Transcending the Mundane
The word "mundane" refers to that which is of this world—earthly, temporary, and conditioned by the modes of material nature. In the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the distinction between the mundane and the transcendental is the line of demarcation between illusion and reality. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses the term to categorize everything from dry scholarship and political welfare to perverted reflections of love. The goal of human life, he posits, is to rise above the mundane platform and situate oneself in the eternal atmosphere of the spiritual world.
Limits of Mundane Scholarship
One of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s most frequent targets is "mundane scholarship." He argues that the Absolute Truth is beyond the range of intellect, logic, and academic degrees. When scholars attempt to interpret Vedic literatures like the Bhagavad-gītā using their "blunt senses" and grammatical skills, they inevitably miss the point. Kṛṣṇa is understood only by revelation, not by research. Śrīla Prabhupāda compares these scholars to frogs in a well who cannot conceive of the vast Atlantic Ocean.
- The mundane Ph.D.'s are completely unable to speculate on the Supreme with their limited senses. Such attempts by the puffed up Ph.D's are compared to the philosophy of the frog in the well.
- Mundane scholars can always discover novel meanings in Bhagavad-gita, and in this way they may certainly exhibit their mundane erudition - but this is all just the play of maya. The real essence of Bhagavad-gita cannot be transmitted through such persons.
- Vedic knowledge is transcendental and cannot be understood by mundane educational procedures. One can understand the Vedic mantras only by the grace of the Lord and the spiritual master - yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau - SU 6.23.
- Even the most erudite mundane scholar cannot approach the transcendental plane unless he submits himself to transcendental sound with a receptive mood, for in that mood only in a receptive mood can one realize the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Mundane Morality vs. Spiritual Pastimes
A critical area of confusion arises regarding the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, specifically the rāsa-līlā. Mundane moralists often criticize Kṛṣṇa’s interactions with the gopīs as immoral, viewing them through the lens of worldly sex life. Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly refutes this, explaining that Kṛṣṇa’s activities are transcendental. The love of the gopīs is a spiritual exchange free from the lust that characterizes mundane relationships. He warns that projecting mundane values onto the Divine leads to offense and misunderstanding.
- The position of the gopis in their loving dealings with Krsna is transcendental. Although it is apparently like mundane sex, one should not confuse it with mundane sexual love, for it is pure and unadulterated love of Godhead.
- Mundane rascals, who cannot understand the absolute nature of the Personality of Godhead, sometimes call Lord Sri Krsna immoral, but they do not know that His seemingly immoral activities, which are not kept secret, afford pleasure to the devotees.
- The competition of increasing beauty between the gopis and Krsna, which is without limitations, is so delicate that sometimes mundane moralists mistake these dealings to be purely amorous. But these affairs are not at all mundane.
- Although this (the gopis danced with Krsna at midnight) is immoral from the mundane viewpoint, the activities of the gopis are accepted as the highest form of worship because it was Lord Krsna whom they approached with lusty desires in the dead of night.
Beyond Mundane Welfare and Religion
Śrīla Prabhupāda also contrasts devotional service with mundane religion and altruism. "Mundane religion" generally refers to ritualistic practices aimed at economic development or material gain (smārta-vidhi), rather than pure love of God. Similarly, he points out that mundane welfare work—opening hospitals or feeding the poor—while pious, is limited because it addresses only the temporary body. True welfare is awakening the soul's eternal consciousness, which solves the problems of life permanently.
- Mundane religiosities, economic development, sense gratification and ultimately a frustrated man's desire to merge in the impersonal feature of Godhead and all similar other things are completely thrown away from the transcendental literature of Srimad-Bhagavatam.
- One who engages in mundane activity - be he a so-called jnani, yogi, karmi, philanthropist, nationalist, or whatever - cannot attain the higher stage of mahatma. He remains a duratma, or cripple-minded person.
- This kind of action is not buddhi-yoga, however, because such philanthropic works can at best replace one set of people's mundane desires with a new set, but they can never completely root out these unwanted desires from within the heart.
- Mundane religious activity is known as smarta-viddhi, but transcendental devotional service is called gosvami-viddhi.
Dovetailing: Spiritualizing Mundane
Is everything mundane to be rejected? Śrīla Prabhupāda offers the principle of yukta-vairāgya—engaging material things in spiritual service. He explains that when a mundane activity or object is "dovetailed" in the service of the Lord, it ceases to be mundane and becomes transcendental. Whether it is using a dictaphone, writing, or managing, if the center is Kṛṣṇa, the activity is liberated. This process allows the devotee to live in the material world without being touched by it, like a lotus leaf in water.
- Srila Rupa Gosvami has described this action of a pure devotee as nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. Even mundane activities dovetailed with service to the Lord are also calculated to be transcendental or approved kaivalya affairs.
- Historical events and other narrations concerning social and political incidents all become transcendental as soon as they are in relationship with Krsna. That is the way to transform mundane things into spiritual identity.
- To a pure devotee, who is actually related with the Lord, such mundane things are transcendental if dovetailed with the Lord or with His pure devotees.
- All material and mundane information is tainted by illusion, error, cheating and imperfection of the senses. Because Vedic knowledge was imparted by the Supreme Lord, who is transcendental to material creation, it is perfect.
Conclusion
Transcending the mundane does not necessarily mean leaving the world, but changing one's consciousness. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the mundane platform is characterized by forgetfulness of God, while the transcendental platform is characterized by remembrance of Him. By chanting the holy name and engaging in devotional service, one washes away the "mundane filth" from the heart and regains the vision to see the spiritual reality underlying everything.
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 Mundane. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.