Q&A With Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj

[Guest guest]

Dear Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj,

 

You have written recently:

 

> We just have to accept that two types of souls who are eternally part and parcel of the Lord. The Lord is equal to all nitya-siddha jivas and nitya-badha jivas as they are tasting the fruits of their actions. According to the different levels of exploitation or dedication of the Lords energies they will have different degrees of happiness and distress.

 

The Jiva-soul in its conditioned state nitya-badha has the tendency to become attracted by the external energy of the Lord (Bahiranga-sakti) or the internal energy of the Lord (Antaranga-sakti).

 

> The nitya-badha soul is called nitya-eternal because there was never a time in history when he was not bound by illusion to some degree.

 

Maharaj, in "Jaiva Dharma" by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur we are reading the following:

 

(Chapter One)

"Service to Lord Krishna is the eternal duty, nitya dharma, of the jiva. Forgetting that, the jiva is possessed by maya. From then on the soul turns his face away from Krishna. Because this non-devotion to Krishna is manifest only at the time he enters the material world, there is no history of the jiva's fall within the time of the material world. For this reason the words anadi bahirmukha (the living entity's non-devotion to Krishna is beginningless) are used. From the time of non-devotion to Krishna and entry into maya the eternal duty of the jiva becomes perverted."

 

The Pocket Oxford Dictionary designate the meaning of the word "time" as follows: "time - noun. 1) indefinite continued progress of existence, events, etc., in the past, present, and future, regarded as a whole. 2) progress of this as affecting persons or things." Also, as I know, in the material world time has past, present and future aspects and beyond the material realm there is only eternal present or eternity.

 

Question 1:

 

What is the meaning of words 'time' when Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur is writing (in the above quote), 'Because this non-devotion to Krishna is manifest only at the time he enters the material world, there is no history of the jiva's fall within the time of the material world...'? What is the difference between two kinds of 'time' in the above quote: 1."at the time he enters the material world" and 2. "within the time of the material world"?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: [At the time he enters the material world] refers to the [very moment] of the marginal time-conception ['tatastha' between the spiritual and material time-concepts] of the entrance of the jiva in the material world.

 

The exact moment of the occurrence of jiva's entrance into the material world does exist and is recorded on the time-plane, which is beyond the limiting material or worldly time-aspect.

 

Therefore, there is no history of the jiva's fall within the time of the material world - meaning - that moment of entrance could not be recorded in the material time-concept due to it's limitations and that is the reason why there is no time-history of jiva's fall within the time of material world.

 

From the term 'anadi-bahirmukha'- [anadi] (beginningless) has two-fold aspects (senses) of meaning or application - absolute and relative; the entire cycle of jiva's fallings into maya is absolutely beginningless - just as eternal cycle of 'birth-living-death' or 'creation-maintenance-destruction'. But, on the other hand, 'the particular moment of an individual jiva's participation in maya' has a beginning ('adi') in the space of eternal and absolute time, even though, in a relative sense, it ('the particular moments of individual jiva's participation in maya') is also called 'anadi'. Finally, the tattva needs to be understood through Sriman Mahaprabhu's 'Acintya-bheda-abheda' (simultaneous inconceivable oneness and difference) philosophy.

 

Question 2:

 

Can we understand the gist (essence) of the time concept as manifestation of the Will of Supreme Lord, contiguity (contact) of the Will of the Supreme Lord with the will of the jiva or is it something else?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: It is so and not only the contact of the Will of Supreme Lord with jiva, but nature (cosmos) too.

 

In "Jaiva Dharma" by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur we are reading the following:

 

(Chapter Fifteen)

"Vrajanatha: In the svarupa of the jiva there is no product of maya. This has to be accepted. The nature of the jiva can be influenced by maya. This I have also understood. Now I want to know if the cit-sakti has created the jiva by giving it the marginal nature? (Here Vrajanatha is asking about the conditioned jivas).

 

Babaji: No, cit-sakti is the complete potency of Krishna. Whatever it manifests are all nitya- siddha objects. The jiva is not nitya-siddha; he becomes sadhana-siddha through sadhana and enjoys bliss like the nitya-siddha. The four types of sakhis of Sri Radha are nitya-siddhas; they are kaya-vyuha manifestations of Sri Radha, who is the personification of the cit-sakti.

 

All the jivas have appeared from the jiva-sakti of Lord Sri Krishna. Just as cit-sakti is Krishna's complete potency, similarly the jiva-sakti is His incomplete potency. All complete objects have appeared from the complete potency, similarly from the incomplete potency come the innumerable atomic jivas. Lord Krishna, presiding over each of His potencies, manifests His various expansions correspondingly. Presiding over the cit potency, He manifests His Krishna form and that of Lord Narayana, the Lord of Vaikuntha. Presiding over His jiva-sakti, He manifests His Vilasa form of Baladeva in Vraja. Becoming situated in His maya-sakti, He manifests the free Vishnu forms - Karanodakashayi, Ksirodakasayi, and Garbhodakasayi.

 

From His Krishna form in Vraja, He manifests all the cit entities. From His Baladeva form as Sesa tattva, He manifests the nitya-mukta jivas who are associates that render service in eight ways to Lord Krishna, the Sesi tattva. Again, becoming Sankarsana as Sesa rupa, He manifests eight types of eternal associates to render service in eight ways to Sesi, Narayana. Maha-Vishnu, an incarnation of Sankarsana, becoming situated in the jiva-sakti as Supersoul, manifests the living entities of the material world. All these jivas (coming from Maha-Vishnu) are disposed to maya. Until they attain the shelter of the hladini-sakti of the cit world by the mercy of the Lord, they are prone to be defeated by maya. The unlimited conditioned jivas being defeated by maya remain under the influence of her free modes. Therefore the principle is that only the jiva-sakti manifests jivas and not the cit-sakti."

 

The essence is that there are three types of jivas. Those that originate in Vraja manifests from Lord Baladeva. Those in the Vaikuntha planets manifests from Sankarsana. Those in the material world manifests from Maha-Vishnu. The first two types of jivas are nitya-mukta and the third type are nitya-baddha. The third type by the mercy of the Lord, can also become muktas if they take to devotional service.

 

Question 3:

 

In the quote above from the "Jaiva Dharma" we are reading:

 

"Just as cit-sakti is Krishna's complete potency, similarly the jiva-sakti is His incomplete potency. All complete objects have appeared from the complete potency, similarly from the incomplete potency come the innumerable atomic jivas."

 

What is the gist (essence) of the words 'complete' and 'incomplete' when they are connected with the word 'potency'? How is it possible to apply such material conceptions as 'complete' and 'incomplete' when we are talking about such spiritual things as Krishna's potencies?!

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: The gist of the terms 'complete' and 'incomplete' can be explained respectively as 'more fulfilling' and 'less fulfilling' or 'superior' and 'inferior' - used for qualitative comparison between two above-mentioned potencies.

 

Since we are living in this relative/material world, so sometimes we have to somehow express the tattva concepts through different relative terms/languages suitable to this earthly plane for our comparative understanding. Therefore, the term 'complete' herein indicates 'comparatively better or higher quality' and term 'incomplete' denotes (indicates) 'comparatively lesser or lower quality' - that's all. Krishna's jiva-sakti is also complete in it's own level (standard) of quality and nature, though not absolutely complete.

 

Question 4:

 

Does 'complete' mean 'perfect' and does 'incomplete' mean 'imperfect' in the quote above? Does the essence of the perfection in the absolute sense mean - that is giving pleasure to the Lord?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Yes. But the term 'imperfect' is used in a comparative sense.

 

Question 5:

 

In the quote above from the "Jaiva Dharma" we are reading:

 

"Just as cit-sakti is Krishna's complete potency, similarly the jiva-sakti is His incomplete potency. All complete objects have appeared from the complete potency, similarly from the incomplete potency come the innumerable atomic jivas."

 

The jiva from its origin consists of the jiva-sakti. So, that means that the jiva is incomplete (imperfect) from its origin because the jiva-sakti is incomplete. Then can we say that the Lord is unjust (unfair) because He created the jiva from the jiva-sakti with some original defect thus making her prone to fall in maya and suffer?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: No, Lord is NOT unjust or unfair; He never created jiva-sakti as defective by nature. 'Incomplete' is incomplete only compared to the 'complete' - but still it ('incomplete') is okay/fine in it's own constitutional standard. For example, sun and moon, Lord and servitor - in respect of the amount of light and heat the Sun is more complete than the moon, yet the incomplete (from absolute consideration) moon is none other than the moon with it's moonlike nature complete (from relative consideration) in it's own category. Also see the example of Lord and servitor: as the Lord is absolute, so understood as complete and as a servitor can never become the Lord Himself, therefore, understood comparatively as incomplete - yet, a servitor is complete in his own constitutional position or nature.

 

Jiva is Krishna's marginal potency ('tatastha-sakti'- marginally situated between 'antaranga svarupa-sakti' and 'bahi-ranga maya-sakti') originally faultless, free, endowed with free-will to make a choice about which side between 'anta-ranga-sakti' and 'bahiranga-sakti' he wants to participate in. By proper use and misuse of his free-will he respectively participates in the side of antaranga-sakti, the world of service to Krishna, or bahiranga-sakti, world of maya-sakti taking away from Krishna's service when he actually starts to have fault in his originally faultless nature.

 

You have written before:

"Svarup-siddhi is not tatastha anymore. The jiva becomes from that point nitya-siddha, eternally liberated fully under the protection and guidance of the Supreme Lord without the tendency to become attracted by the illusionary energy of the Lord."

 

In the quote above from the "Jaiva Dharma" we are reading: "Therefore the principle is that only the jiva-sakti manifests jivas and not the cit-sakti."

 

Question 6:

 

Is it true that tatastha-sakti is the same sakti as the jiva-sakti?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Yes.

 

Question 7:

 

Does it mean that Svarupa-siddha souls liberated from the material prison have the same nature like nitya-siddhas souls?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Not exactly same, but can be similar or closer according to their (Svarupa-siddha soul's) individual devotional taste and 'adhi-kar'(qualification).

 

Question 8:

 

Does jiva change its origin from jiva-sakti to cit-sakti when it attains Svarupa-siddhi?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Yes (excluding some exceptional cases particularly decided by Krishna for some reasons or just according to His sweet will).

 

Question 9:

 

Why we call nitya-siddha persons and nitya-baddha person by one word 'jiva' (soul) if their nature is completely different from each other and they are completely different creatures? What do they have common in their structure?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Yes, though sometimes the nitya-siddha persons are called as 'jiva' following the unbridled sense of meaning of jiva-tattva. In other words, the best conception - manifestation of jiva who is understood as the eternal servant of Krishna in his Svarupa (jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya dasa), yet, it is better to call him (a nitya-siddha devotee) in an adequately distinct manner or term in order to mark/assure qualitative difference between the 'nitya-baddha' and 'nitya-siddha' persons.

 

In this connection, I would also like to draw your attention towards the fact that 'nitya-baddha' doesn't necessarily mean 'conditioned forever-throughout past-present-future', rather 'anadi-bahirmukha' - conditioned by non-devotional mentality since long long long in the past which was (is) simply beginningless ('anadi'). But not that a conditioned jiva can never have chance to be liberated from present or future-time.

 

(Next is the answer to the second part of question 9: 'What do they have common in their structure?')

 

Something common in both their structure is that some of the 'nitya-siddhas' are from Krishna's 'marginal potency' the originally unconditioned 'jiva-sakti' (or 'tatastha-sakti'). From marginal platform as some jivas became attracted to maya, on the contrary, some jivas also became attracted to Krishna from the very beginning of their journey. This second category is called as 'nitya unmukha' (eternally attracted) or in some places 'nitya-mukta' (eternally liberated). In some higher or developed state and inter-related sense the 'nitya-mukta' can also be called as 'nitya-siddha' besides the 'anta-ranga svarupa-sakti-(cit-sakti)-born' original 'nitya-siddha parsadas' who are, of course, called as 'parsada' (and not jiva). Even if, they are sometimes called as jiva, the sense must be understood as non-different from 'parsada'.

 

In "Jaiva Dharma" by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur we are reading the following:

 

(Chapter Sixteen):

 

"There are unlimited jivas who are eternal associates of the Lord. In Goloka Vrindavana they are manifested by Lord Baladeva for the service of Lord Krishna. In Vaikuntha they are manifested by Sri Sankarsana for the service of Lord Narayana, the Lord of Vaikuntha. They are eternally and blissfully engaged in the service of their worshipable Lord. Always situated in their svarupa, always striving to make the Lord happy. Always favorable to the service of the Lord. And always powerful with the energy of the cit-sakti. They have absolutely no relation or contact with the inert maya. Indeed they do not even know that there is an energy called maya. Because they live in the spiritual region, maya remains very far from them. They are always absorbed in the bliss of service to their worshipable Lord..."

 

In "Srimad Bhagavatam" with the purports of Srila Bhakti Vedanta Swami Maharaj we are reading the story of Jaya and Vijaya:

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 2.9.16, commentary)

"In the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanta, there is a full description of the yoga-pitha, or the particular place where the Lord is in audience to His eternal devotees... The sixteen energies headed by Canda are all present there. Canda and Kumuda are the first two doorkeepers, at the middle door are the doorkeepers named Bhadra and Subhadra, and at the last door are Jaya and Vijaya. There are other doorkeepers also, named Kumuda, Kumudaksa, Pundarika, Vamana, Sankukarna, Sarvanetra, Sumukha, etc. The Lord's palace is well decorated and protected by the above-mentioned doorkeepers."

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 7.8.56, commentary)

"Hiranyakasipu's coming to this earth and acting as the Lord's enemy was prearranged. Jaya and Vijaya were cursed by the brahmanas Sanaka, Sanat-kumara, Sanandana and Sanatana because Jaya and Vijaya checked these four Kumaras. The Lord accepted this cursing of His servants and agreed that they would have to go to the material world and would then return to Vaikuntha after serving the term of the curse. Jaya and Vijaya were very much perturbed, but the Lord advised them to act as enemies, for then they would return after three births; otherwise, ordinarily, they would have to take seven births. With this authority, Jaya and Vijaya acted as the Lord's enemies, and now that these two were dead, all the Visnudutas understood that the Lord's killing of Hiranyakasipu was special mercy bestowed upon them."

 

Question 10:

 

In the quote above from the [Jaiva Dharma] we are reading:

 

"And always powerful with the energy of the cit-sakti. They have absolutely no relation or contact with the inert maya. Indeed they do not even know that there is an energy called maya. Because they live in the spiritual region, maya remains very far from them."

 

Please, explain what is the necessity of doors and door-keepers like Jaya and Vijaya in Vaikuntha planet if maya can not come to the spiritual realm?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Because Vaikuntha Dham has a transcendental form; so there are also the doors for entrance reserved for the devotees.

 

Gatekeepers are required not for maya, but to nicely control the other categories of persons who are ordinary devotees in comparison with the exalted pure devotees of Lord. The ordinary devotees are muni, deva, siddha, yogi, mukta, etc. who have some controlled access in Vaikuntha for having darsana of Lord Narayana. Therefore, at certain intimate moments of services to Lord Narayana, they are not or may not be freely allowed to go inside. So, that is likely to be the main reason for having the door-keepers and also as one of the symbolical representation of Lord Narayana's power, dignity and honor that complements the mood of Vaikuntha-lila. Please know that the Lord's lila, sweet playful pastimes, can accommodate many things which may not be required from Tattvik-angle of vision.

 

Question 11:

 

In the quote above from the Jaiva Dharma we are reading:

 

"And always powerful with the energy of the cit-sakti. They have absolutely no relation or contact with the inert maya. Indeed they do not even know that there is an energy called maya. Because they live in the spiritual region, maya remains very far from them."

 

How is it possible that four Kumaras cursed Jaya and Vijaya? If that was arranged by Yoga-maya for the Lord's pastimes then what is the meaning of 'Vaikuntha ­ free from disturbances' ("Jaya and Vijaya were very much perturbed", [srimad Bhagavatam], 7.8.56, commentary) ? And was it not it 'blackmail' from the Lord's side when He told Jaya and Vijaya: "... but the Lord advised them to act as enemies, for then they would return after three births; otherwise, ordinarily, they would have to take seven births."?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: As we are required to believe in the scriptural descriptions, so, the honest answer is: all these events are some kind of Lord-and-devotee's dramatic playfulness which do not necessarily always follow the established systems or procedures of the spiritual world. In other words, the flow of this sort of lila remains unbound by the normal spiritual systems - only controlled by the exceptional, carefree sweet will of Lord. The character of such play is beyond any reasoning or questioning. Just as sometimes we see in dramatic play - the dramatic play is real for dramatic experience, but not truly real. Similarly, all such above-described happenings (unpleasant dealings between two kinds of pure devotees - four Kumaras and Jaya, Vijaya, cursing by four Kumars of Jaya and Vijaya, disturbances in the Vaikuntha which is eternally free of all disturbances, the Lord's advice to Jaya and Vijaya to act as His enemy so they return after three births instead of seven births, etc.) are all dramatically real and not really real. It might be, there was some specific taste and tests involved (contained) in such Lord-and-devotee's playfulness.

 

Question 12:

 

I can understand that the nitya-siddhas have no contact with the inert maya because they are eternally under the shelter of cit-sakti. But, how to understand the following words: "Indeed they do not even know that there is an energy called maya" (above quote from "Jaiva Dharma")? Does the nitya-siddhas have not even an idea that maya energy exists? Then how does it correspond with the story of Jaya and Vijaya; did they not realize that four Kumaras came from the world of Maha-maya and thus Jaya and Vijaya checked them?

 

Answer by Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaj: Yes, because those nitya-siddhas always stay so fulfilled and absorbed in the bliss of Lord's devotional service that even the awareness of the fact that an energy called 'maya' exists is also irrelevant to them. Everything in their life is so positive that even the idea of any negative potency as 'maya' is just absent in their thought-process (thought-set-up) from the beginningless beginning, being situated in the cit-sakti realm. Of course, required by the specific will of the Lord, a nitya-siddha can definitely be aware of 'maya'.

 

(Next is the answer to the second part of question 12: 'Then how does it correspond with the story of Jaya and Vijaya; did they not realize that four Kumaras came from the world of Maha-maya and thus Jaya and Vijaya checked them?')

 

They realized. In order to facilitate the Lord's lila, yoga-maya (Lord's lila-sakti') made them conscious of the existence of maha-maya.