Who can get guru and Kṛṣṇa's mercy to purify the intelligence to get out of māyā? Purified intelligence comes from Kṛṣṇa through the guru. And why does it happen? Why is the jīva, the living entity, suffering here in this material existence? Why? Because intelligence is polluted. How is it polluted? By the jīva's abuse of minute intelligence. Kṛṣṇa is supremely independent, and you jīva, being His eternal part and parcel, are endowed with minute independence. He is vibhu, great, and you are anu, atomic. He is very great, and you are atomic minute. Therefore, you have minute independence.

Independence means you have been given freedom and may act as you like. Kāruṇya dattam, out of mercy, Kṛṣṇa has granted you this independence. It's Kṛṣṇa's mercy. If Kṛṣṇa were not merciful and wouldn't have granted us this independence, what would have been our fate? Therefore, we cannot be called jīva or an animate object. We may be these inanimate objects because these inanimate objects have no independence, don't they? No. We have independence. If you desire, you can go from this place to that place, but an inanimate object cannot. This is independence. This is the difference between an animate object and an inanimate object. So, we are fortunate that Kṛṣṇa, out of His causeless mercy, has granted us this independence; therefore, we are called jīva, living entities, not non-living inanimate objects. This independence is the most valuable. There are two ways to use this independence; how you use it is up to you. You may make its proper use, or you may abuse it. That is up to you, and Kṛṣṇa watches this. "Yes, I have given him this intelligence, independence. Now I will watch how the jīva, the living entity, uses it. Is he using it properly or abusing it?" What are the proper use and abuse? What is the abuse of this independence, you know? Yes, tell me. 

Devotee: Proper use of independence is to surrender, and abuse is to forget Kṛṣṇa. 

Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja: Trying to enjoy, to Lord it over this material nature and be the master of māyā. That is the abuse of independence. As I told you, by the direction or by the instruction of the spiritual master, the human being is looking at Kṛṣṇa then backward towards māyā. Therefore, it is his independence whether he may accept Kṛṣṇa or māyā.