Nitya-siddha

Prabhupada never claimed to be a nitya-siddha, a soul who has never fallen down to the material world.  Yet Prabhupada had the symptoms of such a great soul.  A sadhana-siddha is a conditioned soul who is perfected by the performance of the rules and regulations of devotional service.  Krpa-siddha is one who attains perfection through the special mercy of the Lord or His pure devotee.  But a nitya-siddha is extremely rare in this world.

Uddhava was a nitya-siddha.  He had the same form as Krishna (svarupa-mukti).  Even as a child he was always engaged in the “play of transcendental realization.”  Prabhupada, like Uddhava, played with the forms of Radha-Krishna as a child, bathing Them, feeding Them, and worshiping Them.  He also held the Ratha-yatra festival with his small playmates and would go across the street to visit the Radha-Govinda Temple daily.  Prabhupada said of himself that he thought he had ample opportunity to engage in sinful life, being born in an aristocratic family; but  he never did.  “And throughout my whole life I did not know what is illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating and gambling.  So far my present life is concerned, I do not remember any part of my life when I was forgetful of Krishna.”