```json
{
    "title": "Monday Morning Greetings 2026 #30 – The Philosopher’s Corner: Quandary II",
    "url": "https://wavesofdevotion.com/2026/07/27/the-philosophers-corner-quandary-ii/",
    "datePublished": "2026-07-27",
    "dateModified": "2026-07-26",
    "language": "en-US",
    "description": "Today’s question: If one's essential nature is fixed, isn't it unfair that some souls — those whose intrinsic nature resembles the gopīs of Vrindavan — are destined for a higher,…",
    "author": "Dhanurdhara Swami",
    "publisher": "Waves of Devotion"
}
```

# Monday Morning Greetings 2026 #30 – The Philosopher’s Corner: Quandary II

Today’s question:

 

If one's essential nature is fixed, isn't it unfair that some souls — those whose intrinsic nature resembles the

*gopīs*

of Vrindavan — are destined for a higher, more pleasurable eternal existence than others? If so, doesn't that make God partial, or incapable (or unwilling) of giving everyone unsurpassed fulfillment in their own eternal relationship with Śrī Krishna?

 

The

*B*

*ṛ*

*had-bhāgavatām*

*ṛ*

*ta*

provides an answer. It is found when Nārada enlightens Gopa-kumāra about Vaikuṇṭha and explains that every

*rasa*

with Krishna is unique, with each soul “experiencing uninterrupted, unceasing bliss, newer and newer at every moment.” (

*B*

*ṛ*

*had-bhāgavatām*

*ṛ*

*ta*

2.4.148)

 

In other words, each soul, in whatever relationship the soul has with Krishna, can attain infinite bliss. Therefore, to say that one relationship with Krishna involves more bliss than another would be making the untenable claim that something that is infinite is greater than another thing that is infinite. In that sense, all relationships with Krishna are equal

 

Yet Gauḍīya texts deem the love of the

*gopīs*

supreme, even greater than what the goddess Lakṣmī can attain. That’s true, for how can Krishna be truly deemed the Supreme Enjoyer unless He is the embodiment of all flavors of devotion with their different levels of intimacy?

 

But then how to reconcile this hierarchy of tastes, which appears to be limiting the extension of Krishna’s mercy to all souls?

 

I think Śrī Nārada’s statement at the beginning of this post already helped reconcile these two apparently opposing conceptions. He adds more in later texts. He explains not only do all perfect devotees feel ever-expanding bliss in their

*rasa*

with Krishna, but that their respective experiences of bliss are so overwhelming that they each believe their bliss is greater than that of others. He then comes to a beautiful resolution, “This creates a hierarchy of tastes, but within it a simultaneous equality.” (

*B*

*ṛ*

*had-bhāgavatām*

*ṛ*

*ta*

2.4.154)

 

In other words, whatever relationship a pure soul has with Krishna, that soul feels no itch for what might be “missed” — the soul’s fulfillment is measured only within each soul’s relational category, not on some shared external scale ranking the

*rasas*

.

 

Let me finish this

*Philosopher’s Corner*

by shedding light on the inquiry into how a hierarchy can manifest while simultaneously containing equality, by the

*pramā*

*ṇ*

*a*

(evidence) of

*upamāna *

(analogy). I will give two analogies:

* *

*Analogy one*

 

An outsider might rank groups of people with assorted passions across different fields — those healing the sick, composing great music, crafting fine furniture, or raising a beautiful family. But each, regardless of status, nonetheless experiences complete fulfillment doing exactly what feels most deeply natural. They are all simply manifesting what they “are.”

 

Similarly, although a hierarchy of

*rasas*

may exist externally, in each relationship with Krishna the soul experiences that same complete fulfillment — doing exactly what it most deeply is.

 

*Analogy two*

 

A mother's love for her child isn't an inferior, smaller version of a lover's love — it's a different completeness, total on its own terms. So too every

*rasa*

with Krishna is complete and perfect on its own terms, each an unlimited expression of His

*hlādinī-śakti*

.

 

So is it unfair that certain souls are destined for a higher, more pleasurable eternal existence? The

*Philosopher’s Corner*

will end with one final, concise statement from Śrī Nārada on the destination of these different relationships with Krishna. His answer: yes, it is unfair. “For each attained the perfection of their faith.” (

*B*

*ṛ*

*had-bhāgavatām*

*ṛ*

*ta*

2.4.150)