The soul is eternally conditioned. What does it mean?

The conditioned souls are called "nitya-baddha". Some take it literally, thinking that we were never anywhere outside this material creation, but the scriptures are very clear that's not the case.

Today I wanted to revisit a topic we discussed a few months ago, which is the real meaning of the idea that the souls are "eternally conditioned". This is a very central question in many discussions, and many who can't properly understand this point end up concluding that Prabhupada was speaking untruths in his books, which in turn leads to the idea that he was using "preaching strategies" and other misguided ideas.

The conditioned souls are called "nitya-baddha" or "eternally conditioned". Some take it literally, thinking that we were never anywhere outside this material creation, but the scriptures are very clear in stating that this is not the case. Krsna has the spiritual energy and the material energy, and the souls are not a product of the material energy. We came from outside of it and somehow or other fell here at a certain point.

Srila Prabhupada explains that "eternally conditioned" just means we are here for so long that it is not possible to trace the beginning. In other words, eternally conditioned just means "so long that it is practically eternal".

On his purport to SB 2.5.19, for exemple, he mentions:

"Because they are between the internal and external potencies, the eternally transcendental living entities are called the marginal potency of the Lord. Factually, the living entities are not meant to be so conditioned by material energy, but due to their being affected by the false sense of lording it over the material energy, they come under the influence of such potency and thus become conditioned by the three modes of material nature. This external energy of the Lord covers up the pure knowledge of the living entities eternally existing with Him, but the covering is so constant that it appears that the conditioned soul is eternally ignorant."

We can break this into points to make all the ideas in this passage evident:

- The souls are eternal and transcendental.

- Krsna has three potencies: the internal potency, the external potency (matter), and the souls, who are the marginal potency. Marginal means we can choose between being under the spiritual or material potencies. There is thus a component of free will.

- Souls are spiritual and thus not meant to be conditioned by the material energy. In other words, the souls come from outside the material creation and somehow become bound here.

- The souls become entrapped in the material energy due to the desire to lord over it.

- Because of this false sense of lordship, we become conditioned by the three modes of material nature and are forced to act in different ways by them.

- Souls have pure spiritual knowledge that eternally exists within them. However, when in contact with material nature, this spiritual knowledge becomes covered.

- The covering by the material energy is so strong and resolute that when conditioned, it appears that the conditioned soul is eternally ignorant, although such conditioning actually has a beginning.

To better understand how the eternal spiritual souls can come under the influence of material nature and become "eternally conditioned", even though such conditioning actually has a beginning, we must first understand the difference between the eternal spiritual time and material time. This is a delicate subject that is frequently ignored in such discussions.

In his commentary on the Brahma Samhita (5.7), Srila Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Thākura mentions that when Lord Mahā-Vishnu glances in the direction of the material energy, His glance carries not only the souls who desire to take part in the material creation but also kāla, the time energy.

In the word meanings given by him, tyakta-kālam is translated as "by casting His glance in the shape of sending His time energy" and sisṛkṣayā as "with the desire to create". In the purport, he mentions: "The deluding energy as the maidservant of the spiritual (cit) potency Ramā, serves the manifested plenary portion of Godhead consorted with Ramā, the time energy representing the force of activity and instrumentality of Ramā; hence there is found the process of masculinity or the creative force."

This may sound complicated due to the language, but similar points are described in SB 7.1.11:

"King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of the material and spiritual energies, who is certainly the creator of the entire cosmos, creates the time factor to allow the material energy and the living entity to act within the limits of time. Thus the Supreme Personality is never under the time factor nor under the material energy."

If we break this passage into individual points, we have:

- The Lord controls both the material and spiritual energies, and he is the creator of all material universes.

- He creates the time factor (by casting his kala energy by glancing over the material nature).

- This time factor allows, in turn, both the material nature and the souls to act within the limits of time. Matter is originally inert, but it is agitated by contact with time, leading to the creation of all different material manifestations that are enjoyed by the souls.

- Although He is the creator and maintainer of everything, the Lord never falls under the control of the time factor or the material energy."

Time exists eternally as energy (kāla), but its influence over the material creation has a beginning. It starts when Lord Mahā-Vishnu casts His glance upon the material nature, a glance that carries both the souls that desire to participate in the material creation, and the time energy that agitates the material nature and makes it work in different ways.

In other words, kala or time is eternal as an energy, but its effect on the material nature has a beginning, and this beginning happens after the souls are put here. Thus, the material time we are currently experiencing has a beginning, but it can't be calculated from the material perspective, because all material manifestations exist inside the boundaries of material time.

There is, however, a different, eternal time that exists outside of the limits of this material manifestation. That's the eternal time that governs the spiritual planets, where there is no past and future. This is the place where eternality exists in its true sense.

Once the difference between material and spiritual times becomes clear, we can examine again the meaning of the term "eternally conditioned".

Apart from meaning "for so long that it's not possible to trace the origin", another meaning is that we have been here since before the beginning of time. It's therefore not possible to trace the beginning of our conditioned life according to material time since we have been here since before time started. From the perspective of someone inside the material world, we have always been here.

This, however, doesn't mean our conditioning is eternal in the literal sense, but just that we lack the means to calculate when it began. For this, one has to become free from the influence of material time.

There is another reality that is outside, the spiritual reality, which is independent of material time.

Just like there are two separate natures (the material nature and spiritual nature), apart from the material time (this force that puts the material creation into motion and reminds us of its temporary nature), there is another time that exists outside this material time, which is eternal. This is the eternal time that governs the spiritual planets. There, time does not exist as an oppressive force. Everything is eternal, and there is no past or future. Everyone and everything is eternal, and all inhabitants live in eternal happiness, immersed in their relationships with Krsna.

Srila Prabhupada explains this concept on CC Adi 4.43: "This material world is only a perverted reflection of the spiritual world, where everything is manifested without inebriety. There everything is in its original existence, free from the domination of time. Time cannot deteriorate or interfere with the conditions in the spiritual world, where different manifestations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are the recipients of the worship of different living entities in their constitutional spiritual positions."

Krsna explains this concept in the Bhagavad-Gita (2.16) when He mentions "nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ". In the context of the Bhagavad-Gita, this verse is taken as meaning that the body is temporary and the soul is eternal, but in a broader context, it means that everything that is real (spiritual) is eternal and there is no change for it, while for everything that is illusory (material) there is no endurance, since it passes through many changes that inevitably leads to its dissolution. Everything spiritual is under the effect of the eternal time, in which there is no change, while everything material is under the material time, and thus passes through the stages of creation, change, and dissolution.

The souls are called the marginal energy of Krsna since we have free will to choose between staying under the shelter of the spiritual or the material energy. However, the soul is not part of the material nature, like inanimate matter. We are originally part of the spiritual energy, and our ultimate goal is to go back to this original position. That's what Prabhupada meant by "Back to Godhead".

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Read also:

How the jīva falls into the material world (Mundaka Upaniṣad #14)

SANKHYA, The Philosophy of Lord Kapila

The nature of the soul