Sri Jagadananda Pandit has written a beautiful description of the variegated conditions of the jivas in his book Sri Prema-vivarta (6.2-13).
krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga-vancha kare
nikata-stha maya tare japatiya dhare
As long as jivas focus their attention on Krsna, they maintain reverence for Him. However, when they turn their attention away
from Krsna, they desire material enjoyment. Krsna’s deluding potency, maya, who is standing near them,
then binds them in her embrace.
pisaci paile jena mati-cchana haya
maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya
The dharma of the jiva who has turned away from Krsna becomes covered, just as a person’s intelligence
becomes covered when he is haunted by a witch.
There are two types of entities: cetana, animate, and jada, inanimate. Animate entities are those that have desire and the power to experience, and inanimate entities are those that do not. There are also two types of animate entities: those who possess full consciousness (purna-cetana) and those who possess minute consciousness (ksudra-cetana). Bhagavan possesses full consciousness, and in His original feature He is Krsna.
This is declared in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28) by the statement, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam: “Krsna is the original Bhagavan.” The jives possess minute consciousness. They are His separated parts, known as vibhinnamsa-tattva, and they are innumerable. The sastras have compared the mutual relationship between Sri Krsna and the jivas to the relationship that exists between the sun and the infinitesimal glittering particles of light present in the sun’s rays. Bhagavan Sri Krsna is the spiritual sun and the jivas are infinitesimal particles of spirit. The dharma or sva-bhava of the infinitesimal jivas is to serve Krsna. When the jivas are
formed, their dharma is born simultaneously, just as in fire the power to burn is always present. As the existence of fire cannot be accepted without burning power, the essence of the individual soul’s identity as a jiva is not established without service to Krsna. A vastu (substance) cannot exist independently of its dharma (natural characteristic function), and neither can a function exist independently of its substance. Nonetheless, a substance and its function can become perverted. The inherent function of the jiva is certainly to serve Krsna, but when the jiva is indifferent to Krsna, and covets different types of sensual enjoyment, Bhagavan’s external potency (bahiranga-sakti or maya), which is situated nearby, seizes him and binds him in her web.
ami nitya krsna-dasa, ei katha bhule
mayara naphara hana cira-dina bule
He forgets Bhagavan’s identity, and his own identity as a servant of Hari. Becoming a slave of maya, he wanders here an there for a long time in this bewildering material existence.
kabhu raja, kabhu praja, kabhu vipra, sudra
kabhu duhkhi, kabhu sukhi, kabhu kita ksudra
Sometimes he is a king and sometimes a subject, sometimes a brahmana and sometimes a sudra.
Sometimes he is happy and sometimes distressed, and sometimes he is a tiny insect.
kabhu svarge, kabhu martye narake va kabhu
kabhu deva, kabhu daitya, kabhu dasa, prabhu
Sometimes he is in heaven, sometimes on earth, and sometimes in hell. Sometimes he is a deva and sometimes a demon. Sometimes he is a servant and sometimes a master.
ei-rupe samsara bhramite kona jana sadhu-sange nija-tattva avagata hana
As he is wandering like this throughout material existence, if by some great fortune he happens to obtain the association of pure bhaktas, he comes to know of his own identity, and his life thus becomes meaningful.
nija-tattva jani ara samsara na caya kena va bhajinu maya kare haya haya
By his association with those bhaktas, he understands his true identity and becomes indifferent to material enjoyment. Grieving bitterly for his predicament, he laments, “Alas! Alas! Why did I serve maya for so long?”
kende bole, ohe Krishna! ami tava dasa
tomara carana chadi’ haila sarva-nasa
He cries profusely, and prays at the lotus feet of Bhagavan. “O Krsna! I am Your eternal servant, but I have been ruined because I disregarded the service of Your feet. Who knows how long I have been wandering aimlessly as the slave of maya?
kakuti kariya krsne dake eka-bara
krpa kari krsna tare chadana samsara
“O Patita-pavana! O Dina-natha! Please protect this destitute soul. Deliver me from Your maya and engage me in Your service.” Sri Krsna is an ocean of mercy, and when He hears the jiva cry out in such desperation even once, He quickly transports him across this insurmountable material energy.
mayake pichane rakhi’ krsna-pane caya
bhajite bhajite krsna-pada-padma paya
krsna tare dena nija-cic-chaktira bala
maya akarsana chade haiya durbal
Krsna empowers the jiva with His cit-sakti, so that maya’s power to attract the soul gradually wanes. The jiva then turns his back on maya and desires to attain Krsna. He worships Krsna again and again, and finally becomes competent to attain His lotus feet.
‘sadhu-sange krsna-nama’–ei-matra cai
samsara jinite ara kona vastu nai
Therefore, the only infallible method to cross this insurmountable material existence is to chant krsna-nama in the association of bhaktas.
