Search = History & Soul

The Lord has explained the field of activities and the knower of the field. He has also explained the process of knowing the knower of the field of activities. Now He begins to explain the knowable, first the soul and then the Supersoul. By knowledge of the knower, both the soul and the Supersoul, one can relish the nectar of life. As explained in the Second Chapter, the living entity is eternal. This is also confirmed here. There is no specific date at which the jiva was born. Nor can anyone trace out the history of the jivatma's manifestation from the Supreme Lord. Therefore it is beginningless. The Vedic literature confirms this: na jayate mriyate va vipascit (Katha Upanisad 1.2.18). The knower of the body is never born and never dies, and he is full of knowledge.

(Bhagavad-gita As It Is: Chapter Thirteen, Text 13)

Similarly, the crying child of the Lord is given over to the reflection, the material world, to lord it over as karmi and to give this up in frustration to become one with the Lord. Both these stages are dreaming illusions only. There is no necessity of tracing out the history of when the living entity desired this. But the fact is that as soon as he desired it, he was put under the control of atma-maya by the direction of the Lord. Therefore the living entity in his material condition is dreaming falsely that this is "mine" and this is "I." The dream is that the conditioned soul thinks of his material body as "I" or falsely thinks that he is the Lord and that everything in connection with that material body is "mine." Thus only in dream does the misconception of "I" and "mine" persist life after life. This continues life after life, as long as the living entity is not purely conscious of his identity as the subordinate part and parcel of the Lord.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 2: Chapter Nine, Text 1)

The cause of the material creation is described here very lucidly. The first cause is daiva, or the destiny of the conditioned soul. The material creation exists for the conditioned soul who wanted to become a false lord for sense enjoyment. One cannot trace out the history of when the conditioned soul first desired to lord it over material nature, but in Vedic literature we always find that the material creation is meant for the sense enjoyment of the conditioned soul. There is a nice verse which says that the sum and substance of the conditioned soul's sense enjoyment is that as soon as he forgets his primary duty, to render service to the Lord, he creates an atmosphere of sense enjoyment, which is called maya; that is the cause of material creation.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3: Chapter Twenty, Text 12)

Another word used here is durvitarkyena. No one can argue about when and how the conditioned soul became desirous of sense enjoyment, but the cause is there. Material nature is an atmosphere meant only for the sense enjoyment of the conditioned soul, and it is created by the Personality of Godhead. It is mentioned here that in the beginning of the creation the material nature, or prakrti, is agitated by the Personality of Godhead, Visnu. There are three Visnus mentioned. One is Maha-Visnu, another is Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and the third is Ksirodakasayi Visnu. The First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam discusses all these three Visnus, and here also it is confirmed that Visnu is the cause of creation. From Bhagavad-gita also we learn that prakrti begins to work and is still working under Krsna's, or Visnu's, glance of superintendence, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is unchangeable. One should not mistakenly think that because the creation emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has therefore transformed into this material cosmic manifestation. He exists in His personal form always, but the cosmic manifestation takes place by His inconceivable potency. The workings of that energy are difficult to comprehend, but it is understood from Vedic literature that the conditioned soul creates his own destiny and is offered a particular body by the laws of nature under the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always accompanies him as Paramatma.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto3: Chapter Twenty, Text 12)

There is a spiritual sky, where there are innumerable spiritual planets and innumerable spiritual living entities, but those who are not fit to live in that spiritual world are sent to this material world. Voluntarily we have accepted this material body, but actually we are spirit souls who should not have accepted it. When and how we accepted it cannot be traced. No one can trace the history of when the conditioned soul first accepted the material body.

(Easy Journey to Other Planets: Chapter Two)

Actually we are all spirit souls and are intended to associate with God in the spiritual sky where there are innumerable spiritual planets and innumerable spiritual living entities. However, those who are not fit to live in that spiritual world are sent to this material world. This very idea is expressed by Milton in Paradise Lost. Although spirit soul, we have voluntarily accepted this material body and by accepting it have also accepted the threefold miseries of material nature. Exactly when we accepted it and how we accepted it cannot be traced out. No one can trace out the history of when the conditioned soul first began accepting these material bodies.

(Elevation to Krsna Consciouness: Chapter One)

This material world is only one-fourth manifestation of Krsna's energy, God's energy. And the three-fourths energy is manifested in the spiritual world. So we can just imagine that in one-fourth manifestation of energy of the Lord, we are so many living entities which is impossible to count. Now you can imagine how many more living entities are there. But here we are conditioned and they are liberated. Those who are conditioned, they are called nitya-baddha, ever-conditioned. Nitya-baddha means we do not know when our, this conditional stage has begun. It is impossible to trace out the history. But we are conditioned. There is no doubt about it. Conditioned means no freedom. No freedom. As spirit soul we are free. Sarva-ga, we can go everywhere, anywhere. Even those who get some mystic powers by perfection of yoga practice, they can also exhibit some powers. So why? As we become free from material conditions, our original freedom comes.

(Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1968 680328SB.SF)

Because we cannot trace out the history or the date when we became conditioned, therefore it is technically called eternally conditioned. Otherwise the living entity is not actually conditioned. A living entity is always pure. But he is prone to be attracted by material enjoyment and as soon as he agrees to place himself in material enjoyment, he becomes conditioned, but that is not permanent. Therefore a living entity is called on the marginal state, sometimes this side, sometimes that side. These are very intelligent questions. And I am very glad that you are putting such intelligent questions and trying to understand it. It is very good. But best thing is that one should know he is in conditioned life and try to cure it. When a man is in diseased condition he should try to get out of diseased condition without harassing his brain when the disease has begun. But it is to be understood that the disease is not our constant companion, it is temporary. So the best thing is to cure the disease, and not waste our time to find out the date when it began.

(Letter to Aniruddha : 68-11-14 Los Angeles)

Search = "Anadi Karama"

The same idea is expressed in Newton's Paradise Lost. So we, all conditioned souls, we are practically living in a place after Paradise Lost. We should understand this. So here the specific instruction is that deha-bhajam. Deha-bhajam means we have voluntarily or willingly we have accepted this material body. Actually, we are spirit soul. We should not have accepted this material body. But when we have accepted, how we have accepted, there cannot be any tracing of history. It is not possible. Anadi karama. Anadi karama. Nobody can trace out the history, when we, the conditioned soul, accepted this material body. And deha-bhajam means that anyone who has accepted this material body, not very big. There are 8,400,000 different forms of living entities. 900,000 species of living entities in the water. Similarly, two millions species of life in the plants and vegetables. In this way, on the total, there are 8,400,000's of species of life. Unfortunately, this Vedic knowledge is not instructed in any university, but these are fact.

(Prabhupada's Lectures General - 1969 690423LE.BUF)

We have to learn how to act only for Krsna, how to love only Krsna. Then our life is successful. And the human life... Because we have also come down from Vaikuntha some millions and millions of years ago. Anadi karama phale. Anadi means before the creation. We living entities, we are eternal. Even the creation is annihilated after millions and trillions of years, the living entities, they are not annihilated.

(Prabhupada's Lectures Bhagavad-gita 1973 730806BG.LON)

Asann api klesada asa dehah. The atma is covered by this material body, although it is temporary. Sometimes it is for ten years or sometimes twenty years, sometimes hundred years, sometimes millions of years, but it is limited. Either you get the body of Lord Brahma or the body of the poor ant, they are all temporary. It will be finished. So although it is finishable... Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti, yata atmano 'yam asan. Asann api, asann means will not, it is temporary. But so long you have got this body, klesada, it is painful always, miserable. Adhyatmic, adhibhautic, adhidaivic--some kinds of miserable condition must be going on. So this is our position. Therefore atma-darsana, one must know what he is. He is spiritual being. Spiritual being, he has nothing to do with this material world, but somehow or other, we have fallen in this material world. Anadi karama-phale, pori' bhavarnava-jale. It is just like ocean.

(Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1974 741217SB.BOM)

So some way or other, originally, we are all Krsna conscious, pure, svaccha. Svacchatvam avikaritvam. Now vikurvanat, now, being transformed or agitated somehow or other... Anandi karama-fale, pori" bhavarnava-jale. We cannot ascertain when this transformation took place. There is no necessity of making research how we fell in this material contamination or envelopment. But we should be intelligent enough to understand that we are fallen now. That is... How we fell--you can trace out the history, but it is very difficult because anadi karama-fale, nobody can ascertain. Just like when a man is diseased he goes to doctor. So when he goes to the doctor, the doctor gives him medicine according to the symptoms and the diagnosis. There is no necessity of find out the history, how he fell diseased. There is history, but that is not possible to trace out. Therefore it is said, anadi karama-fale. Anandi. Anadi means... Adi means the creation. Creation... Before creation, I contaminated this desire, iccha-dvesa samutthena. I became revolting to the desires.

Krsna says... Every one of us revolting now also. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja, but we are revolting, "Why? Why shall I surrender to You? This is too much You are demanding." This is going on. This is going on. This is the disease. And to cure the disease Krsna Himself comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati, tadatmanam srjami. But we are so stubborn that we won't, do not like to be cured. So what Krsna will do? How Krsna will help? He is coming. He is sending His devotee. He is leaving behind Him the sastras.

(Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1975 750101SB.BOM)

Search= "Spiritual sky" & "Spiritual world"

Both material nature and the living entity are eternal. That is to say that they existed before the creation. The material manifestation is from the energy of the Supreme Lord, and so also are the living entities, but the living entities are of the superior energy. Both the living entities and material nature existed before this cosmos was manifested. Material nature was absorbed in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Maha-Visnu, and when it was required, it was manifested by the agency of mahat-tattva. Similarly, the living entities are also in Him, and because they are conditioned, they are averse to serving the Supreme Lord. Thus they are not allowed to enter into the spiritual sky. But with the coming forth of material nature these living entities are again given a chance to act in the material world and prepare themselves to enter into the spiritual world. That is the mystery of this material creation. Actually the living entity is originally the spiritual part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, but due to his rebellious nature, he is conditioned within material nature. It really does not matter how these living entities or superior entities of the Supreme Lord have come in contact with material nature. The Supreme Personality of Godhead knows, however, how and why this actually took place.

(Bhagavad-gita As It Is: Chapter Thirteen, Text 20)

Kulasekhara: Could you explain a little bit about the position in which we were situated in the spiritual sky before coming to the material world?

Devotee: What position did we occupy in the spiritual sky before we fell into the material world?

Prabhupada: You are already in the spiritual sky, but you are simply covered. Just like the sun is already there. You are also already there, but there is a cloud which hinders your checking, your seeing of the sun. Similarly... The sky is one, when it is clouded or not clouded. So actually we are always in the spiritual world. But when you forget Krsna by the cloud of illusion that is material. Try to understand. There is allotted(?)... When the sky is clouded, you cannot see the sun, it does not mean that you are in a different sky. You are in the same sky. When the cloud is clear, you are in the same sky. But the difference of position is due to the cloud. That is called maya. When you forget Krsna, that is material. And as soon as you become Krsna conscious, that is spiritual. Just like here, this temple is not in London. It is Vaikuntha.

(Prabhupada's Lectures Srimad-Bhagavatam 1971 710730SB.LON)

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?

Prabhupada: No, there are... Majority, 90%, they are always good. They never fall down.

Dr. John Mize: So we're among the 10%.

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 are 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 falls down.

Dr. John Mize: Does Krsna know ahead of time that a soul is going to be foolish and fall? Prabhupada: Krsna? Yes, Krsna may know because He is omniscient.

Dr. John Mize: Are more souls falling all the time?

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.

(Room Conversation Los Angeles, June 23, 1975 750623RC.LA)

Devotee (3): (break) You had said on a... earlier on a morning walk, on a tape, that if one enters into the spiritual world that--you were asked that he will never have to return--and you said that if it's a desire, he can return to the material world.

Prabhupada: So what is your objection?

Devotee (3): I was just wondering if the spirit soul being in the spiritual world is eternally liberated, how can he return. By desire?

Prabhupada: Yes. If he desires, he can come again. That option is always there. Just like I remain in India. I come here. And if I like, I may not come. It is my option.

Ambarisa: When we get to the spiritual sky, we'll always be able to remember how horrible it is down here? We'll always be able to remember how terrible it is in the material world?

Prabhupada: It is terrible.

Ambarisa: Yes, we will be able to remember that.

Prabhupada: That is intelligence. When one remembers that this world is duhkhalayam asasvatam, is a place of misery, then we can go. As long as we shall think, "Oh, it is very nice place," we have to remain. Krsna is so kind, "All right, remain in this very nice place."

(Morning Walk Denver, July 3, 1975 750703MW.DEN)

(I found this next quote quite interesting. I think he also quotes it. Jagadish)

The constant companions of Lord Krsna, such as Uddhava, are all liberated souls, and they descended along with Lord Krsna to this material world to fulfill the mission of the Lord. The Pandavas are also liberated souls who descended along with Lord Krsna to serve Him in His transcendental pastimes on this earth. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita (4.8), the Lord and His eternal associates, who are also liberated souls like the Lord, come down on this earth at certain intervals. The Lord remembers them all, but His associates, although liberated souls, forget due to their being tatastha sakti, or marginal potency of the Lord. That is the difference between the visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva. The jiva-tattvas are infinitesimal potential particles of the Lord, and therefore they require the protection of the Lord at all times. And to the eternal servitors of the Lord, the Lord is pleased to give all protection at all times. The liberated souls never, therefore, think themselves as free as the Lord or as powerful as the Lord, but they always seek the protection of the Lord in all circumstances, both in the material world and in the spiritual world. This dependence of the liberated soul is constitutional, for the liberated souls are like sparks of a fire that are able to exhibit the glow of fire along with the fire and not independently. Independently the glow of the sparks is extinguished, although the quality of fire or the glowing is there. Thus those who give up the protection of the Lord and become so-called lords themselves, out of spiritual ignorance, come back again to this material world, even after prolonged tapasya of the severest type. That is the verdict of all Vedic literature.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1: Chapter Fourteen, Text 32-33)