Understanding - The Completely Spiritual Platform

In the material conception of life, there is a distinct difference between the body and the soul. The body is temporary, material, and subject to decay, while the soul is eternal and spiritual. However, on the "completely spiritual" platform, this duality vanishes. This article explores the nature of absolute reality—known as cin-mātra—where the land, the trees, the activities, and the bodies of the inhabitants are all composed of pure, conscious energy, untouched by the modes of material nature.

Nature of the Lord and His Abode

The fundamental definition of "completely spiritual" is best understood by looking at the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unlike conditioned souls, Kṛṣṇa has no division between His body and His self. His form is advaya-jñāna—non-dual knowledge. This same absolute quality pervades the spiritual planets, where even the trees and land are conscious and personal.

• Lord Krsna, the son of Nanda Maharaja, is advaya-jnana; in other words, there is no distinction between His body and His soul, for His existence is completely spiritual.
• In the Vaikuntha planets the land, the trees, the fruits and flowers and the cows - everything - is completely spiritual and personal. The trees are desire trees.
• Lord Ananta's arms are attractively long, beautifully decorated with bangles and completely spiritual. They are white, and so they appear like silver columns.

Devotional Service is Transcendental

It is a common mistake to equate devotional service with ordinary religious rituals or pious activities. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that while piety is a material quality of goodness, bhakti (devotional service) is completely spiritual. It functions beyond the jurisdiction of the material senses and mind. Therefore, the chanting of the Holy Name is not a material sound vibration but a direct contact with the spirit.

• Devotional service of the Supreme Lord and the worship of a demigod cannot be on the same platform because worship of a demigod is material and devotional service to the Supreme Lord is completely spiritual.
• Pious activity is on the material platform, but chanting of the holy name of Krsna is completely on the spiritual plane. Therefore, although pasandis do not understand this, pious activity can never compare to the chanting of the holy name.
• Our movement is completely a spiritual movement, therefore sometimes it appears to be a little different from the materialistic cultural movement.

Transformation of the Living Entity

The goal of human life is to evolve from material consciousness to spiritual consciousness. When a living entity fully engages in the spiritual process, their material coverings dissolve. This transformation is illustrated by the example of Dhruva Mahārāja, whose material body was spiritualized as he boarded the Vaikuṇṭha airplane. This same perfection awaits anyone who cultivates spiritual desires throughout their life.

• While boarding the Vaikuntha airplane, his (Dhruva maharaja) body changed to a completely spiritual golden hue. No one can surpass the higher planets in a material body.
• This change of dress (from gross body to completely spiritual form) will take place automatically at the time of death if one so desires. But this desire is possible at death only if the desire is cultivated during life.
• One attains a completely spiritual body fit to render service to the transcendental couple Radha and Krsna: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam.

Conclusion

To be completely spiritual is to be free from all material designations and dualities. It is the state of vāsudeva-sattva, where the soul interacts directly with the Supreme Lord. By understanding that the Lord, His name, His abode, and His service are all on this absolute platform, a practitioner can transcend the limitations of the material world and return to their original, eternal nature.

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 Completely Spiritual. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.