Tuesday, May 27, 2014

The complete understanding of the origin of the soul from Vaikuntha

The complete understanding of the origin of the soul from Vaikuntha.

To say we, the marginal living entities, came from an impersonal origin, is not the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.

Letter to: Revatinandana — Los Angeles 13 June, 1970

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 brahma is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness.

Those who are in the brahman effulgence they are also in the fallen condition, so there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition. When fall takes place, it means falling down from the non-fallen condition.

The non-fallen condition is Krsna consciousness. So long one can maintain pure Krsna consciousness he is not fallen down. As soon as he becomes out of Krsna consciousness immediately he is fallen down. 

It does not matter where a living entity stays. In the material world also there are different stages of living conditions, and to remain in the brahman effulgence is also another phase of that fallen condition.

Just like in the Bhagavad-gita it is stated that conditioned souls by their pious activities are elevated to the higher planetary system, but as soon as the stock of pious activities is finished he again comes down on the earthly planet.

Similarly those who are elevated beyond the planetary system to the brahma effulgence, they are also prone to fall down as much as a living entity from the higher planetary system.

As such 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 as much as a living entity elevated to the higher planetary system comes down to this earthly planet.

So we do not accept anyone elevated to the brahman effulgence as actually liberated.”

Srila Prabhupada was very clear on this subject - “Formerly we were with Krsna in His lila or sport” Letter to Madhudvisa Swam 1972

Srila Prabhupada - “We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago.” - (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita on August 6, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha”. Letter to Jagadisa das, 1970

Srila Prabhupada - “As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness has now become polluted by the material atmosphere.” Original Hare Krsna album

Srila Prabhupada - ” So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krishna? Why not become Krishna?’ I immediately fall down.”. July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C

Srila Prabhupada - “Actually, you are not conditioned (nitya-baddha). You are thinking. Just like in the dream you are thinking that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger. So we have to get out of this dream. (Lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.108–San Francisco, February 18, 1967)

Srila Prabhupada - “Originally everyone is nitya-siddha. nitya-siddha Krsna Bhakti ’sadhya’ kabhu naya sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya Every living entity originally nitya-siddha, “. Srimad-Bhagavatam Class 7.9.4- Mayapur, February 18, 1977

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. Just like after putting your hand in the fire, you never put it again if you are really intelligent. So those who are going back to Godhead, they become intelligent. Why going back to Godhead? Just like we are in renounced order of life. So we have renounced our family life after thinking something. Now, if somebody comes, “Swamiji, you take thousand millions of dollars and marry again and become a family man,” I’ll never become, because I have got my bad experience. I’ll never become. . . .”

Srila Prabhupada - “You are liberated. You are liberated. Simply just a cloud has covered you. Drive away the cloud. There is no question that you were ever. You are ever-liberated. That, the sky is always spiritual, but it is sometimes overcrowded with cloud, this Maya. This is called Maya”.

Srila Prabhupada - “Actually, you are not conditioned. You are thinking. Just like in the dream you are thinking that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger”. Letter to Madhudvisa Swami 1972

Sakti is not exactly Visnu Tattva even though sakti tattva is also called sakti-Vishnu-tattva. The correct understanding is that all of Krsna’s energies are under the broad category of sakti-tattva. To make it simple there are only two categories.

1. Saktiman or God the controller of the energy

2. Sakti the energy of God are eternally occupied with their service to God, such expansions have only the desire to please Krishna or His Vishnu expansion, they can never be covered by Maya and their concept of free will and independance is only to please God as indirect expansion of Godhead. 

Vaikuntha is made up of many sakti tattvas and Vishnu tattvas as gopis, gopas and many many others, there is also jiva tattvas playing many rolls in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrndavana as well. 

Sakti tattva nitya siddhas can never fall down and the jiva tattvas can NEVER become sakti tattva. The jiva tattvas nitya siddhas like us on the other hand can 'choose' to forget God and enter the mahat tattva creation of Maha Visnu as nitya baddha and think they are a god and do their own thing.

God has many different energies. Jiva is one, Matter is one, the consorts of the Lord are one. Only the jiva tattvas can fall from Goloka Vrndavana neither sakti tattva or Vishnu tattva can fall as they are more divine expansions of the Lord

The real meaning of Tatastha s’akti

Tatastha s’akti simply means we have the ability to choose this side of being with Krishna or that side being in the mahat-tattva material creation, no-one comes from there because it is not a place.

There are 160 names for the jiva-tattva like baddha--jiva, siddha-jiva, tatastha-jiva, jiva-tattva, jiva-s'akti, jiva bhutah etc that each describe the marginal living entity in its particular possition.

For example tatastha s’akti or jiva-tatastha refers to the jiva-tattva's sovereignty as an individual living being THAT HAS FREE WILL AND THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE its destiny.

NO jiva-tattva comes from tatastha-s'akti because THEY are ALREADY tatastha-s'akti PERPETUALLY! even in Goloka-Vrindavana from where they have originated.

Tatastha-s'akti is NOT some place in the cosmos; it is simply a description of the jiva-tattva (marginal living entity) nature pertaining to free will and the ability to choose.

Tatastha s’akti simply means we have the ability to choose this side or that side.

The marginal living entity therefore is always also known a tatastha- s’akti in Vaikuntha, Goloka and the material creation, meaning there is always choice and free-will to love Krishna or reject KrishnaTaṭasthā-śakti is the spiritual but marginal energy of God known as the jiva tattva. Although the jivas are eternal, it is their position as marginal energy - between lower material and higher spiritual energy.

In other words, taṭasthā-śakti or the jiva tattva is between external (material) energy and internal (also eternal spiritual) energy of Krishna Svayam Bhagavan.

In Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya, Verse 6.160 are enumerated these three energies:

The spiritual potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead also appears in three phases -- internal, marginal and external.

Another verse (Caitanya Caritamrta, Madhya, 8.152) gives more information

In other words, these are all potencies of God -- internal, external and marginal. But the internal potency is the Lord's personal energy of sakti tattvas and Vishnu tattvas and stands over the other two. The jiva tattvas or marginal energy can choose to enter Vaikuntha or the material universes.

So jivatma, living being is never equal to Supreme Godhead and also always subordinate to Him. Above the jiva tattva, also known as the tatastha shakti stands Internal energy of Krishna of shakti tattvas and Vishnu tattvas, the jiva tattvas originate from that realm of the Spiritual Sky known as Vaikuntha as well

The Spiritual Sky is the entire existence that has no beginning and has always existed. This means there is wall to wall, so to speak, of jiva tattvas, sakti tattvas and Visnu tattvas, The jiva tattvas or Krishna's marginal potency however are ALL accompanied by a Vishnu tattva expansion of Krishna in the mahat tattva where as in Vaikuntha they are more personally with the Lord.

This part of the Spiritual Sky is covered by a cloud of matter and within the basic material atoms of matter also exists a fallen jiva tattva accompanied by the Paramattama or Kshirodakashayi Vishnu.

Sarva gatah means life is everywhere in both the Spiritual Sky known as Vaikuntha and the material aspect of the Spiritual Sky called the mahat tattva or material creation. There is always 'wall to wall' jiva tattvas in the material creation however, 'most' have chosen to be ' inactive' within each material atom, they are 'covered' and are in the a dormant state that is known as the impersonal aspect of the brahmajyoti effulgence.

Some do not understand that the entire Spiritual Sky IS all pervasive individual units of life. and the only difference in the mahat tattva is that same 'life' is covered by matter, so the sheer numbers of jiva tattvas should not surprise anyone as all matter is covering that all-pervasive life force aspect of the Spiritual Sky.

Also some ask why do so many fall? Well, it is less than 10% that enters the mahat tattva covered 25% of the Spiritual Sky and one should not be bewildered by numbers as the Spiritual Sky is vast and 'inconceivable large', in other words, how can one understand 75% and 25% of 'eternity' that is beginningless and endless?

So our part of the Spiritual Sky is covered by the mahat tattva. The entire Spiritual Sky IS the effulgence of Krishna's Body and 1/4 is covered by the mahat tattva and we, the jiva tattvas, are in that effulgence that is covered by the mahat tattva or material creation that makes up less than 10% of all jiva tattvas or Krishna’s marginal potency.

Most jiva tattvas are active in Krishna Consciousness in Vaikuntha while some, less than 10% have chosen to be either ‘inactive’ within each atom, or ‘active’ in a material mahat tattva temporary vessel within the material cloud that covers this aspect of the Spiritual Sky

It is important to understand that ALL marginal living entities or jiva tattvas ‘originally’ come from Goloka-Vrndavana and are ALWAYS in a perpetual state of uniqueness’ meaning they are forever fresh and youthful in their nitya-siddha body that is forever 'locked' within the 'eternal presence' of Krishna Consciosness if they 'choose' to remember their original state.

Srila Prabhupada – “No one falls from the spiritual world or Vaikuntha planet, for it is the eternal abode. (Bhag. 3.16.26, purport) What does this really mean?

This clearly means the 'jiva tattvas' nitya-siddha svarupa body can NEVER leave Goloka or Vaikuntha and that WE ONLY ‘DREAM’, ‘THINK’ OR ‘IMAGINE’ WE LEAVE. In this way the mahat-tattva is the destination for where such dreams go. 

Such an inferior non-Krishna conscious facsimile of the self is called the nitya-baddha sub-conscious self. 

It is there they are provided with temporary bodily forms or vessels created by Maha-Vishnu who is dreaming the entire mahat-tattva or material creation aspect of the Spiritual Sky.

Such a spiritual body is ‘eternally’ endowed with a two-armed form like Krishna’s but can also appear as a four armed form in the Vaikunthas in the mood of servitude, or further appear as a flower, drop of rain, chair, etc regardless, the original form of the soul is two armed just like Krishna’s.

What makes things confusing to several is that some marginal living entities, who have manifested as their inferior secondary baddha-jiva state in the material creation, can stay in the material creation or mahat-tattva for what seems to be an almost eternity!

This means many baddha-jiva souls enter the Body of Maha-Vishnu or the impersonal Brahmajyoti at the dissolution of each mahat-tattva creation because of not being Krishna Conscious to awaken to their true nitya-siddha body in Goloka.

In other words, this entrance into the dormant impersonal Brahmajyoti condition only happens if they are not qualified to again remember their ‘full potential awareness’ of being a nitya-siddha perpetual Krishna Conscious body in Goloka.

In this way, the baddha-jiva sub-conscious state starts off as a non-Krishna conscious selfishly active dream (or thought)

Therefore it is only the secondary or inferior baddha-jiva that is a formless state of consciousness that is sometimes referred to as particles of spirit, spiritual atoms, sparks or molecules (All referring to the baddha-jiva and NOT the nitya-siddha body due to always being a Krishna Conscious bodily form).

This baddha-jiva condition can only experience selfish desires through material bodily vessel provided by Maha-Vishnu from within His mahat-tattva creation that clothes the secondary baddha-jiva state with subtle (ethereal) and gross (biological) material containers or bodily vessels of the mahat-tattva.

Srila Prabhupada - “Because you are part and parcel of God, God has got full independence, but you have got little independence, proportionately, because you are part and parcel” Los Angeles, June 23, 1975

Trivikrama asks Srila Prabhupada - “You were just saying that we are not fallen. Actually this is an illusion thinking that we are fallen. Yet I read …

Srila Prabhupada: “The same example. In dream I am not attacked by the tiger, but I am …thinking, “Oh, tiger is there - It is simply dreaming condition”.

Trivikrama: But so many Vaishnavas are praying…

Srila Prabhupada - “So as soon as you understand that “This is not… I am not in contact with tiger, it is all a dream,” then you are delivered. Similarly, as soon as you understand “All this material condition of life we are simply dreaming; I am actually servant of Krsna,” then you are liberated. That is Krsna conscious. If you keep in Krsna consciousness, that “I am eternal servant of Krsna,” then you are liberated. . . .

Trivikrama: This feeling that we have, that we are fallen, that we are very fallen…

Srila Prabhupada - “That is also illusion. That is also illusion. You are fallen means you have got some certain desires except service of Krsna. Therefore the conclusion is that if you keep yourself tightly in Krsna’s service, there is no question of falling down or there is no question of Maya. You see?” Los Angeles, June 23, 1975

In this lecture Srila Prabhupada is very clear. Originally we have a direct personal relationship with Krsna in the spiritual world (As nitya-siddha). 

But when we want to take Krsna’s position, we put ourselves into a dreaming state (As nitya-baddha) that can only exist in the mahat-tattva, the impersonal Brahmajyoti or the Body of Maha-Vishnu.

In this dreaming nitya-baddha condition we forget our actual position and are thus free to act out our desire to become the supreme enjoyer.

This state of forgetfulness and dreaming is characterized as being “fallen” from our position in the spiritual world. But Srila Prabhupada explains that in reality we are not fallen. We are simply in a dreaming nitya-baddha state.

Srila Prabhupada says that this is a very important point and asks the devotees to carefully think about it.

This concept that we are not really fallen offers an explanation for the statements that “no one falls from Vaikuntha.” We do not fall. We simply forget our original nitya-siddha relationship of service to Krsna. Some might argue that we have eternally forgotten Krsna. But that is not supported by Srila Prabhupada’s purports

Srila Prabhupada - “Tendency means the independence. So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that you cannot become fall down, that is not independence. That is force. Therefore Krishna says, yathecchasi tathä kuru. “Now you do whatever you like.” Los Angeles, June 23, 1975

The people who claim we have originated from the impersonal Brahmajyoti or a ‘clear sheet of consciousness’ sometimes alleges that those confronted with the choice of Krishna or the mahat-tattva are conditioned souls and cannot be engaged in the Lord’s personal association.

They further assert that those who have attained the personal association of the Lord never again misuse their free will. In most cases that is correct because the marginal living entity chooses to do so. For there to be genuine love or service, there must be free-will other wise we are simply mindless porn’s in a collective of monotonous bliss.

Further more, many do not understand the true facts of how we actually did come down from Goloka due to miss using that free will. We certainly did not come down as our nitya-siddha Krishna Conscious body, which is perpetually there in Krishna’s pastimes fixed within that eternal presence where nothing perishes

The understanding of the word ‘dream’ in regards to the marginal living entity falling from Goloka is significant in Srila Prabhupada’s preaching yet has nothing to do with ’sleeping’ anywhere; it’s all to do with time.

The proper understanding is this. It’s all to do with the ‘eternal presence’ of the imperishable Vaikuntha’s and Goloka that has no past or future, compared to the ‘past, present and future’ of the perishable material creation of Maha-Vishnu.

The marginal living entity, due to free will and choice, falls out of synch with the ‘eternal presence’ of Goloka or Vaikuntha simply caused by their non-Krishna conscious mistaken desires. 

0This also means they fall our of synch with their own perpetual nitya-siddha body and create an alternative consciousness known as the nitya-baddha secondary self. It is this inferior consciousness that enters the mahat-tattva dreams of Maha-Vishnu.

Such selfish desires place the marginal living entity outside of Goloka as their nitya-baddha lower self that enters the mahat-tattva (material creation).

Now it is important to understand that while they are in the mahat-tattva, no time passes in Goloka-Vrndavana because of the ‘eternal presence’ of Krsna Consciousness there. Now that technically means their nitya-siddha body is NEVER fallen but rather it is their ‘consciousness’ that is fallen

Lord Krishna states that our constitutional nature is that all marginal living beings are eternal servants of the Lord. So to say that ‘conditioned’ souls have never been ‘unconditioned’ in Goloka-Vrndavana is incorrect.

When the marginal living entity is in a conditioned state (nitya-baddha), that doesn’t take away their eternal absolute nature as a nitya-siddha devotee of Krishna who is forever fixed within the ‘eternal presence’ of Goloka. 

When a dark cloud covers the Sun, everything becomes dark however, it is not the sun that goes dark, it is the covering that makes it appear the Sun is dark.

Similarly, the nitya-siddha body of the marginal living entity is always in Goloka-Vrndavana but due to the selfish desires of the marginal living entity that cover the marginal living entities ‘awareness’ of their nitya-siddha body, it appears that the darkness or the nitya-baddha secondary consciousness has replaced the nitya-siddha body, but that is NOT so, one’s nitya-siddha body is ALWAYS in Goloka even when one dreams they are nitya-baddha in the mahat-tattva or material creation.

The rebellious marginal living entity simply becomes overshadowed with the concept of past, present and future instigated by free-will, choice and their absolute smallness putting them out of sync with the ‘eternal presence’ of Goloka where their nitya-siddha body is perpetually situated.

As a result, they have now adopted the relative perception of existence that places them within the mahat-tattva’s bodily vessels, which are all the dreams of the sleeping Maha-Vishnu.

As a result of this choice, the marginal living entity is no longer ‘aware’ of Goloka or their nitya-siddha body in Goloka that is perpetually fixed there due to the eternal presence of Krishna consciousness as already explained and are now nitya baddha trapped in the mahat-tattva of Maha-Vishnu

As in our case in the material world, we are presently ‘eternally conditioned’ (nitya-baddha) because long, long, long, long ago we made that choice to forget Krishna and simultaneously the ‘awareness’ of our nitya-siddha (eternally liberated) body we serve Krishna as.

And when again we achieve liberation from this material world due to the mercy of pure devotee, we will enter Goloka AGAIN by the method of becoming ‘aware’ of our genuine nitya-siddha Krishna Conscious body or in simple terms, we begin to distinguish who we really our that separates us from the MATERIAL DREAM state or nitya-baddha fallen self centred consciousness.

Alan Ginsberg - “How did the material covering begin?”

Srila Prabhupada - “Begin?”

Alan Ginsberg - “As the material shadow. How did we fall into that?

Srila Prabhupada - “Yes. Yes. That is very natural. . . Because jiva, although para-sakti, he has got independence. So when he wants to imitate Krishna”.

Alan Ginsberg - “. How did we fall into that?”

Srila Prabhupada - “In the spiritual world, Krishna is the enjoyer. And all others, they are enjoyed–predominator and the predominating. The Lord is the predominating, so there is no disagreement. There they know, ‘The Lord is predominator; we have to serve.’ When this service attitude is impaired, that–’Why serve Krishna? Why not ourself?’–that is Maya”. - Room conversation with Allen Ginsberg in Columbus, OH 5-14-69

Devotee - “When we are in the spiritual sky and serving Krsna, we have a perfect relationship with Krsna, what causes us to fall down in the material world, because we re already serving Krsna?

Srila Prabhupada - “Because you desire to fall down. Here it is explained that “Don’t fall down.” And as soon as you associate with the material nature, then you fall down.

Devotee - “Srila Prabhupada, I can’t understand why we should have an impure desire when we are already serving…

Srila Prabhupada - “Because you have got little freedom. Why one is not coming here and going to the liquor shop? It is his desire…” Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.22-24 — Melbourne, June 25, 1974

Devotee - “You commented that everyone has a natural desire to have relationship with Krsna, but that because…

Srila Prabhupada - “Not desire, but he is already established”.

Devotee - ” Established.

Srila Prabhupada - “That is covered. Just like your relationship with somebody as father and son, it is established. You might have forgot, you might have left your home since a very, very long time, and you do not know who is your father, but there is some father. That is a fact. Nobody can say, “No. I, I have, I am born without father.” Nobody can say. One has father, but it may be that he has forgotten his father.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is that we have got some relationship with the Supreme Lord. That we have now forgotten. So it is not the question of desire. It is there. You don’t desire to become one’s son, you are already one’s son.

You simply do not know. Similarly, your relationship with Krsna is there, every one of us, but I have forgotten; I do not know. This Krsna consciousness practice will revive your relationship in what way, in which way you are related with Krsna. It is not that you have to desire.

No. It is already there. You have to desire only how to revive it, that’s all. That is Krsna consciousness. It is not an artificial thing. Just like we are establishing some relationship with somebody or you are my father or you are my wife, you are my husband. No. It is already there. Simply we have to find out.

That will be revealed when you are perfect in Krsna consciousness, brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati, you are freed from all material contamination, and you are perfectly situated in devotional service; it will be at once revealed: “Oh, you are related to Krsna.” You will have to wait for that. Bhagavad-gita Los Angeles, November 23, 1968

Paramahamsa - “But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there’s no return.

Srila Prabhupada - “There is return, that is voluntary. Return there is”.

Paramahamsa - “If we want”.

Srila Prabhupada - “Yes”.

Paramahamsa - “So we can come to the spiritual world and return?”

Srila Prabhupada - “Yes”.

Paramahamsa - “Fall down?”

Srila Prabhupada - “Yes. As soon as we try, “Oh, this material world is very nice,” “Yes,” Krsna says, “yes, you go.” Just like nobody is interested in Krsna consciousness.

It’s not so difficult to ‘realize’ that long, long, long, long ago we were with Krishna as our permanent real nitya-siddha body but have now chosen not only to forget Krishna, but also forget that nitya-siddha body within the realm of perpetual originality called Vaikuntha

When a devotee regains his/hers original Krsna Consciousness and re-establishes ‘the awareness’ of their nitya-siddha-svarupa body in Goloka, which is never lost while dreaming as nitya-baddha in the perishable creation, does not mean that one is only restricted by one particular svarupa (body) for eternity in Krishna’s pastimes

Ones eternal body is not limited to any particular nitya-siddha body they have there.

Also there are examples of devotees participating in the pastimes of the Lord in more than one svarupa at the same time, therefore our eternal rasa can change in Goloka; even though our nitya siddha or rasa body is perpetually situated in Goloka as a two armed form in it’s originality as Srila Prabhupada confirms -

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.” So God is also like human form. Here you see Krsna, two hands, two legs”. Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.1-4 - Melbourne, May 20, 1975

So unlike the material bodies in the mahat-tattva that are temporary decaying vessels the nitya-baddha consciousness moves around in, we ARE our body (nitya-siddha) in Goloka though, that body can transform because our eternal svarupa is interchangeable.

For example, ones svarupa can change to a four-armed form in the Vaikuntha Planets or a different form in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes in the top most platform in Goloka that He sometimes brings to the material world as pastimes, although very rare.

In simple terms, one has the ability to ’shape shift’ into any form to please Krsna Caitanya and can also be in many places in various forms at the same time.

Caitanya Caritamrita is full of such examples. Most are Vishnu tattva expansions although there are many jiva tattva’s like Naradha Muni as well. No jiva tattva in Lord Caitanya Lila is restricted only to their two-armed perpetual svarupa-nitya-siddha body

Srivasa Thakura is known as Narada Muni, he also has his svarupa manifestation in Goloka. Therefore, by the elegance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Narada Muni is also simultaneously situated in the top most regions of Goloka where Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s endless pastimes are going on.

Further more, Srila Prabhupada has explained that Narada Muni enters the material world often disguised in different bodily vessels to preach Krishna Consciousness.

Who can understand the multidimensional full potential abilities of the liberated nitya-siddha souls?

Srila Prabhupada mentions in the 4th Canto Chapter 28 of the Srimad Bhagavatam that Krishna says - “Don’t you remember me? I was your very close friend, but you gave up My Company and came to this material world”.

When asked directly about whether the jiva was ever in the spiritual world, Srila Prabhupada mentions in the 4th Canto Chapter 28 of the Srimad Bhagavatam that Krishna (in the form of a Brahmana) says to King Puranjana (in his next life, as the daughter of Kind Vidarbha) “Don’t you remember me? I was your very close friend, but you gave up My Company and came to this material world”.

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.52: The Brahmana inquired as follows: Who are you? Whose wife or daughter are you? Who is the man laying here? It appears you are lamenting for this dead body. Don’t you recognize Me? I am your eternal friend. You may remember that many times in the past you have consulted Me.

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.53: The Brahmana continued: My dear friend, even though you cannot immediately recognize Me, can’t you remember that in the past you had a very intimate friend? Unfortunately, you gave up My company and accepted a position as enjoyer of this material world.

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.54: My dear gentle friend, both you and I are exactly like two swans. We live together in the same heart, which is just like the Mānasa Lake. Although we have been living together for many thousands of years, we are still far away from our original home.

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.28.55: My dear friend, you are now My very same friend. Since you left Me, you have become more and more materialistic, and not seeing Me, you have been travelling in different forms throughout this material world, which was created by some woman.

In understanding Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 7 Chapter 1 Text 35 Purport one has to first understand that Jaya and Vijaya caused an offence to Brahmanas and as a result were given two choices to atone from their offence.

They could either take three births in the material world as demons or they could take seven births as devotees. They chose to be in the material body as powerful demons so they could get back to Vaikuntha quicker. After all they were trapped in bodies that were under the control of past, present and future.

Now they come from Vaikuntha under Krishna’s compassion meaning they were given the opportunity to engage in Krishna’s pastimes while in the material world as Demons, so when their offence was atoned they were immediately re-established in their eternal original svarupa in Vaikuntha back within the eternal presence of Krishna Consciousness.

It must be understood they new they made a mistake by offending Brahmanas; at no point did they give up Krishna as we have done.

In other parts of Srila Prabhupada’s writings, he calls their offence as a fall down, this is why in the purport of the Srimad Bhagavatam 7.1.35 Srila Prabhupada says “This very significant question would be difficult for an ordinary person to answer, but Narada Muni, being an authority, could answer it”.

Now those who are associates of the Lord of course do not leave Goloka for the material dream or fall down AS LONG AS THEY CHOOSE TO SERVE KRISHNA however, there are those, less than 10% of Krishna jiva-tattva associates in Vaikuntha and Goloka, who DO choose to come to this material world and forget Krishna, they are only interested in their own exploits and want nothing to do with Krishna.

That can include any jiva-tattva (marginal) associate of Krishnas in Goloka who no longer choose to be an associate, any jiva-tattva can leave Goloka for the material creation, but most choose not to make that mistake. The important point is THERE IS ALWAYS CHOICE.

They therefore think, dream or imagine they fall - actually no falls from Vaikuntha because their nitya-siddha body is perpetually fixed there within the eternal presence of Krishna’s pastimes.

As the CC states all marginal living entities are originally nitya-siddha and only the Vishnu-tattvas never forget their position in Krishna lila. Some come to the material creation in Krishna’s lila while others come to for fill their own selfish dreams.

As there are no killing of demons in Vaikuntha, Krishna plays this role as His Vishnu expansion in the material creation with all his nitya siddha jiva-tattvas and Vishnu-tattva associates however, there are other jiva-tattva souls who choose to leave Goloka simply because of their choice not to be with Krishna, THERE IS NO MATERIAL CAUSE FOR THEM FORGETTING GOLOKA OR VAIKUNTHA OTHER THAN FREE WILL AND CHOICE.

Srila Prabhupada makes it clear in the fourth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam and numerous lectures, letters and morning walks we originate from Goloka.

Srila Prabhupada explains we have marginal independence as part of our nature as marginal living entities. We can misuse such independence even in Goloka or Vaikuntha with out any material cause, it simply happens because it is there in our own fundamental spiritual nature as independent (marginal) living beings.

This means a small minority, less than 10% of jiva-tattva nitya-siddha souls in Vaikuntha or Goloka choose to leave. For this purpose Krishna, via His Maha-Vishnu expansion, creates the mahat-tattva (material creation) for them.

The marginal living entities full potential of loving selfless devotion to Krishna and His loving devotees is based on individuality, independence and the right to choose; we never loose that right to choose, not even in Vaikuntha. Surrender to Krishna and His pure devotees do not mean to become mindless porns in Vaikuntha and ‘yes’ men/women to Krishna.

No, everything in Vaikuntha is based on reciprocal loving service even if it is a fact that we surrender selflessly and unconditionally. The fact is that’s how Krishna also treats us. Having free will and choice gives us the opportunity to give ourselves in our own unique way. That choice is always there even in Goloka or Vaikuntha and must be there if genuine love is to exist.

It is not that we first have to be contacted by the modes of material nature to fall down from Goloka or Vaikuntha. It’s all to do with a combination of choice and the sheer smallness of the marginal living entity.

And even then due to that smallness and choice, we only ‘think, imagine or dream’ we are fallen that we become fallen. The fact is we never fall; our nitya-siddha body never leaves Goloka

Srila Prabhupada - ” So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krishna? Why not become Krishna?’ I immediately fall down. That is natural. A servant is serving the master, but sometimes he may think that, “If I could be come the master.” They are thinking like that; they are trying to become God. That is delusion. You cannot become God. That is not possible. But he’s wrongly thinking”. July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C

Vipina Purandara - “Why doesn’t Krishna protect us from that desire?

Srila Prabhupada - “He’s protecting. He says, “You rascal, don’t desire. Surrender unto Me.” But you are rascal; you do not do this”.

Vipina Purandara - “Why doesn’t He save me from thinking like that? ”

Srila Prabhupada - “That means you lose your independence”.

Srila Prabhupada - “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? ”

Srila Prabhupada - “So Krishna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C

Regarding to how a nitya siddha in Goloka can fall down to nitya baddha in the material world, Srila Prabhupada explains we have marginal independence as part of our nature in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrndavana.

We can misuse such independence even in Goloka or Vaikuntha with out any material cause, it simply happens because it is there in our own fundamental spiritual nature as independent (marginal) living beings.

Maya is not the cause of ones fall down from Vaikuntha, that is not possible she only exists in the mahat-tattva. The cause of ones fall down is ones own independent desires of self importance based on free will and choice.

One simply chooses to no longer serve Krishna as their nitya siddha body. As a result, they eventually forget their nitya-siddha body and leave Vaikuntha and enter the mahat tattva as their nitya-baddha secondary self that is the sub-conscious non-Krishna conscious condition of the marginal living entity.

it should of been made clear that the entire universes of Krishna and His Vishnu-tattvas, jiva-tattvas, Goloka-Vrndavana, Vaikuntha’s and the mahat-tattva (material creation) and the impersonal Brahmajyoti are all collectively the Brahmajyoti or everything that is.

The Vaikuntha’s were never created so the word ‘creation’ cannot be used for Goloka-Vrndavana and the Vaikuntha realm, nor can it be used to explain the marginal living entities (jiva-tattvas) or Krishna and His unlimited Vishnu-tattva expansions.

The word creation can only apply to the mahat-tattva material ‘creation’ because it has a beginning and end.

The ‘impersonal Brahmajyoti’ or the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti or Spiritual Sky is actually a very small minority of souls in their baddha-jiva inferior feature that becomes established in that ‘impersonal’ dormant state due to the influence of being covered and frustrated within the mahat-tattva that souls fall to and are covered (material vessels that belong to the mahat-tattva) by when they choose to no longer serve Krsna in Goloka or Vaikuntha.

In other words, when souls become fed up with the material creation of changing material bodies or vessels, they can escape this cycle of birth and death by either realizing their full potential nitya-siddha body that is always in Goloka even while they ‘imagine’ themselves to be in the mahat-tattva, or they can cease to desire bodily activity (after much difficulty of casting off those subtle and gross material bodies) and enter an inactive dormant state of consciousness that is within and part of each marginal living entities capacity of expression, in this case inactivity.

The individual baddha-jivas who enter this ‘consciousness’ are expressing the impersonal side of their nature and is known as their impersonal Brahmajyoti feature. In other words the impersonal Brahmajyoti is the dormant inactive characteristic of the ‘baddha’-jiva

So where this painting is misleading is the impersonal Brahmajyoti or the impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti, is NOT some place within the over all universes but is rather a state of inactive consciousness ‘desired’ by the baddha-jiva aspect of the marginal living entity. (That ultimately is also only a temporary condition because the inherent nature of all marginal living entities is ‘activity’

Keep in mind the baddha-jiva consciousness is the sub-conscious or rebellious state of the soul that ignores ones Krishna Conscious nitya-siddha body or the full expression and potential that is the make up of every of every marginal living entity

Those who believe the jiva originates from some inactive state or from the Vraja River or the Body of Maha-Vishnu are actually propagating Impersonalism. The real facts are that all marginal living entities come from the pastimes of Krishna by their own foolish choice. This is the teaching of Srila Prabhupada.

Darkness cannot be left over in the presents of light because light dissipates all darkness. In other words while there is light (nitya-siddha Krishna Conscious body), darkness (nitya-baddha condition) does not exist.

This means that when one’s ‘awareness’ is AGAIN situated as the eternal presence of their Krishna Conscious nitya-siddha-svarupa body, the nitya-baddha sub-conscious darkness in the material creation no longer exists.

Tatastha-sakti is just another name of the jiva tattva or marginal living entity and those who are sakti tattva are actually expansions of Vishnu tattva or Krishna's internal potency, they are NEVER jiva tattva and of course can never fall down like the jiva tattva's can if they choose. In the Caitanya Caritamrita so many associates of Lord Caitanya are sakti tattva or expansions of Krishna. In the Pancha tattva only one soul is jiva tattva

Radharani is Vishnu tattva calling her nitya siddha is not right because she can never be nitya baddha - it's even silly to suggest this, Vishnu-sakti-tattva are also expansions of Krishna and it would be wrong to also call them nitya siddha even though some schools of thought do in the Gaudiya math

understanding lila can be difficult, at least for me. Vishnu expansions in another form doing austerity to attain a position as Krishna's conjectural lover is very confidential knowledge and such lilas are plenty in the Caitanya Caritamrita where so many Vishnu tattvas and Vishnu-sakti-tattv, that are also Vishnu-tattvas, seemingly did austerity to be with Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda -- it's all in the name of lila, that is what the whole universe is for as far as Krishna is concerned. Krishna is just having fun with himself and taking the jiva tattvas along for the blissful ride

So this only means there are two meanings to nitya siddha - Although the nitya-siddha expansions of Krsna always remain with Krsna - and then this - Srila Prabhupada - “The actual constitutional position of every living entity is nitya-siddha” Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.107 New York, July 13, 1976

Lord Krishna states that our constitutional nature is that all marginal living beings are eternal servants of the Lord. So to say that ‘conditioned’ souls have never been ‘unconditioned’ in Goloka-Vrndavana is incorrect.

When a marginal living being are in a conditioned state (nitya-baddha) that doesn’t take away their eternal absolute nature as a nitya-siddha devotee of Krishna who is forever fixed within the ‘eternal presence’ of Goloka Vrndavana: the rebellious marginal living entity simply becomes overshadowed with the concept of past, present and future instigated by free-will and choice putting them out of sync with the ‘eternal presence’ of Goloka which is their natural home

As a result, they have now adopted the relative perception of existence that places them within the mahat-tattva’s bodily vessels, which are all the dreams of Maha-Vishnu. The jiva tattvas as their nitya baddha condition ‘go through’ Maha Vishnu and are not from Him to enter the mahat-tattva or material creation. This is important to understand.

As a result of this choice of ‘falling down’ from Goloka, the marginal living entity is no longer ‘aware’ of Goloka or their nitya-siddha body that is perpetually situated in the ‘eternal presence’ of Goloka. So technically the living entities nitya siddha body never falls down, only their consciousness does as a ‘dream condition’ that enters the ‘dreams’ of Maha Vishnu.

As in our case in the material world, we are presently ‘eternally conditioned’ (nitya-baddha) because long, long, long, long ago we made that choice to forget Krishna and simultaneously the ‘awareness’ of our nitya-siddha (eternally liberated) body we serve Krishna as. And when again we achieve liberation from this material world due to the mercy of pure devotee, we will enter Goloka AGAIN by the method of becoming ‘aware’ of our genuine nitya-siddha Krishna Conscious body that is always there in Goloka and become ‘eternally liberated’ or in simple terms, we wake up from the MATERIAL DREAM.

No jiva tattvas originate from Maha Vishnu, they may go through him but they certainly do not originate from him, they also do not originate from a dormant state known as the impersonal Brahmajyoti or impersonal Brahman either

Srila Prabhupada – “Existence in the impersonal Brahman is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness. Those who are in the Brahman effulgence, they are also in the fallen condition. So there is no question of falling down from a fallen condition”. - Letter, June 13, 1970.

From Srila Prabhupada’s teachings we learn that the dormant impersonal aspect of the Brahmajyoti, where souls are in an individual slumber, is also a fallen state that one has entered previously from the mahat-tattva (material creation) Therefore no souls ‘originate’ from the dormant characteristic of the Brahmajyoti, that is not possible because ALL living entities originate directly from the pastimes of Lord Krishna in Goloka-Vrndavana.

The technical term for the jiva-soul that enters the mahat-tattva material creation and then the impersonal Brahmajyoti after becoming fed up with material existence is the baddha-jiva (The secondary condition of the marginal living entity, the original condition of the jiva tattva is nitya-siddha in Goloka) The baddha-jiva state in the impersonal brahmajyoti is a dreamless dream or inactive condition of consciousness that 'hovers' in the impersonal Brahmajyoti and exists in that state ONLY while the baddha-jiva is 'inactive' in the impersonal Brahmajyoti that is also a temporary condition of conscious awareness, eventually they fall down from there to again take material vessels in the material world or mahat tattva.

I’m aware how some schools of thought in Hinduism like some in the Gaudiya Math incorrectly claim that the some jiva-souls originally emanate from the Impersonal Brahmajyoti, which, they claim, is growing with a constant march of new jiva-souls. They further incorrectly claim that within the dormant characteristics of the Brahmajyoti, the immovability of these inactive jiva-souls is ‘somehow’ disturbed and movement begins. They then claim that from non-differentiation, separation begins. From a bare expanse of standardized consciousness, individual conscious components grow. Srila Prabhupada rejected the nonsense idea that souls ‘originate’ from the impersonal Brahmajyoti from a dormant state of consciousness.

To start with, the jiva souls are never created because they have always been. Actually our perpetual origins are directly from Krishna’s pastimes in Goloka because originally EVERY JIVA SOUL is a selfless nitya-siddha devotee of Krishna within His pastimes.

We do not have a problem with Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Books but we DO have problem with MIS-INTERPRETATIONS from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s books by most in the Gaudiya math.

In fact, Srila Prabhupada admonished against taking any outside instructions.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Books, letters, morning walks and classes does Prabhupada instruct us, he is the final word on ALL past Acharays, only from Prabhupada we learn everything they preach and all our comments, essays and preaching must be based on Srila Prabhupada’s teachings above all else.

Even in understanding Vedic Cosmology, Prabhupada found many Vedic Scholar’s translations totally useless so what ever we find must be in line with Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, he is giving ‘Sastra’ he learnt from his Guru, he is a true honest selfless ‘Sadhu’ and he is a bonafide ‘Guru’ who has done more to preach Krishna Consciousness than all previous Acharays combined.

Srila Prabhupada’s teachings ARE the combination of all the Acharays and his quotes, comments and mention of them is all we need to know. There is a life time just reading Prabhupada’s Books and hearing or reading all his lectures and morning walks, there is no need to associate with other sangas other than ISKCON

Srila Prabhupada - “Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction” Letter 73-12-25: Gurukrpa, Yasodanandana

Acyutananda – “But in the Gita, it says, “Once coming there, he never returns. He can return?”

Srila Prabhupada – “If he likes he can return”.

Guru-kripa – “How is it that one can become envious of Krishna?”

Srila Prabhupada – “You have got little independence, you can violate. Because you are part and parcel of God, God has got full independence, but you have got little independence, proportionately, because you are part and parcel, if he likes, he can return. That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We can misuse that. Krishna-bahirmukha haïä bhoga väïchä kare. That misuse is the cause of our falldown”. (Conversation, Mayapur, February 19, 1976)

Only a minority fall down from Goloka and Vaikuntha and for them the mahat-tattva is created. No jiva souls originate from an impersonal source or from some cleat sheet of consciousness as some foolishly believe and teach.

Dr. John Mize – “Did all the souls that were in the spiritual sky fall out of the spiritual sky at once or at different times, or are there any souls that are always good, they’re not foolish, they don’t fall down?”

Srila Prabhupada – “No, there are majority, 90%, they are always good. They never fall down”.”. Los Angeles, June 23, 1975

In this way, the 25% of the Spiritual Sky that is material only caters for less than 10% of the jiva tattvas who choose to leave Vaikuntha for the mahat tattva or material creation, more than 90% of jiva tattvas always ‘choose’ to remain in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrndavana.

Of course the many Sakti tattvas and Vishnu tattvas expansions of Krishna never fall down and many, many individuals in Goloka Vrndavan are in that category however, we are jiva tattva and can choose to remain in Vaikuntha or leave for the mahat tattva creation of Maha Vishnu

Acyutananda: 'But in the Gita, it says, “Once coming there, he never returns.””

Prabhupada: But if he likes, he can return.

Acyutananda: He can return

Prabhupada: That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We can misuse that.… That misuse is the cause of our falldown. Room Conversation February 19, 1976 Mayapur

Rather than placating the fall position, Srila Prabhupada refutes the no-fall position. We can fall even after returning back home, back to godhead.

From Srila Prabhupada’s Books, letters, morning walks and classes does Prabhupada instruct us, he is the final word on ALL past Acharays, only from Prabhupada we learn everything they preach and all our comments, essays and preaching must be based on Srila Prabhupada’s teachings above all else.

What ever we find must be in line with Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, he is giving ‘Sastra’ he learnt from his Guru, he is a true honest selfless ‘Sadhu’ and he is a bonafide ‘Guru’ who has done more to preach Krishna Consciousness than all previous Acharays combined.

Srila Prabhupada’s teachings ARE the combination of all the Acharays and his quotes, comments and mention of them is all we need to know. There is a life time just reading Prabhupada’s Books and hearing or reading all his lectures and morning walks, there is no need to associate with other sangas other than ISKCON

Ones fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrndavana is due to free will and choice not maya, there is no material cause for ones fall down from Goloka Vrndavana

Srila Prabhupada - ” So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krishna? Why not become Krishna?’ I immediately fall down. That is natural. A servant is serving the master, but sometimes he may think that, “If I could be come the master.” They are thinking like that; they are trying to become God. That is delusion. You cannot become God. That is not possible. But he’s wrongly thinking

Vipina Purandara - “Why doesn’t Krishna protect us from that desire?

Srila Prabhupada - “He’s protecting. He says, “You rascal, don’t desire. Surrender unto Me.” But you are rascal; you do not do this”.

Vipina Purandara - “Why doesn’t He save me from thinking like that? ”

Srila Prabhupada - “That means you lose your independence”.

Srila Prabhupada - “That is force, in Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.’ ” Is it love? “You love me, otherwise I will kill you!’ Is that love? ”So Krishna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?” July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C

Srila Prabhupada was very clear on this subject - “Formerly we were with Krsna in His lila or sport” Letter to Madhudvisa Swam 1972

Srila Prabhupada - “We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago.” - (Lecture on Bhagavad-gita on August 6, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha”. Letter to Jagadisa das, 1970

Srila Prabhupada - “As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness has now become polluted by the material atmosphere.” Original Hare Krsna album

Srila Prabhupada - ” So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krishna? Why not become Krishna?’ I immediately fall down.”. July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C

Srila Prabhupada - “Actually, you are not conditioned (nitya-baddha). You are thinking. Just like in the dream you are thinking that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger. So we have to get out of this dream. (Lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.108–San Francisco, February 18, 1967)Srila Prabhupada - “You are liberated. You are liberated. Simply just a cloud has covered you. Drive away the cloud. There is no question that you were ever. You are ever-liberated. That, the sky is always spiritual, but it is sometimes overcrowded with cloud, this Maya. This is called Maya”.

Srila Prabhupada - “Actually, you are not conditioned. You are thinking. Just like in the dream you are thinking that tiger is eating you. You were never eaten by tiger. There is no tiger”. Letter to Madhudvisa Swami 1972

We have to realize that being marginal means free will, even in Goloka. Without it how can there be genuine Love?

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura - “As long as the jiva takes full shelter of the Supreme Lord he remains a resident of Vaikuntha. But when his innate spiritual knowledge of the Lord is covered by forgetfulness, he is placed outside the transcendental realm.” (Caitanya Siksamrita, Sanmod-ana Bhasya-sloka-1)

Srila Prabhupada - "So to go to God or Krishna means you will have to acquire your original, spiritual body. The spiritual body is already there, but we are now covered by this material body". His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974

This seems to be pretty clear according to Srila Prabhupada, who rejects the 'impersonal Brahmajyoti origin that claims that the marginal living entity is originally in a dormant state from where one can use their free will to choose either Vaikuntha or the mahat-tattva. 

Many today in 'Hinduism' follow that misunderstanding and it appears to me, they have incorrectly used the word 'tatastha' to describe this impersonal dormant origin state of the jiva, yes the jiva tattva may be in a state of inactivity however, long, long before being in that already fallen position he was with Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada - “This material creation is the spirit soul’s dream. Actually all existence in the material world is a dream of Maha-Vishnu, as the Brahma Samhita describes: Purport to Srimad Bhagavatam. 4.29.83.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur - “This material world is created by the dreaming of Maha-Vishnu. The real factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation.” Purport to Srimad Bhagavatam. 4.29.83.

Srila Prabhupada – “After being in contact with the material modes of nature, the living entity develops the subtle and gross bodies. When the living entity is fortunate enough to associate with Sri Narada Mahamuni or his servants, he is liberated from this ‘dreamland’ of material creation and the bodily conception of life”. Srimad Bhagavatam 4/29/83/

Srila Prabhupada - “Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present and future, is merely a ‘dream’. This is the secret in understanding in all the Vedic literature.” Srimad Bhagavatam. 4.29.2.

Srila Prabhupada – “This material world is a product of the mahat-tattva, which is a state of the Lord's dreaming condition in His yoga-nidra mystic slumber in the Causal Ocean, and yet the whole creation appears to be a factual presentation of His creation. This means that the Lord's dreaming conditions are also factual manifestations. He can therefore bring everything under His transcendental control, and thus whenever and wherever He does appear, He does so in His fullness”. Srimad Bhagavatam 1.16.26-30

We were originally ‘aware’ of ‘always’ being with Krsna, (nitya-siddha) but we chose to forget that fact and become ‘unaware’ of our perpetual nitya-siddha body and service to Krishna because we made the choice to not service Krishna which was the beginning of our fall down.

In that state of forgetfulness we think or dream we have fallen (As nitya-baddha), but actually we are not fallen. We simply have to wake up and remember who we really are, and then we will be in our original position

The dream condition and our dream identity (nitya-baddha conscious state) will then disappear and we will find ourselves in our natural position as nitya-siddha, just like a person who is dreaming wakes up on his own bed. Actually, he is always on his own bed, even in the dream. Similarly, we are always in Goloka even when we ‘dream’ or ‘think’ we are in the material creation.

In this way, Srila Prabhupada gives us the way to understand how we can find ourselves separated from Krsna without really “falling” from Vaikuntha even though it appears we have fallen due to forgetting who we really are. Srila Prabhupada in this way explains in his lectures how the living entities can fall down from their eternal relationship with Krsna without really falling down, this Book how this paradox comes about.

Is the jiva soul always called marginal energy?

Srila Prabhupada - “The answer to your question about the marginal energy is that the jiva soul is always called marginal energy whether he is in the spiritual world or in the material world. There are instances where marginal energy jiva souls have fallen from the spiritual world, just like Jaya and Vijaya. So the potency to fall under the influence of the lower energy is always there. And thus the individual jiva soul is called as Krishna’s marginal energy.” - Letter to Rayarama, December 2, 1968

Srila Prabhupada - "You are already in the spiritual sky, but you are simply covered. Just like the sun is already there. You are also already there…(In Vaikuntha) so actually we are always in the spiritual world. But when you forget Krishna by the cloud of illusion, then that is material”.

Srila Prabhupada – “Try to understand. Actually we are not fallen therefore, at any moment we can revive our Krishna consciousness. As soon as we understand that, "I have nothing to do with (This biological body or vessel and the material creation). I am simply Krishna's servant. Eternal servant. That's all". Srimad-Bhagavatam lecture given in London, on July 30, 1971

Srila Prabhupada - “Every living being has a particular relationship with the Lord eternally, That is called svarupa. By the process of devotional service, one can revive that svarupa, and that stage is called svarupa-siddhi-perfection of one’s constitutional position. Bhagavad-Gita as it is, Introduction.

Srila Prabhupada - “Originally everyone (all marginal living entities) is nitya-siddha (eternally liberated)” Srimad-Bhagavatam Class 7.9.4- Mayapur, February 18, 1977

Srila Prabhupada - “Originally everyone is nitya-siddha. nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti ’sadhya’ kabhu naya sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. Every living entity originally nitya-siddha". Srimad-Bhagavatam Class 7.9.4- Mayapur, February 18, 1977

Srila Prabhupada - "So to go to Krishna means you will have to acquire your original, spiritual body. The spiritual body is already there, but we are now covered by this material body". Germany, June 22, 1974

The jiva-soul is always marginal energy wether devotionally active in Goloka-Vrndavana, in Vaikuntha, or active in restricted vessels within the material creation, dormant in the Body of Maha-Vishnu or further inactive in the Vraja River and the Impersonal Brahmajyoti that are ALL occupied by nitya-baddha souls.

Originally the jiva soul was engaged with Krishna in an original loving selfless relationship as nitya-siddha from which he has fallen however, the fall down was not a physical fall down as their nitya-siddha body but rather was a ‘sub-conscious’ fall down from the ‘awareness’ of their nitya-siddha body which is called the nitya-baddha-jiva

Srila Prabhupada - "We are all originally situated on the platform of Krishna consciousness in our eternal personal relationship of love of Krishna." - Letter of November 17, 1970

Srila Prabhupada - "He is fallen already from Vaikuntha planet. He is fallen in this material world, and he is again trying to make progress." Srimad Bhagavatam lecture of June 15, 1972

Srila Prabhupada - " . . . After all, the living entity falls down from the spiritual world . . . There is possibility . . . even if you are in Vaikuntha, you will fall down--what to speak of this material world." - Lecture on Bhagavad-gita on July 4, 1974



Saturday, November 16, 2013

Trying to better understand the mental illness of some devotees and congregational members in ISKCON

November 5, 2013 at 2:36am
Mental illness is not understood very well in ISKCON, often devotee’s broadcast a 40 year old quote from Prabhupada that condemns psychiatrists and mental health professionals however, understanding mental illness has come a long way in the last 40 years and the following comment should not be applied today.
 
Srila Prabhupada - Psychiatrists are humbug, all humbug. They cannot help. Best thing is to be engaged in continuously chanting and hearing Sankirtana, that will cure anyone of mental disease. (Prabhupada. “Letter to Upendra”. February 19, 1972) –
 
Today I believe those comments by Srila Prabhupada do not apply and are certainly NOT relevant to today’s time, place and circumstance because in most cases the medicine given by modern psychiatrist does help one perform their devotional service and to call them all humbug in today’s world is not correct and does not apply. Over the last 40 years the world has changed and some of the things Srila Prabhupada said back then about psychiatry cannot be applied to today’s psychiatry, for example, psychiatry back in Srila Prabhupada’s day was influence strongly by Freudian ideas who Srila Prabhupada criticized.
 
Śrīla Prabhupāda says, “By speculating on some shock that may or may not have occurred in childhood, one will never discover the root disease…. He [Freud] did not know the basic principle of spiritual understanding, which is that we are not this body…. We are different from this body, and we are transmigrating from one body to anothe
 
Today many psychiatrists also reject the outdated Freudian ideas, His method of cure was to have the patient try to recall the painful events of their childhood or some trauma in their lives and analyse them, and this is the psychiatry Srila Prabhupada referred to and called nonsense. Today’s psychiatric therapy is more in favour of chemical medicines like anti depressants and anti psychotics that acts on the brain substance that is damaged due to trauma.  
 
There are many researchers who believe that an imbalance in serotonin levels may influence mood in a way that leads to depression. Back in the 1970s this treatment was in its infancy. Srila Prabhupada never commented on that form of psychiatry that is so prominent in today’s 21st Century, so to blanket all psychiatrist with the saying ’they cannot help’ or they are ‘all humbug’ found in Srila Prabhupada’s letter, is just simply NOT true today.
 
Srila Prabhupada’s main point in all his preaching is we finish up our selfish business in this material world and return back home back to Godhead. To help us in our devotional service sometimes we have to accept the help of the medical industry, some devotees have had heart bypass surgery by what some fanatical devotees call ‘the meat eating karmi demons’.
 
I remember some years ago a devotee was also offered psychiatric help but was put off by immature Temple authorities saying that no meat eating nonsense karmi demon can ever help a devotee, only Krishna can help you, He is the ONLY real doctor!. Sadly this dogma is prevalent in many ISKCON Temples who are always calling Hospitals, doctors and psychiatrists demons causing devotees and congregational members to avoid the help of modern medicine and suffer because of such extremism.
 
Such immature fanatical nonsense fundamentalism will only keep ISKCON devotees and sincere congregational members, who need medical help, just suffer in the ignorance of mental illness under the advice of immature ISKCON authorities. The fact is, don’t listen to these people’s opinions on mental illness, always have faith that Krishna helps those who seek out the medical help they need to help themselves overcome mental illness. All doctors and psychiatrists are not demons there are many good ones who can help you
 
The fact is our medical profession HAS come a long way since Srila Prabhupada was here and in some cases, you CANNOT apply his teachings to all time, place and circumstance. All psychiatrists are NOT humbug in today’s world, they also, like doctors, can help devotees, some doctors and psychiatrists are even devotees! Pusta Krishna dasa has been a doctor for over 30 years
 
 Mental illness is misunderstood in ISKCON because of fanatical views in these early pioneering years.
 
The letter by Srila Prabhupada was sent 4I years ago in relation to the Temple Presidents wife in Melbourne Australia when she had a mental breakdown. When devotees went to get her out of the mental asylum, they sat her in front of the Altar and got her to chant Hare Krishna as Srila Prabhupada requested. Unfortunately, due to unknown reasons, she was gone within a few hours never to be seen again, frankly for that time, place and circumstance it was the best thing to do and Srila Prabhupada’s letter back then was applicable however, that same situation may have been handled differently today because there are many medications available now that was not available back then that could of helped settle her mind so she could do some service if that is what she really wanted. Therefore, you CANNOT apply that letter to all time, place and circumstance.
 
Another time the devotee Sangana dasa was also put in a mental institution and to quiet his mind and was given an anti psychotic, this gave him stability, he was stable enough, thanks to the medication given by his psychiatrist, to sit and chant Hare Krishna and became famous for washing pots.
 
Of course, one who is sick, be it the biological body or brain, should also chant Hare Krishna alongside the medicine they are receiving. This was the most important point Srila Prabhupada was making. As already said, in the case of Sangana dasa, the anti psychotic medication worked and helped him practically engage in devotional service on his pathway to eventually be fully dependant on Krishna. In fact in his case, he could not even function without his medication; it was his determination that kept him remaining in contact with the devotees. The devotees did not really know how to understand his condition; he just kept coming to the Temple so they just tolerated his mental illness for years without having any real input or idea of how to deal with it. It was not a question of telling him to take his medication, the fact was, if he did not take it, then we would not see him. This actually happened from time to time. Therefore we should thank his psychiatrists for keeping him healthy and his own determination to simultaneously depend on Krishna for helping him stay in contact with devotees.   
 
The point is, we have now come a long way in psychiatry over the last 40 years and psychiatry is NOT humbug today. In fact they were all not even humbug even back then as the case of Sangana dasa proves! The anti psychotic he was taking was very new in the late 1970s and helped him remain functional
 
It is just like the chanting of Hare Krishna alone will not cure a broken leg similarly the chanting alone will not cure a diseased brain, just like the broken leg needs a cast; the brain substance may need an anti-depressant or anti-psychotic as in the case of Sangana dasa and many others during their lifetime in ISKCON who foolishly neglected their mental illness for so many years because they put their faith and trust in unqualified Temple authorities. Such Temple leaders would often say “ snap out of it prabhu, your in Maya, get off the mental platform! Just chant Hare Krishna and get over it there is no other way!”  Such narrow minded and ignorant instructions will never help anyone with mental illness!
 
 Mental illness caused by brain damage is often difficult to understand. In most cases, it is something you cannot get over unless you take medication, just like you cannot heal a badly broken arm unless you put it in a cast, attempting to heal the brain substance also requires medical help.
 
One must practise Krishna Consciousness in a practical way therefore the example of the chanting Hare Krishna alone will not heal a broken leg or arm is a simple enough comparison to understand. This also means that to chant Hare Krishna alone and ignore medical help for mental illness is also absurd and foolish in today’s world!
 
The fact is however, one should chant Hare Krishna enthusiastically under all conditions however, when possible, one should also seek help to keep the material body healthy. Of course doctors are not going to help us on our death bed, only the chanting of Hare Krishna can do that.
 
Here are some interesting quotes about understanding Srila Prabhupada’s instructions according to time, place and circumstance - -
 
Jayadvaita Swami – “What Prabhupada said sometimes differed. Sometimes he spoke for the benefit of an individual, sometimes for the world. Sometimes what he said was for the moment, sometimes forever. So as well as we can we need to recognize, in what Prabhupada said, not only the content but the intent”.
 
Jayadvaita Swami – “Srila Prabhupada responds to the questions of specific individuals. Though again the philosophy is always the same, we cannot assume that how he speaks it to one person is how he would speak it to all. With one inquirer he might be stern, with another sympathetic, with one subtle, with another deliberately simple. We’d be rash to cite one instance as evidence of how he would respond in all instances”.
 
Jayadvaita Swami – “What Prabhupada said sometimes differed. Sometimes he spoke for the benefit of an individual, sometimes for the world. Sometimes what he said was for the moment, sometimes forever. So as well as we can we need to recognize, in what Prabhupada said, not only the content but the intent”.
 
Jayadvaita Swami – “Srila Prabhupada is again addressing a particular person, in a particular time and circumstance. And this time his words are sent in a sealed envelope, not spoken in a public assembly. His words, therefore, may be intended for many people or only for one. They may give instructions meant to apply always and to everyone or only to a special circumstance and one recipient”. All these quotes are found here -http://info.vedabase.com/index.....whattomake
 
The following are very interesting comments by Dr. Pusta Krishna dasa who was Srila Prabhupada’s personal servant in the mid 1970s
 
“I must be one of those demons that a recent devotee speaks of when he talks about hospitals and modern medicine (saying they are all demons!). In my opinion, you have to be clear about physical health and the use of healers. If you subscribe to homeopathy or Ayur vedic treatments, that is a choice you personally make. Surely, you must know that Srila Prabhupad and so many others used medicines and treatments of those fields. His Divine Grace also would use western medicine, even surgery, when necessary, to sustain his life and his service. Prabhu, you do not know everything.
 
 As a practicing physician and surgeon for over 30 years, you cannot imagine how much suffering I have encountered, and have been able to help. In my field, trauma to the limbs and the spine, injuries to soft tissues (skin, tendons, nerves), and infections (life and limb threatening, of which I have two patients in the hospital now), are all worthy pursuits.
 
It is so easy for those who are healthy and currently free from severe pain, to say “humbug” to the science and people who work to alleviate pain for others, and place the well-being of their patients above their own. Most such people who cry “humbug” are themselves enjoyers of the illusory energy.
 
 Psychiatry is a field of medicine. It involves psychology when dealing with neurotic behaviour, but it can involve medications when serious depression and psychosis occur. While not everyone is fully versed in that field, including myself, my eyes are not closed to the reality of mental illness. Is it simply bad karma? Sure, but do you have enough compassion to help others, both physically and spiritually.
 
If you have the capacity and expertise, then you must help. If you don’t have the capacity or expertise, then please do not denigrate the sincere efforts of others to alleviate suffering. Prahlad was paradukhadhuki, he felt suffering for the suffering of others. While the chanting of the Holy Names is the ultimate path back to Home, if you try to make light of the physical and mental suffering of others, then you might one day find yourself the recipient of such unconcerned people when you your self are suffering. It will come back to you, as it must. Even the Bible says that those who show compassion for others, will receive compassion.
 
 It is safer, if you have the heart, to err on the side of being compassionate and caring toward those who are less fortunate. After all, fortune is in the hands of the Supreme Lord.  Let us therefore become more aware of the needs of devotees, being the servant of the servant, and try to bring affectionate care in our dealings with devotees.”.
 
One important footnote to those comments by Srila Prabhupada - to engage in our devotional service we need a healthy body and that means we may need the help of medical professionals, be them doctors or modern psychiatrists (obviously not the Freudian camp of psychiatrists that Srila Prabhupada said are all nonsense) there are other psychiatrists however, who promote anti-depressants and anti-psychotics medication which have already been proven to help devotees and aspiring devotees. If they can help you then they are certainly not humbug, Srila Prabhupada’s ultimate mission is to free us all from the entanglement of repeated birth and death and return back home back to Godhead, if we need some medical help in pursuing this goal, then get the help you need, do not ignore mental illness.
 
Hare Krishna, your fallen servant Gauragopala dasa 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Could past, present and future exist simultaneously. How could this be?

Srila Prabhupada  - "Arjuna can see EVERYTHING that exists in any part of the universe. Kṛṣṇa gives him the power to see anything he wants to see, "past, present and future". Thus by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is able to see EVERYTHING" BG 11.7 purport.

Could past, present and future exist simultaneously.

How could this be?

Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 11.7

Translation

O Arjuna, whatever you wish to see, behold at once in this body of Mine! This universal form can show you whatever you now desire to see and whatever you may want to see in the future. Everything — moving and nonmoving — is here completely, in one place.

Purport

No one can see the entire universe while sitting in one place. Even the most advanced scientist cannot see what is going on in other parts of the universe.

But a devotee like Arjuna can see everything that exists in any part of the universe.

Kṛṣṇa gives him the power to see anything he wants to see, past, present and future.

Thus by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is able to see EVERYTHING". End of purport.

The great sages and devotees in previous ages thousands of years ago were tri-kāla-jñā. Tri-kāla-jñā means they could understand, they could know what was in the past, what there shall be in the future, and what is at present.

Srila Prabhupada - ''So the point is that five thousand years ago the things which were written for this age, how they are coming to be true in our experience. That is the point: how they could see past, present, and future so nicely.

The sages were known as tri-kāla-jñā. Tri means three. There is almost similarity, tri and three. Tri is Sanskrit, and three is English or Latin, but there is similarity. Tri-kāla-jñā.

Tri means three, and kāla means time.

Time is experienced by three ways: past, present and future. Time limitation, past, present and future. Whenever you speak of time, it is past, present or future.

So the sages in those days were tri-kāla-jñā. Tri-kāla-jñā means they could understand, they could know what was in the past, what there shall be in the future, and what is at present.

Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says,

"My Dear Arjuna, you, Me, I, and all these kings and soldiers who have assembled in this battlefield, they were all individuals, and we are still individual. And in this past, in the future, we shall all remain individuals."

That past, present, and future, he explained.

Another place Kṛṣṇa says, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Atītāni, atītāni means past. Vartamānāni ca, "and present." So that is yogic power.

One CAN know past, present, and future''. SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968 (End of class lecture).

There is still a lot more to learn about the movement of the marginal living entity through space and time in the material creation, we have only scratched the surface in understanding Vedic texts in the 50 years since Srila Prabhupada made his valuable contribution to the Western World.

The movement of time is eternal while this material universe exists.

And all material vessels or bodily containers are part and parcel of the material time and space, we are simply the passengers riding on/in this material energy/bodies.

The individual living entities or jivas exists in those vessels given to them by Maha Vishnu according to selfish desires and the reactions to past pious and impious actions in a previous material body.

But does past, present and future in the material creation all exist simultaneously?

Why would this be so?

Because of the material desires of the individual marginal living entity would eventually repeat themselves over eternity.

There is no harm in philosophical speculation as long as we do not deviate from sastra, how else are we to learn?

Many have asked, "could the past activities of Arjuna still be happening today somewhere in the universe with another jiva playing that part?"

Due to the past, present and future happening simultaneously, well could his bodily vessel also be a 'post' like Brahmas?

Meaning only those individual marginal living entities that are qualified can also experience their relationship with Krishna while in that vessel as Arjuna.

If this is true, the material universes are also repeating themselves except with a different batch of individual jiva souls possessing the material bodily vessels in each repetition or reoccurrence of the material universe.

Spiritual energy is made up of individual souls, spiritual energy is NOT all one.

However, material energy that makes up all material bodily vessels or containers is all one. For example when the material body we are in wears out and decays, it breaks down and merges back into the material elements or the earth around us.

Only the soul never decays and eternally remains an individual person.

Could the material universes concept of time of past, present and future exists all at the same time?

This means that all material bodily vessels, like yours and mine, are a permanent fixture of the particular material universe it is in and is eternally repeating itself as it goes through its temporary phases of existence in this impermanent universe.

Srila Prabhupada always encouraged us to have personal realizations and yes this one is more thought provoking that even Einstein believed was possible.

Keep in mind, the 'dreams' of Maha Vishnu are mind boggling and if Arjuna could view past, present and future simultaneously, maybe it all does exist together as he saw it.

I have not found anything on this subject to verify or deny these realizations but this would also mean time travel is possible because the past and future already exist however, it would impossible to change the past or future as it is fixed.

One is just traveling through what is already there, what already exists like traveling on a road that already exists.

Another example is just like when one rewinds a video tape, the contends captured will always be the same at every stage on the tape.

Similarly, there are some who believe that the body we are now in is like a 'post', meaning time and space itself is recorded on the eternal level in the material universe and we can take our next birth in a bodily vessel that has already existed in past time, present time or future time.

That means when we choose a bodily vessel, the pathway of that body is already existing in another time zone because each material body is a permanent fixture of this material universe known as the Maha-tattva.

What I am trying to say here is all the 'dreams' of Maha Vishnu are all happening 'now' which means past, present and future exist simultaneously and we can move into any bodily vessel that exists in the past, present or the future.

The material energy is all one but NOT the life force that is individual units as Prabhupada has taught us.

This is important to understand as there are many impersonalists who believe there is one all pervasive life force that moves through all material bodily species.

Their ideas are wrong and these ideas has nothing to do with such impersonalism.

In the material creation everything already exists like a long roadway already exists.

Similarly the pathway or roadway of the material bodily vessels, gross or subtle, that we possess, like the roadway, is already carved out and we are simply passengers on that roadway in that bodily vessel container for its journey.

In other words, one who worships the rich and famous can take birth in the material body they worship after being trained up to be qualified to take that birth which in itself would take many, many, many births just for the opportunity to be famous for one insignificant life time.

What a ignorant selfish waste of time.

If those souls in those material vessels knew what they had to go through to attain that famous bodily materialistic existence, they would have second thoughts about seeking material fame and wealth on this planet or the heavenly planets.

Just like one can take the 'post' of Lord Brahma if they are qualified.

So could all materials vessels be 'posts like Brahmas?'

Yes I believe so.

Usually the most pious living entity in this material universe can take up the post of Lord Brahma when the next universe manifeasts.

In the same way; we all take a material bodily vessel according to our pious and impious activities or karma.

All individual living entities perceive time as a chain of events moving through past, present and future.

However, from above, like a journey on a road where one sees the beginning of one's journey to the end, could mean "materially" that all past, present and future exist together like every point on the journey of a roadway does.

Conclusion

The concept in the above essay is suggesting all material pathways repeatedly exist for others souls to also traverse.

What is said above in essay is all material bodily vessels or containers we are in are the property of Maha Vishnu.

In Maha Vishnu's dreams, every senerio conceivable is ALREADY existing past, present and future.

Maha Vishnu's dreams are similar to a "costume shop" full of many different costumes (realities) one can choose to enter.

Every soul who enters the material creation must go this so called costume shop (the dreams of the sleeping Maha Vishnu) and be offered a particular material body according to their desires for enter into the material creation.

Maha Vishnu owns all such material vessels that are part and parcel with everything else in the material creation He id dreaming.

Therefore, those who have chosen to enter the material creation, must go to Maha Vishnu's dreams and be given a material body from His dreaming the material creation.

It is these material bodies (from Maha Vishnu's dreams) all souls in other universes also must choose from just like one chooses costumes from a Fancy dress store.

Regarding eternal associates of Krishna like Arjuna.

The fact is Arjuna is with Krishna in innumerable different material universes at one time and there  is only one spirit soul who is Arjuna.

The spirit soul therefore of a surrendered soul to Krishna can expand himself into many different material bodies and be justvthe one soul.

Yes this is very true as sastra tells us.

The fact is the spirit soul in Arjuna's material body is the same Arjuna in all the different universes.

This is achieved because the one jivatma (Arjuna) expands himself into many different material bodily vessels or containers (bodies) that are all also him, "just one soul".

But this is NOT the case with every material bodily vessel in the material creation!

It is only some rare eternal associates of Krishna.

This is NOT the case with the different Lord Brahmas where each one in their universe universes is a "different jivatma" and not one jivatma.

So in every Lord Brahma there is a "different soul" every time a new material universe is created.

All Brahmas are NOT the same "one soul" There are millions of different souls who become a Brahma.







Saturday, January 7, 2012

Nitya siddha and nitya baddha explained fully

It is obvious that nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha must be further clarified

Nitya-siddha is when we are in our natural pure bodily state of reality, eternally liberated in Goloka, serving God or Krishna.

Nitya-baddha state is when we are in our unnatural impure state of transitory reality eternally conditioned in the mahat tattva, serving one's selfish interests, unaware of their permanently real nitya-siddha authentic self in Goloka.

One is originally nitya-siddha or fully Krishna conscious. It's NOT the nitya-siddha body that dreams of being in the material world or mahat-tattva, that is not possible because ‘nitya-siddha' means total Krishna consciousness just like ‘light’ means there is ‘no darkness’ or that darkness can be part of light – that also is not possible. Only in the absents of light can darkness exist.

One can choose to be either their nitya-siddha body or their nitya-baddha ‘sub-consciousness', both paradoxically have no connection to each other which means the nitya-baddha sub-consciousness is NOT part of the nitya-siddha body, as already clearly explained. The nitya siddha body is the full potential and is who the marginal living entity is perpetually within the eternal presence of Goloka-Vrindavana

So the question maybe asked, if one is as their nitya-siddha body how do they make the choice not to be that perfect nitya-siddha body?

The answer is straightforward -- the fact is we must understand that being perfect does not mean will loose our free will and ability to choose however, if we do not choose Krishna consciousness, then we instantaneously loose the ‘awareness' of being a nitya-siddha body, we therefore forget who we really are – instigated by choice.

It is that selfish choice alone that can make one forget their nitya-siddha body and become their nitya baddha secondary self that is only fit to exist in the mahat-tattva creation of Maha Vishnu

It must be emphasized that being nitya-siddha means being completely Krishna conscious, meaning there is NO sub conscious non Krishna conscious characteristic of our nitya-siddha body, just like in the presence of light there is no darkness, there is only Krishna consciousness, free will and the ability to choose to remain a nitya-siddha body in pure Bhakti or choose to ignore Krishna and His devotees that automatically causes one to forget their nitya-siddha body and enter the mahat-tattva or material creation as the nitya-baddha-jiva that is a real but temporary manifestation or development of the marginal living entity.

It is the mistaken choice and that choice alone that IS the separate ‘sub-conscious' condition of the marginal living entity called the baddha-jiva that paradoxically has nothing to do with nor is part of the nitya-siddha body that perpetually stands alone in pure Krishna consciousness, just like where there is light (nitya-siddha) there is no darkness (nitya-baddha).

Further more, even though we are now nitya-baddha (in darkness) we are actually still nitya-siddha (in the ‘light' of Krishna consciousness) because that is our eternal nature as marginal living entities, we just have to realize it.

Actually understanding we are all nitya-siddha is not easy to understand

Srila Prabhupada tells us what our ‘so called origins are'

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

Srila Prabhupada - "We cannot say therefore that we are not with Krsna. As soon as we try to become Lord, immediately Maya covers us. Formerly we were with Krsna in His lila or sport. But this covering of Maya may be of very, very, very, very long duration; therefore many creations are coming and going". (Letter to Madhudvisa Swami 1972 Australia)

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

Srila Prabhupada - "By following the rules and regulations and instructions of the spiritual master, he can also become siddha. He can become again nitya-siddha. So the Krsna consciousness movement is to make the nitya-baddhas again nitya-siddha, to bring them. It is a difficult task." (London lecture on Bhagavad-Gita 13-14, July 14, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - "There are three kinds of liberated persons. They are called 1) sadhan siddha, 2) kripa siddha, and 3) nitya siddha. When one is actually on the siddha platform there is no such distinction as to who is sadhan, kripa, or nitya siddha. When one is siddha, there is no distinction what is what. Just like when the river water glides down to the Atlantic Ocean nobody can distinguish which portion was the Hudson River or some other river". (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)

Srila Prabhupada - "Nitya-baddhas are within this material world. Beginning from Brahma down to a small ant, insignificant ant, they are all nitya-baddha. Anyone who is in this material world they are nitya-baddha". (Lecture on Bhagavad-Gita 13-14, July 14, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - "Actually, every living entity is eternally uncontaminated, although he may be in the material touch. This is the version of the Vedas. Asanga ayam purusha-the living entity is uncontaminated. Just like when there is a drop of oil in water you can immediately distinguish the oil from the water, and the water never mixes with the oil. Similarly, a living entity, although in material contact, is always distinct from the matter". (Letter to Mukunda, June 10, 1969)

Actually because of the concept of ‘eternal presence' of Krishna Consciousness there is really no two states of consciousness (nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha), there is only one genuine condition of the marginal living entity, which is nitya-siddha.

Hare Krsna your fallen servant,Gauragopala dasa

Friday, October 14, 2011

Naradha Muni sets the example that the only way to remain conscious of one’s full identity, body, personality and individuality is to always be Krishna Conscious. In this way Krishna always protects him from illusion. See the story of Nardha Muni and the village girl below

How is it possible to fall down from Goloka-Vrndavana and Vaikuntha?

The following is a pastime (Lila) of the great sage Narada-Muni that took place while walking with Krishna outside the walls of Dwarka in Goloka-Vrndavana Krishna was about to teach Narada a valuable lesson about the powerful effects of choosing to become attached to something other than serving Krishna, thus putting oneself under the influence of Maya and Her external material energy that further provokes forgetfulness of Krishna and ones eternal nitya-siddha body they serve Krishna as.

Narada Muni, a great Devotee (marginal living entity) of Lord Krishna, was once walking outside the perimeter of Dwarka (one of Krishna’s great Palaces) with the Lord. As they walked,

Narada asked Krishna

“How is it one can forget such a beautiful place as Goloka-Vrndavana? ‘How could a devotee forget Krishna and end up in the temporary material world in an ethereal (heavenly) or biological (earthly) body?”

Narada looked at Krishna in total ecstasy and bliss wondering how anyone could leave such beauty? He was perplexed, as he new the material universe was full of souls (nitya-baddhas), who all were previously with Krishna in their only genuine eternal nitya-siddha form that is perpetually endowed with an imperishable identity, personality and individuality, who did exactly that – ‘sub-consciously’ forget Krishna along with their own authentic nitya-siddha bodily identity.

All marginal living entities are able to do this if they choose, turning their back on Him and manufacturing so many counterfeit vessels, identities, personalities and forms outside of Goloka-Vrndavana with their secondary nitya-baddha sub-conscious dream state within the temporary material universe.

How could this happen?

As they walked through the forest, a young girl caught Narada’s attention; she was struggling to carry two buckets of water near a well. Out of pity, Narada went over and offered his helping hand to the struggling girl; she gladly accepted his offer, as she was exhausted.

Gladly and compassionate Narada Muni carried the two buckets of water and proceeded to the girls’ destination at a nearby Village. On the way there, the simplicity and innocents of this beautiful young girl was so sweet and captivating that Narada was speechless in her association.

She broke the silence by explaining she was the daughter of the Village elder and her father was a great leader and devotee of Krishna. Narada, however was so captivated by the girl’s sweet voice, flowing long hair and colourful sari, he was not listening. He was totally dumbfounded in her presents.

When they arrived at the Village, the girl introduced her new friend to her father. He was very impressed by Narada’s qualities, and thought this man must be a great devotee of Lord Krishna.

He further thought ‘what a nice husband this young man would make for my daughter’

The Village elder felt obligated to reward Narada for his service.

All the Villagers gathered around thinking Narada must be a great Sage and suggested the best reward for him was the village elder’s daughter in marriage. Narada Muni was so attached and comfortable with the girl that he accepted the offering!

The wedding day arrived and everyone in the surrounding area came. The Village Brahmin’s (priests) performed the fire yajna (purification ceremony) and many gifts were given.

After the marriage Narada and his new wife settled in performing various duties. Narada eventually became the Head Master of the Gurukula (school). In due course his wife fell pregnant with their first child. A boy was born and the Village was ecstatic, celebrating late into the night.

As time went on, Narada’s happiness increased being with his family and living in the Village, he never had a worry in the world.

Over the years he was bestowed another six children. He enjoyed watching them grow, becoming educated and playing sporting games with them. All his children were adorned with beautiful qualities.

Ten years had passed, his father in-law, the Village elder, passed away suddenly due to illness; everyone was saddened and would only accept Narada as the new Village elder.

Many more years passed and he eventually gave permission to a young boy to marry his daughter. Everything was so perfect, so peaceful. Narada was totally satisfied with his wife, children, grandchildren and all the wonderful people in the Village.

Then one day an enormous storm came to the Village, pelting heavy rain with strong winds that destroyed houses. Narada decided he must immediately evacuate the Village, but it was too late, flooding had made it impossible to escape.

The storm became more intense, the water level was rising fast and raging torrents destroyed everything in its path. Narada frantically searched for his wife, children, grandchildren and friends,

He found himself trapped on a plank of wood in the raging torrents looking everywhere through the hail, wind and ragging water for his wife, but new she must have been washed away by the flood.

His son in law and daughter also found a plank of wood attempting to ride out the storm however, it only got worse and they eventually lost their footing and also perished. Then to Narada’s amazement he saw two of his young grand children high up in a tree holding on to dear life. Narada reached out to them screaming,

“Just hold on to me, give me your hand and I will save you!”

They reached out and at the same time a huge wave overpowered all of them, frantically Narada searched through the water screaming out for his grandchildren, but they also had perished. He continued calling out,

“Don’t leave me, just hold on somehow, don’t leave me!”
Then he also perished in the flood

At that exact moment, Narada felt a tap on the shoulder, he slowly opened his eyes still lamenting and wanting to be with his family. He found himself sitting against a well; again Narada yelled out in bewilderment,
“Where is my family?”

Then Narada realized the tap on the shoulder was from Krishna standing next to him. Krishna laughed and said,

“You wanted to know how powerful Maya (forgetfulness) was, so I showed you. You have been sitting against that well for no more than a moment!”

Coming to his senses, Narada says to Krishna,
“You mean all that experience, my wife, my children, my friends, my wealth, my fame, my followers, the Village, was a dream?”

Krishna replies,

“No, it is all real to you however everything outside My Kingdom is impermanent and like a dream was an illusion, your entire experience was a lesson to show you how easy it is for devotees in Goloka-Vrndavana, who are all eternally liberated, that is, until they foolishly choose not to be, as you have just done, by choosing to become captivated by Maya (forgetfulness and illusion) and fall to a temporary ‘dream state’ body of forgetfulness birth, disease, decay, old age short memory and death experiencing the impermanent nature that exists only within My material universe outside My Eternal abode of Goloka Vrndavana and Vaikuntha
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In My Spiritual Universe of Goloka and Vaikuntha, there is no death or decay or even past or future, however as soon as you chose to forget Me and help the village girl, you were immediately transferred to My material universe and experienced the fleeting forgetful nature of the transitory universe, including death by drowning.

This is because you were attached to something other than loving devotional service to Me; (Krishna or God) you chose to turn your back on me just for a moment to help the young girl and became captivated by your own selfless desires to help her for your self, so much so you forgot Me standing right next to you! That moment seemed like a lifetime.

Genuine selflessness is doing everything for My pleaser and you, along with others, simply become inattentive and served the girl for your own pleasures.

Some, only less than 10% of My devotees experience this illusion like you have so I can teach them a valuable lesson however, others, also in that 10% who choose to turn their back on me and become attracted to the flicking beauty of Maya, can remain in the material universe forgetting their nitya-siddha true form, identify, personality and individuality for almost what appears to be an eternity, transmigrating through many millions of counterfeit bodies as their nitya-baddha secondary dream imaginary self in their search for so called happiness.

Enough is never enough in the material universe.

In the material world, this is like chasing after a mirage in the desert that only appears real, but in reality is only an illusion.

The impermanent universe is both real and an illusion because it is transitory. This is what temporary ethereal (heavenly or hellish) and biological (earthly) bodies in the material universe are like, they all end in disappointment because they fade away because everything one has accumulated and worked so hard to achieve is lost and ultimately forgotten – everything just fades with the passing of material time
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Conditioned souls (nitya-baddhas) who are trapped in the material universe experience that ‘moment of being away from my Kingdom’ as billions upon billions of life times in billions of different bodies that seem like an eternity, so much so, many foolishly come to believe the Impersonal inactive effulgent Brahmajyoti, or bright light, which is the motionless effulgence of trillions of individual dormant inactive dreamless baddha jivas surrounding My body, is the starting and ending point of their existence. The Brahmajyoti is held together by My form, behind the ‘light’ one will find bodily nitya siddha forms surrounded by living paraphernalia which is also forms like building, roads, trees, flowers, clothing, animals, birds ect.

All of them in the material creation (My world has alwys been and was never created) have forgotten their real nitya-siddha form and relationship with Me in Goloka-Vrndavana

This is very difficult to understand without My favour because it is very complicated for you to understand the eternal stage on which all this illusion within the impermanent material universe is unfolding.

In actual fact, all of those baddha-jivas lost and trapped in the material creation, were once like you and remembered and was aware of their personal intimate relationship with Me in Goloka-Vrndavana, they still do have their perpetual nitya-siddha svarupa body, but have temporally forgotten it like one forgets their present body while dreaming. As in your case while sitting against the well and being captivated by absent-mindedness (The village girl) just for a moment.

In this way, dreaming the sub-consciousness of those who have chosen to leave My Personal abode and their real nitya-siddha form, identity, personality and individually have also become forgetful, leaving behind the memory and ‘awareness’ of their original form, just as you did Narada, in Goloka-Vrndavana. On leaving your true identity you then fabricate numerus counterfeit forms, identities and personalities like one does in a dream at night.

“So in this way, one transfers their conscious ‘awareness’ to the material universe as nitya-baddha, as your conscious ‘awareness’ had just experienced by turning your back on Me to pursue your own interests of being with the village girl”.

In actual fact there is no beginning or ending point of the marginal living entity or jiva, the Impersonal conclusion by some lost souls, which includes impersonalists, Buddhists and even many learned Vaishnavas and caste Gosvamis (My devotees) have miss-understood their eternal relationship with Me that is always there in Goloka-Vrndavana, even if they have forgotten.

Their silly idea that the soul originates from the Impersonal Brahmajyoti is due to the long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long association they have had within many fleeting bodies within the temporary universe, being trapped within forgetfulness and sensual identity and association for so, so, so, so, so, long, that they have forgotten their original nitya-siddha form, identity, personality individuality and selfless devotional love in their eternal relationship with Me as you, Narada, have just done. Even a great devotee like you should never underestimate the power of My Maya (forgetfulness and illusion)”!

What is Maya? Maya: - forgetfulness, illusion, ‘that which is not’, a personality who controls the impermanent energy, i.e., the ethereal (heavenly and hellish) and biological (earthly container the soul manifests, as well as the mental delusions suffered by the forgetful jiva after leaving the Kingdom of God (As baddha-jiva).

Maya’s duty is to make sure no one disturbs Krishna by offering the aspiring devotees in their baddha-jiva sub-conscious state trapped in ethereal and biological vessels wealth, riches, beauty (female or male), and knowledge of the celestial technological heavenly realms and technologically earthly realm as a test to see what one really wants.

Human civilizations throughout the centuries have repeatedly attempted to build a permanent existence as well as prepare their present bodies with wealth and belongings to take with them into a heavenly ‘after-life’ where they believe they will live forever, why this is not possible in this temporary world will be fully explained in this book.

From the beginning of time, so many cultures have tried to prepare, with their inherent instinctual belief in an after life, to enter a Perpetual Kingdom of God. They unfortunately mistakenly come to believe that this transitory universe, with its heavenly rewards, is their real home (Explained later when explaining the heavenly planets within the interim creation in higher levels of the material universe existing in a non-biological sub-space dimension).

All things in the material world must pass

The attempt to achieve happiness, love and sensual pleasures in an impermanent atmosphere will, in due course, frustrate an intelligent human being because; in the end, all they have worked so hard to build up over their lifetime is all taken away at death.

Whatever material acquisitions built up over their lifetime also eventually wears out and erodes away to inert matter. Ultimately they loose everything anyway as forgetfulness, disease, old age and death over comes them.

The phenomenon of death, also known as ‘forgetfulness’, is an abnormal state the baddha-jiva or individual life force is overcome by while travelling in and identifying with the outward ethereal and biological human bodily garment or vehicle while contained in the temporary universe.

The attempt to build a perpetual blissful home on earth in a biological body, or in heaven in a non-biological ethereal body or covering is not possible because everything eventually breaks down and fades away in the impermanent material universe. In this way, all matter comes from the presents of life.

Even in the heavenly planets, that are rewards for Jains, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Jews and most branches of Hinduism, due to their performance of penance and austerity, exists only a temporary celestial manifestation within the boundaries of the material universe where one can live for thousands of years but also must pass on.

Only jivas who fall from the Impersonal Brahmajyoti, having first originally previously first fallen from long, long, long before they mistakenly Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrndavana accepted the Impersonal Brahmajyoti as their origins, have to start their active existence from the beginnings of biological life.

Only after billions of life times, do they unfortunately make their way to the Impersonal Brahmajyoti. They do not know or remember how they were introduced or originally fell from Goloka-Vrndavana/Vaikuntha to the temporary universe in the first place and foolishly believe the Impersonal Brahmajyoti is both the source of their existence and liberation.

Unfortunately the separation of the individual jiva from Krishna’s Personal abode has been so long, long, long, long periods of time they foolishly believe their origins are the Impersonal Brahmajyoti.

These baddha-jivas, who think they have originated from the Impersonal Brahmajyoti, first manifest an ethereal body or vessel that stays with them for as long as they exist in the impermanent universe. From that ethereal body all other insubstantial and biological forms are projected.

Coming from the Impersonal Brahmajyoti means these embodied baddha-jivas have to start their active existence from the most basic form of life first attained after leaving that effulgent light. From there the now embodied baddha-jiva has to go through the billions of biological bodies mapped out by evolution (8,400,000,000 species of life) until the human body is again attained. It must be made clear this extremely lengthy process is only for the baddha-jivas who have previously, in an earlier mahat-tattva creation, merged there identity, individuality, personality and form into a minute spark of individual living light vibrating with other nitya-baddhas and therefore have entered into or merged themselves (The baddha-jiva appears as an individual spark while merged in the impersonal Brahmajyoti) into and simultaneously as the brightness of the Impersonal Brahmajyoti.

In other words the baddha-jivas ARE the impersonal Brahmajyoti.

ALL souls (baddha-jivas) eventually fall from this ‘impersonal Brahmajyoti’ due to their inherent nature to ‘always’ be active and have to start off at the very basis of biological life when they again re-emerge from their Impersonal slumber.

For some mystic yogis, jnans and advanced philosophers, this is not the case as due to their ability to choose where to take birth. Impersonalism is a very dangerous philosophy to follow and is often referred to by devotees of Krishna as Spiritual suicide.

The Impersonal effulgence or Brahman is where unlimited other ‘inactive dreamless baddha-jivas’ exist and vibrate impersonally dormant as individual living sparks that shine as individual atoms of light that collectively make up what is known as the Impersonal Brahmajyoti or Brahman

All of them who enter the Impersonal Brahmajyoti, except for some rare Impersonalist yogis, have to start at scratch (entering the body of a microbe) when they eventually inherently desire activity and fall out of that Impersonal sense of oneness.

Followers of Lord Buddha and the Jains practice sever penance and austerities attempting to free themselves from karma. Their austerity however, has the side effect of accumulating pious karma that allows them entry into the heavenly planets.

These higher dimensional supernatural worlds, known as the heavenly planets, exist in sub-space which are a insubstantial manifestation of the temporary material energy where the ethereal non-biological body, that is temporary but not material (lifeless energy), contains the eternal baddha jiva or soul and resides separate encased in the ethereal living body apart from that lifeless sub-space-matter that the sub-space heavenly and hellish planets are made of. In this book it should be made clear the words material and matter is lifeless substance or energy.

In other words we do not live in a material body but rather we live in an ethereal body that further creates a biological covering. Matter and material refers to the lifeless by products left over by the embodied jivas once they vacate the biological body.

All matter comes from life

Both the baddha-jivas ethereal bodies or containments and the surrounding sub-space lifeless material energy are not generally perceived by the embodied ‘baddha-jivas projected biological containments’ that the ethereal body eventually manifests as a further extension of the ethereal body.

The biological restraint or body covers the ethereal body and resides in a dimension like our earthly planet that is called secular space that is far more gross and solid than sub-space matter however, both realities are material where as the ethereal body and its extended biological body are not material.

The ethereal body in material sub-space is also called the supernatural-realm; where as the biological containment in secular-space is called the natural-realm. Both the natural and the supernatural are not spiritual; they are different dimensions within the material realm.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Reincarnation Explained

How this works is quite fascinating. To start with we are NOT the biological material body we are in, we are not that vessel we presently occupy therefore we must start understanding the biological vessel we are in is not who we really are.

Furthermore, we are not even the subtle ethereal ghostly (also) material body that possesses the outer material biological body.

In this material world we are a conscious projection called the baddha-jiva-soul. The origin of life or consciousness is from our genuine factual perpetual nitya-siddha body in Vaikuntha (Spiritual perpetual Worlds) that is beyond all the temporary material worlds of the gross biological and the subtle ethereal material containments, which are both different dimensions of the material universes that imprison the jiva-baddha-soul.

How one transmigrates from one biological body to another happens beyond the concept of time or past, present and future. At death one can enter a material biological body from the ‘past’ or in the ‘present’ or even in the ‘future’ because the subtle material body is not governed by the Physics and Quantum Mechanics of the biological material world, at death of the biological body we all become time travelers.

Also the idea of contacting family members who have died is just another illusion because the subtle material body that houses the baddha-jiva soul, was never any biological body to begin with.

Confused subtle bodies known as ghosts who still believe they are their previous biological body, suffer greatly because they cannot give up the idea they are NOT that biological body they previously occupied.

In actual fact one cannot see or prove the existence of ghosts by biological means or through biological enhancements such as gross material technology and science.

Officially ghosts are ‘subtle ethereal material vessels’ that encage the baddha-jiva-soul. This subtle world where ethereal bodies are found without a biological body are all around us in both heavenly, hellish and the millions of worlds in-between, we cannot perceive them because we are further encaged and conditioned to believe we are the gross biological body that blocks us from seeing the material universe in its fullness.

The fact is all material bodies both subtle and gross are ornaments that belong to the material universe and constantly exist through all time and space. In other words past, present and future all co-exist together therefore ALL material vessels are constantly being re-occupied by different baddha-jiva-souls that covers ALL dimensions of time.

Also the material subtle body can move from the present to the past, or even to the future because all material gross biological bodies are a potential host for the subtle material body.

This means our present biological bodily vessel can be occupied by different subtle bodies and experiencing its journey from birth to youth, middle, old age and its death.

In other words we can experience the material body of the famous and infamous depending on desire and karma.

Its not that we become them we rather enter that biological body and also get caught up thinking we are that material body.

No baddha-jiva owns any material body they occupy, it’s not me and it’s not you, all material bodies belong to the material universe and are the property of Maha-Vishnu that we simply take lone of.

Foolishly we all think we are the material body we possess but many others have also experience that same material body we are now presently in and also were convinced it was THEIR material body exclusively.

To think in such a way of ownership is an illusion because we are not these material bodies.
(99) Gauragopala Dasa

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha are both the make-up of EVERY marginal living entity.

Nitya siddha and nitya baddha are NOT separate individuals as some preach. Nitya-siddha and nitya-baddha are both the make-up of EVERY marginal living entity.

Nitya-siddha is ones original condition, when they choose to miss use their free will and reject their own nitya-siddha body in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrndavana only then does their 'conscious awareness' becomes nitya-baddha in the material creation Srila Prabhupada confirms this

Srila Prabhupada -
"By following the rules and regulations and instructions of the spiritual master, he can also become siddha. He can become again nitya-siddha. So the Krsna consciousness movement is to make the nitya-baddhas again nitya-siddha, to bring them. It is a difficult task." (London lecture BG, Ch 2, 13-14, July 14, 1973)

Srila Prabhupada - "Your next question, "Is a pure devotee "eternally liberated" and if so is he at any time a conditioned soul? We are "eternally conditioned," but as soon as we surrender to Krsna do we then become "eternally liberated? 

You are NOT eternally conditioned, you are eternally liberated but since we have become conditioned on account of our desire to enjoy materialistic way of life, from time immemorial, therefore it "appears" that we are eternally conditioned. 

Because we cannot trace out the history or the date when we became conditioned, therefore it is technically called eternally conditioned. Otherwise the living entity is not actually conditioned. 

A living entity is always pure. But he is prone to be attracted by material enjoyment and as soon as he agrees to place himself in material enjoyment, he becomes conditioned, but that is not permanent. Therefore, a living entity is called on the marginal state, sometimes this side, sometimes that side. These are very intelligent questions. And I am very glad that you are putting such intelligent questions and trying to understand it. It is very good." (Letter to Aniruddha dasa, Los Angeles 14 Nov 1968)