The beings in higher worlds as for example Goloka, are not necessarily souls. The soul is a portion of the Divine that enters the earth and goes through the evolutionary process and returns to the Divine, either to rest permanently in Him, annulling itself completely, or else to be part of the higher worlds as for example Devrishi Narad. But apart from these two categories, each world contains its own set of beings projected directly by the presiding Deity, for instance the ganas of Shiva, the Vaishnavas in Vaikunth, and gopis in eternal Rasa with Sri Krishna. These beings do not generally like to descend upon earth unless there is a special work and the presiding God of that world calls them, as for example some of them who descended in and around Braj with Sri Krishna. They come to assist in the Divine Play. Others wait for the work to be completed and then they enter the earth atmosphere to share the joy, though missing the joy of the struggle and the service.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
