Entrapped Conditioned Souls
The term "entrapped conditioned soul" describes the precarious position of the living entity in the material world. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this entrapment is not accidental but is a result of the living being's own choice to attempt to dominate material nature. Having selected this risky path, the soul is confined by the strict laws of nature, encased within material bodies, and bound by the illusory energy, māyā. This state is characterized by a struggle through millions of species, driven by false ego and the pursuit of temporary pleasure.
Nature of Trap
The material universe is described by Śrīla Prabhupāda as an "egg-like" structure in which the living entities are confined. Within this universal shell, the soul is further entrapped in a material body. He notes that this confinement spans all states of existence—whether awake, asleep, or unconscious—under the influence of the mind.
- You see the sky is just like egglike, within that. They are called baddha-jiva. Baddha-jiva means entrapped.
- The living entity is entrapped by the material body and conditioned in three stages, namely while awake, asleep and unconscious. The mind acts throughout all three conditions of life.
- The captivated conditioned souls under the influence of the external energy, maya, are therefore entrapped in the network of the material nature.
Cause of Entanglement
The root cause of this entrapment is the desire for lordship. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the soul wants to imitate the Supreme Lord and dominate material nature. Based on the capacity to dominate, one receives a specific field of activity, or body. The central mechanism of this entrapment is sex life (maithunādi), which binds the soul to the material conception of life.
- That is the condition of material existence. All living beings in the material world have taken up the risk of conditioned life by their own selection and are thus entrapped by the laws of material nature.
- The conditioned soul is entrapped in material existence, and he attempts to lord over material nature. And so, according to his capacity to dominate material nature, he gets a field of activity. That field of activity is the body.
- So entrapped living entities, they are in different grades of life, 8,400,000 different forms of life. Now, how they are entrapped? The sex. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. This is their pleasure.
False Identification and Ownership
Once entrapped, the living entity falls prey to false identification. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the conditioned soul imagines ownership over material resources which are actually meant for self-realization. This false ego extends to family relationships, where one becomes attached to offspring and social bonds, further tightening the knot of bondage.
- Vasudeva continued, "In the bodily concept of life, due to false egotism one is attached to the offspring of the body, and thus everyone in conditioned life is entrapped by false relationships and false affection."
- Material resources are offered to the living entity for his peaceful living and for the discharge of the duties of self-realization in conditioned life. But due to false identification, the conditioned soul becomes entrapped by the sense of false ownership.
- Birth after birth the conditioned soul is entrapped with so many pleasing and displeasing elements, which are all false and temporary. They accumulate due to our reactions to material desires.
Path to Liberation
Despite this formidable entrapment, there is hope. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the material creation is ultimately meant to give the conditioned souls a chance for liberation. He suggests that if leaders and wealthy men use their resources to educate people in the knowledge of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the influence of the Age of Kali can be defeated, and the souls can be saved from their confinement.
- The material creation is but a temporary manifestation meant to give the chance of liberation to the conditioned souls, who are entrapped in the material world.
- If leaders and rich men spend fifty percent of their accumulated wealth mercifully for the misled people and educate them in Krsna consciousness, the knowledge of Bhagavatam, certainly the age of Kali will be defeated in its attempt to entrap the conditioned souls.
Conclusion
The status of the entrapped conditioned soul is one of suffering and illusion. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda assures us that by taking shelter of the spiritual energy and following the instructions of the Lord and His devotees, one can break free from the network of māyā and return to their original, natural state of life.
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 Entrapped Conditioned Souls. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.