The “Fall” of the Jīva, as Explained by Śrīla Prabhupāda
What is the constitutional position of the soul, and how did we come here? In this book, we examine how Prabhupada answers these questions.
Prabhupāda explains that the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the ripened fruit of spiritual knowledge. That’s the book Prabhupāda dedicated most of his literary efforts to, commenting in detail and explaining all the philosophical facets of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.
Just as in other topics, Prabhupāda’s commentary explains in detail our situation in this material world, including how we came here and what our original position is. The “fall” of the jīva has an inconceivable element to it, a spiritual mystery that is very hard to comprehend. At the same time, however, it became a source of much debate, often based on little more than dry logic and speculation, which produces confusion and doubt. Considering the situation and the negative effect it has on the spiritual lives of many, one may be interested in a detailed study of the answers Śrīla Prabhupāda gives.
The goal of this book is not to just give you a long and inconclusive list of quotes, but to examine the way Prabhupāda develops his explanation of the constitutional position of the soul in his commentary on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, starting from the First Canto, and going all the way to the end of the Fourth Canto, where his conclusions are revealed.
Although these conclusions are clear enough when properly supported, they can be fully understood only when we carefully study the text, something not many of us have the time to do. Because the passages where Prabhupāda develops his explanation are spread through the four Cantos and intercalated with passages discussing other topics, even the most intellectual can have difficulty following through.
In this book, we focus on the passages that are directly connected with this topic, creating a short and sequential study that is easier to follow. By becoming familiar with the way Prabhupāda explains, we can understand this difficult topic without falling into all the useless and damaging mental speculation and pedantic arguments Prabhupāda warns us about.
The conclusion is not just true but also uplifting, nourishing our desire to leave this temporary material world and return to the association of our eternal friend, who follows us even in our conditioned state, guiding us from inside the heart.
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💬 Table of Contents
+ Chapter 1: The creation of an illusory world
Internal, external, and marginal: Understanding the potencies of the Lord
The role of Lord Sadāśiva
What is pradhāna?
The relationship between the souls and matter
Why is the soul here in the material world?
+ Chapter 2: The “fall” of Jaya and Vijaya
The demigods ask Brahmā for help
The Kumāras visit Vaikuṇṭha
Jaya and Vijaya are cursed by the Kumāras
The Lord protects His devotees
Jaya and Vijaya come to the material world
How could Jaya and Vijaya “fall” into the material world?
Questions about this mysterious pastime
If devotional service is eternal, how can we forget?
+ Chapter 3: Lord Kapila explains our relationship with this material world
Understanding the elements and material creation
Souls and matter: like oil and water
The creation of material consciousness
The creation of the false ego from Sankarṣaṇa, followed by the mind, intelligence, and senses
Uncovering the soul’s eternal nature
Achieving the transcendental platform
Conditioned life: The reflection in the dark room
How the soul enters the body without leaving the spiritual sky
Reflected consciousness
Becoming free from the false ego
Releasing the soul from material bondage
Awakening from the dream
+ Chapter 4: The teachings of Sanat-kumāra
The process of bhakti is described in more detail
Awakening from the dream
The conclusion of the instructions of Sanat-kumāra
Everyone should surrender to the Lord
+ Chapter 5: Lord Śiva instructs us on devotional service
Attaining devotional service, the topmost process
The Lord is the only object of worship
The material world is only material when we want to imitate the Lord
+ Chapter 6: The history of every conditioned soul
The allegory of King Purañjana
Purañjana comes in contact with the material intelligence
How we become entangled in matter, and how we can become free
Purañjana abandons his intelligence and hunts in the forest
Practicing Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
Purañjana becomes princess Vaidarbhī in his next life
Malayadhvaja retires to the forest
+ Chapter 7: Kṛṣṇa reveals our original nature
Vaidarbhī meets the Lord
The original home
The meaning of the allegory
The final conclusion on the “fall” of the Jīva
+ Chapter 8: A commentary on ‘Crow and Tal-Fruit Logic’
Always With Kṛṣṇa
Covered by māyā
Jaya and Vijaya and the eternal lila with Kṛṣṇa
An Allegory
Why shouldn’t we discuss if the answer is there?
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