Śrī Jīva Goswami explains that there is no fall after attaining Vaikuṇṭha, Part I

That the residents of Vaikuṇṭha can “fall” into the material world is an extraordinary and odious fiction. Even a cursory analysis of Indian theological systems shows that the idea is ridiculous. Śrī Jīva Goswami also shows in an exhaustive analysis that no such ‘fall’ is possible. His goal, of course, was not to refute the notion that people can fall after attaining mukti – such a position was not a serious pūrva-pakṣa for him. Yet, his writings from Anuccheda 10.2 in the Prīti Sandarbha now fortuitously serve as a refutation of the modern idea that there can be a fall from Vaikuṇṭha. I present Babaji’s translations of this section below.

The five types of mukti

The context of Anuccheda 10.2 is the topic of mukti which is discussed in Anuccheda 10.1. There are five types of mukti – sālokya-sārṣṭi-sārūpya-sāmīpya-sāyujya. Śrī Jīva defines each of these terms (as an aside, I absolutely love the many concise definitions found in Śrī Jīva’s works) —

sālokyaṁ samāna-lokatvaṁ śrī-vaikuṇṭha-vāsaḥ — sālokya means to attain the same abode as Bhagavān, i.e., residence in Vaikuṇṭha

sārṣṭis tatraiva samānaiśvaryam api bhavatīti — sārṣṭi means that within the context of such residence, one also obtains divine opulence (aiśvarya) comparable to that of Bhagavān

sārūpyaṁ tatraiva samāna-rūpatādi prāpyata iti — sārūpya means to attain a form similar to that of Bhagavān while residing in His abode

sāmīpyaṁ samīpa-gamanādhikāritvam — sāmīpya means to obtain the privilege of being admitted into His presence.

sāyujyaṁ keṣāṁcit bhagavac-chrī-vigraha eva praveśo bhavatīti — For some [who are intent upon bhagavat-sākṣātkāra], sāyujya means to enter into Bhagavān’s divine body (śrī-vigraha) [while for others, it involves absorption into unqualified Brahman, as discussed earlier].

There is a difference between these five types of mukti in terms of the nature of bhagavat-sākṣātkāra,, the experience of Bhagavān. There is also a difference between Brahma-sāyujya and Bhagavat-sāyujya. Sri Jiva Goswami explains these items very clearly, and I include them below for completeness.

 tatra sālokya-sārṣṭi-sārūpya-mātre prāyo’ntaḥ-karaṇa-sākṣātkāraḥ | sāmīpye prāyo bahiḥ | sāyujye cāntara eva | tathāpi prakaṭa-sphūrti-lakṣaṇaṁ tat suṣuptivad anati-prakaṭa-sphūrti-lakṣaṇāt brahma-sāyujyād bhidyate |

Out of these five types of mukti, sālokya, sārṣṭi, and sārūpya primarily involve the internal vision (sākṣātkāra) of Bhagavān [disclosed within the antaḥ-karaṇa]. In sāmīpya, sākṣātkāra is predominantly external (bahiḥ). In sāyujya, sākṣātkāra is exclusively internal (antara), yet it is characterized as a distinct self-disclosure (prakaṭa-sphūrti) of Bhagavān and is thus distinguished from brahma-sāyujya, which is characterized as an indistinct disclosure (anati-prakaṭa-sphūrti), comparable to the state of deep sleep (suṣupti)

In a Q/A on his lecture on this topic, Babaji added that in Bhagavad-sāyujya, unlike Brahma-sāyujya, the liberated person is endowed with an antaḥ-karaṇa (manas, buddhi etc), because of the capability to experience Bhagavān as pointed out above. Note also, that an antaḥ-karaṇa continues to be needed for any experience even in Vaikuṇṭha, which refutes the idea that the ātman can experience anything without a mind which is external to it.

There is no fall after attaining Vaikuṇṭha

Having noted that the five types of mukti are beyond the guṇas (eṣā ca pañcavidhāpi guṇātītaiva), Śrī Jīva Goswami offers numerous citations in quick succession in Anuccheda 10.2 to support that there is no possiblity of a ‘fall-down’ once Vaikuṇṭha is attained. I will provide some of these references below. First, he provides proof from the Upaniṣads —

atrāvṛtti-rāhityaṁ cāṅgīkṛtam—anāvṛttiḥ śabdāt [ve.sū. 4.4.23] ity anena, na sa punar āvartate [chā.u. 8.15.1] iti śruteḥ |

It is furthermore admitted that once mukti is attained, there is no more return [to saṁsāra] because it is said: “[For the liberated person] there is no return [to saṁsāra] because the śāstras affirm this conclusion (anāvṛttiḥ śabdāt) and “He[the liberated person] does not return again to this world” (na sa punar āvartate, chu 8.15.1).

Now he offers proof from the Bhāgavata –

tathoktaṁ hiraṇyakaśipūpadruta-devaiḥ—

tasyai namo’stu kāṣṭhāyai yatrātmā harir īśvaraḥ |

yad gatvā na nivartante śāntāḥ sannyāsino’malāḥ || [bhā.pu. 7.4.22] iti |

This is also validated by the devas in their prayers to Viṣṇu, when they were being tormented by Hiranyakaśipu:

We offer obeisance to the direction where the Immanent Self and Supreme Regulator Hari resides and on attaining which, the pure-hearted renunciates, whose minds are established in perfect tranquility do not return to this world. (SB 7.4.22)

śrī-kapila-devena ca—

na karhicin mat-parāḥ śānta-rūpe

naṅkṣyanti no me’nimiṣo leḍhi hetiḥ || [bhā.pu. 3.25.39] iti |

Śrī Kapiladeva also conveyed the same idea to His mother Devahūti: “In Vaikuṇṭha, which is immutable and of the nature of unalloyed being (śānta-rūpe),⁹ My devotees are never bereft of transcendental opulence (na naṅkṣyanti). My weapon in the form of insurmountable time never devours them” SB (3.25.38)

and from the Gītā —

ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino’rjuna

mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate

The following quotes from the Gītā are also to be considered in this regard:
O Arjuna, all planets, up to and including that of Brahmā, are places from which the residents must return [to earth] again, but upon attaining Me, O son of Kuntī, there is no rebirth. (gītā 8.16)

yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama

“My supreme abode is that place on attaining which, one never returns” (gītā 15.6).

tat-prasādāt parāṁ śāntiṁ sthānaṁ prāpsyasi śāśvatam

By His grace, you will attain supreme peace and the eternal abode” (gītā 18.62)

He provides more references from other sources that I do not include here for brevity. Modern-day proponents argue that Jaya and Vijaya ‘fell’ into the material world. Śrī Jīva Goswami also addresses this point, which I will take up in the next article.

Summary

The five types of mukti are beyond the guṇas.

A fall-down cannot occur once any of the five types of muktis has been attained.

Given that bhakti is superior to mukti, a fall-down of the devotees of Bhagavān is impossible.