Actual Life as Eternal Spiritual Existence

In his teachings, Śrīla Prabhupāda distinguishes between the temporary, diseased condition of material existence and the soul's eternal, healthy state. He explains that what modern civilization considers "life" is often merely a struggle within a dark, temporary dream. True life, or actual life, begins only when the living entity transcends the bodily conception and engages in the eternal, blissful service of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Material Existence as a Dream and Disease

Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently compares the material condition to a state of illness or a dream, where the soul identifies with a temporary body. He emphasizes that our obsession with the body is a misunderstanding of reality, and that "actual life" is the healthy, spiritual state free from the fever of material contamination.

• I am simply seeing dreams, day and night. I am seeing, that's a fact. Law of identity, "I am." "Then what I am? I'm simply to see these dreams? What is my actual life?" That is tattva-jijnasa.
• Our normal condition is healthy life, not under feverish condition. That is abnormal life. If one is attacked with fever, that is not his normal life. That is temporary, abnormal life. Actual life is healthy life.
• By some desire, we have got this material body, but it does not mean that without this material body I cannot live. That is nonsense. Actual life is spiritual life. Actual life is spiritual life.

Nature of Spiritual Reality

Contrary to the voidist philosophy which claims existence ends after material life, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that actual life is eternal, cognizant, and blissful. He describes this state as brahma-bhūta, a platform of existence where life is not static but filled with spiritual variety and pleasure.

• According to Buddhist philosophy, there is only void after the completion of this material life, but Bhagavad-gita teaches differently. Actual life begins after the completion of this material life.
• Actual life is spiritual existence, or brahma-bhuta existence, where life is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge.
• Unless sex life is there in the spiritual world, it cannot be reflected here. Here it is simply a perverted reflection, but the actual life is there in Krsna, who is full of all pleasure.

Service as the Activity of Life

Actual life is not a state of inactivity; rather, it is characterized by spontaneous, loving service to the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that liberation is simply the doorway to this active engagement, where every action is a natural expression of the soul's relationship with God.

• Our philosophy is that when one is liberated, his actual life begins. What is that actual life? The actual life is to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. That is actual life.
• Everyone should engage himself in that transcendental loving service of the Lord, even in the present conditional state of material existence; that will gradually give one the clue to actual life and please him to complete satisfaction.
• When one actually becomes a perfect yogi, by meditation he can see the supreme friend and surrender unto Him. This is the beginning of bhakti-yoga, or actual life in Krsna consciousness.

Purpose of Human Existence

The human form of life offers a unique opportunity to exit the darkness of material ignorance and enter the light of actual spiritual life. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that civilized systems like varṇāśrama-dharma are designed specifically to guide human beings toward this ultimate perfection.

• Actual life, this human form of life, is meant for to get out of this darkness of material world. Tamasi ma jyotir gama. This is the information, Vedic information - Don't remain in this darkness.
• In the system of varnasrama-dharma, which is the beginning of actual human life, small boys after five years of age are sent to become brahmacari at the guru's asrama.
• Spiritually uncultured people think the dog race is life. But actual life is spiritual progress. Therefore the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.18) says, tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido.

Conclusion

Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently teaches that what the conditioned soul experiences in the material world is a perverted reflection of reality. Actual life is not the cessation of existence, but the beginning of an eternal, blissful relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By using the human form to cultivate spiritual knowledge and service, one awakens from the dream of matter and enters into the healthy, constitutional position of the soul.

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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Actual Life. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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