Everything Is Spiritual in the Vision of Kṛṣṇa
The distinction between the spiritual and material worlds often confuses the conditioned soul, yet Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that in the ultimate issue, such duality does not exist. Because everything emanates from the Absolute Truth, everything is inherently spiritual. The perception of a separate, material existence is a temporary illusion caused by forgetfulness of the Supreme Lord.
Absolute Nature of Reality
From the perspective of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no inferior energy. Since all existence is an expansion of Kṛṣṇa's potency, the dualities that bind the conditioned souls do not apply to Him; He sees the spiritual unity in all things.
- For Krsna, everything is spiritual. Krsna has no material body. It is for us to distinguish between matter and spirit. But Krsna, being the original source of everything, He is absolutely spirit. That's all. The Supreme Spirit.
- Because originally it (the world) belongs to God. Originally it is spiritual. Therefore in the higher sense there is nothing material. Everything is spiritual because everything is emanating from the Supreme Spirit.
- Both (spiritual and external) energies, however, belong to the Supreme Lord, and therefore in a higher sense there is no exhibition of material energy because everything is spiritual energy.
Illusion of Matter
What we term "material" is simply the spiritual energy covered by the cloud of ignorance. When the living entity forgets the proprietorship of God and attempts to enjoy resources independently, that spiritual energy appears as material nature, or māyā.
- There is nothing material. Everything is spiritual, but we do not know how to use it. Therefore it is material. When you forget Krsna, when you forget the proprietorship of Kṛsna upon everything, that is material.
- Materialism means forgetfulness of Krsna. Otherwise, there is no materialism; everything is spiritual.
- Everything in the material world is already spiritual, but due to our lack of knowledge we see things as material.
Variegatedness in the Spiritual World
The spiritual world is not a void; it is a place of infinite variety and personal relationships. In the Vaikuṇṭha planets, the land, water, trees, and inhabitants are all composed of pure spirit, yet they retain distinct forms for the pleasure of the Lord.
- In the spiritual sky, the land is spiritual, the tree is spiritual, the fruit is spiritual, the flower is spiritual, the water is spiritual, the servant is spiritual, the friend is spiritual, the Lord is spiritual and His associates are spiritual.
- The Brahma-samhita describes the supreme abode as ananda-cinmaya-rasa, a place where everything is full of spiritual bliss. Whatever variegatedness is manifest there is all of the quality of spiritual bliss - there is nothing material.
- In the Vaikuntha planets, although everything is spiritual, everything has a particular form. The trees and the men have form, and because all of them, although differently formed, are spiritual, there is no difference between them.
Reviving the Spiritual Vision
Through the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, a devotee learns to see everything in relation to the Absolute Truth. By engaging the senses, the mind, and all activities in the service of the Lord, one dissolves the material conception and re-enters the spiritual reality.
- To a perfect devotee, there is no material world. Everything is spiritual.
- If you become fully Krsna conscious, there is nothing material. Your body's spiritual, your mind is spiritual, your soul is already spiritual - everything is spiritual.
- Nothing in devotional service is material; everything is spiritual. Consequently a devotee is awarded so-called material opulence for spiritual advancement. This opulence is an aid to help the devotee advance toward the spiritual kingdom.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the dichotomy between matter and spirit is a result of our own conditioned vision. As Śrīla Prabhupāda illuminates, Kṛṣṇa is the source of all energies, and thus, in the higher sense, everything is spiritual. By realigning our consciousness and activities with the will of the Supreme Lord, we can remove the covering of māyā and perceive the absolute spiritual nature of existence everywhere.
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 Everything Is Spiritual. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.