The Position of the Living Entity as God's Marginal Energy
A fundamental question of human existence is: "Who am I, and where do I belong?" Without answering this, we cannot understand our purpose or solve the miseries of life. Materialistic science suggests we are mere by-products of chemical evolution, while impersonalist philosophers claim we are ultimately equal to God Himself. The Vedic literatures, however, present a highly scientific and nuanced explanation of the soul's identity. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the Supreme Lord has unlimited potencies, and we, the living entities, belong to a very specific category known as the marginal energy (taṭasthā-śakti). By understanding the nature of this marginal energy, why we are situated between the spiritual and material worlds, and the profound power of choice that comes with our position, we can finally comprehend our true identity and take the necessary steps to return to our eternal home.
The Three Principal Energies
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate source of everything, yet He manages the vast cosmic creation through His diverse potencies. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that although the Lord's energies are unlimited, they are primarily categorized into three main divisions: the internal, external, and marginal energies.
- God has got multi-energies, and they are divided grossly into three: the external energy, the internal energy and the marginal energy.
- The Lord is described here as omnipotent by three energies (tri-sakti-dhrk). So primarily His three energies are internal, marginal and external.
- A particular person has got special intelligence, special energy. So what to speak of the Supreme Lord. He has got varieties of energies and all of these energies taken together primarily divided into three, the material, spiritual and the marginal energy.
- Vyasadeva saw His (God's) different energies, namely the internal energy, the marginal energy and the external energy.
The Identity of the Marginal Energy
Who exactly constitutes this marginal energy? It is none other than the countless living entities (jīvas). Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that regardless of our temporary bodily dress—whether human, demigod, animal, or plant—the soul itself is a spiritual spark, a separated expansion of the Lord belonging to His marginal potency.
- The living entity is the marginal energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the material world is the external energy.
- Superior to this material energy is the Lord's marginal energy, exhibited as the living being. Besides these energies, the Supreme Lord has another energy, which is known as the internal energy.
- The personal plenary expansions are visnu-tattvas, and the separated expansions are living entities. Since the living entities are very small, they are sometimes described as the marginal energy of the Lord.
- To be either a woman or a man only involves one's bodily dress. The soul in nature is actually the marginal energy of the Supreme Lord.
The Freedom of the Taṭasthā-śakti
The word "marginal" signifies a position on a boundary, much like the shoreline that is sometimes covered by the ocean and sometimes exposed to the sun. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that because we are the marginal energy, we have the minute independence to choose our association: we can live in the light of the spiritual world or fall into the darkness of the material world.
- The conditioned living entity is the marginal energy of the Lord; he tends to be in contact with both the material energy and the spiritual energy.
- The living entities, who are residents of the spiritual as well as the material expansions, are His (God's) marginal energy (tatastha-sakti), and they are at liberty to live in either of the energies, external or internal.
- The marginal energy can take shelter of either the internal energy or the external energy, but factually it belongs to the Lord's internal energy. The living beings are therefore infinitesimal samples of the Supreme Lord.
- The process is to transfer yourself from material energy to spiritual energy. We are under energy. The God has got two energies - material energy and spiritual energy. We are also energy. We are marginal energy.
Entrapment and the Ultimate Purpose
Although the marginal energy is constitutionally spiritual, the misuse of its free will leads to dire consequences. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that when the living entity desires to exploit material nature rather than serve the Supreme Lord, he becomes entrapped by māyā. True liberation means returning to our natural position of transcendental loving service.
- The living entities are the marginal energy of the Lord, and therefore they are meant for being properly utilized in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. When this is not done, one's situation is called maya.
- The living entity, who is of the marginal energy, is entrapped by the material energy on the basis of his desire to lord it over the material world.
- The jiva, or living entity, is actually prakrti, or the marginal energy of the Supreme Lord. Being associated with material energy, he tries to lord it over the material nature. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita.
- Real sannyasa-yoga or bhakti means that one should know his constitutional position as the living entity, and act accordingly. The living entity has no separate independent identity. He is the marginal energy of the Supreme.
Conclusion
A systematic study of the Vedic literatures provides perfect clarity regarding the unique and delicate position of the living entity. As Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully explains, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the energetic source of everything, conducting His cosmic affairs through three primary potencies: the internal, external, and marginal energies. We, the living entities (jīvas), are not supreme, nor are we mere products of dull matter; we are the marginal energy of the Lord. The term taṭasthā-śakti perfectly describes our constitutional position on the boundary line between the spiritual and material worlds. Because we are infinitesimal sparks of God, we are naturally spiritual, yet because we are so small, we are susceptible to the covering of the external energy (māyā). The Supreme Lord, respecting our free will, gives us the liberty to choose our shelter. If we misuse our minute independence by trying to lord it over material nature, we are immediately entrapped by the external energy, leading to endless cycles of birth and death. However, if we utilize our intelligence and proper guidance to transfer our association back to the internal energy, we revive our original consciousness. True spiritual life—pure bhakti—simply means recognizing our identity as the subordinate marginal energy and happily dedicating our existence to the transcendental loving service of the supreme energetic, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
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 Energy. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.