Prabhupada - "Regarding your question about our relationship with Srimati Radharani, She is the internal energy, we are marginal energy. Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy; we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. But being in the external energy is our artificial attempt to enjoy separately from Krsna." (Letter to Lilavati, Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969)

It is important to understand there is no such thing as new jiva-souls being created because they have ALWAYS existed and were NEVER created as Bhagavad Gita As It Is explains.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be." (BG, Ch 2 Text 12)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." (BG, Ch 2 text 20 "correct" 1983 edition)

Srila Prabhupada – "There are no new souls, new and old are due to this material body, but the jiva-soul is never born and never dies, so if there is no birth, how can there be new souls?" (Letter to Jagadisa dasa, 7/9/1970)

Only matter is temporary (like the material bodily vessel the jiva-soul is presently in), while the jiva-souls in the mmaterial bodily vessels are eternal and can NEVER cease to exist.

This means when the material vessels the jiva-soul are in breaks down due to disease, decay, old age or accidents, and ceases to function, the jiva-souls can no longer remain in that broken material body, and are forced to take another material bodily vessel in the womb of a new mother.

The jiva-souls contained in the "subtle" material body, (mind, intelligence, ego) are forced to continuously change "gross material bodies" because of the temporary decaying nature of matter.

All jiva-souls are beginningless and endless, they were NEVER created, not even by Krsna, this is because they have ALWAYS existed, just like the Sun-disc and the sun-rays can only always exist together. 

Krsna is like the Sun-disc who maintains all the sun-rays (jiva-souls) both are eternal without beginning or end.

The jiva-souls have their own individuality and independence, that includes a unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality, who voluntarily choose to serve Krsna. 

The jiva-souls (marginal living entities) are simultaneously ALWAYS dependent on Krsna and His Visnu-tattva expansion whether they are in the spiritual world or material world because only Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes and provides all things.

Srila Prabhupada - "Because he stays dormantly merged into the Body of Maha-Visnu after the dissolution of the material universes (Brahmandas), he thinks Maha-Visnu is his origin, or when one falls down from Brahma-sayujya (impersonal Brahmajyoti), he also thinks that this impersonal Brahmajyoti may be his origin, but he does not remember that long, long, long before that, he was with Krsna." (letter to Madhudvisa Swami, July 1972 Melb, Australia)

Also, no jiva-souls originate from the impersonal Brahmajyoti, tatastha-sakti or the Body of Maha-Visnu simply because those conditions are already a fallen condition the jiva-souls have already fallen too. 

Furthermore, as explained above, the jiva-souls have no origin because they have always existed.  

Srila Prabhupada - "Existence in the impersonal brahman is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those who are in the brahman effulgence are also in the fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition (the impersonal brahmajyoti and tatastha-sakti). When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition. The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness."(Letter to Revatinandana, Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)

So, tatastha-sakti is a fallen "condition" of the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) and refers only to those rebellious jiva-souls who are already fallen from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana. 

Tatastha-sakti describes those "conditioned" in the material creation and who are further "conditioned" in the impersonal Brahmajyoti. In other words, tatastha-sakti does not describe those jiva-souls in their original "none-fallen" position in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana.

Tatastha-sakti is a name describing the none Krsna conscious condition of the fallen jiva-souls.

Srila Prabhupada - "So this material world is the taṭastha (conditioned) characteristics, and the spiritual world is the "personal" characteristics. So our effort is to get out of this taṭastha (conditioned) characteristics and to enter the permanent characteristics. That is called spiritual elevation." (Lecture CC, Madhya-lila 20.354-358, New York City, Dec 28, 1966)

Srila Prabhupada - "Because the individual soul is apt to fall down sometimes under the clutches of māyā, it is called taṭastha-śakti. Just like in the seaside the shore, the beach, sometimes you see it is covered by water and sometimes it is land; similarly, when we are covered by māyā, that is our jīva-bhūta stage, and when there is no more covering, that is brahma-bhūta stage. When we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we are brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), and when we are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, we are materially conscious, that is māyā." (Lecture BG, Ch 7 Text 4-5 Bombay, March 30, 1971)

The marginal living entities or jiva-souls are not called tatastha-sakti in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavana as Prabhupada explains above because the word is a "conditioned" designation. 

As said above, the word tatastha-sakti refers to the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) in their fallen conditioned state in both the material creation and when dormant in the (impersonal) Brahmajyoti.

Revatīnandana - "Srila Prabhupāda you very clearly explained to me once in a letter that if the jiva-soul then goes into the brahmajyoti, he is considered still fallen. Still fallen. Does that means the whole brahmajyoti is composed of fallen souls? You see my question? If I go there, I'm a jīva-soul, and I go to the brahmajyoti I'm still fallen."

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes."

Revatīnandana - "That means all jīva-souls there in the impersonal Brahman (Brahmajyoti) are also fallen souls?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, when fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition (Goloka-Vrindavana and Vaikuntha). The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness.'' (Letter to Revatinandana, LA 13 June, 1970 and 1971 London)

The jiva-souls are not impersonal, they are a "perpetual bodily form" eternally like Krsna's two-arm bodily form.

The full potential and original feature of all marginal living entities is a two arm form like Krsna's Body Prabhupada explains.

All jiva-souls (marginal living entities) are eternal PERSONS, as a spiritual bodily form like Krsnas Body, whose perpetual permanent natural home is the spiritual world.

God (Krsna) is not ONLY an all-pervading consciousness who is even in the atom, no, Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes is also simultaneously an individual "PERSON" as an eternal spiritual bodily Form, who's Bodily rays ARE the Brahmajyoti.

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 BG, Ch 2 Text 14 Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)

Devotee - "I want to know exactly what is the form of the body. If the spirit soul (jiva-soul) is nonmaterial, what is the form?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "There is form. Just like this 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 leg; therefore your pant has got leg. Therefore, it is to be assumed that the spirit soul has got form, and it has developed into hands, legs, heads, everything. It is not formless; it has got form. But with our material eyes at the present, gross eyes, we cannot find it; therefore we say it has no form." (Lecture BG, Ch 2 text 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 jiva-soul has the shape of the body that is accommodating it?"

Srila Prabhupāda - "Yes, you have got body, shape, very minute shape, that we cannot see, we cannot measure. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, anumeyam. You cannot measure. What is that word used? Aprameyam. Aprameyam, you cannot measure but it has a form. What is the length and breadth of that form, that is not in your power to understand, not materially. If you have got 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." (Lecture SB, Canto 1 Ch 16 text 24 Hawaii, Jan 20, 1974)

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 - "Are they covered in the spiritual world?"

Srila Prabhupada - "Not in the spiritual world, there that 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 and become flower, voluntarily, and can change from flower to human body if one desires. 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)

As said above the word tatastha-sakti refers to the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) in their fallen conditioned state in both the material creation, and when dormant in the impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahman only.

It is foolish to believe the jiva-souls originate from tatastha-sakti (a conditioned fallen state) Srila Prabhupada explains.

The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) sometimes fall down to the material creation from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana which are their original homes.

And then after being frustrated in a material body trapped in the cycle of birth and death in the material creation, they attempt to find escape by entering the impersonal (inactive or dormant) Brahmajyoti. 

The fact is, the jiva-souls do NOT originate from the Impersonal Brahman (Brahmajyoti), the Body of Maha-Visnu or tatastha-sakti (all conditioned designation explained above) as some believe.

"Fall-down" (becoming nitya-baddha) means originally the jiva-souls are eternally liberated as "nitya-siddha" on the Vaikuntha planets or in Goloka-Vrindavana in their none-fallen eternal condition. 

That none-fallen original position of the jiva-souls is eternally in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana, but they can choose to leave at anytime and become nitya-baddha in the active material creation and inactive within the impersonal Brahmajyoti (both come under the heading of nitya-baddha) 

The jiva-souls (marginal potency or living entities) were not created from a clear sheet of consciousness either from the impersonal Brahmajyoti as some wrongly claim, because they have always existed without beginning or end.

The implications of existing for infinity in the material world, forever changing material bodily vessels life after life, is bizarre and mind blowing.

It means over infinity, the jiva-soul inside the material bodily vessel, could have occupied a material bodily vessels around them in another time, place and circumstance over an eternity (remember, eternity means beginningless and endless) 

The jiva-souls who choose stay in these temporary decaying material bodily vessels life after life as nitya-baddhas (eternally conditioned) may have already possessed" the material bodily vessels of the rich and famous people over an eternity, from the pious and impious leaders, to great musicians from Bob Dylan to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones etc etc, great Generals like Rommel, infamous leaders like Hitler and Starlin and human rights advocates in society like Gandhi and Martin Lurther King, the list is endless.

On the other hand, great religious teachers like Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura and Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada are pure nitya-siddha devotees from the spiritual worlds who have chosen to serve Krsna by preaching to the fallen souls. 

Therefore, they are NOT fallen (not nitya-baddha), they have chosen to come here and preach about Krsna and in the process NEVER forget Krsna and are nitya-siddha (eternally liberated) devotees serving in the material world.

The implications of living for "infinity" in the material world are extraordinary to the jiva-souls who have chosen to rebel against Krsna and leave the spiritual worlds to try and enjoy separately in the material worlds.

The jiva-souls may fall to an inactive or dormant state in the impersonal Brahmajyoti, but they certainly did not originate from the impersonal Brahmajyoti, Brahman or tatastha-sakti.

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

In fact the fallen jiva-souls can stay in the impersonal Brahmajyoti for a very, very, very long time, so long that some foolishly believe it is where they have originated from after emerging from there.

Merged in the impersonal Brahmajyoti is also only temporary because the nature of the jiva-souls is to be active not inactive therefore, all jiva-souls eventually fall out of the impersonal Brahmajyoti.  

It should be made clear the dormant inactive aspect of the Brahmajyoti is not the origin of the jiva-soul, it is actually the fallen state they fall too.

To a devotee attempting to extinguish one's individuality by merging into the impersonal Brahmajyoti is Spiritual suicide.

However, entering the impersonal (inactive) aspect of the Brahmajyoti, or in the atom as an inactive almost dead unit, is also temporary because the natural nature of the jiva-souls are to always be active.

Therefore, eventually the jiva-souls fall out of their impersonal prision and again take birth in the material creation, within the 8 million 400 thousand species of life to again experience the suffering of repeated birth and death.

Sadly for some who spent an enormous amount of time in the impersonal Brahmajyoti, when they eventually come out of that fallen condition, they foolishly believe the impersonal Brahmajyoti is their origin.

Srila Prabhupada - "So our effort is to get out of this taṭastha, conditioned characteristics and enter the permanent Personal characteristics (Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana). That is called spiritual elevation." (New York City, Dec 28, 1966)

Being on the marginal plane means the individual jiva-souls have free will and an independent identity with their own unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality.

Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence means the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) can use it properly, or one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that is not independence, that is force." (LA, June 23, 1975)

Srila Prabhupada – "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 within 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, this is also what free will allows and if it didn't, then they have no free will.

This is why it is foolish that big, big sannyasis and gurus can claim that once entering the spiritual worlds, the jiva-souls can never fall down again.

No, the jiva-souls can fall down again and again if they choose to do so! However, the majority (more than 90%) CHOOSE to never again fall down.

The point made here is, it is always the jiva-souls choice that Krsna never interferes with.

And such fall downs have nothing to do with Maya (material energy), it is simply free will or in rare cases like Jai and Vijay, offending devotees.

The fact is Maya or material energy does not exist in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana.

The choice to leave Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana is possible because Krsna allows love to be a two-way street, this means one can accept or reject Krsna if they choose to do so.

Srila Prabhupada – "So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, or one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that is not independence, that is force." (LA, June 23, 1975)

Srila Prabhupada - "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)

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 on Rene Descartes with Prabhupada and Hayagriva dasa)

The different categories of living entities have the following qualities of Kṛṣṇa-

1 - Visnu-tattva (also God) has 93.75%.

2 - Visnu-tattva also includes the personification of Kṛṣṇa's internal energy sakti-tattva who is Srimati Radharani and Her associates.  

3 - Siva-tattva (in a league of his own) has 85.938%.

4 - Jiva-tattvas the separated living entities with their own unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality has 78.125%. 

Lord Krsna has 64 qualities which is 100% of His own attributes.

Other living entities have as follows-

Visnu-tattva has 60 of Krsna's qualities which is 93.75%, but can at times express those extra 4 qualities temporarily due to lila or pastimes.

For example, the original Kṛṣṇa never leaves Vṛndāvana therefore the Krsna who does come to the material world is really a Visnu-tattva expansion of Kṛṣṇa playing the role of "the original Krsna." 

Siva-tattva has 55 of Krsna's qualities which is 85.938%

Jiva-tattva has 50 of Krsna's qualities which is 78.125%

Srila Prabhupada - "Lord Śiva has fifty-five qualities, Lord Nārāyaṇa has sixty qualities, but Kṛṣṇa has in full all sixty-four qualities. Cent percent, hundred percent all the qualities. Therefore either Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā or the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) can be equal to Krsna. This is the conception of God."(Lecture on SB 5.5.1, Los Angeles, Jan 20, 1969)

The Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna has all these sixty-four transcendental qualities in full. In actual fact, the extent of Krsna's qualities is inconceivable.^**^.

The "original" Kṛṣṇa NEVER leaves Vṛndāvana, His appearance in the material universes (Brahmandas) are carried out by His "Visnu-tattva" expansion who looks exactly like the original Kṛṣṇa in Vrindavana.

Srila Prabhupada - "Kṛṣṇa NEVER leaves Vṛndāvana, all the forms of Kṛṣṇa that appear elsewhere are His direct (Visnu-tattva) expansions." (BG, Ch 10 text 37, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Baladeva (Balarāma) is Kṛṣṇa's immediate expansion. Both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva appeared as sons of Vasudeva, so both of Them may be called Vāsudeva. From another point of view, because Kṛṣṇa never leaves Vṛndāvana, all the forms of Kṛṣṇa that appear elsewhere are His expansions. Vāsudeva is Kṛṣṇa's immediate expansion, so Vāsudeva is not different from Kṛṣṇa. 

It is to be understood that the Vāsudeva referred to in this verse of Bhagavad-gītā is Baladeva, or Balarāma, because He is the original source of all incarnations and thus He is the sole source of Vāsudeva. The immediate expansions of the Lord are called svāṁśa (personal expansions), and there are also expansions called vibhinnāṁśa (separated expansion known as the individual jiva-souls, or marginal entities).

Amongst the sons of Pāṇḍu, Arjuna is famous as Dhanañjaya. He is the best of men and therefore represents Kṛṣṇa. Among the munis, or learned men conversant in Vedic knowledge, Vyāsa is the greatest because he explained Vedic knowledge in many different ways for the understanding of the common mass of people in this Age of Kali-yuga (hypocrisy and quarrel) 

And Vyāsa is also known as an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa; therefore Vyāsa also represents Kṛṣṇa. Kavis are those who are capable of thinking thoroughly on any subject matter. Among the kavis, Uśanā, Śukrācārya, was the spiritual master of the demons; he was an extremely intelligent and far-seeing politician. Thus Śukrācārya is another representative of the opulence of Kṛṣṇa." (BG, Ch 10 Text 37, Purport)

Srimad Bhagavatam - "May I inquire whether Aniruddha is doing well? He is the fulfiller of all the desires of the pure devotees and has been considered from yore to be the cause ipof the Ṛg Veda, the creator of the mind and the fourth Plenary expansion of Viṣṇu." (SB, Canto 3 Ch 1 text 34, Translation)

Srila Prabhupada - "Ādi caturbhuja, the original expansions from Baladeva, are Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. All of Them are Viṣṇu-tattvas, or nondifferent Personalities of Godhead. In the incarnation of Śrī Rāma, all these different expansions appeared for particular pastimes. Lord Rāma is the original Vāsudeva, and His brothers were 

Saṅkarṣaṇa, 

Pradyumna, 

Aniruddha, 

Vasudeva. 

Aniruddha is also the cause of Mahā-Viṣṇu, from whose breathing the Ṛg Veda appeared. All this is nicely explained in the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa. In the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Aniruddha appeared as the son of the Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa in Dvārakā is the Vāsudeva expansion of the original group. The original Lord Kṛṣṇa NEVER leaves Goloka Vṛndāvana. All the plenary expansions are one and the same Viṣṇu-tattva, and there is no difference in Their potency." (SB, Canto 3 Ch 1 Text 34, Purport)

Srimad Bhagavatam - "Since that time, the city of Mathurā had been the capital of all the kings of the Yadu dynasty. The city and district of Mathurā are very intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa, for Lord Kṛṣṇa lives there eternally." (SB, Canto 10 Ch 1 text 28, Translation)

Srila Prabhupada - "It is understood that Mathurā City is the transcendental abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa; it is not an ordinary material city, for it is eternally connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vṛndāvana is within the jurisdiction of Mathurā, and it still continues to exist. Because Mathurā and Vṛndāvana are intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa eternally, it is said that Lord Kṛṣṇa never leaves Vṛndāvana (vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati). At present, the place known as Vṛndāvana, in the district of Mathurā, continues its position as a transcendental place, and certainly anyone who goes there becomes transcendentally purified. Navadvīpa-dhāma is also intimately connected with Vrajabhūmi." (SB, Canto 10 Ch 1 text 28, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "Krsna  explained - 'As I have already explained, I am not very much interested in family life or love between husband and wife. By nature, I am not very fond of family life, wife, children, home and opulences. As My devotees are always neglectful of all these worldly possessions, I am also like that. Actually, I am interested in self realization; that gives Me pleasure, and not this family life.' After submitting His statement, Lord Kṛṣṇa suddenly stopped.

The great authority Śukadeva Gosvāmī remarks that Kṛṣṇa almost always passed His time with Rukmiṇī, and Rukmiṇī was a bit proud to be so fortunate that Kṛṣṇa never left her even for a moment. Kṛṣṇa, however, does not like any of His devotees to be proud. As soon as a devotee becomes so, by some tactic He cuts down that pride. In this case also, Kṛṣṇa said many things which were hard for Rukmiṇī to hear. She could only conclude that although she was proud of her position, Kṛṣṇa could be separated from her at any moment.

Rukmiṇī was conscious that her husband was not an ordinary human being. He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of the three worlds. By the way He was speaking, she was afraid of being separated from the Lord, for she had never heard such harsh words from Kṛṣṇa before. Thus she became perplexed with fear of separation, and her heart began to palpitate. Without replying to a word of Kṛṣṇa's statement, she simply cried in great anxiety, as if drowning in an ocean of grief. She silently scratched the floor with her toenails, which reflected reddish light on the floor. 

The tears from her eyes mixed with the black cosmetic ointment from her eyelids and dropped down, washing the kuṅkuma and saffron from her breasts. Choked up on account of great anxiety, unable to speak even a word, she kept her head downward and remained standing just like a stick. Due to extremely painful fear and lamentation, she lost all her powers of reason and became weak, her body losing so much weight that the bangles on her wrists became slack. The cāmara with which she was serving Kṛṣṇa immediately fell from her hand. Her brain and memory became puzzled, and she lost consciousness. The nicely combed hair on her head scattered here and there, and she fell down straight, like a banana tree cut down by a whirlwind." (Krsna Book 60)

Srila Prabhupada -  "Śrī Īśopaniṣad points out that one who worships the demigods and attains to their material planets still remains in the darkest region of the universe. The whole universe is covered by the gigantic material elements; it is just like a coconut covered by a shell and half-filled with water. Since its covering is airtight, the darkness within is dense, and therefore the sun and the moon are required for illumination. Outside the universe is the vast and unlimited brahmajyoti expansion, which is filled with Vaikuṇṭha lokas. The biggest and highest planet in the brahmajyoti is Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka Vṛndāvana, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, resides. The original Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa NEVER leaves Kṛṣṇaloka (Goloka Vrindavana) Although He dwells there with His eternal associates, He is omnipresent throughout the complete material and spiritual cosmic manifestations. 

This fact has already been explained in Mantra Four. The Lord is present everywhere, just like the sun, yet He is situated in one place, just as the sun is situated in its own undeviating orbit. The problems of life cannot be solved simply by going to the moon planet or to some other planet above or below it. Therefore Śrī Īśopaniṣad advises us not to bother with any destination within this dark material universe, but to try to get out of it and reach the effulgent kingdom of God. There are many pseudo worshipers who become religionists only for the sake of name and fame. Such pseudo religionists do not wish to get out of this universe and reach the spiritual sky. 

They only want to maintain the status quo in the material world under the garb of worshiping the Lord. The atheists and impersonalists lead such foolish pseudo religionists into the darkest regions by preaching the cult of atheism. The atheist directly denies the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the impersonalists support the atheists by stressing the impersonal aspect of the Supreme Lord." (Sri Isopanisad 12, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "Thus the Lord is always engaged in transcendental loving activities with His spiritual associates in the various relationships of śānta. (Neutrality), dāsya (Servitorship), sakhya (Friendship), vātsalya (Parental affection) Mādhurya (conjugal love). Since it is said that Lord Kṛṣṇa never leaves Vṛndāvana-dhāma, one may ask how He manages the affairs of the creation. This is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā Ch 13 text 14-18- 

"The Lord pervades the entire material creation by His plenary part known as the Paramātmā, or Supersoul. Although the Lord personally has nothing to do with material creation, maintenance and destruction, He causes all these things to be done by His plenary expansion, the Paramātmā." (BG, Ch 13 text 14-18)

Sri Isopanisad - "Every living entity is known as ātmā, soul, and the principal ātmā who controls them all is Paramātmā, the Supersoul. This system of God realization is a great science. The materialistic sāṅkhya-yogīs can only analyze and meditate on the twenty-four factors of the material creation, for they have very little information of the puruṣa, the Lord. And the impersonal transcendentalists are simply bewildered by the glaring effulgence of the brahmajyoti. If one wants to see the Absolute Truth in full, one has to penetrate beyond the twenty-four material elements and the glaring effulgence as well. Śrī Īśopaniṣad points toward this direction, praying for the removal of the hiraṇmaya-pātra, the dazzling covering of the Lord. Unless this covering is removed so one can perceive the real face of the Personality of Godhead, factual realization of the Absolute Truth can never be achieved." (Sri Isopanisad 15, Purport)

There is no book in the whole world which contains so much knowledge as Brahma Samhita. Kṛṣṇa doesn't care for this material world. He is busy in the spiritual world. Rādhā mādhava kuñja-bihārī. He's busy in Vṛndāvana. He has many servants. 

Just like big men has got many secretaries, servants, they look after, similarly, in this material world. His representatives—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara—they are managing the affairs of this whole universe. 

But He's enjoying in Vṛndāvana. Jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī. He has no concern. He doesn't care what is happening here. But also it does not mean that He doesn't care, but He has no anxiety how the things are being managed. When it is mismanaged, then sometimes Kṛṣṇa comes in His Vāsudeva Form (Visnu-tattva who plays the part of the original Kṛṣṇa) A facsimile of the original Kṛṣṇa. 

Srila Prabhupada - "The original Kṛṣṇa never leaves Vṛndāvana. Padam ekaṁ na gacchati. He's always in His abode.

cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-

lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam

lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (B.S. 5.29)

He is very much adhered to His cows. Surabhīr abhipālayantam. And He's surrounded by hundreds and thousands of goddesses of fortune, these gopīs. He is surrounded. Lakṣmī sahasra śata sambhrama sevyamānam (B.S. 5.29)

We are praying for the goddess of fortune to have some favor, but in the spiritual world, Kṛṣṇa is served by hundreds and thousands of goddess of fortune. This is Kṛṣṇa's position." (Lecture BG, Ch 2 text 1, Ahmedabad, Dec 7, 1972)

Srila Prabhupada  - "From another point of view, because Kṛṣṇa NEVER leaves Vṛndāvana, all the forms (Visnu-tattva) of Kṛṣṇa that appear elsewhere are His expansions." (BG, Ch 10 text 37, Purport)

Srila Prabhupada - "Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Baladeva is Kṛṣṇa's immediate expansion. Both Lord Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva appeared as sons of Vasudeva, so both of Them may be called Vāsudeva. From another point of view, because Kṛṣṇa never leaves Vṛndāvana, all the forms of Kṛṣṇa that appear elsewhere are also His Visnu-tattva expansions." (BG, 10.37, Purport)×××