How can we say that we are spiritually equal when in the spiritual world every soul is different?

Transcript

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Question We say that we are materially different but we are spiritually equal. But aren’t we different spiritually also? Because we all have our individual role and relationship with Krishna in the spiritual world.
Answer Every answer or every statement has a context. With respect to material variegatedness and spiritual equality, the point is that the attempt to artificially bring to the spiritual level the equality that is there to bring to the material level and equality is flawed. Because we all have different abilities, different backgrounds, different financial levels, different intellectual levels.
We all can contribute constructively. So, the point here is that spirituality doesn’t necessarily mean eradication of our individuality. When we talk about equality of the souls at the spiritual level, it means that all souls are parts of Krishna.
15.7 means all living beings who are in material existence are His eternal parts. Not that some are His parts and some are not His parts. Similarly, Krishna in terms of our core identity we are all equally the parts of Krishna.
In terms of Krishna’s love for us, Krishna is the benevolent well-wisher of all of us. 15.8 15.8 No exception. He is the well-wisher of all living beings.
For the reciprocation of love, on this foundation of equality all souls are equal in their being parts of Krishna. All souls are equal in being loved by Krishna. On this platform of equality there is variety.
And that variety means that different souls have different roles in their relationship with Krishna. So, there is Madhurya Ras which is considered the highest and there is maybe Shanta Ras which is considered more preliminary. But the devotees in Shanta Ras are just as fully satisfied as are the devotees in Madhurya Ras.
So, in that sense there is no essential difference between the souls who are purified and between the souls at the spiritual level. So, every soul has the opportunity to be equally satisfied in their personal spiritual relationship with Krishna. So, here we can’t equate equal with identical.
Identical would mean that each soul is a Xerox copy of the other soul. And that would mean that the souls would have no individuality. That is definitely not the case in the spiritual world.
Every soul is an individual and every soul according to one’s individual inclination and inspiration in reciprocation with Krishna serves Krishna. So, in the material world because of the variety that are there often there is not the opportunity at the material level to be satisfied. So, if I define my success in terms of intellectual ability, I am just not intellectually gifted.
And no matter what I do I cannot be satisfied. Because I will always be looking at people who are superior to me. On the other hand, if I am spiritually grounded, then, based on my connection with Krishna, whatever be the situation I am in, I can be satisfied.
Thus it is that our spiritual relationship with Krishna is the basis of our satisfaction. In our spiritual level of consciousness. So, when we say we are materially different but spiritually equal, the point of that is to not artificially try to create absolute equality at the material level which is a utopian and impossible proposition.
Instead, we can focus on striving to raise our consciousness to the spiritual level and therein experience the richness of loving reciprocation with Krishna and be fully satisfied therein. So, we could say that there is unity in diversity when we have a spiritual purpose in life. That we all are diverse in our individualities here.
We have unity in that we are all souls who are parts of Krishna. But then at the spiritual level, there is diversity within unity also that each soul will serve Krishna in an individual way. However, the diversity at the material world causes dissatisfaction, causes discrimination, causes distress.
But the diversity at the spiritual level increases the sweetness and the variegatedness of loving reciprocations and thus increases the joy of Krishna and provides us individualized joy in our personal relationship with Krishna. Thank you.