Liberated and Empowered Beings

Question: Is there any difference between objects which are originally from svarūpa-śakti and those that are tādātmya prāpta (iron in contact with fire acts like fire), such as items offered to Kṛṣṇa? For example, will there always be a difference between the offered objects like flowers and flowers from Vaikuṇṭha? The body of a pure devotee is transcendental, but does it become equal to the bodies of residents of Vaikuṇṭha?

Answer: There is a difference between objects that are antaraṅga śakti and objects that are bahiraṅga śakti but have been offered to Kṛṣṇa. Although the second types of objects are treated like the first type, they have the power of antaraṅga śakti, but they are not exactly the same, i.e., they can decompose, which does not happen to objects made from antaraṅga śakti.

Question: Does the same jīva get chosen to act as śaktyāveśa avatāra in every yuga or manvantara? 

Answer:  The jīva could be same or different, depending on availability of a qualified jīva.

Question: Of the nitya mukta jīvas, nitya siddha pārṣadas and sādhana siddha jīvas, which jīvas are chosen tofrom a common male ancestor or patriline be empowered incarnations?

Answer: Any of these can become an empowered incarnation.

Question: In Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta 1.3.88, it is said that as a maintainer of the universe (uplifter), Lord Śeṣa is an āveṣa avatāra (empowered incarnation). How long does this jīva remain empowered?

Answer: Forever. 

Question: Is there any difference between the body of the pārṣada and their soul? 

Answer: The body is the body and soul is soul. These are two separate things. 

Question: More clearly, after getting pārṣada śarīra, does the tiny soul become large in shape as required for Kṛṣṇa’s service, or does it remain tiny but gets a suitable pārṣada śarīra.

Answer: The soul remains the same size.

Question: Is there a difference between nitya siddha pārṣadas who manifest from svarūpa-śakti and nitya mukta jīvas?

Answer: Yes, one is antaraṅga śakti and the other is taṭastha or intermediate śakti.

Question: Is there a difference between nitya mukta jīvas and sādhana siddha jīvas?

Answer: Yes, nitya muktas never become conditioned, while the others are conditioned before becoming sādhana siddha.

Question: When Kṛṣṇa incarnates, do only nitya siddhas and nitya muktas come with Him?

Answer: Everybody comes with Him and for Kṛṣṇa this is no problem. 

Question: On what basis does the Lord select only twelve mahājanas?

Answer: There is no selection involved here. Yamarāja only named the ones that existed at his time. It could also have been more or less.

Question: Are they all eternally mahājanas or are some of them like Bali, Nārada, Bhīṣma etc. sādhana siddhas?

Answer: They are sādhana siddha mahājanas.

Question: Is Bhīṣma an eternal pārṣada?

Answer: Bhisma is an eternal pārṣada and Vasu entered into him.

Question: Can śānta bhaktas become dissatisfied, and desire higher rasas after hearing pastimes?

Answer: No, not after attaining their siddha-deha.

Question: Do all those who get liberated (4 types liberation) get a human form (two- or four-handed)? Or can they become a tree, animal etc? 

Answer: Fourhanded or two-handed, depending on who their worshipable deity is, and whatever else they want to be.

Question:  Is there any difference between sārupya mukti and sālokya mukti? 

Answer: One who gets sārupya mukti naturally also gets sālokya mukti, but one who gets sālokya mukti may not have sārupya mukti. 

Question: All those who get sāyujya mukti due to being killed by Kṛṣṇa did not desire that liberation. This seems like an injustice, because Kṛṣṇa limits their achievement of sevānanda instead of brahmānanda.

Answer: File a court case against Kṛṣṇa for doing this injustice and save the poor souls from getting this horrible liberation. Dear friend, these demons killed by Kṛṣṇa were not desiring any liberation. It is you who is thinking that injustice is being done to them because you are desiring sevānanda. 

Question: Does Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa originally belong to Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism, and later took initiation in Śyāmānanda Parivāra?

Answer: He was originally Madhvā and later became Gauḍīya.