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Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur on the Jiva Issue Bhaktivinoda Thakur says that the jivas come under the influence of maya "only when they forget their natural function as Krsna's servitors." Srila Prabhupada says we have forgotten our relationship as Krsna's eternal servants, Srimad-Bhagavatam says it, and now we find Bhaktivinoda Thakur saying the same thing. So guru, sastra, and sadhu are in agreement on this fundamental point.
"From the knowledge of that Sambandha tattva we have learnt that the jiva, having forgotten his eternal relation with Krsna, has fallen into the sea of Samsara (worldly life with succession of births) full of three kinds of scorching troubles and has been suffering from much distress. Deliberating on the means how that suffering can be prevented, we have known that if the relation referred to above be re-established, all troubles will be removed and the highest bliss achieved."
Some have proposed that our original relationship with Krsna in the spiritual world was perhaps not like the developed relationship of service one achieves upon returning there. But here Bhaktivinoda Thakur refers to reestablishing the original relationship, indicating that the final state is like the original state.
"The jiva has forgotten that he is the eternal servitor of Krsna; for this fault Maya has tied him at the neck."
"If we adopt the line of pure knowledge, it will be clear that Jiva is not the eternal inhabitant of this sorrowful world. The present body of Jiva is not his eternal body. Jiva is essentially chit (sentient). God is all-conscious. Jiva is a particle of that consciousness. God is like the sun and Jiva is his tiny ray. God is Sat, Chit and Ananda in fullness and Jiva is an atomic particle of that universal Chidananda. Matter and material world are not nearest principles to God because they are not sentient. But because Jiva in its essence is chit, so it has near relation to God. Just as God has His Swarupa Vigraha, so Jiva has eternal chit Vigraha. That chit body is manifested in Vaikuntha. Being in material world, it is hidden under two coverings . . . . The conceit (the dictionary meaning of conceit is "thought") of chit body of Jiva which was existent prior to its contact with matter is just and natural. But after the contact with matter, the conceit of self has become foreign and unjust."
The last passage is very interesting. Bhaktivinoda Thakur here describes the original spiritual body of the jiva and explicitly states that "that chit body is manifested in Vaikuntha." In the very next sentence he states that this body, now "being in (the) material world," is covered by the subtle and gross material bodies. And just in case there is any doubt about what is meant, he goes on speak of "the chit body of Jiva which was existent prior to its contact with matter." And he already said "that chit body is manifested in Vaikuntha."
"The vanity that ‘I am in essence the eternal servant of Krsna,' which was in chit constituent of Jiva, becomes transformed as servant of Vishaya, i.e. matter. In this way, Jiva's bondage with Maya is established."
The English here is somewhat stiff and archaic, with the word "vanity" being used in the sense of "identification." But the meaning is still clear.
"But many cannot understand distinctly how karma has no beginning. Time pertaining to matter is only material reflection of chit-time and is a material thing suited to the performance of karma. Jiva takes recourse to chit i.e. transcendental everlasting time in Vaikuntha, where there is no past and future; only the present exists. When Jiva in bondage enters in material time (it) becomes subject to past, future and present and, being server of Trikala, suffers pleasure and pain. Material time originating from Chit kala and Chit kala having no beginning, the origin of Jiva's Karma—i.e., aversion to God—is coming even prior to material time. Therefore judged impartially with regard to Jadakala, the root of Karma lies prior to this time and therefore Karma has been designated as Anadi, i.e. without any beginning."
So here is another passage where Bhaktivinoda Thakur describes the original position of the jiva to be "in Vaikuntha." The jiva then becomes subject to material time because of "aversion to God." The jiva's entanglement in matter is said to be anadi simply because the root of this entanglement lies outside Jadakala (mundane time).
"The reason of the jiva's bondage is the forgetfulness of his essential swarup as servant of God."
"Misidentification of Jiva's own swarup and oblivion of Krsna's Swarup are the two great evils. From these evils arises Jiva's aversion to Krsna, and on account of this aversion Jiva falls into cyclic rotation of karma marga, created by Maya."
"Jiva, who is essentially chit, had pure vanity that he is servant of God and possessed such signs, according to his particular nature. That vanity took recourse to pure vanity of Jiva, whose nature is chit only. By taking to chit-swarup he had the sense of determining right and wrong and also pure intellect for enjoying joy. He had knowledge that God is the Ultimate Being and, taking Him as Vishaya, he had a mind capable of meditation. But coming in contact with matter, these have been turned into gross material body and mind, thereby those pure original propensities have become impure. Therefore that rasa which, taking to chit-swarup, was pure bhava before has been perverted by its impure reflection . . . . Therefore rasa is one: when it remains in eternal pure stage it is ecstasy and joy, but when it remains in material stage it is pleasure or pain arising out of matter."
From this passage it can be seen that the jiva in the material world is originally actively engaged in rasa with Krsna. He was originally a pure servant of Krsna, knew Krsna, but also had a sense of right and wrong, and did the wrong thing. The rasa experienced in the material world "was pure bhava before." Here again the word vanity is used somewhat awkwardly in the sense of "self-identification."
"Jiva and God both taste rasa. When Jiva tastes, then God becomes tasted. When God tastes, then Jiva (devotee) becomes tasted. Both are reciprocal. In reality rasa is the only object to be tasted. The process of rasa is only to be tasted and the Sentience alone can taste it. Rasa is eternal, indivisible, unthinkable and full of ultimate bliss. From pure rati, it can rise up to the highest limit of Mahabhava. But when pure rati falls down in this mundane world, it mixes up with matter and becomes perverted. It then creates material infatuation."
Here we see rati described as an aspect of rasa. It is clear that rasa, characterized by pure rati, is the original condition of the jiva, and that this rasa is exchanged with Krsna in that original condition. "But when pure rati falls down in this mundane world, it mixes up with matter and becomes perverted. It then creates material infatuation." The next set of quotations is from the Gaudiya Math English edition of Bhaktivinoda Thakur's Jaiva Dharma. Those who insist categorically that the jiva has no prior relationship of service with Krsna before entering the material world have quoted Jaiva Dharma in support of their views. The quoting has been quite selective, and the selected quotes have been misinterpreted. Here I will quote some additional materials that support the point of view I express in this book—that the conditioned soul has forgotten his eternal relationship with Krsna.
"When Krsna wills to form a thing, a concomitant nature goes hand in hand with the formation of the thing, and that nature is its eternal characteristic. When that thing is contaminated due to unforeseen events, or is perverted by coming in contact with another thing, then its nature is also perverted or changed. . . . This changed or perverted nature is not inborn or innate in the thing, but causal or accidental . . . . As for example, water is a thing, liquidity is its property. When it happens to be ice, solidity or rigidity becomes its causal or accidental property and is current with the real nature. In fact, causation or accident is not eternal but temporary cause, and vanishes with the disappearance of its cause. But nature that springs up with the formation of a thing is eternal and remains latent though it is perverted or changed. That in course of time or due to favourable circumstances, the real nature of a thing assumes its original character, admits of no doubt."
Bhaktivinoda Thakur is describing the nature of the soul. The original nature of the soul is loving service to Krsna. We have already seen that Bhaktivinoda Thakur accepts this. Here he explains that this original condition can become perverted by the action of some cause. This cause would be aversion to Krsna's service. But when this cause is removed, the original nature of the jiva is restored. So when we go back to Godhead and enter into a relationship of loving service to Krsna, this is nothing new. While we are in the material world, the original relationship with Krsna "remains latent though it is perverted or changed."
In Jaiva Dharma, Bhaktivinoda Thakur quotes Lord Caitanya from Caitanya-caritamrta: "The eternal nature of a Jiva is the eternal servanthood of Krsna. A Jiva is the Tatastha (border line) potency of Krsna and exists simultaneously as a distinct and non-distinct entity. When he forgets Krsna he is averse to serve Krsna and his aversion has not beginning as it dates before his incarnation within the four walls of time and space."
"Service of Sri Krsna is the eternal nature of a Jiva. When he forgets this relationship he is overwhelmed by the influence of Maya—the deluding potency lying at the back-ground of the Lord. Thenceforward a Jiva shows his backwardness in the service of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna. Since the backward condition of a Jiva springs up along with his coming into this mayaik world, the history of his downfall within the bounds of time and space is out of the question. Hence the significance of the expression ‘eternally backward.' His eternal function with the service of Sri Krsna has been perverted since his entrance into the plane of three dimensions due to his forgetfulness."
This one paragraph is a perfect statement that answers all of the normal questions about the original state of the jiva and its downfall. The original condition is "service of Sri Krsna." Why is the jiva here in the material world? "He forgets this relationship." Does this mean that Maya is present as a contaminating influence in the spiritual world? No. First the jiva forgets Krsna, as he is eternally free to do, and only then "he is overwhelmed by the influence of Maya—the deluding potency lying at the back-ground of the Lord." If the jiva had an original relationship of service to Krsna, then why is he called nitya-baddha. "Since the backward condition of a Jiva springs up along with his coming into this mayaik world, the history of his downfall within the bounds of time and space is out of the question. Hence the significance of the expression ‘eternally backward.'"
"In the Absolute Realm of the spirit the time is ever-present. In it there are no such intervals, corresponding to past and future, which are material time. Jiva and Krsna exist in that time. For this reason the Jiva is eternal and ever-existing and his function (dharma) in the form of love for Sri Krsna is also eternal. Subsequent to his enthrallment in this material world those functions that are incidental to material time, viz., the creation, formation, fall etc. have been attributed to the Jiva. . . . I am only stating this proposition. But the sure realisation of the true meaning of this proposition will be in proportion to the degree of your actual experience of the unalloyed spiritual existence of the Absolute Realm that you have been enabled to receive."
The relationship of mundane to eternal time is undoubtedly difficult. Some will propose that the talk here of "realisation" means that the words of the acaryas about the original state of the jiva can be set aside as incomprehensible. But that is not proper procedure. The words of the acaryas are given for our understanding, and therefore they cannot be set aside. For example, we hear statements that we are not these bodies. To truly understand this requires realization. Nevertheless, we can repeat with confidence the statement that we are not our bodies, we are spirit souls. At each level of realization the statement "I am not this material body" remains true. In this case, Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes, "The Jiva is eternal and ever-existing and his function (dharma) in the form of love for Sri Krsna is also eternal." That is the original condition. Bhaktivinoda Thakur then says, "Subsequent to his enthrallment in this material world those functions that are incidental to material time, viz., the creation, formation, fall etc. have been attributed to the Jiva." That means that prior to his enthrallment, the natural eternal condition is manifest. And that has been characterized not as a dormant state, but as "function ...in the form of love for Sri Krsna." So even though we do not have complete realization of this, we can repeat it, confident that it is true.
"The root of all actions is the desire for acts, the root of which again is avidya. Avidya is the name for the forgetfulness of the reality that ‘I am Krsna's eternal servant.' This avidya did not commence within the course of mundane time. That root of karma of the jiva arose when he was at the juncture (between chit and achit regions). As such, the beginning of karma is not to be traced within mundane time, and, on that account karma is beginningless."
In the first sentence, Bhaktivinoda Thakur expresses a three-part process. This involves actions (karma), the root of all actions (the desire for acts), and the root of the desire for acts (avidya). Although karma takes place within the mundane time of the material universe, the root of karma (the desire for acts) is something that arises outside of mundane time. The cause of this desire is ignorance (avidya). In the absence of this avidya, the jiva experiences the reality that "I am Krsna's eternal servant." Avidya is here defined as forgetfulness of this reality. So at first the jiva is situated in the reality of eternal service to Krsna. By forgetfulness of this reality, avidya develops. And from avidya comes the root of karma, the desire for acts. If this occurs, it occurs at the juncture between the chit (spiritual) and achit (non-spiritual) regions. Thereafter the soul is placed in the material world, and there the actual process of karma unfolds, but the root of karma lies beyond mundane time and space.
"The Jiva may possess one of two states. He may be either in the conditioned state or in the pure spiritual state. In his unconditioned state the Jiva is uneclipsed cognitive substance. In that state the Jiva has no relationship with nonsentience. Even in his unalloyed spiritual state the Jiva is infinitesimal, he is liable to undergo change of condition. The Entity of Krsna is plenary Cognition. He is naturally free from the possibility of any change in His condition. He is substantively Great, Perfect, Pure, and Eternal. The Jiva is substantively infinitesimal, part of the Whole, liable to contamination, and not ultimate. But in respect of his spiritual function the Jiva is great, undivided, whole, pure, and eternal. As long as the Jiva retains his pure spiritual condition, he exhibits his spiritual function in his uneclipsed form. When the Jiva is contaminated by relationship with the eclipsing potency (Maya), only then, by reason of the perversion of his proper function, he is not fully pure and feels helpless and afflicted with mundane pleasure and pain. The worldly course makes its appearance simultaneously with the Jiva's loss of all recollection of the servitorship of Krsna."
Bhaktivinoda Thakur here makes some important points. The first is: "The Jiva may possess one of two states. He may be either in the conditioned state or in the pure spiritual state." There is no mention of any third state. Some have proposed that there is the conditioned state, the final state of achieving the direct service of Krsna, and an unknown original state of relationship with Krsna in the spiritual world. This latter would constitute a third state of the jiva. According to the statements here, however, there is no such third state. Bhaktivinoda Thakur then states: "As long as the Jiva retains his pure spiritual condition, he exhibits his spiritual function in his uneclipsed form." This indicates a relationship of active service with Krsna. All in all, this quote contains a clear indication that the jiva was originally engaged in its eternal function of directly and actively serving Krsna before it made the mistake of turning from Krsna, at which point the jiva forgets that service and enters the material world to search for enjoyment there.
"So long as the Jiva continues pure, he cherishes his function as his own. His egoism then identifies itself with his servitorship of Krsna. His pure egotism, however, suffers a contraction and assumes various forms when he is defiled by relationship with Maya."
"In his true nature the jiva is the devoted servant of Krsna. The jivas who have gone astray against that nature of theirs due to their seeking after their own pleasure turned away from Krsna and, as such, became punishable."
Extra Bonus Quotes: "When he is imprisoned in the material world the spirit soul does not lose his original spiritual form he had in the spiritual world of Vaikuntha. However, because of contact with matter the imprisoned soul loses the memory of his original form in Vaikuntha. Still his spiritual form does not cease to exist."
"The individual soul naturally resides in Vaikuntha. If he somehow comes to the material world, the individual soul brings with him his spiritual form made of chit. Pervertedly reflected in the material world those things of chit are called by name "matter."
"As long as the jiva takes full shelter of the Supreme Lord he remains a resident of Vaikuntha. But when his innate spiritual knowledge of the Lord is covered by forgetfulness, he is placed outside the transcendental realm."
"When the pure living entities reside in Vaikuntha, the first knot of nescience in the form of false ego does not entangle them. Pure living entities cannot remain steady after giving up spiritual activities. Therefore as soon as the living entities become situated in their own happiness through the minute independence given by the Lord, they become shelterless and are compelled to take shelter of maya. On the account of this, the pure living entities have no shelter other than Vaikuntha. The living entities of Vaikuntha are very insignificant, like fireflies in comparison to the powerful sun like the lord. As soon as the living entity leaves Vaikuntha, he is simultaneously awarded a subtle body and thrown into the material world created by maya. All manifestations of the Sadhini, Samvit and Hladini aspect of the marginal potency are mixed with maya as soon as the living entity leaves the shelter of Vaikuntha."
Now we will quote from Sri Tattva-Sutram, Gaudiya Math Madras edition, 1979, on page 109: "The unconditional state of the jivas is totally stainless and in such a state, the jiva-soul exists in the transcendental blissful form. In such a state, that stainless jiva-soul engages itself in the unalloyed Divine-Love. As soon as the jiva-soul turns averse to the Supreme Lord, its inclination undergoes a degradation and that becomes an attachment to the secondary objects. This is the propense condition of the jivas. As a result of this conditioned state, the faculty of pure knowledge of jiva-soul is transformed into the phenomenal mind. The evil attachments of this mind results in the misery of repeatedly undergoing births and deaths due to the fruits of the actions done. All these miseries of the jiva are the results of the evil propensities." Quoting from Sri Tattva-Sutram on page 116: "If the jivas were completely controlled like the inert objects, than how there could be any development of them? The upliftment or the downfall are results of jiva's independent activities. The Lord has endowed the jiva-souls with a certain amount of free-will, for their development. Those jivas who have abandoned their characteristic nature of Divine service and engaged in the secondary affinity due to their enjoying mood, as a result of their mis-use of the free-will, they enjoy the insignificant materialistic bliss or misery as per their desires and they remain attached to the phenomenal world, there-by getting deceived from the All-Blissful Divine-Love." Again, from Sri Tattva-Sutram on page 129: "The self-realization is possible only when the jiva soul is stationed in its own abode or in its unalloyed state. When the jiva-soul secures a fall from that unalloyed state and gets entangled in this material world, here it undergoes reformation for its further upliftment from this fall. In this way the world acts as a reformatory prison-house for the jivas…However, the elaborate study in this regard reveals that, those who have become averse to the Divine-Love secure their downfall from that eternal abode and only such jivas are bound by the prison like physical body etc." Continuing from Sri Tattva-Sutram on page 137: "Due to the mundane association and the deliberations of mundane sensual objects, the jiva-soul has forgotten the real forms of the self, the bliss, divinity and that of Vaikuntha. As a result of which, the jivas are put into a delusion of imagining sense-pleasures and heavenly pleasures as the bliss. They are also at delusion regarding their conception about the Supreme Lord and His Abode. They mistake the Vaikuntha as to be something like the mundane regions and also they misconstrue the Divine Body with the perishable bodies of the physical world…thereby they mistake some or other abodes constituted by the earth, water, or any other similarly imagined abode as the Vaikuntha." This list of quotes could easily be expanded. But it is sufficient to make the point that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur was saying the same thing about the origin of the jiva that we always heard from Srila Prabhupada. Bahushira Dasa (ACBSP)
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