By Patita Pavana das
We will analyze the verses of scripture or statements of our acaryas quoted in the articles on fall-vada, which seem to say souls don’t fall from the Vaikuntha planets.
Srila Prabhupada said in his Srimad Bhagavatam 3. 16.26 purport that “no one falls from the spiritual world.”
No one means no devotees descend. But “sometimes, as the Lord desires, devotees come into the material world as preachers (Lord Buddha) or atheists (like Jaya and Vijaya). Of course, the fools and crazies who disturb the society, friendship and love of Vaikuntha are to fall and will be imprisoned in the lunatic asylum of the material world. The context of this statement and purport should be studied. That rebels are expelled, Srila Prabhupada will state in SB. 3.16.35: “Here is clear proof of how a living entity coming originally from Vaikunthaloka (=planets) is encaged in material elements.”
And in SB 3.16.37…will go back to Godhead, back to the Vaikuntha planets.
In the Vedabase we find this concept 6453 times.
back to Goloka Vrndavana – 2 times
back to Krsnaloka – 2 times
back to Krsna’s loka, back to home – 1 time
go back to my planet – 1 time
back to the rasa dance – 5 times
go back to Jagannatha – 1
back to the Vaikuntha planets – 7 times
back to Krsna – 97 times
back to Krishna – 9 times
back to the kingdom of Krsna – 1 time
back to our eternal home in the kingdom of Krsna – 1 time
return to the kingdom of God – 8 times
back to the kingdom of God – 16 times
back to the kingdom of Godhead – 5 times
back to Godhead – 2921 times
back to home back to godhead – 970 times
return to the spiritual world – 8 times
back home – 691 times
back home back to godhead – 528 times
all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha – 1
back to home – 1137 times
back to our permanent home – 1 time
back to our original home, back to God – 2 time
back to our original home, back to Godhead – 1 time
back to the spiritual world – 21 times
back to Vaikuntha – 9 times
back to the Vaikuntha – 1 time
Srila Prabhupada uses these different terms but describes in these ways the same concept. For example in the philosophy discussion on Schopenhauer Srila Prabhupada says:
“There are two kinds of sects: this Mayavadi and the Vaishnava. So both of them know that this material world is flickering, and sometimes they say it is false, unreal. So there is another life; that is spiritual world. So the Mayavadi philosopher, their spiritual life means to merge into the Brahman effulgence, and the Vaishnava philosopher to go back to Goloka Vrindavana, Vaikuntha, where God is situated, and become His associate person. So both the ideas, spiritual ideas, that is attained after death.”
Back to Goloka Vrindavana where we came from.
In the same discussion he also says three times back to home, back to Godhead. Back to Godhead is thus very specific Krishna’s planet, Goloka Vrindavana. Not the outskirts of the brahmajyoti. That is what he says here.
“If you simply try to have full knowledge about Krishna, then his willing, this material willing is purified, and after giving up this body he goes back to home, back to Godhead.”
“If I meet death in sound health, then I can think of my next life, go back to home, back to Godhead, and I achieve it. Because at the time of death my thinking will be taken into consideration. So if by thinking of Jagannatha if I die, then I go back to Jagannatha.
Hayagriva: Yes.
Prabhupada: That is not suicide. That is voluntarily accepting death so that immediately he can return back to the spiritual world.”
“Go back to Jagannatha” means we have fallen down from Jagannatha, we have not come originally from brahmajyoti.
“Return back to the spiritual world” means thus that we come originally from Narayana’s or Krishna’s loka (=planet) not from the brahmajyoti. Srila Prabhupada uses this word “returning” to our original position 3 times; “return back to the spiritual world” 2 times and “original position” 205 times.
In all his writings and speeches Srila Prabhupada uses the following list of words to describe the fall of the soul from the spiritual planets 12,527 times.
Forget Krishna or Krishna consciousness – 637; Forgotten – 674; Forgetful – 119; Forgetfulness – 315; Reclaim – 81; Regain – 89; Revival – 46; Revive – 407; Reinstate – 10; Renovate – 20; Averse – 73; Misuse his independence – 57; Reestablished – 20; Lost – 322; Paradise lost – 19; Dormant – 428; Disagreed – 6; Sleep – 58; Sleeping – 62; Awakened – 297; Imprisoned – 26; Prison – 88; Condemned – 86; Unfettered – 1; Regain – 89; falls down – 86; original Krsna consciousness – 581; original consciousness – 149; original position – 207; come down – 57; return – 171; recover – 25; revert – 15; reunion – 6; again (to Krishna or Krishna consciousness) – 68; fallen conditioned – 65; fallen souls – 465; Back to Krishna consciousness – 7; Back to Krishna – 99; Rebel – 11; Rebellious – 32; back to Goloka Vrndavana – 1; back to Krsna loka – 2; back to the rasa-lila – 5; go back to Jagannatha – 1; go back to my planet – 1; back to the Vaikuntha planets – 7; back to Krishna – 9 times; back to the kingdom of Krsna – 1 time; back to our eternal home in the kingdom of Krsna – 1 time; return to the kingdom of God – 8 times; back to the kingdom of God – 16 times; back to the kingdom of Godhead – 5 times; back to Godhead – 2921 times; back to home back to godhead – 970 times; return to the spiritual world – 8 times; back home – 691 times; back home back to godhead – 528 times; all spirit souls are coming from Vaikuntha – 1; back to home – 1137 times; back to our permanent home – 1 time; back to our original home, back to God – 2 time; back to our original home, back to Godhead – 1 time; back to the spiritual world – 21 times; back to Vaikuntha – 9 times; back to the Vaikuntha – 1 time.
In this SB 3.16.26 purport Srila Prabhupada discusses the descent or fall of devotees.
The text translation makes this clear immediately.
Krishna speaks: “O Kumaras, know that the punishment inflicted on these two gatekeepers was originally ordained by Me and therefore these two (devotees, for pastimes) will “fall” to a birth in a demoniac family…”
Then the whole of the purport is explaining that the Lord wanted to sport, mock fight and to exercise the muscles. As Srila Prabhupada jokingly explains; to keep the body fit to work out on a devotee taking the role of a demon. No one but a devotee can be a proper opponent; they have similar powers (see Brihad Bhagavamrta 2.4.200-201 / 1.3.45, 57)
Then Srila Prabhupada writes “that a devotee should come into an atheist family is surprising“ because “no one (of the devotees) falls from the Vaikuntha planets” but “sometimes, as the Lord desires devotees come into the material world…”
All the chapters and commentaries of our sampradaya-acarya’s on this lila explain fall-vada from the spiritual planets.
In SB 3.16.26 Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti writes on the 4 Kumaras who offered 10 beautiful, prayers. They didn’t know of the fighting rasa between the Lord and Jaya and Vijaya’s expansions (the 2 Hiranyas, Ravana and Kumbhakarna, Sisupala and Dantavakra, Jagai and Madhai). But they know the philosophy of Krishna consciousness.
They thought: “Even the greatest devotees can fall from Vaikuntha because of great offense! What then to speak of where we, who are just dull reflections of sadhakas, can fall from this earth planet!”
Our comment: I.o.w it is common knowledge that devotees becoming demoniac fall from Vaikuntha-loka. As we here in our worlds know that if we do crime or break the law we get jail or a fine.
Srila Prabhupada in the purport to SB 3.15.33 writes:
“Just as there are different departments in each state in this material world—the civil department and the criminal department—so, in God’s creation, there are two departments of existence. All living entities who are residents of the material universes are considered to be more or less criminals because they do not wish to abide by the order of the Lord or they are against the harmonious activities of God’s will. The principle of creation is that the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is by nature joyful, and He becomes many in order to enhance His transcendental joy. The living entities like ourselves, being part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, are meant to satisfy the senses of the Lord. Thus, whenever there is a discrepancy in that harmony, immediately the living entity is entrapped by maya, or illusion.”
“Discrepancy in that harmony of satisfaction and transcendental joy”
This cannot refer to the causal ocean, as Brahmajyoti fall-vadis try to insert, because huge waves and mighty winds give no joyful harmonious home. The causal ocean is especially in a turmoil at the time of creation; millions of universes and souls come from Maha-Visnu’s pores.
The subtle forms of all these souls and universes (golden cosmic eggs) enter the womb chamber of maya or causal ocean to be clothed or enveloped with the eight mundane elements (see Brahma samhita txt 13)
Conclusion No one falls from Vaikuntha, we also read in SB 7.1.35 purport.
The chapter’s subject is on Yudhisthira’s cousins Sisupala and Dantavakra, who were formerly associates of Lord Visnu, falling from Vaikuntha to the material world, due to a curse by the Kumaras.
Then Yudhisthira inquires in text 34, how can devotees fall to this material world.
“Maharaja Yudhishthira inquired: What kind of great curse could affect even liberated vishnu-bhaktas, and what sort of person could curse even the Lord’s associates? For unflinching devotees of the Lord to fall again to this material world is impossible. I cannot believe this.” (34)
“The bodies of the inhabitants of Vaikuntha are completely spiritual, having nothing to do with the material body, senses or life air. Therefore, kindly explain how associates of the Personality of Godhead were cursed to descend in material bodies like ordinary persons.” (35)
It is impossible that unflinching ekantika devotees fall. Only rebels fall. Also devotees cannot be cursed. No evil can happen to devotees. Only if they turn rebel, then they are not unflinching devotees. Or for pastimes as in the case of Jaya and Vijay. Nor are there demons who curse.
One cannot take text 35 “the bodies of the Vaikuntha inhabitants are spiritual how they were cursed to descend in material bodies” to mean that spiritual bodies can’t fall into material bodies.
Other translations of this verse also don’t give this understanding.
Yudhisthira said: What kind of and whose curse was it that prevailed (even) against the servants of Lord Sri Hari? The incarnation of those exclusively devoted to Sri Hari appears as something incredible. (33)
Be pleased to narrate the episode connected with the corporeal existence of the denizens of Vaikunthapura (the abode of Lord Visnu), devoid (as they are) of a (material) body, indriyas and life-breath. (34) (SB by Gitapress)
33. It appears certainly incredible that those who are exclusively devoted to Hari, were compelled to be born again. Therefore (please tell us) whose curse it was and what was the nature of the imprecation which overpowered the servants of Hari.
34. The residents of the city or region called Vaikuntha are of pure sattvic form and are devoid of material body, senses and the like. You should narrate to us how it led to the assumption of corporeal existence (in the case of such residents of Vaikuntha). (Bhagavata Purana, Motilal edition by board of translators)
Sri Yudhishthira said: Who pronounced the curse against them which was so powerful that it could affect the downfall of the devotees of Lord Vishnu and what was the nature of that curse as it appears unthinkable? Be gracious to enlighten us in this matter that how those dwellers in Vaikuntha, who had no physical bodies and physical organs of sense and action, came to be saddled with corporeal bodies. 34-35 (SB by Bhakti Prajnana Yati )
The auspicious Yudhisthira asked:—Who was he that imprecated the said curse, and what was its nature that it was able to overpower even the servants of Lord Sri Hari? That even those worshippers of Lord Sri Hari, who adored Him with a singleness of purpose, were compelled to be born, seems unworthy of belief. Thou ought to relate to us all, as to how they, the dwellers of excellent Vaikuntha and devoid of the material body, senses and life, became possessed of bodies. (SB by Sanyal)
Spiritual bodies can fall because even in Brahmajyoti-fall-vada the eternally folded up or contracted spiritual body is said to descend (sometimes, if the soul chooses for maya at the viraja-river) into a material body. The wrong choice at the border means the contracted body develops to see Krishna, the soul refuses and becomes shrunk and dormant.
And even those who developed their spiritual body (their nitya svarupa) dwell in (spiritualized) material bodies. So those with a spiritual body in Vaikuntha can descend in material bodies.
Thus the inquiry is on how spirit can be incorporated into matter and on how devotees can fall for the material world. So devotees don’t fall, rebels fall.
That rebels in the spiritual world are imprisoned in the prison house (=Durga) of the material world is already understood from previous purports.
In SB 7.1.25 purport Srila Prabhupada says:
“…takes the conditioned soul back home, back to Godhead and…Vritrasura was taken back to Godhead.
…and a demon or conditioned soul becomes completely pure, the Lord takes him back to Godhead.”
SB 7.1.26 purport:
“…Jaya Vijaya…then returned home, back to Godhead. They came from the Vaikuntha planets and they returned home, back to Godhead.”
Similarly the conditioned souls, described in the purport before 7.1.25 came from that home the spiritual planets and went back to their home.
Later in 7.1.26 purport again he says about conditioned souls:
“…desire to return home, back to Godhead.”
And in 7.1.33 purport he writes:
“…Sisupal and Dantavakre were formerly personal associates of Lord Visnu. They apparently fell to this material world, but actually they came to assist Krishna in His pastimes.”
“Apparently they fell to this material world.” This is ABCD.
As all souls we find in this world have fallen down from above down; because renegades are send off or out to the penal colony of the material world. But no, not these ones, they came to assist Krishna in His pastimes.
And in the previous verse to 7.1.33, in 7.1.32 he translates:
“for unflinching devotees of the Lord to fall again to this material world I can’t believe.”
“Fall again” means they already once had fallen down. They had returned. To fall again is unbelievable. I.o.w the soul can fall away one time, easily or generally from the spiritual world. But once burnt twice shy. Who would go again into the nightmare of the material world.
Then in the purport he repeats this point:
“…he was surprised that a pure devotee could return to this material world.”
“…one purified returns home, back to Godhead.”
And in this 7.1.35:
“Associates of Lord Visnu who descend from Vaikuntha do not actally fall” as associates who became rebels actually fall.
It is understood from this sentence phrased like this that fall does take place but associates of Lord Visnu, who remain servants, do not fall.
In the purport to 7.1.35 Srila Prabhupada writes that “associates of the Lord Visnu who descend from Vaikuntha don’t actually fall. They come with the purpose of fulfilling the desires of the Lord…When Jaya and Vijaya descend, there was something to be done for Krsna. Otherwise it is a fact that no one (of the Lord’s associates, who don’t become envious, – ed.) falls from Vaikuntha.” How can it be otherwise. Srila Prabhupada explains the fall of the soul 1000s of times.
This “otherwise it is a fact that no one falls from Vaikuntha,” Srila Prabhupada faithfully repeats from the verse – loyal associates don’t fall -. He reveals and repeats this at the end of the purport to SB 7.1.35.
““…Jaya and Vijaya descended to the material world to serve the Lord by fulfilling His desire to fight. Otherwise that an unflinching servant of the Lord could fall from Vaikuntha seems unbelievable, as Maharaja Yudhishthira says, asraddheya ivabhati harer ekantinam.” Because ekantika unflinching servants don’t fall. But, of course, demons are exiled, rascals are kicked out.
So, this verse means ekantika one-minded unflinching devotees don’t fall. Those who don’t want to surrender any longer to ekala isvara krsna the only Lord Krishna, fall from grace.
Yuddhistira knows that spiritual bodies get contracted and in this way the spiritual bodies, 1/10000 part of the tip of the hair (kesagra-sata-bhagasya) as a small spiritual atom get into a material body. Of course the soul is spiritual and of another dimension; it fits everywhere in matter. Yuddhistira asks this question to Narada Muni on behalf of the common ignorant man, to be published and broadcasted in the Bhagavatam. How spiritually developed big bodies get into small baby bodies.
Purport to 3.3.26:
“Amongst the devotees of the Lord there are several divisions, mainly nitya-siddhas and sādhana-siddhas.
The nitya-siddha devotees never fall down to the region of the material atmosphere, even though they sometimes come onto the material plane to execute the mission of the Lord.
The sādhana-siddha devotees are chosen from the conditioned souls. Out of the sādhana devotees, there are mixed and pure devotees.
The mixed devotees are sometimes enthusiastic about fruitive activities and are habituated to philosophical speculation.
The pure devotees are free from all these mixtures and are completely absorbed in the service of the Lord, regardless of how and where they are situated.
Pure devotees of the Lord are not enthusiastic to put aside their service to the Lord in order to go visit holy places of pilgrimage.
A great devotee of the Lord in modern times, Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, has sung like this: “To visit holy places of pilgrimage is another bewilderment of the mind because devotional service to the Lord at any place is the last word in spiritual perfection.”
“There are two classes of people in this material world: those who are servants of God, called devas or suras, and those who are servants of māyā (illusion), called asuras.
“In the spiritual world, however, there is only one class, because the inhabitants are all servants of God. Therefore the spiritual world is called absolute. There is no disagreement in the spiritual world, as the center is Kṛṣṇa, or God, and everyone there is engaged in His service out of love, not as a paid servant. A paid servant will serve in proportion to the money he receives, but in Vaikuṇṭha there is no question of being a paid servant. Everyone is liberated, and everyone is as opulent as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but everyone is still a servant. In the material world people serve out of need, but in the spiritual world everyone serves out of love. There is no need for anything, because everything there is complete. The Brahma-saṁhitā says that in the spiritual world there are kalpa-vṛkṣa, or desire trees, from which one can get anything he desires.”
Srila Prabhupada – A Second Chance – Devotees and Demons)
Srila Prabhupada: A Second Chance – Ch. 6
The Residents of the Spiritual Sky
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: When the order-carriers of Yamarāja, the son of the sun-god, were thus forbidden, they replied, “Who are you, sirs, that have the audacity to challenge the jurisdiction of Yamarāja? Whose servants are you, where have you come from, and why are you forbidding us to touch the body of Ajāmila? Are you demigods from the heavenly planets, are you sub-demigods, or are you the best of devotees? Your eyes are just like the petals of lotus flowers. Dressed in yellow silken garments, decorated with garlands of lotuses, and wearing very attractive helmets on your heads and earrings on your ears, you all appear fresh and youthful. Your four long arms are decorated with bows and quivers of arrows and with swords, clubs, conchshells, discs, and lotus flowers. Your effulgence has dissipated the darkness here with extraordinary illumination. Now, sirs, why are you obstructing us?” (S.B. 6.1.32–36)
Divine Interference
The sins Ajāmila had committed placed him within the jurisdiction of Yamarāja, the supreme judge appointed to consider the sins of the living entities. When forbidden to touch Ajāmila, the order-carriers of Yamarāja were surprised, because within all the three worlds no one had ever before hindered them in the execution of their duty.
The Viṣṇudūtas were coming from Vaikuṇṭha, and they appeared extraordinary, each with four arms. The servants of Yamarāja immediately received them with respect. They had no idea which planet the Viṣṇudūtas had come from, so they simply suggested, “You must have come from a very exalted planet, but why are you interfering with our business? We are Yamadūtas. It is our duty to arrest every sinful man, and Ajāmila has committed misdeeds throughout his life. Now, at the end of his life, we are authorized to take him to Yamarāja, the son of Vivasvān, the sun-god, so why are you preventing us?”
The most significant word used in verse 32 is siddha-sattamāḥ, which means “the best of the perfect.” In the Bhagavad-gītā (7.3) it is said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye: out of millions of persons, one may try to become siddha, perfect—or, in other words, self-realized. A self-realized person knows that he is not the body but a spiritual soul (ahaṁ brahmāsmi). At present almost no one is aware of this fact, but one who understands this has attained perfection and is therefore called siddha.
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When one understands that the soul is part and parcel of the Supreme Soul and one thus engages in the devotional service of the Supreme Soul, one becomes siddha-sattama. One is then eligible to live in Vaikuṇṭha or Kṛṣṇaloka. The word siddha-sattama, therefore, refers to a pure devotee of the Lord.
Since the Yamadūtas are servants of Yamarāja, who is also one of the siddha-sattamas, they knew that a siddha-sattama is above the demigods and sub-demigods and, indeed, above all the living entities within this material world. The Yamadūtas therefore inquired why the Viṣṇudūtas were preventing them from carrying out the orders of such an exalted soul as Yamarāja.
It should also be noted that Ajāmila was not yet dead, for the Yamadūtas had been stopped before they could snatch the soul from his heart. Ajāmila was simply on the verge of death as the argument progressed between the Yamadūtas and the Viṣṇudūtas. The conclusion of that argument was to be a decision regarding who would claim the soul of Ajāmila.
Spiritual Beauty
The Viṣṇudūtas exactly resembled Lord Viṣṇu. The Yamadūtas had never seen them before, because the Yamadūtas stay in an atmosphere where only sinful activities are executed. Therefore they were astonished at the presence of these beautiful personalities and said, “By your bodily features you appear to be very exalted gentlemen, and you have such celestial power that you have dissipated the darkness of this material world with your effulgence. Why then should you endeavor to stop us from executing our duty?” It will be explained that the Yamadūtas, the order-carriers of Yamarāja, mistakenly considered Ajāmila sinful. They did not know that although he was sinful throughout his entire life, he was purified by constantly chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa.
The Viṣṇudūtas were so effulgent because they were residents of the spiritual world, where everyone and everything is self-effulgent. As Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (15.6), na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ: “My abode is not illuminated by the sun, the moon, fire, or electricity.” The Yamadūtas did not know where the Viṣṇudūtas had come from, but they could see that the Viṣṇudūtas were not ordinary, since they were so effulgent, they had four arms, and they were extremely beautiful.
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The dress and bodily features of the residents of Vaikuṇṭha are accurately described in these verses. The residents of Vaikuṇṭha, who are decorated with garlands and yellow silken garments, have four arms holding a disc, flower, club, and conchshell. Thus they exactly resemble Lord Viṣṇu—except for one very prominent feature: the Kaustubha jewel, which the Lord wears on His chest. The residents of Vaikuṇṭha have the same bodily features as Nārāyaṇa because they have attained the liberation of sārūpya, but they nevertheless act as servants. All the residents of Vaikuṇṭhaloka know perfectly well that their master is Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa, and that they are all His servants. They are all self-realized souls who are nitya-mukta, everlastingly liberated. Although they could conceivably declare themselves Nārāyaṇa, they never do so; they always remain Kṛṣṇa conscious and serve the Lord faithfully. Such is the atmosphere of Vaikuṇṭhaloka. Similarly, one who learns the faithful service of Lord Kṛṣṇa through the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will always remain in Vaikuṇṭhaloka and have nothing to do with the material world.”
The question which then arises is whether there can be demons, renegates or rebels in the spiritual world…?
This is the hypothesis raised by Patita Pavana Prabhu, who on the other hand admits that nitya-siddhas, being eternally liberated, eternally remain “eternally liberated”!
So, since the spiritual world is said to be populated only with those who have attained perfection and are therefore called siddhas or siddha-sattamas, which makes them eligible to live in Vaikuṇṭha or Kṛṣṇaloka – the word siddha-sattama, therefore, referring to a pure devotee of the Lord – one may wonder how someone who is perfect and who is experiencing pure love of God, can become imperfect and “fall from (pure) love” as Patita Pavana Prabhu puts it…?
So, since Sastras, all our previous Acaryas and Srila Prabhupada himself have amply acknowledged the purity of the inhabitants of Vaikuntha and Goloka Vrindavana as well as of the spiritual world altogether, it is a fact that when Krishna wants to sport against the demons, He has to come down to the material world, for there are none in the spiritual world. For that purpose, he may even induce some gate-keepers, who were at the entrance of Vaikuntha only, to come down and sport with Him…!
Such are the wonderful lilas of the Lord…
So, definitely, Srila Prabhupada has consistently promoted the concept and the idea of going back home, back to Godhead, because that is where we constitutionally belong to, as eternal spirit souls, as eternal servants of God…!
Hence, even if it may be a tricky presentation, i.e. an expert presentation as a preacher, according to time, place and circumstances, as well as the audience being addressed, it is definitely not a lie, under that light…!
However, many seem to fail to understand the explanation provided by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, the father and siksa Guru of Srila Prabhupada’s own Gurudeva:
“Innumerable jivas appear from Sri Baladeva Prabhu to serve Vrndavana-vihari Sri Krsna as His eternal associates in Goloka Vrndavana, and others appear from Sri Sankarsana to serve the Lord of Vaikuntha, Sri Narayana, in the spiritual sky. Eternally relishing rasa, engaged in the service of their worshipable Lord, they always remain fixed in their constitutional position. They always strive to please Bhagavan, and are always attentive to Him. Having attained the strength of cit-sakti, they are always strong. They have no connection with the material energy. In fact, they do not know if there is a bewildering energy called maya or not. Since they reside in the spiritual world, maya is very far away from them and does not affect them at all. Always absorbed in the bliss of serving their worshipable Lord, they are eternally liberated and are free from material happiness and distress. Their life is love alone, and they are not even conscious of misery, death or fear.
“There are also innumerable, atomic, conscious jivas who emanate as rays in Karanodakasayi Maha-Visnu’s glance upon His mayasakti. Since these jivas are situated next to maya, they perceive her wonderful workings. Although they have all the qualities of the jivas that I have already described, because of their minute and marginal nature, they sometimes look to the spiritual world, and sometimes to the material world. In this marginal condition, the jiva is very weak because at that time he has not attained spiritual strength from the mercy of the object of his worship (seva-vastu). Among these unlimited jivas, those who want to enjoy maya become engrossed in mundane sense gratification and enter the state of nitya-baddha. On the other hand, the jivas who perform cidanusilanam of Bhagavan receive spiritual sakti (cid-bala) by His mercy, and enter the spiritual world.”
Mahat-tattva, or the great causal truth, transforms into false ego, which is manifested in three phases — cause, effect and the doer. All such activities are on the mental plane and are based on the material elements, gross senses and mental speculation. The false ego is represented in three different modes — goodness, passion and ignorance. (S.B. 3.5.29)
PURPORT
“A pure living entity in his original spiritual existence is fully conscious of his constitutional position as an eternal servitor of the Lord.
All souls who are situated in such pure consciousness are liberated, and therefore they eternally live in bliss and knowledge in the various Vaikuṇṭha planets in the spiritual sky.
When the material creation is manifested, it is not meant for them. The eternally liberated souls are called nitya-muktas, and they have nothing to do with the material creation.
The material creation is meant for rebellious souls who are not prepared to accept subordination under the Supreme Lord. This spirit of false lordship is called false ego. It is manifested in three modes of material nature, and it exists in mental speculation only.”
So, the material creation is meant, as explained by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur and all our Acaryas, for those who are not prepared to accept (and have not accepted) subordination under the Supreme Lord, even though they may be aware of it, as it is our constitutional position, our intrinsic nature.
Yet, the all-merciful Lord gives them a choice:
“There are also innumerable, atomic, conscious jivas who emanate as rays in Karanodakasayi Maha-Visnu’s glance upon His mayasakti. Since these jivas are situated next to maya, they perceive her wonderful workings. Although they have all the qualities of the jivas that I have already described, because of their minute and marginal nature, they sometimes look to the spiritual world, and sometimes to the material world. In this marginal condition, the jiva is very weak because at that time he has not attained spiritual strength from the mercy of the object of his worship (seva-vastu). Among these unlimited jivas, those who want to enjoy maya become engrossed in mundane sense gratification and enter the state of nitya-baddha. On the other hand, the jivas who perform cidanusilanam of Bhagavan receive spiritual sakti (cid-bala) by His mercy, and enter the spiritual world.”
So, it is not that “The nitya mukta originally in the Vaikuntha planet have become rebellious” !
Srila Prabhupada said in his Srimad Bhagavatam 3. 16.26 purport that “no one falls from the spiritual world.”
However, Patita Pavana Prabhu writes:
“Because ekantika unflinching servants don’t fall. But, of course, demons are exiled, rascals are kicked out.”
Where did he get, though, that there are demons and rascals in the spiritual world…???!!!
He also writes:
“In the purport to 7.1.35 Srila Prabhupada writes that “associates of the Lord Visnu who descend from Vaikuntha don’t actually fall. They come with the purpose of fulfilling the desires of the Lord…When Jaya and Vijaya descend, there was something to be done for Krsna. Otherwise it is a fact that no one falls from Vaikuntha.”
““…Jaya and Vijaya descended to the material world to serve the Lord by fulfilling His desire to fight. Otherwise that an unflinching servant of the Lord could fall from Vaikuntha seems unbelievable, as Maharaja Yudhishthira says, asraddheya ivabhati harer ekantinam.” Because ekantika unflinching servants don’t fall.
“If the soul chooses for maya at the viraja-river, then the spirit soul enters a material body. The wrong choice at the border means the soul refuses to surrender to Krishna and its spiritual consciousness becomes shrunk and dormant.” (edited)
Yet Patita Pavana Prabhu concludes:
“The fools and crazies who disturb the society, friendship and love of Vaikuntha are to fall and will be imprisoned in the lunatic asylum of the material world.”
Again, where did he get that there are fools and crazies (!!!) in the spiritual world…???!!!
This seems to be an utter speculation… even though these species may be in abundance in the material world !
Beware, the door-keepers of Vaikuntha would never allow fools and crazies to enter!
We can be sure of that, all the more that they were already reticent to allow the Four Kumaras to enter!
In fact, those so-called “fools and crazies” would not even be able to reach the heavenly planets and the upper planetary system!
Rest assured, there is no nightmare in Vaikuntha…!
Sweet dreams…
To say we, the marginal living entities, came from an impersonal origin, is not the teachings of Srila Prabhupada nor did the jiva tattva originate from Maha Vishnu, they rather, go through Him on their way to the mahat tattva or material creation from Vaikuntha and if the jiva tattva is not qualified to go back home back to Godhead, they remain merged in Him until the next material creation, we do not originate from Him or the impersonal Brahmajyoti.
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 Bhaktisiddantha Sarasvati Thakur Maharaja Prabhupada writes:
“Jivas are of two kinds – (1) Nitya-Mukta (eternally free), (2) Nitya-Baddha (eternally enslaved). Free jivas are never enslaved. They are serving the Supreme God in five different functions in His eternal blissful abode, where there is no change, no destruction, no misery. Jiva, once entered there never comes back here. The inconceivably narrowest line of demarcation between land and water or the line where land and water meet is called ‘tata’; so also the meeting line of the cit world or the eternal abode of the Supreme Lord and the acit world or the tata region of Maya is called tata. The power of the Supreme Lord displayed at the tata is known as the tatastha (lying at the tata) or marginal power. All the jivas being the display of this power, have the inherent oscillating tendency and capability of going to the cit or the acit world. Tata not being a resting place, jivas must go this side or that; those preferring the acit, fell into the clutches of the octopus Maya, when these mortal costumes of mind and body were put on him as a punishment. The satanic frenzy in which the jiva dislikes the blissful and eternal service of his Master and prefers to quench his thirstful desires of enjoying matter, opens before him a perpetual spring of liquid fire and poison at which he begins to drink deep. Thus in going to lord it over Maya, jiva became enslaved by her.” (Vaisnavism – Real and Apparent)
It has already been established–either in this thread or in one of the other two dealing with the subject–that Srila Prabhupada’s letters, although by no means to be neglected, do have a limited application, whereas his books, being the lawbooks for the next ten thousand years, are applicable for everyone, everywhere, any time. As I think Uttamasloka Prabhu mentioned in another thread, no one ever refers to Srila Prabhupada’s purport to the sixteenth mantra of Sri Isopanishad, which is really as clear as can be:
“The all-pervading feature of the Lord–which exists in all circumstances of waking and sleeping as well as in potential states and from which the jiva-sakti (living force) is generated as BOTH [my emphasis] conditioned and liberated souls–is known as Brahman. Since the Lord is the origin of both Paramatma and Brahman, He is the origin of all living entities and all else that exists. One who knows this engages himself at once in the devotional service of the Lord….”
The way I understand this “both conditioned and liberated souls” is that both originate in the Brahman and both are insignificant: one-ten-thousandth the size of the tip of a hair. (As Bhurijan Prabhu says, “How does that make you feel?”) They emanate from the body of Krsna like the molecules of sunshine emanate from the sun. In that sense they are with Krsna. Thereafter it’s a matter of choice: Some jivas decide to serve Krsna and thus become liberated right away by dint of their service attitude, and some decide to either stay in the Brahman–and as Srila Prabhupada has explained, patanty ada, they fall down and become conditioned because the tatastha region is not a permanent situation and nobody can stay there forever; or else they outright reject the supremacy of the Lord and, thinking themselves to be equal to the Lord, they fall into maya’s kingdom, mistaking it for their own object of enjoyment.
For many years I have grappled with the subject matter of why did I choose maya if Krsna is all-attractive? It sounds contradictory. If His maya is more attractive, then He is not all attractive. The answer usually given to this question is that we have free will and Krsna doesn’t interfere with it. He doesn’t want our love at gunpoint. But why should we make the wrong choice if we are sat-cid-ananda by nature? The usual answers didn’t satisfy me.
Ten days ago, however, I had an illuminating experience in front of Sri Sri Radha-Syamasundar in Vrindavan.
…/…
…/…
It was Purnima and I was standing in front of Radhe-Shyam dressed in their moonlight outfit. I was appreciating Their beauty to my limited capacity when suddenly a man stood in front of me, not really obscuring my darshan, but close enough for me to perceive that there was a stain at the back of his shirt. So I focused my attention on his back for a few seconds and ascertained that it was not a blood stain and then I again looked up at Radhe-Shyam, as beautiful as ever. Nevertheless, for some unknown reason, my mind was trying to get me to look at that shirt again to see whether there were more stains. I had to make a conscious effort to resist looking at it again, aware that there was no point in looking at a soiled shirt, especially in front of the beautiful Lords I was facing. And then I got the idea that this was it, the initial free will. It is not that I lacked knowledge of the fact that the shirt was useless whereas Radhe-Shyam were the real thing. But this wanting to look at the shirt was my personal choice and I was free to continue looking at Radhe-Shyam or concentrate my attention on the shirt. So, I concluded, this is free will. I know it’s useless (and even offensive actually), but still I want to do this. What an appalling situation! Free will has to be there, I understand. But it is so dangerous. Clearly, the only refuge is the holy name. Kindly help me get the strength to focus on chanting Hare Krsna, please.
PP: “Srila Prabhupada said in his Srimad Bhagavatam 3. 16.26 purport that “no one falls from the spiritual world.” No one means no devotees descend… Of course, the fools and crazies who disturb the society, friendship and love of Vaikuntha are to fall and will be imprisoned in the lunatic asylum of the material world… But, of course, demons are exiled, rascals are kicked out.””
The blatant absurdity of this statement is almost beyond belief! To state or think that “fools and crazies, rebels, demons and rascals” who are not devotees can exist in the spiritual realms is patently gross ignorance and it’s hard to believe anyone could say such things, let alone misunderstand the philosophy to that extreme. EVERYONE in the spiritual realms is immersed in prema for Krsna 24/7.
In that personal abode of the Lord, the material modes of ignorance and passion do not prevail, nor is there any of their influence in goodness. There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy; it cannot enter that region. Without discrimination, both the demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees. SB, 2.9.10
PP: “The context of this statement and purport should be studied. That rebels are expelled, Srila Prabhupada will state in SB. 3.16.35: “Here is clear proof of how a living entity coming originally from Vaikunthaloka (=planets) is encaged in material elements.”
That reference (SB 3.1635) is specific to Jaya and Vijaya who were not tatastha-sakti jivas and they did NOT take birth because they were envious of Krsna and were bewildered by maya. From SP’s purport to SB, 7.1.35
From authoritative sources it can be discerned that associates of Lord Viṣṇu who descend from Vaikuṇṭha do not actually fall. They come with the purpose of fulfilling the desire of the Lord, and their descent to this material world is comparable to that of the Lord.
The Lord comes to this material world through the agency of His internal potency, and similarly, when a devotee or associate of the Lord descends to this material world, he does so through the action of the spiritual energy. Any pastime conducted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is an arrangement by yogamāyā, not mahāmāyā.
Therefore it is to be understood that when Jaya and Vijaya descended to this material world, they came because there was something to be done for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise it is a fact that no one falls from Vaikuṇṭha.
I’m going to present a summary analysis that is conclusive and fully based on sastra and the acaryas, including Srila Prabhupada. It will be posted in multiple parts. Here is the first part.
The issue of inconceivability is actually a non-issue in this discussion because we are not debating inconceivable things like eternity, without beginning, etc. The issue of “when” the jivas entered material existence is not the focus or concern of our discussion. The focus has been about “where” the jivas were when their entry into material existence took place, ie: were they in the lila or were they somewhere else? This is a matter of Vedic tattvas and Gaudiya siddhantas, both of which are fully within the scope of acceptable subjects for discussion and they are not beyond our adhikara.
And yes, the repeated notion, “what does it matter, let’s focus on getting out of here” is also a valid point, but that alone is not the basis for ignoring what the correct tattvas and siddhantas are. Our lineage is not tolerant of apasiddhanta and mental speculation about core truths, and if someone is espousing such blatant misconceptions, it is fully acceptable to point them out and present the correct version according to our acaryas. Srila Prabhupada was very strict about these principles and that is my primary motivation for presenting the evidence I’ve provided.
There is no “live and let live” in that regard. These particular topics are not merely matters of interpretive opinions – there are axiomatic truths involved. The truth according to our acaryas should be properly established and understood. I don’t see why anyone would have a problem with that. They are matters which can be easily resolved by examining the evidence provided by SP and the acaryas. Let’s do that beginning with some established facts.
FACT: There are no direct statements in the Srimad-bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrita, Vedanta-sutra, Upanisads and Bhagavad-gita stating unequivocally that the jivas in the material universes have all fallen from within Krsna’s lila, either Vaikuntha or Goloka. I’ve not seen any from the Puranas either.
FACT: There are also no direct statements like that in any of the major books of the previous acaryas. At least not in any of the 25-30 major books I recently studied. It is very important for devotees to understand these facts clearly.
Part two:
Was SP mistaken? Of course not. Did SP misunderstand the philosophy in this regard or what the previous acaryas had written? Of course not. Did SP intend to change what the Vedas and the previous acaryas have established? Of course not. Then why did he make those statements privately? First, let’s look at the other position.
Did SP say anything that was in complete harmony with the previous acaryas? Yes, he said repeatedly that “no one falls from the spiritual realm”, just as the acaryas have said and as is repeatedly confirmed in Vedic literatures, as well as by Krsna Himself directly. Did SP actually say directly in his books – not letters or room conversations – that the jivas in the material universes have all fallen from Krsna’s lila? Not to my knowledge.
So far the main evidence has been from private letters, conversations and lectures. According to SP, his books are his foundational legacy in terms of establishing the core philosophical tenets of Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy – not his private letters to specific individuals or conversations.
Did SP say anything else that concurs with the previous acaryas about this subject? Yes he did. Like all of the acaryas he said things like, “we turned away from Krsna,” “we have fallen into the material world,” “we have rejected Krsna,” “we desired to enjoy separate from Krsna,” “we were bewildered by maya,” and so on. It’s very important to note that when SP said these things in his books, he never specifically stated therein that this took place within the lila, and neither did any of the acaryas.
Here are some more facts that are axiomatic. FACT: There is no possibility of maya entering the spiritual realm. There are no material modes of nature there. It is pure suddha-sattva existence within Krsna’s most powerful svarupa-sakti. The inhabitants of the spiritual realms do not even know that there are material universes or maya.
In that personal abode of the Lord, the material modes of ignorance and passion do not prevail, nor is there any of their influence in goodness. There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy; it cannot enter that region. Without discrimination, both the demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees. SB, 2.9.10
Goloka is self-revealing, full of eternity and bliss, and superior to anything else. It is the place for those who have no material interests, and it has no contact with the material world. BS, 6
Part three:
Here is more proof from Jaiva-dharma, Chapter 16, Jīvas Possessed by Māyā:
Bābājī: …Innumerable jīvas appear from Śrī Baladeva Prabhu to serve Vṛndāvana-vihari Śrī Kṛṣṇa as His eternal associates in Goloka Vṛndāvana, and others appear from Śrī Sankarsana to serve the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, Śrī Nārāyana, in the spiritual sky.
Eternally relishing rasa, engaged in the service of their worshipable Lord, they always remain fixed in their constitutional position. They always strive to please Bhagavān, and are always attentive to Him. Having attained the strength of cit-śakti, they are always strong.
They have no connection with the material energy. In fact, they do not know if there is a bewildering energy called māyā or not. Because they reside in the spiritual world, māyā is very far away from them and does not affect them at all.
Always absorbed in the bliss of serving their worshipable Lord, they are eternally liberated and are free from material happiness and distress. Their life is love alone, and they are not even conscious of misery, death or fear. JD chapter 16.
Therefore, it is not possible for liberated jivas who reside in the spiritual realms to even contemplate another alternative to their 24/7 experiences of ever-expanding prema in the personal association of the most attractive personality in all existence. Logically, you cannot choose between two options if you don’t even know about the existence of the 2nd option. And maya cannot influence anyone there either, so there is no question of them becoming enamored by maya.
The only possible position from which the tatastha-sakti jivas can perceive both options together is from their marginal position situated between the spiritual and material realms. SP describes that position as being like where the ocean water meets the shore sand. It is from that inbetween position that they make their first choice, which has eternal consequences.
Part four:
Again from Jaiva-dharma:
There are also innumerable, atomic, conscious jīvas who emanate as rays in Karanodakasayi Mahā-Viṣṇu’s glance upon His māyā-śakti. Because these jīvas are situated next to māyā, they perceive her wonderful workings.
Although they have all the qualities of the jīvas that I have already described, because of their minute and marginal nature, they sometimes look to the spiritual world, and sometimes to the material world. In this marginal condition, the jīva is very weak because at that time he has not attained spiritual strength from the mercy of the object of his worship.
Among these unlimited jīvas, those who want to enjoy māyā become engrossed in mundane sense gratification and enter the state of nitya-baddha. On the other hand, the jīvas who perform cid-anuśilanam of Bhagavān receive spiritual śakti (cid-bala) by His mercy, and enter the spiritual world. JD, Chapter 16, Page 377-378
It is in direct reference to being in this marginal position that SP and the acaryas have made their statements, “we turned away from Krsna,” “we have fallen into the material world,” “we have rejected Krsna,” “we desired to enjoy separate from Krsna,” “we became bewildered by maya” and so on. That did not happen within the lila because it cannot happen there. “When” this event happened is irrelevant, but “where” it happened is very important to understand because it is an important philosophical tenet about the marginal nature of the jivas. From Jaiva-dharma:
Yādava dāsa: Why have we fallen into this illusory relationship?
Ananta dāsa: Bhagavān is the complete spiritual entity (pūrṇa-cidvastu), and the jīvas are particles of spirit (cit-kaṇa). The jīva‘s first location is on the boundary line between the material and spiritual worlds. The jīvas who do not forget their relationship with Kṛṣṇa are empowered with cit-śakti, and are drawn from that position into the spiritual realm, where they become His eternal associates and begin to relish the bliss of His service.
Those jīvas who turn away from Kṛṣṇa desire to enjoy māyā, and māyā attracts them towards her by her potency [which cannot happen within the lila]. From that moment, our material state of existence comes into being and our true spiritual identity disappears. We therefore think, “I am the enjoyer of māyā”. This false egoism covers us with many varieties of false identities. JD, Chapter 7, page 145
Part five:
According to the Vedic literatures, Krsna Himself, the previous acaryas, and SP, “no one falls from the spiritual realm having once gone there.” Even though it may be theoretically possible – it never actually happens. And it certainly didn’t happen to the extent that Krsna had to create unlimited material universes to accommodate these fallen souls. There is no support for that in sastra nor in the acaryas’ teachings.
If SP’s statements are viewed from this perspective, they take on a whole new meaning and clarity, and show that he was in full agreement with the previous acaryas. I don’t claim to fully understand “why” SP chose to make those private statements about falling from the lila, but a first logical step in understanding his motives and reasoning would be his consideration of time, place, and circumstances, ie: his specific target audience at that time – his neophyte disciples. I leave it up to each individual to come to their own conclusions in this regard.
I would like to hear other devotees’ direct responses or refutations to what I’ve presented here. This is the crux of the matter as I see it, ie: did we fall from the lila or not.? It’s as simple as that, and it’s a very important philosophical point to understand and the evidence is overwhelming and conclusive. We did not fall from the lila into the material world.
Please also read post #10. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has written about the nature of jiva in his essay: Brahmana and Vaisnava:
“Before acquiring material designations, the living entity is supremely pure. Even though he is not engaged in serving the Supreme Lord, he remains situated in the neutral position of santa-rasa due to his marginal nature. Though the living entity born from the marginal potency does not at that time exhibit a taste for serving the Lord due to a lack of knowledge of self-realization, his direct propensity of serving the Supreme Lord nevertheless remains within him in a dormant state.
Though the indirect propensity of material enjoyment, which is contrary to the service of the Lord, is not found in him at that time, indifference to the service of Hari and the seed of material enjoyment, which follows that state of indifference, are nevertheless present within him.
The living entity, who belongs to the marginal potency, cannot remain indifferent forever by subduing both devotional and non-devotional propensities. He therefore contemplates unconstitutional activities from his marginal position. As a sleeping person dreams that he is active in the physical world without actually being involved in activities, when the dormant indifferent living entity of the marginal potency exhibits even a little apathy to the service of the Supreme Lord and situates himself in a neutral, unchanging condition for even a little time, he is infected by impersonalism.
That is why the conditioned soul desires to merge in the impersonal Brahman, thus exhibiting his mind’s fickle nature. But due to neglecting the eternal service of the Lord and thereby developing the quality of aversion to the Lord, he cannot remain fixed in that position. In this way aversion to the Lord breaks his concentration of mind and establishes him as the master of this world of enjoyment.
Due to being situated in the marginal position, living entities who are averse to Hari assume the nature of mixed consciousness; in other words, when the marginal energy living entities mix with the external energy, they consider themselves the enjoyers and then enter the material world. The cause of the spirit soul’s coming to live in this world in aversion to Krsna is his misuse of his free will. When this aversion becomes strong, the living entities accept a material mind and body in order to enjoy the temporary material world and thus come under the control of fruitive reactions
From Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Mahaprabhura-siksa, chapter 7:
The jiva is a spiritual, conscious, knowing entity. The jiva appeared by the marginal energy at the dividing line between spirit and matter. From that position, he began to gaze at the spiritual and material worlds. Those jivas who were attracted somewhat to realization of the Supreme Person became desirous of the spiritual realm- because of that contact of knowledge. They then obtained strength from the hladini potency of the abundant cit sakti, which made them favorable to the Lord eternally, and they were brought into the spiritual world as associates of the Lord.
Those who, by their own free will, became bewildered and became greedy for maya situated on the opposite side, being beckoned by maya, then became attracted to the material universe, and were thrown in the universe by Karanarnavasayi Visnu, the controller of maya. That was but the result of their eternal aversion to the Supreme Lord. The moment they entered the material realm, they became overcome by ignorance, the function of maya. Overcome by ignorance, they fell into the wheel of binding karma in order to become fully absorbed in their task.
Mother Vishaka Priya,
You cite from the purport of Isopanisad Chapter 16, “The all-pervading feature of the Lord—which exists in all circumstances of waking and sleeping as well as in potential states and from which the jéva-çakti (living force) is generated as both conditioned and liberated souls—is known as Brahman”.
Of course the jiva souls, conditioned or liberated, are Brahman, or living force, not dead matter! The soul therefore glows, Krishna Book Chapter 74, “Then the fortunate Çiçupäla’s spirit soul immediately merged into the body of Lord Kåñëa in the presence of all, exactly as a burning meteor falls to the surface of the globe”.
Earlier in the purport to Isopanisad 16 Srila Prabhupada writes, “Within the sun itself resides the sun-god, and similarly within the supreme spiritual planet, Goloka Våndävana, from which the brahmajyoti effulgence is emanating, the Lord enjoys His eternal pastimes, as verified in the Brahma-saàhitä (5.29)”.
And also in the purport to SB 2/4/14:
“As the sun rays are concentrated in the sun disc, the brahmajyoti is concentrated in Goloka Våndävana, the topmost spiritual planet in the spiritual sky”.
The brahma-jyoti pervades and illuminates Goloka Vrindavana; the pastimes of Krishna and the jivas are thus within the Brahma jyoti. It is not that those with Bhagavan realization do not also realize Brahman. Those with impersonal brahman realization (as opposed to enjoying loving pastimes) are forgetting Krishna and concentrating on his glowing rays only.
Because we are Brahman by nature does not mean that our original realization is an impersonal state. The impersonal realization is a product of focusing on the light emanating from Krishna as opposed to relating to His personal form. Our remembrance or forgetfulness is due to our desire.
Mother Visakha Priya,
Part 2.
Srila Prabhupada writes in, “Raja Vidya Chapter 6: Knowledge of Krishna’s Appearances and Activities (Capitals added).
THAT IS THE WHOLE PROCESS OF KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS — THE REVIVAL OF OUR ORIGINAL SAC-CID-ANANDA BODY.
I have recently cited several similar statements from Srila Prabhupada’s books- on the other dandavat articles. But the ultimate conclusion of this issue comes from Srila Prabhupada’s letters with direct answers to the questions.
Unlike some letters, these are not( at least not all) private or individual instructions. Rather they are the history a living Acarya clarifying,for the entire ISKCON society, questions regarding the real and ultimate meaning of what he wrote in his books,. For instance if you read Chapter 5 of, “The Great Transcendental Adventure” By Kurma Prabhu you will learn the, “Crow tal-fruit”, letter was written to Madhuvisa Swami in response to his question regarding a controversy on this topic when he was GBC in Australia.
Dear Visakha-priya Devi dasi
You are stressing a very good point…
Indeed, how would Krishna, also known as Madan-Mohan, be the All-Attractive, if one was able to fall out of -pure – love and leave Him…?
Also, how would the Spiritual World be perfect, if any material contamination was able to enter it ?
To the contrary, Maha-maya is the deluding potency which covers the living entity in material existence only.
“The living entity cannot be forgetful of his real identity unless influenced by the avidya potency.” (Bhag. 3.7.5, purp.)
In the spiritual world there is no illusion, no fear whatsoever, no anxiety . Indeed, no mundane qualities whatsoever exist in the spiritual world. The inherent qualities of the residents of the spiritual worlds and of the spiritual world itself, do not allow it’s residents to become bewildered, envious or susceptible to maya.
In the personal abode of the Lord . . . There is no predominance of the influence of time, so what to speak of the illusory, external energy [maha-maya]; it cannot enter that region. (Bhag. 2.9.10)
Vaikuntha, where there is no fear. (Bhag. 12.11.19)
The Viraja, or Causal Ocean, is the border between the spiritual and material worlds. The material energy is situated on one shore of that ocean, and it cannot enter onto the other shore, which is the spiritual sky. (Cc. Madhya-lila 20.269)
Srila Jiva Gosvami
In Bhagavat-sandarbha text 75-78, Sri Jiva describes that the Lord’s associates have transcendental bodies, possess qualities identical to those of the Lord, they are beyond the influence of time, are all suddha-sattva in nature, eternal, immutable, devoid of the lower modes, free from lust and greed, are effulgent with Vedic knowledge and are the personification of the fivefold worship of the Lord.
Srila Sanatana Gosvami:
Devotional service cannot be performed without disturbance in any place other than Vaikuntha and in the association of like-minded devotees. (Brhad-Bhag. 2.3.131-2) Sanatana Gosvami comments further, “In Vaikuntha there are no obstacles to bhakti created by elements such as time.”
So, let us be peaceful and put our faith in Krishna’s words:
After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection. (B.g. 8.15)
One who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.
(B.g. 8.16)
Regarding the fall/no-fall issue, devotees sometimes cite the story of Jaya and Vijaya, which we know is not an example of jivas falling from Vaikuntha – it was a special case. However, everyone seems to forget the question posed by King Yudhisthira to Narada Muni which started the story. In his question, King Yudhisthira establishes the absolute fact that, ” For unflinching devotees of the Lord to fall again to this material world is impossible. I cannot believe this.” Even he knew, as did everyone, that no one can fall from Vaikuntha and he was shocked to hear that these two devotees had fallen.
This proves that the prevailing understanding is that it is not possible for devotees to fall from the spiritual realms. That was 5,000 years ago and he was a pure devotee of Krsna and His dear friend. It’s also important to note that Narada Muni did not go on to explain that all of the jivas in the material universes had fallen from Vaikuntha. This would have been an ideal place to present that information, but he said nothing of the sort. In the purport, Srila Prabhupada confirms this fact twice.
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira inquired: What kind of great curse could affect even liberated viṣṇu-bhaktas, and what sort of person could curse even the Lord’s associates? For unflinching devotees of the Lord to fall again to this material world is impossible. I cannot believe this.
Srila Prabhupada’s Purport:
In Bhagavad-gītā (8.16) the Lord clearly states, mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate: one who is purified of material contamination and returns home, back to Godhead, does not return to this material world. Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gītā (4.9) Kṛṣṇa says:
“One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.” Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, therefore, was surprised that a pure devotee could return to this material world. This is certainly a very important question.
Re sentence from purport to Sri Isonapishad, mantra 16 – it looks clear only when read in isolation. If one reads it in full context, however, the idea that jivas are originated in Brahman looks completely out of sync because the topic of jiva origin itself does not belong there. It’s also highly unlikely that Srila Prabhupada would have dropped such a bombshell and didn’t elaborate on it at all.
We can argue about the meaning of the sentence itself but, perhaps, we should check the proper understanding of this and the previous sloka, which specifically deal with Brahman and brahma-jyotir, against the conclusion given in the next purport (17) where Srila Prabhupada says:
Brahma-jyotir is declared as “full of” jivas, not “source of” jivas, and so we shouldn’t hurry to interpret the sentence from purport to verse 16 that way.
It’s a bit difficult to comprehend how “jīva-śakti (living force) is generated as both conditioned and liberated souls” should comply with the stated conclusion but it’s not impossible. Perhaps “generate” here refers to the future destination rather than the origin – we know that after achieving liberation, Brahman, some jivas descend into the material world and some become attracted to devotional service, as per Lord Caitanya’s explanation of “atmarama” verse, so they all have a potential future that needs to be “generated” and then their living force could become manifested.
Maybe it’s not an adequate explanation but the point is not in knowing how to explain it but in accepting Prabhupada’s conclusion first and speculating how it can be true later.
Uttamasloka, You cite from Jaiva Dharma chapter 16,
“There are also innumerable, atomic, conscious jīvas who emanate as rays in Karanodakasayi Mahā-Viṣṇu’s glance upon His māyā-śakti. Because these jīvas are situated next to māyā, they perceive her wonderful workings.”
There is a clue in this statement. It is talking about a state of consciousness of the jiva in relation to “…Maha Visnu’s glance upon His maya-sakti”. This is clearly describing the beginning of the universes- the exhaling of Maha Visnu. The conditioned souls are in the state of consciousness described above, periodically, just after the universes begin. Srila Prabhupada’s description of this is strikingly similar to the one from Jaiva Dharma
SB: 3/26/22
After the manifestation of the mahat-tattva, these features appear simultaneously. As water in its natural state, before coming in contact with earth, is clear, sweet and unruffled, so the characteristic traits of pure consciousness are complete serenity, clarity, and freedom from distraction.
PURPORT
The pure status of consciousness, or Kåñëa consciousness, exists in the beginning; just after creation, consciousness is not polluted. The more one becomes materially contaminated, however, the more consciousness becomes obscured. In pure consciousness one can perceive a slight reflection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As in clear, unagitated water, free from impurities, one can see everything clearly, so in pure consciousness, or Kåñëa consciousness, one can see things as they are. One can see the reflection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and one can see his own existence as well….”
You claim, “It is in direct reference to being in this marginal position that SP and the acaryas have made their statements, “we turned away from Krsna,” “we have fallen into the material world,” “we have rejected Krsna,” “we desired to enjoy separate from Krsna,” “we became bewildered by maya” and so on.”
This may be the case in a certain context, but it is absolutely the conclusion of Gaudiya Vaisnavism that the jiva is eternally marginal. In the beginning of the universe one is more conscious of their ability to choose Krisna or Maya. It does not follow (logically) that any reference to marginality must be in regard to this specific situation.
The truth is Srila Prabhupada has said that we can fall from Krishna Loka-we can fall, “at any time from any relationship” (letter to Jagadisa 02/27/1970). Numerous similar statements exist.
Sita Rama: “Uttamasloka, You cite from Jaiva Dharma chapter 16, “There are also innumerable, atomic, conscious jīvas who emanate as rays in Karanodakasayi Mahā-Viṣṇu’s glance upon His māyā-śakti. Because these jīvas are situated next to māyā, they perceive her wonderful workings.” There is a clue in this statement. It is talking about a state of consciousness of the jiva in relation to “…Maha Visnu’s glance upon His maya-sakti”. This is clearly describing the beginning of the universes- the exhaling of Maha Visnu. The conditioned souls are in the state of consciousness described above, periodically, just after the universes begin.”
You are selectively taking excerpts and trying to spin them according to your misunderstanding. If you read the whole section I quoted you’ll see clearly that BVT is describing those jivas who are in the marginal condition and are about to become nitya-baddhas. Those jivas who are already nitya-baddhas when a new universe is manifest will simply carry on in that state because it is eternal – nitya. They don’t get to choose over and over again and they don’t see the spiritual world again at the beginning of every universe. There is one choice and it is eternal, ie: either nitya-baddha or nitya-mukta. It appears from this and many other mistaken ideas that your understanding of the philosophy is not very evolved. Here is the rest of that section from JD:
Although they have all the qualities of the jīvas that I have already described, because of their minute and marginal nature, they sometimes look to the spiritual world, and sometimes to the material world. In this marginal condition, the jīva is very weak because at that time he has not attained spiritual strength from the mercy of the object of his worship.
Among these unlimited jīvas, those who want to enjoy māyā become engrossed in mundane sense gratification and ENTER THE STATE OF NITYA-BADDHA. On the other hand, the jīvas who perform cid-anuśilanam of Bhagavān receive spiritual śakti (cid-bala) by His mercy, and enter the spiritual world. JD, Chapter 16, Pages 377-378
Your first quote from SB and SP’s purport is describing those jivas who are already nitya-baddhas entangled in material existence, so it does not apply nor relate to what BVT stated above.
SR: “…but it is absolutely the conclusion of Gaudiya Vaisnavism that the jiva is eternally marginal.”
That may be so, but as I quoted earlier, those sadhana-siddha jivas as well as the nitya-siddhas in the spiritual realm are all infallible and that cannot be changed by the very definition of the word. Those are Krsna’s direct words. As you also read, Krsna Himself said many times that no one falls from His abode. Those statements by Krsna are also infallible and incontrovertible.
SR: “In the beginning of the universe one is more conscious of their ability to choose Krisna or Maya.”
You have not understood this part of the philosophy correctly, nor what SP stated in that purport. SP is talking about jivas who are already nitya-baddhas. The jivas do not make a choice every time the universe is manifested again. The choice is made once and is eternal – nitya-baddha.
SR: “It does not follow (logically) that any reference to marginality must be in regard to this specific situation.” It’s not a question of logic. It’s a question of the direct statements of the truth given by the acaryas which I posted before, ie: BVT and SBSST, regarding the tatastha position where the jivas make their initial choice. SR: “The truth is Srila Prabhupada has said that we can fall from Krishna Loka-we can fall, “at any time from any relationship” (letter to Jagadisa 02/27/1970).”
Now you’re just going around in circles with your selective excerpts and misinterpretations. SP’s letter to Jagadisa DOES NOT represent the final conclusion of this matter. That is an absurd and unacceptable assertion. Krsna’s words are the final conclusion and He establishes the eternal truths for all of the acaryas, who all happen to agree with Him, including SP. NO ONE FALLS FROM THE SPIRITUAL WORLD. You still have not addressed Krsna’s direct statements but you want to use a private letter to Jagadisa to override Krsna’s statements. Unbelievable! Please stop distorting my spiritual master’s teachings in this way.
You and the other fall proponents in this discussion have failed to provide any direct statements by Krsna or the sastras or the previous acaryas that explicity state that all of the jivas in the unlimited material universes were with Krsna in His lila and fell to the material universes. You are all speculating and spinning statements selectively in a failed attempt to prove your position. You have also failed to refute the evidence I have provided.
Understanding ALL the overwhelming evidence from Srila Prabhupada regarding the jiva’s coming down from Vaikuntha to the material creation.
How are we to understand statements from Srila Prabhupada like the following and continue to understand that the marginal living entities fall down from Vaikuntha?
Srila Prabhupada – “Sometimes it is asked how the living entity falls down from the spiritual world to the material world. Here is the answer. Unless one is elevated to the Vaikuntha planets, directly in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is prone to fall down, either from the impersonal Brahman realization or from an ecstatic trance of meditation”. Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.30
We have to look at a vast compelling range of other comments on this subject by Srila Prabhupada to find the answer; the fact is most never again come to the material creation once they reach Vaikuntha once more, which is a fact. This is the point Srila Prabhupada is making from the above comment however he also tells us that some, a very few, may choose to again fall down to the material creation.
It is clearly documented that Srila Prabhupada has said that once attaining Vaikuntha there is a chance of fall down due the marginal nature of the living entity. This word marginal simply means the ability and free-will to choose. This ‘free-will’ is also available in Goloka or Vaikuntha and the fact is most never come to this material creation again however, as Srila Prabhupada has said, there is always a chance of falling again from Vaikuntha due to the independent tendency of the marginal living entity.
The following quotes overwhelmingly reveal that Srila Prabhupada has said we can again fall down from Vaikuntha however, most never again choose to make that mistake yet there is always the chance due to free-will and the God (Krishna) given ability to choose.
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)
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)
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.”
(Bhagavad Gita as it is. lecture, Mayapur, June 20, 1973)
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, but in these material worlds they are taking various grades of bodies according to their material activities”.
(Letter to Jagadisa das, 1970)
Srila Prabhupada – “So because we are living entities, we are not as powerful as Krsna, therefore we may fall down from Vaikuntha at any moment. Iccha-dvesa samutthena sarge yanti parantapa.
(Lecture Washington DC Temple 1976)
Srila Prabhupada – “The living entity wants to imitate Krsna and tries to lord it over material nature; thus he forgets (his original position, and his illuminating power, his spiritual identity, is extinguished. However, if a living entity takes to Krsna consciousness, he is reinstated in his original position.
(Bhaktivedanta purport of the Eighty-seventh Chapter of Krsna, “Prayers by the Personified Vedas.”)
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”.
Dr. John Mize – “So we’re among the 10%.
Srila Prabhupada – “Yes. Or less than that. In the material, whole material world all the living entities they are… Just like in the prison house, there is some population, but they are not majority. The majority of the population, they are outside the prison house. Similarly, majority of living being, part and parcel of God, they are in the spiritual world. Only a few fall down”.
Dr. John Mize – “Does Krishna know ahead of time that a soul is going to be foolish and fall?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Krishna? Yes, Krishna may know because He is omniscient”.
Dr. John Mize – “Are more souls falling all the time?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Not all the time. But there is the tendency of fall down, not for all, but because there is independence… Everyone is not liking to misuse the independence. The same example: Just like a government constructing a city and constructs also prison house because the government knows that somebody will be criminal. So their shelter must be also constructed. It is very easy to understand. Not that cent percent population will be criminal, but government knows that some of them will be. Otherwise why they construct prison house also? One may say, “Where is the criminal? You are constructing…” Government knows, there will be criminal. So if the ordinary government can know, why God cannot know? Because there is tendency”.
Dr. John Mize – “The origin of that tendency (to fall from Goloka) is…?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Yes”.
Dr. John Mize – “From where does that tendency come?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Tendency means the independence. So everyone can know that independence means one can use it properly, one can misuse it. That is independence. If you make it one way only, that you cannot become fall down, that is not independence. That is force. Therefore Krishna says, yathecchasi tathä kuru. “Now you do whatever you like.”
(Bhagavad Gita as it is. lecture, Mayapur, June 20, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada – “Formerly we were with Krsna in His lila”
Letter from Srila Prabhupada in 1972 to devotee in Australia (To Madhudvisa Swami)
Srila Prabhupada – “Formerly we were with Krsna in His lila”
Letter from Srila Prabhupada in 1972 to devotee in Australia (To Madhudvisa Swami)
Srila Prabhupada – “Because by independence you can become foolish. Otherwise, there is no meaning of independence. Independence means you can do whatever you like. That is stated in the Bhagavad-Gita, that yathecchasi tathä kuru. Find out this verse in the Eighteenth Chapter. That independence is there. After instructing the whole Bhagavad-Gita to Arjuna, Krishna gave him the independence, “Now whatever you like, you can do.” Krishna never forced him to accept the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita. He gave him the independence, “Now whatever you like, you can do.” And he agreed. “Yes. Now my illusion is over, I shall act as You say.” The same independence. Yes”. .
(Bhagavad Gita as it is. lecture, Mayapur, June 20, 1973)
Srila Prabhupada – “Anyone, even in this world or spiritual world, he has got the potency of coming down by misusing his little independence”
Srila Prabhupada – “Unless there is chance of doing wrong or right, there is no question of free will. Where is free will then?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Constitutionally every living entity, even if he is in the Vaikuntha Loka, has chance of falling down. Therefore the living entity is called marginal energy”.
(October 27, 1969 Letters sent from John Lennon’s Estate, Tittenhurst (Temporary Temple in 1969).
Paramahamsa – “But ultimately if we come to Krsna, there’s no return. But nevertheless, Jagai, and… the two gatekeepers, they returned?”
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”.
Srila Prabhupada – “Do you think everyone is interested? So. They want to enjoy this material world. Otherwise what is the meaning of free will?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Every living entity has got a little free will. And Krsna is so kind, He gives him opportunity, “All right, you enjoy like this.” Just like some of our students, Krsna conscious, sometimes go away, again come back. It is free will, not stereotyped”.
Srila Prabhupada – “Just like one goes to the prison house, not that government welcomes, “Come on. We have got prison house. Come here, come here.” He goes out of his free will; again comes out, again goes. Like that”.
(Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course–May 13, 1973, Los Angeles)
Srila Prabhupada – “Yes, they can misuse it also. That power is there. Yes?”
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. . . .”
Bhaktijana – “Has my soul ever been liberated?”
Srila Prabhupada – “That you know. I do not
Bhaktijana – “When the souls that were never conditioned at all… do they also have the independence?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Yes, but they have not misused. They know that “I am meant for Krsna’s service,” and they are happy in Krsna’s service”.
Bhaktijana – “Could they ever misuse it?”
Srila Prabhupada – “Yes, they can misuse it also. That power is there. Yes?”
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. . . .”
Bhaktijana – “Has my soul ever been liberated?”
Srila Prabhupada – “That you know. I do not know”.
Bhaktijana – “If I was once liberated…”
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
Srila Prabhupada – “So we have to get out of this dream. Don’t you sometimes dream that tiger is eating you? Is there any tiger? You are simply thinking. So if you keep in Krsna consciousness, that nonsense thinking will go away. Therefore we have to keep ourself always in Krsna-thinking so that this dream will never come”.
(Letter to Madhudvisa Swami 1972).
Srila Prabhupada – “If you are always awakened, then dream never comes. So keep yourself always awakened by Krsna consciousness. All right. Distribute prasadam”.
(Lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.108–San Francisco, February 18, 1967)
Srila Prabhupada – “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 prabhu April 25, 1969 Allston, Massachusetts)
Srila Prabhupada – “When you are free from the conception of gross and subtle bodies and when your senses are free from all influences of the modes of material nature, you will realize your pure form in My association. At that time you will be situated in pure consciousness.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.33)
Srila Prabhupada – “Each and every living entity is originally attached to a particular type of transcendental service, because he is eternally the servitor of the Lord”.
Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.11, Purport
Srila Prabhupada – “The living entity wants to imitate Krsna and tries to lord it over material nature; thus he forgets his original position, and his illuminating power, his spiritual identity, is extinguished. However, if a living entity takes to Krsna consciousness, he is reinstated in his original position.
(Bhaktivedanta purport of the Eighty-seventh Chapter of Krsna, “Prayers by the Personified Vedas.”).