32. THE ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP

Prabhupada makes two seemingly contradictory statements in this regard, In some places he says that these man-women relationships are temporary like "straws bumping in the waves. They come together for some time and then separate forever." This concept, which is meant to apply to ordinary mundane relationships, is commonly applied by devotees to their relationships. This is due to impersonalism. In every instance where Prabhupada talks of temporary relationships, he is referring to animalistic relationships. In numerous places Prabhupada says the relationships between devotees, including married devotees, is eternal. In at least a dozen places he directly states that husband and wife go back to Godhead together. This means that they can have an eternal, personal relationship together in the spiritual world, if they want to. It is absurd for devotees to think that after striving together in Krsna consciousness for a lifetime, they will say good-by at the end and go their own way eternally. Many devotees actually think this way but that is due only to impersonalism. If someone has this disease in his heart, then he is not going back to the personal spiritual world at the end of this lifetime. A personalist has no objection to taking as many people as possible back to Godhead, including his wife. Exactly what the relationship will be eternally is not important to dwell on while still neophytes. Prabhupada gives hints in his books. As far as details, he says, "These things you will find out when you get there." The eternal relationship does not necessarily have to be the same as it was in the lifetime that they achieved success together. That is the meaning of spiritual and personal. It depends on free will and desire.