God's Marginal Potency Situated Between the Material and Spiritual Worlds
When we look at the incredible diversity of life—from the demigods down to the plants and aquatics—it is easy to become confused about the origin and nature of the soul. Mundane philosophers often argue that life is generated from matter, while impersonalists suggest that the soul is ultimately God Himself. The Vedic literatures effortlessly resolve this confusion by introducing the science of divine potencies. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Personality of Godhead manages everything through three primary energies: the internal, external, and marginal potencies. We, the living entities, are precisely identified as the marginal potency. By understanding what it means to be marginal, why we are prone to material entanglement, and how we differ from the Supreme Lord, we can properly navigate our existence and choose the path that leads back to our original, blissful consciousness.
The Three Principal Potencies
To understand the universe, we must first understand the energies that construct it. Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly points out that although the Lord's potencies are unlimited, they are perfectly categorized into three fundamental divisions: the internal (spiritual), external (material), and marginal (the living entities).
- The primary potencies of the Absolute Truth are mentioned to be three: internal, external and marginal.
- The total energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is classified in three divisions - namely, the spiritual or internal potency of the Lord, the marginal potency, or ksetra-jna (the living entity), and the material potency, which is separated from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- The external potency manifests this material world, the internal potency manifests the spiritual world, and the marginal potency manifests the living entities, who are mixtures of internal and external.
- The omnipotent Personality of Godhead has primarily three potential manifestations, namely internal, external, and marginal potencies, with unlimited expansions of these three energies.
The Identity of the Marginal Potency
Every living creature, regardless of its bodily dress, shares the same spiritual origin. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that from the highest demigod to the lowest insect, all living beings are vibhinnāṁśa—separated, infinitesimal expansions of the Supreme Lord, collectively known as His marginal potency.
- By His marginal potency the Lord expands Himself as living beings who are part of Him, just as the sun distributes its rays in all directions.
- The vibhinnamsa expansions, the marginal potencies of the Lord, are the living entities.
- Lesser living beings, including humans, also belong to the Lord's marginal potency. The material world is the creation of the Lord's external potency.
- All living creatures throughout the universe-including birds, reptiles, ants, aquatics, trees and so on-are emanations of the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord. Therefore all of them belong to the family of the Supreme Being. There is no clash of interest.
Between the Two Worlds
The term "marginal" denotes a position on the boundary between two states, like the shoreline between land and sea. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that because the living entities are situated between the internal (spiritual) and external (material) potencies, they have the minute independence to be influenced by either.
- Because they are between the internal and external potencies, the eternally transcendental living entities are called the marginal potency of the Lord.
- Although belonging to the marginal potency, known as jiva-sakti, the spiritual sparks known as the living entities are subjected to the conditions of material energy. It is because these sparks are related with both the internal and external potencies.
- The Narada Pancaratra states that the living entities, who are the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord, are undoubtedly of the same quality of spiritual existence as the Lord Himself, but they are prone to be tinged with the material qualities.
- In the material world the living entity is enticed by deluding nescience, but in the spiritual world he is in the normal condition of spiritual existence without any delusion. The living entity is known as the marginal potency of the Lord.
Individuality and Eternal Subordination
Even though the living entity is spiritual in nature, he is never equal to God. Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly defeats the impersonalist misconception by emphasizing that the marginal potency always retains its individuality and remains eternally subordinate to the supreme energetic, the Lord Himself.
- The marginal potency, or the living entities, is also spiritual, but the living entities are never equal to the Lord. The Lord is nirasta-samya-atisaya; in other words, no one is greater than or equal to the Supreme Lord.
- The living entities, including Brahma, are not independently separated, but are counted within the marginal potency of the Supreme Lord.
- An animal that enters a forest keeps its individuality, although apparently the beast merges with the forest. Similarly, in material existence, both the material energy and the living entities of the marginal potency maintain their individuality.
- The Lord remembers them all, but His associates, although liberated souls, forget due to their being tatastha sakti, or marginal potency of the Lord. That is the difference between the visnu-tattva and jiva-tattva.
Conclusion
A systematic and submissive study of the Vedic literatures provides perfect clarity regarding the living entity's true identity. As Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully explains, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the complete whole, and He operates through three primary potencies: the internal, external, and marginal. We, the living entities, are the marginal potency. This designation is highly scientific. The term taṭasthā-śakti indicates that we are situated on the boundary line between the spiritual and material worlds. Because we are infinitesimal, separated parts of the Lord (vibhinnāṁśa), we share His spiritual quality, yet our minute size makes us prone to being covered by the external material energy (māyā) if we misuse our free will. When the soul tries to lord it over material nature, it is plunged into delusion and forgetfulness. However, when the soul seeks shelter under the Lord's internal potency, it regains its normal, blissful condition. Śrīla Prabhupāda also completely shatters the illusion that the soul can ever become God. The marginal potency is always subordinate; even in the liberated state, the living entity retains its individuality and can never equal the supreme energetic, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Because all living beings—from the greatest demigod to the smallest insect—are emanations of this same marginal potency, we are all eternally members of the Supreme Lord's family. By deeply understanding our constitutional position as God's marginal energy, we can give up the futile struggle to exploit the material world and joyfully return to our eternal occupation of loving devotional service.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category God's Marginal Potency. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.