Question: Are there many souls in the other worlds who are serving Krishna with full devotion and do not want to come back to this world? Are liberated souls always playing and singing happily around Krishna? Or do they become submerged in Krishna and do not have any soul-body or soul- identification?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
Yes, there are unlimitedly far more perfect living entities in the spiritual world than there are conditioned souls in the material worlds. They are called nitya-siddha (eternally liberated). They maintain their individual identity and engage in devotional service in five types of relationship with Krishna viz. neutrality, servitude, friendship, parenthood, and conjugal love.
There are also some souls who sometimes choose to merge into the bodily effulgence of Krishna, i.e. Brahman. Those conditioned souls in the material world, who are frustrated with this life and want to end it all, sometimes aspire to become liberated and merge into Brahman in this way. However, the soul by nature is always seeking enjoyment, whereas merging into Brahman is a dormant state of existence devoid of the positive pleasure that comes from loving exchanges with the Lord. Therefore this is a temporary position and such souls sooner or later tire of remaining dormant and return to the material world.
Question: keep reading a lot of spiritual topics, but I have so many unanswered questions. I do know that the questions I have asked here are all jumbled. But, I earnestly hope you will be able to understand what exactly I am asking, and if these questions are found relevant to be answered, I would be very glad to hear the answers.
Answer by Romapada Swami:
I hope these answers provide some clarity to your questions. Vedic scriptures are vast and there are many intriguing and apparently contradictory concepts, what to speak of the so many other schools of thoughts prevalent today. But by systematically studying the Vedic literatures beginning with the Bhagavad Gita, under proper guidance, one can find authoritative and definitive answers to all questions and get a comprehensive picture of reality – of our spiritual nature, of God, our relationship with Him, the material world and our duty here. I would like to encourage you, if possible, to study the Bhagavad-Gita As It Is, and you would find much valuable insights into these topics.
