Jiva-soul is one, matter is one (mahat-tattva), the eternal consorts of the Lord (Visnu-"sakti"-tattva) are one, Visnu-tattva (God) [immediate non-different expansion] are one and Lord Siva (Siva-tattva) are one.
Srila Prabhupada - "There are Viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva and sakti-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva is the Supreme Absolute Truth, jīva-tattva is part and parcel, and sakti-tattva is the energy of God." (Lecture on SB Canto 1 Ch 5 text 15, New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969)
All the categories of living entities - Visnu-tattva, Siva-tattva, jiva-tattva and non-living mahat-tattva, are all "sakti-tattva" (Krsna's living and non-living energies)
The material energies (mahat-tattva) are also Krsna's sakti-tattva energies.
The sakti-tattva energy with Visnu in front of "sakti" [Visnu-"sakti"-tattva] are eternally full expansions of Krsna's internal energy and can never fall down to the material world.
However, there are different categories of sakti-tattva expansions of Krsna. We are the jiva-tattva (jiva-soul) expansions known as the "marginal living entities."
The marginal living entities or jiva-tattva (jiva-souls) are Krsna's "separate" expansions and have 50 qualities of Krsna's 64 attributes which having 78.125% of Krsna's attributes.
Srila Prabhupada - "The "immediate" expansions of the Lord are called svāṁśa or "personal direct" expansions (known as Visnu-tattva, where the Lord Himself plays a different role in His own pastimes). The "separated" expansions of the Krsna are called vibhinnāṁśa (marginal living entities or jiva-souls endowed with their own independence and free will) like us." (BG, Ch 10.37, Purport)
Srila Prabhupada - "We (the jiva-souls) are marginal energy (jiva-souls), marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy (jiva-souls); we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt." (Letter to Lilavati, Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969)
Srila Prabhupada - "You are also energy; you are marginal energy (jiva-soul) Marginal energy means you (the jiva-souls) may be under the control of the spiritual energy or you may be under the control of material energy—your marginal position. But when you are under the control of the material energy, that is your precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when you are under spiritual energy, that is your life of freedom." (Intro BG As It Is, Los Angeles, Nov 23, 1968)
Srimad Bhagavatam - "Sakti means the "energy of Krsna." (SB, Canto 4 Ch 6 text 43)
Krsna has many different energies (sakti) -
1 - The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) are one of Krsna's energies.
2 - Matter (mahat-tattva, material energy or maya) is one of Krsna's energies.
3 - The different consorts and associates of Krsna, the internal potency known as Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, are one of Krsna's energies.
4 - The direct expansions of Krsna known as Visnu-tattva, are one of Krsna's energies.
5 - Lord Siva (Siva-tattva) who is in a league of his own is one of Krsna's energies.
There are many sakti-tattva energies of Krsna who are direct "personal" expansions of Himself, they are called "Visnu-tattva" and "Visnu-"sakti"-tattva" expansions."
Sakti is ALL Krsna energies however, there are many categories of sakti.
For example, the Visnu-"sakti"-tattva living entities are eternal inhabitants of Vrindavana known as Krsna's internal potency who are direct expansions of Krsna playing multiple roles in His own pastimes.
Whereas the jiva-tattva (jiva-souls) another category of sakti-tattva are NOT Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, Visnu-tattva and Siva-tattva but are Kṛṣṇa's "separated" energies.
Srila Prabhupada - "The "immediate" expansions of the Lord are called svāṁśa or personal direct expansions (Visnu-tattva who are Krsna playing another role in His own pastimes) The "separated" expansions of the Lord are called vibhinnāṁśa - (jiva-tattva or the independent jiva-souls (marginal living entities) like us." (BG, Ch 10 Text 37, Purport)
Then there is Kṛṣṇa's non-living sakti energy known as the "mahat-tattva" or material energy.
There are also Lord Visnu/Narayana expansions of Krsna, each with their own unique name, who live on the Vaikuntha planets. And then there is Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakashayi Visnu and Paramatma (Supersoul) who manage the material creation.
"Sakti" also means the jiva-tattva (jiva-souls) living entities like us, who are independent expansions of Krsna endowed with free will in the spiritual worlds, who have their own individuality, sense of self as a unique personality separate from Krsnas.
However, free will in the material world is greatly restricted and almost none existent among the 8 million 400 thousand species of material bodily forms.
Srila Prabhupada - "Tattva is manifested in different ways
1 - Viṣṇu-tattva,
2 - Viṣṇu-"śakti"-tattva,
3 - jīva-tattva (jiva-soul), like that." (Lecture on SB 6.2.7 - Vrndavana, Sep 10, 1975)
As said above, "sakti" means the different categories of "energies" of Krsna, living entities and non-living (matter) as Srila Prabhupada explains.
Srila Prabhupāda - "Sakti means energy, there are many types of energies of the Supreme Lord, and all of them are auspicious. Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara are called guṇa-avatāras, or incarnations of material qualities. In the material world we compare these different incarnations from different angles of vision, but since all of them are expansions of the supreme auspicious, all of them are auspicious.
Although sometimes we consider one quality of nature to be higher or lower than another. The mode of ignorance, or tamo-guṇa, is considered very much lower than the others, but in the higher sense it is also auspicious. The example may be given herein that the government has both an educational department and criminal department. An outsider may consider the criminal department inauspicious.
But from the government’s point of view it is as important as the education department, and therefore the government finances both departments equally, without discrimination." (SB Canto 4 Ch 6 text 43 Purport)
Then there is Siva-tattva who is neither jiva-tattva, Visnu-tattva or Visnu-sakti-tattva.
Siva-tattva is in a league of his own, having 55 of Krsna's 64 qualities, or having 85.938%
The Visnu-"sakti"-tattva and Visnu-tattva expansions are direct expansions of Krsna while the jiva-tattva expansions are independent expansions of Krsna who have their own personality separate from Krsnas.
Visnu-"sakti"-tattva and Visnu-tattva are Krsna playing are independent living entities with their own personality, sense of self and individuality as said above.
The Visnu-"sakti"-tattva and Visnu-tattva Personalities are the eternal inhabitants of Vrindavana who NEVER fall down or choose to forget Krsna because they each ARE Krsna playing a different role in Krsna's own eternal pastimes.
On the other hand, when the jiva-souls possess a material bodily vessel, it allows the eternal "jiva-souls" to enter the material creation.
However, to stay in the material temporary creation means the jiva-souls are forced again and again to change material bodies because the material vessels are temporary and subjected to decline, decay and death.
Srila Prabhupada - "We are not the owner of this body, not the owner of the senses. The senses are "hired" from the Supreme Lord. This is very subtle understanding, one should know the proprietor of the senses is God." (March 1966 NY City USA)
Srila Prabhupada - "The "immediate" expansions of the Lord are called svāṁśa or "personal direct" expansions (Visnu-tattva). The "separated" expansions of the Lord are called vibhinnāṁśa - jiva-tattva or independent jiva-souls like us." (BG, Ch 10.37, Purport)
Each individual jiva-soul in the spiritual world can "choose" to "voluntarily" serve Krsna in an unlimited variety of ways as an unlimited varieties of bodily forms, or even reject Krsna if they choose to do so, and enter or return to the impermanent material world.
The jiva-souls ARE an eternal individual spiritual bodily form in their full potential who originally look like Krsna's "two-armed bodily form" in the spiritual world of Goloka-Vrindavana.
Each jiva-soul has their own unique personality separate from the Krsna's Personality, that allows free will, free expression and voluntary service.
However, the outward bodily appearance of the jiva-souls can change to an unlimited variety of bodily forms in the spiritual world, and not necessarily human either.
They can appear as a flag pole, a blade of grass, a tree, a bench, a cow herd boy or girl, a cow, a shop owner, a cloud in the sky, a bird, etc.
There are unlimited choices of what one can look like but is almost inconceivable to understand this.
It is also inconceivable to understand that the spiritual worlds are a place where EVERYTHING is living and no dead matter or maya exists there.
If the jiva-souls voluntary choose to enter the Vaikuntha planets of Visnu/Narayana, they have a 4 armed bodily form similar to Lord Visnu, or a 4 armed bodily Form similar to Luxmi devi, Lord Visnu's consort.
Srila Prabhupada - "God is also human form. "Man is made after the shape of God." So Kṛṣṇa is also like human form, two hands, two legs." The human form is also the full manifestation of the jiva-soul." (Melb, Australia May 20, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada - "The spirit soul is NOT formless; it has got form, the spirit soul always has form and is expressed as hands, legs, heads, everything. But with our material eyes at the present, our gross eyes, we cannot see these facts; therefore we foolishly believe the jiva-souls have no form." (Lecture BG, Ch 2 Text 14 - Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)
Devotee - "What is the form of the spiritual body. If the spirit soul is non-material, what is the form?"
Srila Prabhupāda - "There is form, just like this material body is compared with the dress. Now, just like in your present material form you have got hand; therefore your coat has got hand. You have got legs; therefore your pant has got legs. Therefore it is to be assumed that the spirit soul always has got form, and is expressed as hands, legs, heads, everything. The spirit soul is not formless; it has got form. But with our material eyes at the present, gross eyes, we cannot find it; therefore we say and foolishly believe it has no form." (Lecture BG, Ch 2 Text 14, Mexico, Feb 14, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada - "The human form is the full manifestation of the jiva-soul." (Melb, May 20, 1975)
Devotee – "Is the original body of the jiva-soul a human form?"
Srila Prabhupada – "Yes, human form. God is also human form. "Man is made after the shape of God." I think there is in the Bible. Is it not? So God is also like human form, here you see Krsna, two hands, two legs."
Hari-sauri – "How do we understand, then, that there are peacocks and flowers and trees in the spiritual world? Are these not eternal forms?"
Srila Prabhupāda – "[describing material form first] Yes, they are more covered, just like if you cover your body with blanket, the hands and legs are invisible. But you are not the blanket. So the trees and plants, they are more covered. They are not in full manifestation, the human form is the full manifestation of the jiva-soul."
Hari-sauri - "They are covered in the spiritual world?"
Srila Prabhupada - "Not in the spiritual world, there that is voluntary. Some devotees want to serve Krsna as flower; then they become flower there, they lie down at the lotus feet of Krsna as a flower voluntarily, but he can change his form from flower to human body if one wants. That is spiritual life. There is no restriction. If some devotee wants to serve Krsna as cow, he serves Krsna as cow, as calf, as flower, as plant, as water, as ground, field, or as father, as mother, as friend, as beloved, anything. It is inconceivable, yet a fact." (SB, Canto 6.1.1-4 - Melb, May 20, 1975)
Srila Prabhupada – "Regarding your questions where are the spirit souls coming from? These spirit souls and all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha, but in these material worlds they are taking various grades of bodies according to their material activities. There is no new soul. New and old are due to this material body, but the soul is NEVER born and NEVER dies, so if there is no birth, so how there can be new soul?" (Letter to Jagadisa dasa 7/9/1970)
All jiva-souls are beginningless and endless, they were NEVER created, not even by Krsna because they have always existed, just like the Sun-disc and the sun-rays have always existed together.
Remember, only "matter" is temporary like the material bodily vessels the perpetual jiva-souls are in as a passenger. Such material bodies wear out and eventually decay, while the jiva-soul within can never decay or be destroyed in anyway.
All jiva-souls have existed for infinity without a beginning, nor will they ever have an ending.
The "jiva-souls" who have chosen to be covered by a temporary decaying material bodily vessel, are eternal while in that decaying material bodily container, and are therefore never subjected to the material vessels decay, impermanence, decline and death.
All jiva-souls are eternal and are eventually forced to abandon a worn out broken down unfit material bodily container, and given a new material body out of 8 million 400 thousand species of life, a rebirth in the endless cycle of birth and death in the material manifestation.
Taking birth again in the human species is very rare, many take it for granted their next life will be a human birth, in most cases, especially in Kali-yuga it isn't, most are reborn in the animal kingdom or lower as Bhagavad Gita As It Is explains.
The individual jiva-souls (marginal living entities) have existed for "infinity" which means, just like Krsna, they are beginningless and endless, and were NEVER created.
To realize we never really die and have NEVER died is an eye opening realization and means our real home and full freedom is in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana where one NEVER experiences birth, death or decay (old age).
The material temporary creation is a place that is very horrible and scary if one is there life after life, remember, there is no beginning or end to the jiva-souls existence.
This is because we have ALWAYS existed without beginning or end, it IS possible we have lived within billions upon billions upon billions of material bodily vessels in another time, another place, a past material creation that goes back through infinity (never ending) and goes forward through infinity (also never ending)
It is important to understand there is no such thing as new jiva-souls being created because they have ALWAYS existed and were NEVER created as Bhagavad Gita Ch 2 Text 12 explains.
Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be." (BG, Ch 2 Tect 12)
Bhagavad Gita As It Is - "For the soul there is neither bi[rth nor death at any time. He has not come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being. He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when the body is slain." (BG, Ch 2 text 20 "corrected" 1983 edition)
Srila Prabhupada – "There are no new souls, new and old are due to this material body, but the jiva-soul is never born and never dies, so if there is no birth, how can there be new souls?" (Letter to Jagadisa dasa, 7/9/1970)
Only matter is temporary (like the material bodily vessel the jiva-soul is presently in), while the jiva-souls in the material body are eternal and can NEVER cease to exist.
This means when the material vessels the jiva-souls are in, breaks down due to disease, decay or accidents, and ceases to function, the jiva-souls trapped within those decaying material vessels, are forced to vacate that decomposing material bodily vessel and take another body in the cycle of birth and death in the womb of a new mother.
Our real home is with Krsna in the spiritual world where we also associate with Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His Sankirtana past times.
1 - Lord Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes. Lord Caitanya is the combination of Radha and Krsna in the one spiritual Body.
2 - Lord Nityananda is the expansion, and also KKrsna's older brother Balarama, with the combined power of Balarama.
3 - Advaita Acharya is the combined power of Lord Visnu and Lord Siva (Harihara).
4 - Gadadhara pandit is the combined power of Krsna's internal energy, as well Srimati Radharani herself.
5 - Srivasa is Ksna's pure devotee and symbolizes devotion. Also known as Narada Muni.
Srila Prabhupada - "Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Śrī Gadādhara, and Śrīvāsādi. Śrīvāsādi means jīva-tattva. The jīva-tattva, śakti-tattva, viṣṇu-tattva, these are all tattvas. So Pañca-tattva. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is the supreme tattva, Kṛṣṇa. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya. We are worshipping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. So Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa combined." (Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5, Mayapur, March 7, 1974)
The sakti-tattva expansion category of Krsna called Visnu-tattva, sakti-tattva also has expansions called Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, both are direct expansions of Krsna (hence Visnu/sakti) who are Krsna playing different roles in His own pastimes, and both have 60 of Krsna's 64 attributes which is 93.75% of Krsna's qualities.
The correct understanding is that ALL the different grades of Krsna’s living energies are under the broad category of sakti-tattva.
Srila Prabhupada - "There are Viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva and sakti-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva is the Supreme Absolute Truth, jīva-tattva is part and parcel, and sakti-tattva is the energy of God." (Lecture on SB, Canto 1.5.15, New Vrindaban, June 19, 1969)
All personalities or living entities are Krsna's sakti-tattva energies however, as explained above, the Visnu-sakti-tattva and the Visnu-tattva Personalities both have 60 of Ksna's 64 attributes, which is 93.75% of Krsna's qualities.
The jiva-tattva expansions are also "sakti-tattva" yet only have 50 of Krsna's 64 attributes which is 78.125% of Krsna's qualities.
Then there is Siva-tattva who is in a league of his own who has 55 of Krsna's 64 attributes which is 85.938% of Krsna's qualities (The mathematics is 55/64 = 85.938%)
The Visnu-"sakti"-tattvas and Visnu-tattvas are DIRECT expansions of Krsna have 93.75% of Krsna's qualities as said above, while the jiva-tattvas or jiva-souls (marginal living entities) are MINOR independent expansions of Krsna with 78.125% of Krsna's qualities, having their own separate identity, personality and character, and their own choices of self expression which even includes rejecting Krsna if the choose.
This rejection of Krsna sadly often happens otherwise why would there be 1/4 of the Spiritual Sky (the material creation) put aside for those who rebel in Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana.
Only sentimentalists believe the jiva-souls can never fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana or again "choose" to leave the spiritual world.
Paramahamsa - "But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there’s no return to the material world?
Srila Prabhupada - "There IS return, that is voluntary, return is there."
Paramahamsa - "If we want."
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes."
Paramahamsa - "So we can come to the spiritual world and return?"
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes."
Paramahamsa - "Fall down?"
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes, as soon as we try, "Oh, this material world is very nice, Krsna says, yes, you go and enjoy the material world, otherwise what is the meaning of free will? Every living entity has got a little free will. And Krsna is so kind, He gives him opportunity, "All right, you enjoy separately." It is free will. Just like one goes to the prisonhouse, not that government welcomes, "Come on. We have got prisonhouse. Come here, come here." He goes out of his free will; again comes out, again goes. Like that."
Paramahamsa - "So our desire to enjoy, we achieve these material bodies; and our desire to achieve Krsna brings us to our natural position."
Srila Prabhupada - "Yes." (Morning Walk May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
Infinity is a long time, the jiva-souls make it their choice to stay there or leave over an eternity. Many haven't fallen down, but over infinity that can and will change, most jiva-souls at one point or another over eternity (infinity) HAVE been to the temporary material creation.
However, it is also true many others do choose never to enter the material creation.
The individual jiva-soul's unique personality is separate from Krsna's personality, the Visnu-tattva Personalities and Visnu-"sakti"-tattva Personalities.
Visnu-"sakti"-tattva immediate expansions of Krsna are eternally occupied in the service of the Lord, such immediate expansions have only the desire to please Krsna or Visnu, they can NEVER be covered by Maya and their concept of free will and independence is only to please Krsna or Visnu BECAUSE they ARE direct immediate expansions of Godhead, they ARE Krsna playing a different role in His own pastimes.
This is important to understand and explains why some living entities who are NOT jiva-tattva (jiva-souls), can NEVER fall down from Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrindavan because they are Visnu-tattva (God)
Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana are made up of independent jiva-souls, many, many Visnu-"sakti"-tattvas (headed by Radharani and the Gopis) and Visnu-tattvas expansions (Visnu/Narayana), all playing different Personalities in Krsna's pastimes.
Each Visnu-tattva expansions also have their own Vaikuntha planet, and unique name describing their pastimes in the spiritual world like Ramachandra, Narsingadeva, Vamanadeva, etc.
And for the material creation, Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakashayi-Viṣṇu and Paramatma.
There are also many individual jiva-souls playing many different roles too in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrndavana, just like the Visnu- "sakti"-tattva are, but they are jiva-tattva.
Some roles in both Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana are very difficult to know if the pastimes are played by a Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, Visnu-tattva or Jiva-tattva.
Although the Visnu-tattva's are mostly seen as Krsna's direct stand out expansions like Narayana or Visnu forms but there are exceptions.
In Goloka-Vrindavana, no one knows who is who, who is jiva-tattva, who is Visnu-"sakti"-tattva or who is even Visnu-tattva, they do not even know this little boy Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the cause of all causes, nor do they care.
As already explained, Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, like Visnu-tattva expansions, can never fall down because they are one of Krsna's many personalities.
Krsna is the ORIGINAL Form of God from whom ALL His Visnu and Narayana Visnu-tattva forms expand from.
This means the only difference between Srimati Radharani and Krsna, and Lord Balarama (Krsna's first expansion) and Krsna, is Lord Krsna IS the ORIGINAL Supreme Personality of Godhead and cause of all causes, and has 4 more qualities than both His Visnu-"sakti"-tattva and Visnu-tattva have.
Balarama, Krsna's first Visnu-tattva expansion, is also Lord Nityananda from Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastime on earth explained below.
Therefore, not even Srimati Radharani, Krsna's eternal consort, or Balarama, Krsna's older brother, have 64 unique qualities like Krsna has, they have ONLY 60 of Krsna's 64 qualities which is 93.75% of Krsna's 100% attributes.
Let's make this easy to understanding-
Lord Krsna has 64 qualities which is "exactly" 100% of those unique set qualities.
1 - Visnu-tattva has 60 qualities which is 93.75% of Krsna’s full 64 qualities.
2 -Visnu-"sakti"-tattva 60 qualities or also 93.75% of Krsna's full 64 qualities.
3 - Siva-tattva has 55 qualities or 85.938% of Krsna's 64 qualities.
4 - Jiva-tattva (jiva-souls) has 50 qualities or 78.125% of Krsna's full 64 qualities.
Also the jiva-souls can NEVER become Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, Visnu-tattva or Siva-tattva, who all have more than the maximum qualities the jiva-souls have which is 78.125%. The jiva-souls can never lose their separate individual unique identity and independence from Krsna either.
As explained above, all living entities are Krsna's "sakti energy" who are fully dependent on Krsna like the sun-rays are fully dependent on the Sun-disc.
Even though being parts and parcel of the Lord, the jiva-souls still have "their own" sense of self, being an independent living entity endowed with free will and a unique personality separate from Krsna's Personality.
Actually, only by having a "two-sided" relationship of voluntary exchanges, cooperation and reciprocation, can there be real love.
Srila Prabhupada - "The words bṛhate namas te have been explained by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura: bṛhate śrī-kṛṣṇāya. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa the maintainer of all and cause of all causes. We are "separate and none separate" from Krsna simultaneously. There are many tattvas, such as viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva and śakti-tattva, but above everything is the viṣṇu-tattva, which is all-pervading. This all-pervading feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (10.42), wherein the Lord says-
athavā bahunaitena
kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna
viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam
ekāṁśena sthito jagat
"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe."
Thus Kṛṣṇa says that the entire material world is maintained by His partial representation as Paramātmā. The Lord enters every universe as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and then expands Himself as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to enter the hearts of all living entities and even enter the atoms.
Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35).
Every universe is full of atoms, and the Lord is not only within the universe but also within the atoms. Thus within every atom the Supreme Lord exists in His Viṣṇu feature as Paramātmā (the Supersoul), but all the viṣṇu-tattvas emanate from Kṛṣṇa.
As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.2), aham ādir hi devānām: Kṛṣṇa is the ādi, or beginning, of the devas of this material world—Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara. Therefore He is described here as bhagavate bṛhate." (SB Canto 8 Ch 3 text 17)
The jiva-tattva (jiva-souls) have 50 of Krsna's 64 qualities, which is 78.125% of Krsna's attributes and are called the ''marginal energy."
Individual full awareness of voluntary devotional service to Krsna always exists in the "eternal presence'' of Goloka-Vrindavana and the Vaikuntha planets.
The jiva-souls are simultaneously dependent and independent unique PERSONS who have eternally existed there in their real home of the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka-Vrindavana but, due to free will, can choose to enter the material creation at anytime over the infinity of their endless existence.
The universe is NOT ''all-one" with an all pervading single consciousness that plays out different roles while contained in different material bodily vessels as the impersonalist and Mayavadis believe.
Although Krsna and His unlimited direct Visnu-tattva and Visnu-"sakti"-tattvas expansions ARE all one however, we the individual jiva-soul expansions and NOT all one they are NOT God.
Each jiva-soul has their our own unique identity, personality separate from Krsna's Personality, there own unique sense of self and being independent thinkers from all other jiva-souls.
Therefore, the jiva-souls never lose their independence and the free will to be the "person and personality " they choose.
Even a blade of grass, leaf, tree, clouds, rain drops, grains of sand and dirt or chair is a Person in Goloka.
Everything there in Goloka-Vrindavana and the Vaikuntha planets are alive!
The jiva-soul is different from direct expansion of the Lord like like-Visnu-"sakti"-tattvas and Visnu tattvas.
However, all can play the part of gopis, cowherd boys, anyone Krsna wants them to play in Krsnalila.
Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana have so many expansions of Krsna that it is mind boggling.
The jiva-souls on the other hand can also play the role of a gopa or gopi like the Visnu-"sakti"-tattva and Visnu-tattva can, but they can NEVER be God, Visnu-tattva or Visnu-"sakti"-tattva, who are Krsna Himself expanded as multiple personalities playing roles in His own pastimes.
The marginal living entities (jiva-souls) can never become God, Visnu or Siva.
The jiva-souls can ALWAYS choose in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavan what they voluntarily want to do, and play many different roles including Brahma however, the marginal living entities (jiva-souls) ALWAYS remains jiva-tattva (jiva-soul) and can NEVER become God (Visnu-tattva)
The jiva-souls, unlike Visnu-"sakti"-tattva and Visnu-tattvas, can 'choose' to forget Krsna if they desire, and enter the mahat-tattva or material creation of Maha-Visnu as nitya-baddha, and think they are an independent god.
Visnu-tattvas and Visnu-"sakti"-tattva do not do that because they ARE direct expansion of Krsna and are already God.
The jiva-souls "eternal constitution position and eternal spiritual body" is always in the spiritual world (because of the eternal presence of time there) waiting for those jiva-souls living in the temporary material dream world, to again return back home, back to Godhead and wake up from the temporary material creation of Maha-Visnu.
Just like Jaya and Vijaya's eternal position as gatekeepers of Vaikuntha is always there waiting for their return from falling down into the material creation.
In Vaikuntha there is no concept of past and future time, only the ''individual awareness" of the "eternal presence'' of Krsna, and being a dependent unique person who eternally belongs in Goloka-Vrindavana or on a Vaikuntha planet.
Of course, in the material world our individuality becomes covered by many, many different species of material bodily vessels, but underneath it all the jiva-soul or jiva-soul is eternal there as an individual.
Therefore, it is very important we understand we have our independence, individuality and free will as jiva-souls in the spiritual world.
And this is what also what "marginal" means, that makes the jiva-souls the unique individual "persons" they are eternally.
Srila Prabhupada - "You are also energy; you are marginal energy (jiva-soul) Marginal energy means you (the jiva-souls) may be under the control of the spiritual energy or you may be under the control of material energy—your marginal position. But when you are under the control of the material energy, that is your precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when you are under spiritual energy, that is your life of freedom." (Intro BG As It Is, Los Angeles, Nov 23, 1968)
Srila Prabhupada - "Regarding your question about our relationship with Srimati Radharani, She is the internal energy, we are marginal energy. Marginal means sometimes internal, sometimes external. When we are under the internal energy, that is our normal life, and when we are under the external energy, that is our abnormal life. Therefore, we are called marginal energy; we can be either this way or that way. But being qualitatively one with the purusa, our tendency is to remain in the internal energy. Being in the external energy is our artificial attempt." (Letter to Lilavati, Allston, Mass 25 April, 1969)
To say you can never leave Goloka once there is true for most but not all because we can choose to miss use our free will. Without having that choice, Prabhupada says we are no better than dead stone that would not be able to give love or receive love.
And yes, many devotees have found this subject’s true meaning in Sastra very difficult to understand and therefore call it inconceivable rather than attempting to understand it, or believe others understand it.
Like making "choices" (that allows one to increase their “unique” individual expression of love for Krsna) is always with the marginal living entity even in Vaikuntha, and to take that ability (the sense of self) away from the marginal living entity in Vaikuntha, the jiva-tattva soul loses the individual ability to “give and accept love”.
This is because without free will we lose our sense of independence as a person of having a unique separate identity from all of other individual jiva-tattva souls, Visnu tattvas, and Krsna Himself. These are important points to understand.
We, the jiva-souls are independent thinking jiva-souls eternally but simultaneously part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krsna the cause of all causes meant to please the Lord as the unique “persons”.
Therefore, no one can force the jiva-soul to stay in Vaikuntha, that choice MUST be eternally yours (the jivat-soul)
Only Visnu-tattvas and Visnu-"sakti"-tattvas never fall down from Vaikuntha and Goloka-Vrindavana because they ARE direct expansions of Krsna, playing different roles in Krsna's pastimes and have 93.75% of Krsna’s qualities (60 out of Krsna's 64 qualities) making them direct full expansions of Krsna Himself.
Some Visnu-"sakti"-tattvas are gopis including Radharani, gopas, parents, lovers etc many, many different personalities.
Krsna’s brother Balarama is Visnu-tattva, Srimati Radharani is Visnu-"sakti"-tattva expansion of Krsna, and many others are too, playing different parts in Krsna Lila.
Just like in Lord Caitanya’s pastimes where many are Visnu-tattvas and Visnu-sakti-tattvas playing many of His devotees.
It is ONLY these residents of Vrindavana who mme and expression of free will, sadly some jiva-souls DO choose to leave or fall from Vaikuntha however, Prabhupada explains it is only a very small minority who foolishly make that choice, less than 10%.
Dr. John Mize – "Did all the souls that were in the spiritual sky fall out of the spiritual sky at once or at different times, or are there any souls that are always good, they’re not foolish, they don’t fall down?"
Srila Prabhupada – "No, there are majority, 90%, they are always good. They never fall down." (Los Angeles, June 23, 1975)
Let's clear one thing up, falling into the material world has absolutely nothing to do with maya or the material energy because maya does not and can not exist in Vaikuntha.
The jiva-souls do not even know Maya or the material energy exists, however, they do have "free will and the ability to choose" and are aware that this quality is “eternally” part and parcel of the jiva-soul’s makeup and exists in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana.
We do not lose our independence and sense of individual identity once we enter Vaikuntha, we are eternally independent living entities even in Vaikuntha.
However, we always depend of Krsna in Vaikuntha, or His many Visnu-tattva expansions like Maha-Visnu and Garbhodakashayi Visnu
nu who provide all facilities in the material creation. We can never be truly independent because everything, all that is, belongs to Krsna. In other words we are always independent living entities but always depend on Krsna for our existence, just like the sun-rays cannot exist without the Sun-disc.
The fact is because we CAN "choose to be with Krsna or reject Him", then there can be increasing endeavors of loving exchange and reciprocation due to "choice" (free will)
This is one of the reasons why the material universe was created - to give "reality" to that choice of rejecting and forgetting Kṛṣṇa, just so the living entity can go to another place outside Vaikuntha and try to enjoy life without being Krsna conscious.
The marginal living entity or jiva-souls MUST have that free will to choose to be with Krsna, or not be with Krsna if they want, instead of just being in Vaikuntha without having no choice or free will at all as some believe.
The mentality that denies free will is actually impersonalism.
The point made here is the position of the jiva-tattva soul in Vaikuntha must be voluntary. Who you love and who you choose to serve MUST be voluntary.
Many cannot understand these facts about the importance of free will, individuality, identity and the sense of self worth of being a unique person who can give selfless ever increasing love or service in their own way to Krsna.
These qualities are based on the importance of the individual's ability to have "choices" within their experiences as a individual person.
Once again to be truly free there must be the choice of Vaikuntha or its so called opposite where Krsna can be forgotten, the "material creation"
Without the jiva-souls being able to choose Krsna or reject Krsna, there can never be personal contributions of voluntary love, Prabhupada has explained. To force the jiva-souls to love and serve Krsna without personal choices, it is called rape!
Srila Prabhupada - "So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?’ I immediately fall down. That is natural. A servant is serving the master, but sometimes he may think that, “If I could become the master.” They are thinking like that; they are trying to become God. That is delusion. You cannot become God. That is not possible. But he’s wrongly thinking."
Vipina Purandara - "Why doesn’t Krsna protect us from that desire?"
Srila Prabhupada - "He’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 ( free will). That is force, in Bengali it is said, ‘If you catch one girl or boy, ‘You love me, you love me, you love me.’ ” Is it love? “You love me, otherwise I will kill you!’ Is that love? So Krsna does not want to become a lover like that, on the point of revolver. ‘You love me, otherwise I shall kill you!’ That is not love; that is threatening. Love is reciprocal, voluntary, good exchange of feeling. Then there is love. Not by force; that is rape. Why one is called lover, another is called rape?" (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
It takes only free will to live separately from Krsna and this choice has nothing to do with maya or material energy as explained above - it is simple free will that allows us to be a independent person and enter the material creation too.
To do that one is given material bodies, a subtle and gross body that covers the spiritual form. In the material world, the jivatma has to put up with the gross material body always being in a state of decay and then eventually being forced to take another gross material body in the material world.
Also once in the material creation, you're on your own terms, you are responsible therefore karma begins as soon as you leave Vaikuntha.
No jiva-souls originate from the dormant Brahmajyoti ot Brahman. Jiva-souls often fall further to impersonal Brahman or Brahmajyoti, but NEVER did the jiva-souls originate from the impersonal Brahmajyoti as Srila Prabhupada tells us.
Srila Prabhupada - "The next question, about the living entities falling down in this material world are not from the impersonal brahman. Existence in the impersonal brahman is also within the category of non-Krsna consciousness.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." (Letter to: Revatinandana, Los Angeles 13 June, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada - "We have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago." (Lecture BG Aug 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." (Happening record album, New York City, Dec 1966)
Srila Prabhupada - "So, even in the Vaikuntha, if I desire that ‘Why shall I serve Krsna? Why not become Krsna?’ I immediately fall down." (July 8, 1976 in Washington, D.C.)
Srila Prabhupada - "The actual constitutional position of every living entity is nitya-siddha, because God is eternal and His part and parcels, the living entities, they are also eternal. So that is nitya-siddha. Nitya-siddha, sädhana-siddha, krpa-siddha-there are different grades. They are all described in The Nectar of Devotion. So one can become sadhana-siddha." (CC, 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." (New York City lecture CC, July 13, 1976)
Srila Prabhupada - "This material world is created by the dreaming of Mahā-Viṣṇu. The real, factual platform is the spiritual world, but when the spirit soul wants to imitate the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is put into this dreamland of material creation." (SB Canto 4 Ch 29 text 83 Purport)
Once, an Indian political leader, Syamasundara Chakravarti asked Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada.
"Why has the Lord granted freedom to the jiva-souls?"
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta told him,
"You are fighting for freedom, don’t you know the value of freedom? Devoid of freedom the jiva-soul is no better than dead stone. Freedom offers us the alternative to do right or wrong."
Gandhi demanded from the British authorities,
"We want our freedom too!"
The British government replied,
"You are not fit to have self-government, when you are fit we shall give you your freedom."
But Gandhi objected and told them,
"No, we want our freedom to do right or wrong!"
So, freedom does not guarantee only acting in the right way.
Freedom has its value independent of right and wrong that is why the jiva-souls can even reject Krsna and leave the spiritual world and enter the material world.
However, the material creation is also Krsna's energy, designed to allow the jiva-souls to have the choice and believe they have their own independent existence from Krsna.
Krsna allows this because free will allows independent voluntary creativity of thoughtful exchanges.
In other words, free will does NOT allow the jiva-souls in the spiritual world to be forcibly Krsna's puppets, where only He pulls the strings forcing one how to act, how to serve, what to offer, how to think, how to play.
So, it is obvious that without free will the jiva-souls could not express themselves in their own unique independent way.
The fact is in the spiritual world, Krsna always encourages self expression and NEVER suppresses it with dictatorial control.
If Krsna did force the jiva-souls to always love and never allow them to makevtheir own mistakes, including leaving Goloka Vrindavana anytime the like, then the jiva-souls would be no better that dead emotionless useless stone.
The possibility of committing a mistake is never supressed by Krsna.
Our first rebellious choice was to dominate and gradually we entered the material world.
As a result of this first action, everything else has developed.
So, in the material creation the different ranks the species have been divided from the demigods down to the trees, and insects, animals, watery bodies, gaseous bodies.
All species we find in the material world, the jiva-soul has evolved through. The activating principle in any form of embryological development is the jiva-soul, and from the jiva-soul, everything has evolved based on desire.
Srila Prabhupada makes our original position originally with Krsna very clear.
And yes, maya cannot be blamed for our fall down from Vaikuntha in any way because She, in her role as the personification of material energy, does NOT exist in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana, nothing material can exist there.
But free will does and always will exist in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana. Therefore "we" are responsible for our choices and actions.
Srila Prabhupada on the other hand chose to come here to serve Krsna's plan to attract the fallen souls in the material universe back home back to Godhead.
Many devotees also come here to preach Krsna Consciousness.
There are three ways the jiva-souls can come here to the material creation.
1 - As a devotee who preaches God Consciousness.
2 - As a devotee who plays the part as a great demon like Jai and Vijayi the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha did.
3 - And those who "choose" (due to free will) to just forget and give up Krsna's association and do their own thing in the material creation.
Also one can never have material desires in Vaikuntha because Maya does NOT exist there. Maya cannot be blamed for tempting us and causing our fall down from Vaikuntha in any way because She, in her role as the personification of material energy, does NOT exist in Vaikuntha or Goloka-Vrindavana.
Nothing material can exist there in the Vaikuntha planets or Goloka-Vrindavana, that is also why ones memories of being in the material cannot be remembered in the Spiritual worlds because NOTHING material can exist there.
But ''free will'', ''independence'' and ''individuality'' does and always will exist in Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana.
We therefore leave because of free will and the ability to choose to accept or reject Krsna.
As an individual ''person'' endowed with independent thought and identity, we are able to make such chooses.
What does the majority of people think being a "PERSON" really means serving Krsna?
1 - Do they think it is becoming some "yes man or women" of Krsna in His Kingdom where one becomes a mindless none thinking denier of the "individual self" who has unique qualities that makes you an individual?
2 - Do they think surrender means we give up our individuality? Sadly, so many have no idea what real "personalism" is which is a word tied to individuality.
The idea of "don't think just do what your told" is impersonalist nonsense because it denies ''you'' to use your own abilities and talents to contribute something unique to your personality that no one else may have.
So no, "you" DO NOT give up your independent individuality, unique contribution of self expression, sense of self worth and self esteem to be fully surrendered to Krsna, and "dependant" on Krsna.
Only fools and speculative religious cult leaders maintain that you have to give up your individuality and free will in order to surrender to Krsna and His devotees.
In Goloka-Vṛndāvana the individual independence of the jiva-soul and voluntary dependence on Krsna go hand in hand together, increasing simultaneously at the same time, expanding loving exchanges between the Lord in both the Vaikuntha planets and Goloka Vrindavana.
Loving exchanges, cooperation, reciprocation and voluntary expressions from the jiva-soul's unique personality, MUST be there as contributions to the relationship with Krsna, by serving Him in a "two-way" exchange that makes the relationship personal, caring and genuine.
Loving feelings and emotions towards Krsna can only exist in a "two-sided" exchange, where the jiva-souls can also voluntarily add to the relationship and friendship with Krsna.
In other words, love can only exist when "voluntarily" expressed in a "two-way" exchange, where the jiva-soul's person unique contributions adds to one's relationship with Krsna, that can only be expressed by having free will.
Having the "free will" to contribute to one's relationship with Krsna, allows the jiva-souls to voluntarily participate in selflessly serving Krsna by contributing to the relationship in their own unique way, and not allow any "so called God" to impersonally control one's every thought, actions and deeds (offerings) like a puppet master controls his puppets.
Surrender to Krsna does NOT mean you "surrender" your intelligence, your free will and the ability to express yourself as the independent PERSON you are eternally.
These special qualities gives meaning to the jiva-souls existence that allows the jiva-souls to express themselves independently from Krsna, yet simultaneously be always fully dependent on Krsna unconditionally.
Such personal voluntary service deepens one's loving reciprocation with Krsna, through personal exchanges that enhances, enriches and forever continues to add flavour to one's unique relationship with Krsna.
Srila Prabhupāda – "Unless there are "two-persons," where is the question of love? Love means two persons, then there is exchange, then there is love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there." (Aug 9, 1976, Tehran)
Srila Prabhupada - "The relationship with Krsna is never lost, it is simply forgotten by the influence of maya, so it maybe regained or revived by the process of hearing the Holy Name of Krsna and then the devotee engages himself in the service of the Lord which is his original or constitutional position. The relationship of the living entity with Krsna is eternal as both Krsna and the living entity are eternal; the process is one of revival only, nothing new." (Letter to Jagadisa dasa, 02/27/1970)
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