Fall of the Jiva & OOP

[Guest guest]

> Rangachar's "Introduction to Pancaratra" reads (my additions in ):

> "Strictly speaking three kinds of Time are detailed:

> (i) 'effected or gross time which plays no part until after the creation

> of the tattvas.' <i.e. material time>

> (ii) 'causal or subtle time which though relatively eternal is also

> created by Aniruddha.'

> (iii) 'Higher time existing in pure creation.'.... <i.e. spiritual

> time>

>

> ..the fall of the jiva from its resplendent glory... precedes time and is

> thus beginningless. The bondage of the soul is also presumed to be

> beginningless."

>

> The fall precedes gross material time and did not occur in pure spiritual

> time. Therefore, it seems to have occurred in the subtle-causal-relatively

> eternal time created by Aniruddha, based on the above passage.

 

But I would argue that 'the jiva' spoken of here is an all-emcompassing term

for jivas in general. Not that it applies to ALL jivas ie. that you and I

have necessarily been here since then.

 

We know that elevated spirit souls are going back home back to Godhead all

the time (Srila Prabhupada etc.) and more souls come to replace them

(Similarly, all these manifestations are coming and going and coming and

going and, packed within this coming and going, there is the actual spirit

soul, which na hanyate hanyam€ne ar…re [bg. 2.20], which exists, and we are

that permanent existent. >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-g…t€ 2.55-58 -- New

York, April 15, 1966).

 

And this quote:

> The bondage of the soul is also presumed to be beginningless.

 

does not necessarily mean *your* soul, it just means 'souls in general',

which is fair comment and acceptable.