Process of Attaining a Spiritual Body
The ultimate success of human life is to end the cycle of birth and death. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that this is achieved by attaining a spiritual body. Unlike the material body, which is temporary and miserable, the spiritual body is eternal and blissful. This article explains the necessity of this transformation and the specific process—centered on chanting and devotional service—required to achieve it.
Necessity of a Spiritual Body
The spirit soul is alien to the material world. Just as a fish is uncomfortable out of water, the soul is uncomfortable in the material body. The fundamental aim of human endeavor should be to extricate oneself from the gross and subtle coverings and regain one's original spiritual form. Without this spiritual body, one cannot enter the kingdom of God.
- I am spirit soul. I am not feeling comfortable with this material body. Therefore the right conclusion is how to go to the spiritual world or attain a spiritual body. That information we are getting from Bhagavad-gita.
- Human beings should endeavor to get out of this gross and subtle body, attain the spiritual body and go back home. That should be the aim of human endeavor.
- If all material bodies are doomed to annihilation, we must obtain a nonmaterial body, or a spiritual body, if we wish the next birth to be anything but false. How the spiritual body is attained is explained by Lord Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita.
Method of Transformation
The spiritual body is awarded based on the state of one's consciousness at the time of death. To attain this state, one must practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness during their life. Śrīla Prabhupāda distinguishes between the results of different practices: impersonal meditation leads to merging into the light, while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and serving Kṛṣṇa leads to a personal spiritual body.
- By omkara one attains impersonal existence in the brahma-jyoti, and by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, one attains the spiritual body, and he's situated in the spiritual planets.
- If a person continuously serves Krsna during this life in a particular ecstasy, upon giving up the material body he attains a spiritual body suitable for serving Krsna in terms of his particular attachment.
- We should not spoil our energy in building mighty industries and cities to further entrap ourselves in material nature; rather, our energy should be used to develop Krsna Consciousness, in order to attain a spiritual body whereby we may enter into Krsna's planet.
Freedom from Rebirth
The primary symptom of attaining a spiritual body is the cessation of rebirth. The material body is a machine for suffering, but the spiritual body is a vehicle for eternal enjoyment in Kṛṣṇa's family. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, one who knows the transcendental nature of the Lord's appearance and activities does not take birth again.
- If we become Krsna conscious, we will not get another material body after leaving this body. We will go home, back to Godhead, and attain our original, spiritual body, which is the same kind of beautiful body that Krsna, Narayana, has.
- When one is spiritually situated and does not desire a gross or subtle body, he attains his original spiritual body. As confirmed by the Bhagavad-gita: tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna.
- There is no birth, death, old age and disease for the spiritual body, so one who attains a spiritual body, becomes one of the associates of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engages in eternal devotional service, is really liberated.
Specific Forms for Specific Service
The spiritual world is full of variety. A devotee attains a spiritual body that corresponds to their specific relationship with the Lord. Whether one desires to be a servant, a friend, a parent, or a conjugal lover, the spiritual body is perfectly fashioned to facilitate that exchange.
- In his liberated stage the devotee is attracted by one of the five humors in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. As he continues to serve the Lord in that transcendental mood, he attains a spiritual body to serve Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana.
- One attains a completely spiritual body fit to render service to the transcendental couple Radha and Krsna: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam.
- As far as the rasa-lila pastimes of the Lord are concerned, it is futile for one who is within the material world to attempt to imitate the Lord’s dances. One has to attain a spiritual body like that of a gopi to enter into the pastimes of the rasa-lila.
Conclusion
Life is a preparation for the next stage. If we invest our energy in maintaining the temporary material body, we remain bound to the cycle of suffering. However, if we dedicate our energy to Kṛṣṇa consciousness—chanting, hearing, and serving—we prepare ourselves to inherit our rightful legacy: an eternal spiritual body. This is the highest perfection of human existence.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Attaining a Spiritual Body. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.