Category:Suffering of a Conditioned Soul
Theme Analysis
The conditioned soul's suffering is not a random occurrence but a direct result of forgetting the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. This analysis highlights that the root cause of all distress is the living entity's desire to lord it over material nature. Ensnared by māyā (illusion), the soul identifies with the temporary body and is subjected to the threefold miseries, the laws of karma, and the cycle of birth and death. However, this suffering serves a purpose: to rectify the soul's mentality. The ultimate remedy is shown to be a return to spiritual consciousness through the process of devotional service.
- The Root Cause of Suffering: The primary reason for the living entity's suffering is the forgetfulness of their eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa and the subsequent attempt to dominate material nature independently.
- The Threefold Miseries: Bound by the external energy, the conditioned soul is continuously bombarded by miseries arising from the body and mind, other living entities, and natural disturbances caused by higher powers.
- The Trap of Karma: Suffering is the karmic reaction to past misdeeds. The soul is caught in a complex chain of action and reaction, creating future misery while enduring the results of previous lives.
- The Body as a Machine: The material body is a machine manufactured by material nature. Seated on this machine, the soul wanders through various species and planets, mistakenly thinking they are the enjoyer while actually being the sufferer.
- The Only Remedy: Liberation from this entanglement is impossible through material adjustment. Relief comes only when the soul surrenders to the Lord and engages in hearing and chanting about His glories.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Cause and Remedy for Suffering of a Conditioned Soul.
Pages in category "Suffering of a Conditioned Soul"
The following 55 pages are in this category, out of 55 total.
A
- A conditioned soul is one who has forgotten Krsna as his eternal master. Thinking that he is enjoying the material world, the conditioned soul suffers the threefold miseries of material existence
- A devotee should not expect immediate relief from the reactions of his past misdeeds. No conditioned soul is free from such reactionary experiences because material existence means continued suffering or enjoying of past activities
- A material body is manufactured by the external energy according to the direction of the SPG. The conditioned soul, being seated on this machine, wanders throughout the universe, and because of his bodily conception of life he only suffers
- A person desiring to cross over these ritualistic ceremonies certainly feels pains like the piercing of thorns and pebbles endured by one attempting to climb a hill. Thus the conditioned soul suffers unlimitedly
- A pure devotee of the Lord like Brahma and persons in his disciplic succession are always unhappy to see the perplexities of the conditioned souls, who are suffering the onslaughts of the threefold miseries which pertain to the body and mind
- A pure devotee of the Lord like Brahma and persons in his disciplic succession are always unhappy to see the perplexities of the conditioned souls, who are suffering to the disturbances of material nature, and to many other such material disadvantages
- Adoption of any of the above-mentioned items (hearing, chanting etc), can help a conditioned soul get out of the tangle of nescience and thus become liberated from all material sufferings created by the living being illusioned by the external energy
- Although this statement (sufferings of the conditioned soul have no value) is theoretically very true, it is very difficult for the common man or the neophyte on the transcendental path to realize practically
- Arjuna is supposed to show disregard for self-interest by submission to the will of Krsna, who is everyone's real self-interest. The conditioned soul forgets this, and therefore suffers material pains. BG 1972 purports
B
- Being implicated in home life, the conditioned soul is burned by the fire of lamentation. Sometimes he condemns himself as being very unfortunate, and sometimes he claims that he suffers because he performed no pious activities in his previous life
- Being very eager to enjoy the fruits of their activities, conditioned souls become involved in the actions and reactions of material life. Consequently they enjoy and suffer the results of karma
H
- He (the conditioned soul) is suffering in the present life the results of sinful activities from his past life, and he is meanwhile creating further sufferings for his future life
- He is suffering in this material world, changing in different types of bodies, one after another, and the propensity to lord it over the material world is going on
- He is thus ready to suffer the threefold miseries - miseries brought about by the body and mind, the inimical behavior of other living entities and natural disturbances caused by the demigods
I
- If actually there is any sympathizer for the fallen conditioned souls, he is a Vaisnava. He knows why they are suffering. Therefore he wants to give him the information: "My dear friend, you are suffering simply for forgetting your real lover, Krsna"
- If we analyze our life, we will find that it is full of suffering. Why then are we coming here? The conditioned souls are not very bright. We should inquire, "Why am I suffering?" If there is a remedy, we must take advantage of it
- In all cases, He (the Supreme Lord) is the original spiritual master who enlightens the conditioned souls who are suffering in the material world
- In any hellish condition, the conditioned soul thinks he is happy. Otherwise, it would not be possible for him to suffer hellish life
- In hopes of becoming happy in this material world, the foolish conditioned soul performs fruitive activities that result only in suffering
- In this way (by absorbing the mind in material things such as birth, death, disease, illusion, attachment, greed and enmity) the living entity is conditioned, and he suffers material miseries
- In this way the conditioned soul goes sometimes to the heavenly planets, sometimes to the earthly planets and sometimes to the lower planets and lower species. Thus he suffers continuously due to different types of bodies
- In this way there is a chain of sinful activities and their concomitant distresses, and the conditioned soul is suffering life after life due to these sins
- Indeed, he (the conditioned soul) commits abominable acts that cause him to suffer both in this life and in the next. Consequently illicit sex must be stopped by those who are spiritually inclined or who are on the path of spiritual realization
- It is the order of Lord Caitanya that krsna-katha should be spread all over the world, because if the conditioned souls, suffering under the pangs of material existence, take to krsna-katha, then their path of liberation will be open and clear
M
O
- One who actually assimilated the essence of the Vedas can preach the truth. He is compassionate to conditioned souls who are suffering the threefold miseries of this conditional world due to their not being Krsna conscious
- Others say that You (Krsna) appeared to rejuvenate the devotional service of hearing, remembering, worshiping and so on in order that the conditioned souls suffering from material pangs might take advantage and gain liberation
S
- Sometimes, due to bodily hunger and thirst, the conditioned soul becomes so disturbed that he loses his patience and becomes angry with his own beloved sons, daughters and wife. Thus, being unkind to them, he suffers all the more
- Sri Naradaji said: O King, blasphemy and praise, chastisement and respect, are experienced because of ignorance. The body of the conditioned soul is planned by the Lord for suffering in the material world through the agency of the external energy
- Srimad-Bhagavatam says, "Generally, the conditioned soul is mad because he is always engaged in activities which are the causes of bondage and suffering"
- Such activities (going to a sinful person for help, running after a mirage) do not produce any tangible results. Due to being directed by the illusory energy, a conditioned soul suffers in so many ways
T
- The conditioned jiva suffers from the material disease - the miseries of birth, death, old age and disease. When this suffering becomes unbearable, he looks for help
- The conditioned soul eternally suffers the pangs of material existence known as the threefold miseries. He is also subjected to six enemies (such as lust, anger, etc.). Such is the everlasting disease of the conditioned soul
- The conditioned soul is put into the Andha-tamisra and Tamisra hellish conditions, and after suffering there he gets a hellish body like the dog's or hog's. After several such births, he again comes into the form of a human being
- The conditioned soul suffering from various tribulations because of existing in this material world can be relieved only when he seeks shelter at the Lord's lotus feet
- The conditioned soul suffers many miserable bodily conditions, such as being affected by severe cold and strong winds. He also suffers due to the activities of other living beings and due to natural disturbances
- The conditioned soul, under the spell of the external energy of the Lord, falsely suffers many unfortunate incidents in material life
- The conditioned souls, subjected to these three miseries by the control of the external energy, suffer various difficulties
- The living entity is suffering due to his ignorance of the hidden treasure of his Supreme Father, Krsna. That treasure is love of Godhead, and in every Vedic scripture the conditioned soul is advised to find it
- The material creation is certainly meant for the suffering of the conditioned souls, who are part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as confirmed by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita - 15.7
- The sufferings are not extraneously imposed upon them; rather, the conditioned souls create their own suffering by their own acts
- The sufferings of the conditioned soul are superficial and have no intrinsic value, like the cutting off of one's head in a dream
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the supreme spiritual master. The Supreme Lord knows everything about the suffering of the conditioned soul, and therefore He appears in this material world
- There are so many thing enjoyable, but who is enjoying? That is the question. The real enjoyer and sufferer is the soul, not this body. When the soul is out of this body the body is no more enjoyer or sufferer
- There was no necessity to create this material world for the sufferings of the conditioned souls, but at the same time there are certain living entities, known as nitya-baddha, who are eternally conditioned
- These sufferings and pains are sometimes mixed. Sometimes they are very severe, and sometimes they are not. These bodily conditions are acquired due to the conditioned soul's mental speculation
- They (the conditioned souls) are simply suffering different pains and pleasures, generally pains that are always inauspicious. They try to gain release from these pains, but they cannot due to ignorance
- This material world is a place for suffering, which is due to the misdeeds of the inhabitants, the conditioned souls themselves
- This world was created through the material energy of the Lord for the so-called enjoyment of such living entities. Why this material world was created for the sufferings of the conditioned souls is a very intricate question
W
- When dreaming, it is not possible to avoid the actual facts, and the conditioned soul is forced to suffer due to his dream
- When he (the conditioned spirit soul) is punished for his abominable activities, he is thrown into hellish planets where he suffers the miseries of material existence more acutely
- When the demigods become distressed by the sufferings of the conditioned souls, they approach the Lord to remedy the suffering, and the Personality of Godhead descends