In the last two chapters we have seen that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura accepts that the conditioning of the jivas in the material world is beginningless and that nitya-muktas, not even aware that the Lord has an energy called maya, have no chance to fall down from their eternal position.  We also saw how his words can be misinterpreted by those who lack spiritual insight. 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada is the illustrious son of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.  He imbibed Gaudiya Vaisnavism from his father.  Therefore, one would not expect him to disagree with the Thakura.  He writes in his commentary on Brahma-samhita (21),

“But so long as he (jiva) remains submissive to Krishna, the Lord of Maya, he is not liable to the influence of Maya.  The world afflictions, births, and rebirths are the concomitants of the fettered condition of souls fallen into the clutches of the deluding potency from a time that has no beginning.” 

Clearly he accepts that the bondage of the jiva is anadi, or beginningless.

In the booklet Vaisnavism—Real and Apparent, under the heading “The Bondage of Jiva,” Srila Bhaktisiddhanta writes:

“Jivas are of two kinds (1) Nitya-mukta (eternally free), (2). Nitya-baddha (eternally enslaved).  Free jivas are never enslaved.  They are serving the Supreme God in five different functions in His eternal blissful abode, where there is no change, no destruction, no misery.  Jiva, once entered there, never comes back here.”

Here, as in Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya 20.10), he accepts only two classes of jivas and categorically says,

“Free jivas are never enslaved.” 

He also says,

“Jiva, once entered there, never comes back here.” 

These two sentences mean that whether one has always been in Vaikuntha or goes there from the material world, one never falls down from Vaikuntha.

From these two references (Brahma-samhita and Vaisnavism—Real and Apparent), Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati clearly accepts two things:

(1) that the bondage of the jiva has no beginning and

(2) that a liberated soul, whether nitya-mukta or baddha-mukta, never falls down.

In Sri Caitanya’s Teachings—Part II, Chapter One, (Immanent and Transcendent) p.  391-2, Third Edition, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta writes:

“Tatastha has both the power of associating with temporal as well as eternal planes.  Souls who have got their stations at Tatastha have got free will.  Each of the individual souls by exercising his free will can abuse or properly use his independence.  He has got two different fields in two different directions.  He may choose one of these for his stage.  When he is in an enjoying mood and considers himself identical with the Predominating Object or the Absolute, he is said to be fallen and when he shows an aptitude for serving the Transcendental Predominating Object, he is freed from the clutches of limitation and is eternally associated in serving the Predominating Object.  The souls in the tatastha position are not one, but many in number.  They are not to associate themselves with unalloyed Chit Shakti or unalloyed Achit or Maya Shakti.  In the Tatastha position, souls do not show any activity but they are found to be in an indolent stage.”