Are you really going?

[Guest guest]

Dear Muniraja Prabhu,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

>We recall from some old classes, that before jiva leaves

>spiritual world Visnu/Krsna is asking jiva 3 times(3 different places)if he

>really wants to go to material world.

>

>Someone knows the origin of this statement?

 

 

It has already been quite long since you asked your original question, and

many learned Vaisnavas have already given you their answers. Still, I hope

the following Prabhupada's purport on SB 3.12.3 may add some insight to the

topic. The statement is quite the same that the lecture excerpt you sent

earlier, but it is good to have it re-stated in the Bhaktivedanta Purports:

 

 

"Although he created the different influences of nescience, Lord Brahma was

not satisfied in performing such a thankless task, but he had to do it

because most of the conditioned souls wanted it to be so. Lord Krsna says in

Bhagavad-gita (15.15) that He is present in everyone's heart and is helping

everyone to either remember of forget. The question may be raised why the

Lord, who is all-merciful, helps one to remember and another to forget.

Actually, His mercy is not exhibited in partiality towards one and enmity

towards another. The living entity, as part and parcel of the Lord, is

partially independent because he partially possesses all the qualities of

the Lord. Anyone who has some independence may sometimes misuse it due to

ignorance. When the living entity prefers to misuse his independence and

glide down towards nescience, the all-merciful Lord first of all tries to

protect him from the trap, ***but when the living entity persists in gliding

down to hell, the Lord helps him to forget his real position.*** [emphasis

mine - Mmd] The Lord helps the falling living entity glide down to the

lowest point, just to give him the chance to see if he is happy by misusing

his independence".

 

 

Although "3 times" you are asking about are not explicitely mentioned here,

the word "persisted" conveys pretty much the same idea of repeatedly

expressed desire to leave Krsna, despite Krsna's repeated requests not to.

 

So, it may well be many more than just 3 times.

 

Your servant,

Madana-mohana das