~ Jagad Guru Chris Butler (Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa)

Krsna's energies are in the visnu-tattva category

"There is no tinge of material influence in Lord Krsna's energy; it is transcendental and exists in pure goodness (suddhasattva). Sattva is of two kinds: suddha-sattva (pure-goodness) and misra-sattva (mixed goodness). Everything in the category of cit-vaibhava is suddha-sattva, or pure goodness. All saliva in the material nature is mixed, or misra-saitva. Suddha-sattva is devoid of passion and ignorance. Birth indicates the mode of passion in action. The eternally existent spiritual essence, suddha-sattva, has never been touched by birth, which is a manifestation of passion, nor by annihilation, which is an act carried out in the mode of ignorance. Although the Supreme Lord's separated parts and parcels, the jivas, belong to the category of suddha- saliva, due to their contact with nescience or material nature they have come under the sway of the material modes of passion and ignorance, and hence are now in the mixed or misra-suddha category. Even demigods like Lord Siva, though far superior in many ways to the ordinary jivas, are nevertheless captivated by the material glare due to false identification, and so fall in the category of misra-sattva. The Supreme Lord is always in pure goodness. He descends to this material world by His inconceivable spiritual potency and is always the controller of the material nature, maya, who is ever ready to act as His maidservant.

"All the expansions and partial expansions of the Lord, such as Govirida, Vaikunthanatha, Mahavisnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu, are in the category of pure goodness, supreme and divine, and They are always absolutely spiritual. These visnu-tattvas, or Supreme Godhead belonging to the category of Visnu, may sojourn in any place, either the spiritual abodes of Goloka, Vaikuntha, the Causal Ocean or in this material universe, yet They are always the Master of maya and the Supreme Controller of every other living entity, great or small. Their remaining unaffected by the influence of the illusory potency is evidence of Their inconceivable spiritual position.

Misra-sattva and maya-tattva

Lord Brahma the creator, Lord Siva the destroyer and all other demigods belong to the category of jiva, and hence are misra-tattva, or in the mixed category; while all the incarnations of the Visnu category, Their pastimes, the spiritual sky, etc. are in pure goodness. On this side of the Viraja River, which separates the material universe from the spiritual abode, everything in all the fourteen planetary systems is acit-vaibhava or the temporary manifestation of matter. Elsewhere, this place has been described as devi-dhama, the abode of Durga-devi, who is the presiding deity of maya. The material universe is composed of the five gross elements, mind, intelligence, and false ego. Both the material universe and the physical bodies of the living entities are made of the same five material substances, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether. Mind, intelligence, and false ego comprise the jiva's subtle body which is the result of his desire; these are also material. Yet the jiva, who is by nature a product of the suddha-sattva as are his original mind, intelligence, and ego, is spiritual and distinct from the subtle body.

"The seven higher planetary systems such as Bhur, Bhuvar, Svarga, Mahar, Jana, Satya and Brahma, and the seven lower planetary systems Atala, Sutala etc. are all manifestations of maya, the illusory potency of the Lord. Cit-vaibhava is the complete whole, and maya is its shadow.

Liberated and conditioned souls

"The jiva is originally completely spiritual, but infinitesmal, and due to his spiritual nature he is also independent. The jivas are countless in number and spiritual bliss is their urgent need and perfection. In seeking after bliss, those who surrender their lives to Lord Krsna become liberated and reside eternally in the Lord's company as His confidential associates.

"On the other hand, the jiva-soul who contemplates self-aggrandizement and selfish pleasure becomes attracted by maya, who is always near at hand. He becomes eternally entrapped, enticed away from Lord Krsna's service, and receives a body manufactured by material nature, or maya, conducive to residence in devi-dhama. Thus he is bound in the cycle of inevitable karmic reaction, wandering in gross and subtle bodies. Sometimes he is elevated to the heavenly planets and next he has to descend to hell. In this way he travels through all the 8,400,000 species of life, suffering the pains of material existence.