Question: My first doubt is regarding desire (kāma). As mentioned in (3.37), desire arises from rajo-guṇa. At the same time, the spiritual realm (Bhagavat-dhāma) is described as nirguṇa, beyond the three guṇas. Therefore, I am unable to understand how desire can arise in such a realm. If desire is not present there, then how does the jīva develop the inclination to turn away from the Lord or come to the material world?
Answer: There is kāma and there is prema. Trying to satisfy Krishna’s senses is prema, and trying to satisfy our own senses is kāma [definition by Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami]. In the spiritual world there is prema; there is desire to serve the Lord. It is not that desire is not there. Desire is the foundation of both the material and spiritual worlds. The nature of the soul is to be active. In the spiritual world, the soul wants to serve the Lord; when it comes to the material world, it gets transformed into kāma—that is, instead of serving the Lord, I will serve myself.
Q: I have a doubt regarding the first creation (ādi-sṛṣṭi). It is generally understood that different species (yoni), including lower forms like trees, birds, and insects, are the result of past karma. However, in the first creation, when no prior karma existed, how did these different forms of life come into existence? I mean, was only the human present? Were there no trees or insects in the first ādi-sṛṣṭi? I feel there must be some scriptural explanation for this in the Vedas or Purāṇas, and I would be grateful if you could guide me to the relevant references.
A: The question here relates to kāla [time]—first creation refers to time. Krishna says all jīvas are children of the Lord, which means there must be a time when the Lord created us. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains: when the sun is there, sunlight is there. As soon as there is the Lord, we were there. As soon as there was the spiritual world, some people rebelled and there was the material world. To trace that is really difficult.
It is not mentioned in the Vedas or Purāṇas for two reasons. Mentioning it would only add to the volume of the Purāṇas. One may ask why a list of 84 lakh species is not given, or why detailed lists of reactions to sins are not given, even though 84 types of naraka are mentioned. The important point is that a detailed list is not necessary—it would be lakhs of ślokas. The Vedas do not provide everything; they provide what is necessary—the relationship between the jīva, the Lord, and the world. They provide what is necessary for us to go back to Godhead. All Purāṇas and Saṁhitās aim at bringing us closer to Krishna.
Details like what phala we get by doing a particular act, or what reaction corresponds to which pāpa, are not fully mentioned. The Lord tells in Bhāgavatam (3.25) the fundamental principles of material nature. The Lord finishes the explanation of creation in about 10 ślokas—He does not go into detail because it is not necessary for us. If the Vedas provided too much detail, there is a very good chance we would get lost in it, just as we see the majority of people get lost in karma-kāṇḍa.
One more angle Śrīla Prabhupāda explained: broadly in spiritual life there are three categories of questions—
(a) Very easy to answer and understand, for example, the difference between soul and body—that I am not this body—with scientific examples. (b) Second level: we will understand only when we purify our heart, for example, Nanda Maharaj had 9 lakh cows, or in Kurukṣetra lakhs fought though the place is small; why did Ram banish Sita; how is Krishna’s name the same as Krishna; how? Rāsa-līlā—we may become agitated, but Śukadeva Goswami relishes it—how? Slowly, as we practice spiritual life, we can understand. (c) Third level: we cannot understand—only the Lord can understand. For example, how the jīva fell down from the spiritual world. Śrīla Prabhupāda answered: “Ask Krishna when you go to the spiritual world; focus on going there.” We are minute—we cannot understand everything. If we could understand everything, we would be God.
This discussion of jīva fall-down has been discussed by many people for the last 50 years, and still there is no final answer—that tells us something. Some questions we should park and feel that once my heart is purified, I will understand. That does not mean I should not try to get my questions resolved—if we do not, our mind will trouble us a lot.
Q: From (BG 9.7–9.8), it is said that all jīvas merge into prakṛti and are again manifested during creation. I would like to understand the exact state of the jīva during this period. Do the jīvas again engage in serving the Lord, or do they remain in an unmanifest condition until the next creation? If they do return to serve the Lord, then why are they again placed into the material world? Is it because some karma still remains to be experienced?
A: The jīva remains in an unmanifested condition. The universes are emanating from the breathing of the Lord. When He breathes in and breathes out, in between is a very long time—millions of years. When it again manifests, according to his karma and desire, he will again get his body.
Krishna says: at the time of death, if you remember Me, you will come to Me—that is the secret. In the 8th chapter, Krishna dedicates to the art of dying so that we do not remain in this material world. Whatever consciousness is at the time of death, you will attain that. If it is Krishna consciousness, you will reach Me.
Asahāya means he cannot determine whether one will be here or there, but the freedom to work towards it is there with the soul, and it will ultimately depend upon the mercy of the Lord. But the majority will not work towards it—that the Lord says.