The Soul's Fall... The Final Word

[Guest guest]

On 20 Jul 1999, Mahanidhi das wrote:

> Now you have put yourself into the bizarre situation. Taking the

> meaning of the world "eternally conditioned" to have the absolute

> meaning, you have ruled out so many truths.

 

I have _never_ taken the meaning of the word "eternally conditioned"

at its literal value. This is obvious from the very quote from SB

1.15.27 purport that I posted: "The material activity of the living

being is beginningless, but it can be rectified by transferal into the

spiritual quality. Thus it can cease its material qualitative

reactions." Since the beginningless activity _can_ be rectified, the

phrase "eternally conditioned" is clearly not to be taken in the

absolute sense. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the term

"beginningless" above should also be taken in a non-absolute sense.

 

> Next. The Brahman. It is the state of liberation. So by ruling

> out the possibility of "nitya-baddha" soul's prior existence in

> the Spiritual World by claiming that "eternally conditioned" is

> an absolute statement, you have automatically ruled out the

> possibility of jivas coming from Brahman.

 

Again, I have never claimed that "eternally conditioned" is to be

taken as an absolute. But, regarding the "jivas coming from Brahman"

issue, the above quote from SB 1.15.27 itself rules out the notion of

the jIvas coming from the brahmajyoti or any other non-material

place. It's _material_ activity that's beginningless, and material

activity does not take place in the spiritual world or in the

brahmajyoti. That can only indicate that the jIva has beginninglessly

been in the material world.

 

For Mahananda prabhu: I don't believe in public chest-beating about my

progress or lack thereof in devotional service. Therefore, don't

expect an answer from me on your questions.

 

I'll be out of town for most of the next two weeks, so I suppose that

I may hear from you afterward. If not, I won't be too disappointed

to let this thread merge into the brahmajyoti (from which point it

will certainly desire activity again and drop back down to the material

world, but in the meanwhile, we'll be able to spend this time more

productively).

 

Yours,

 

Vijay S. Pai