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Spiritual nature (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

Bhāvam means the spiritual nature. Yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti. Mad-bhāvam means just like the nature or the transcendental nature of the Supreme Being. As we have described above, that the Supreme Lord is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). He has His form, but His form is eternal, sat; and full of knowledge, cit; and full of bliss, ānanda. Now just we can compare our present body, whether this body is sac-cid-ānanda. No. This body is asat. Instead of being sat it is asat.

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

The Lord says yaḥ prayāti, one who goes, sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti (BG 8.5), mad-bhāvam, he gets the same spiritual body as the Lord has or the same spiritual nature. Now, there are different kinds of transcendentalists as we have already explained above. The brahmavādī, paramātmavādī and the devotees.

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

There are many innumerable names of this four-handed Nārāyaṇa. So one of the planets, that is also mad-bhāvam, that is also within the spiritual nature. So any transcendentalist who at the end of life, either he thinks of the brahmajyoti or meditates upon the Paramātmā or thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in either case, they enter into the spiritual sky. But only the devotees, those who have practiced personal touch with the Supreme Lord, they enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planets or in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet.

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 6, 1972:

This world is creation... Avyaktād anya-sambhavaḥ. This world is creation of this avyakta. And beyond this avyakta, there is another nature. That is spiritual nature. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ avyaktaḥ avyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). So this situation... Kṛṣṇa is advising... No. I mean to say, Arjuna advising, rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta. Acyuta. Kṛṣṇa is not cyuta. Kṛṣṇa is acyuta. Cyuta means those who are fallen in the material world. They are cyuta. We are fallen in the material world. Therefore we have accepted this material body. Icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27). Icchā. Icchā means desire. And dveṣa means envy, enviousness. Icchā-dveṣa-samutthena. When we become envious of Kṛṣṇa and we want to enjoy this material world, then we come to this material creation. Icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa.

Lecture on BG 2.12 -- Mexico, February 12, 1975:

You can have it from Vedic literature. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature, the spiritual nature, which is beyond this material nature. That material nature... Vyaktāvyakta means some portion is manifested and some portion is not manifested. And we get information from Bhagavad-gītā that the spiritual nature is beyond this manifested and nonmanifested cosmic situation. So Kṛṣṇa says, the supreme authority says, mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25).

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972:

"The whole cosmology, material world, is just sustained by My partial manifestation of energies." Ekāṁśena. This material cosmology, material manifestation, is one fourth demonstration of God's energy. The three-fourths manifestation of His energy is the spiritual world. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature which is spiritual nature, para, superior. The spiritual nature is described as parā. Parā means beyond this aparā. There are two energies working, material nature and spiritual nature. Material nature, it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). These eight types of material nature—earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence and ego—these are material nature. Bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. They are separated energies. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. Beyond this. These are inferior, aparā. And beyond this aparā-prakṛti, there is another, superior prakṛti. What is that? Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). That is the living entity.

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

This is wrong. How you can say the animal has no soul? Everyone. Here the authoritative statement by Kṛṣṇa: sarvasya. And in other place, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ: (BG 14.4) In all species of life, as many forms are there, 8,400,000 different forms of life, tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma. Mahad yonir. Their source of body is of this material nature. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: "I am the seed-giving father." As without father and mother there is no offspring, so the father is Kṛṣṇa and the mother is material nature, or spiritual nature.

Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

There are two natures. That is explained in the seventh verse. The material nature and the spiritual nature. Or the superior nature or inferior nature. Just like in our body there are inferior parts and superior parts. Body is the same. But still there are different parts of the body. Some of them are considered as inferior and some of them are considered superior. Even two hands. According to Vedic civilization, right hand is the superior hand, and left hand is the inferior hand. When you want to give somebody something, you must give it with the right hand. If you give it by the left hand, it is insult. Two hand are required. Why this hand is superior, this hand...? So we have to accept the Vedic injunction. So although both the nature, the spiritual nature and material nature, is coming from the same source, Absolute Truth... Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything is emanating from Him.

Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:

There is Vedic instruction also. Tamaso mā jyotir gamaya. Don't remain within this darkness. This material world is darkness. Therefore there is need of sunlight, need of moonlight. Just like just now, night. What is this night? Night means this is the real appearance of this material world. It is dark. And when the sunlight will be visible, we shall think that it is daytime. But actually it is dark. But there is another nature. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20). Another spiritual nature where there is always illumination. Jyoti. Jyoti means illumination. So Vedic injunction is that don't stay within this dark material world. Just come to the illuminated world. Jyotir gamaya. The same thing Kṛṣṇa also advises, that don't be allured to stay in any nice planet of this universe. Come out of it. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). "That is My eternal abode, or the best abode, where going you'll never come back again." So what is that?

Lecture on BG 4.1-2 -- Columbus, May 9, 1969:

And Bhagavad-gītā is the essence of such Vedic knowledge. And it is being spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand it as it is; then your life will be sublime. You will feel joyful always. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Abhyāsāt: "By nature we are joyful." But what is that nature? That spiritual nature, not this material nature. Material... Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). If we remain in the material nature, then our whole struggle for existence will continue. It will never stop. But if you take to the spiritual nature, Brahman nature, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), you immediately become joyful.

Lecture on BG 4.3-6 -- New York, July 18, 1966:

So similarly, if we think that Kṛṣṇa is like us, He is also assumed a material body and He is one of us, then it is a mistake. It is a mistake. That is explained. In the later chapters you'll find. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: (BG 9.11) "Oh, because I appear just like a man, the foolish man considers Me as one of them. But I am not as one of... I am not one of them." Here it is clearly said that "I appear, I appear." Prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya. "I appear in My own spiritual nature. I don't accept this lower nature, this material nature." So we are, when we appear... Just like we have appeared. We have appeared in this material world, accepting this material body, the lower nature. But when Kṛṣṇa comes, He does not accept the lower nature. He comes in His original, superior, or higher, nature. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves. Here it is clearly said, prakṛtiṁ svām. Svām means own, personal, internal nature.

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

So whole process is that the eternal has to get rid of this nonpermanent material contact. And he has to take leave for the spiritual world. So... (aside:) Come on. So the whole process is that during our present existing life we have to practice in such a way that we remain constantly on the higher nature, on the spiritual nature. Exactly in the same way: just like you put the iron rod in the fire and make it warmer, warmer, warmer, warmer, and so long it does not get red hot, so it becomes fire. This is practical. In the same way you have to put yourself in such a way that you are always in, constantly in, the higher nature, not that for one hour, two hour we make this association, we try to be in higher nature and after leaving this place we again turn to the lower nature. No. We should always, whatever we hear from here, from this place, we should try to understand clearly without any doubt.

Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

Just like after Lord Buddha, Śaṅkarācārya, Śaṅkarācārya came. He gave hint about the spiritual nature of the soul, and he said, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This matter is false and temporary, but spirit is eternal." And other ācāryas, just like Rāmānujācārya and Madhvācārya, they came after Śaṅkarācārya, and they established that in the spiritual world there is also life like this, but that is eternal, blissful and full of knowledge.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

There are two natures. Just like you can understand, you are combination of two nature, the material nature and the spiritual nature. This gross body is material nature. It is made of earth, fire, water, air, ether, and mind, intelligence and ego. And the spiritual nature is yourself, the spirit soul, the living force, which is sustaining these material bodies. So both these natures, the material nature and the spiritual nature, they are different energies of God. Just like the fire has got two energies, namely, the heat and light, similarly, God has got two nature. One is called material nature and the other is called spiritual nature. So this cosmic manifestation which we experience is combination of material nature and spiritual nature. The material nature is called inferior nature, and the spiritual nature is called the superior nature. The material nature is inferior because the superior nature living entity controls over it. We have got experience. Just like a big machine, computer, or any other machine, it is combination of matter, but it cannot work independently until and unless there is touch of the spiritual nature, a human being. The big airplane is floating in the... (break) ...I mean to say, mechanical arrangement. But unless there is the pilot, it cannot work. Similarly, you try to understand that this material nature, cosmic manifestation, however wonderful it may be, unless there is direction of the Supreme Being, it is useless. So if you have understood the difference between material nature and the spiritual nature, then try to understand that as you have got experience of this material nature, there is another nature, another sky, another planetary system, everything another. That is all made of spiritual nature.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

So that spiritual nature is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. You will get information. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). That nature is called sanātana. Sanātana means eternal. As we have got this body, your body, my body, or anyone's body, it is temporary, similarly, this material nature is temporary. Temporary means it has a beginning, it stays for some time, then it transforms, then it becomes old, and it vanquishes. The spiritual nature, however, is different from this nature. The spiritual nature has no beginning, neither it has end. That is called sanātana, eternal. We living entities, we belong to that spiritual nature. Therefore, about us, it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit: "The spiritual spirit soul is never born, neither dies at any time." Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). It is farther described that "This spiritual spark, which you are, I am, it is..." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre: (BG 2.20) "When the body is destroyed, the spiritual spark, that does not destroy. That remains eternal."

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

So it is a great science to understand what is that spiritual nature and what is that material nature, and we have published about eighty books of four hundred pages each for understanding what is this material nature and what is the spiritual nature. So at the present moment, the people, the whole human society, is missing this knowledge of spiritual nature. Therefore they are attached to this material nature, and here is a formula how we can become detached to this material nature and come to our original nature, spiritual nature. We are traveling all over the world, but there is no university, no institution, no school, no college where the education of spiritual nature is imparted. There is none. The greatest scientist, philosopher, they see that a man... A great scientist, great philosopher, they are working very nicely, but as soon as that spiritual nature is gone, this material nature body is useless.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

So on the whole this great knowledge is missing at the present moment in the human society. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is specifically meant for educating people about the spirit soul. It is not a sectarian religion. It is a science. Don't take it as a type of religion. It is a course of education which is understandable by the human society, not by the cats and dogs. If I call a dog, "Please come here, read this book," how he will understand spiritual nature? It is not possible for him. But if I call a human being and I ask him, and if he agrees to understand what is spiritual nature, it is possible. That is the difference between dog and a man. A dog cannot understand what is spiritual nature, but a man can understand. Therefore the conclusion is if in this human form of life we do not take advantage of understanding what is our spiritual nature, then we are no better than the dog. It is an opportunity given by the nature or by God to understand this human form of life. We should not miss this opportunity. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. God is personally giving you the information, what is the material nature, what is the spiritual nature, how you can transfer yourself to the spiritual nature, and then you come to your original, constitutional position.

Lecture on BG 4.10 Festival at Maison de Faubourg -- Geneva, May 31, 1974:

All the members of Kṛṣṇa conscious society, they have given up. But for that reason we are not dying. It is not difficult. Simply we have to accept in the beginning there may be little inconvenience, but when you come to the platform, there is no inconvenience. So if we actually want to be cured from this diseased condition of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, we have to abstain from this sinful life. So it is not difficult. It requires little knowledge. As it is said, jñāna-tapasā, little knowledge and little austerities. Then you become purified, and mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ, you can go to the spiritual nature, the kingdom of God. I think this process is not at all difficult, and all the ladies and gentlemen who have come here will accept this process and make his life perfect.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

Nothing is beyond Kṛṣṇa. There are two nature: the spiritual nature and material nature. So material nature means external energy, and spiritual nature means internal energy. And we, we are also spiritual nature, marginal. We can remain either in the material nature or in the spiritual nature. Therefore we are marginal nature. There are three natures: external, internal and marginal. So so long we are in the material nature, external nature, we are unhappy. This is the position.

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Vrndavana, August 2, 1974:

Just like a fish, when it is put into the land, it is unhappy, or death. Similarly, if you, the creature of the land, if you are put into the water, you are unhappy. And death. So because we belong to the spiritual nature... As it is explained by Kṛṣṇa, that this material nature is aparā, aparā. Aparā means inferior, not fit for us. Therefore we are unhappy. So long we shall remain in the material nature, we must be unhappy.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

But one who is convinced, one who is convinced that "I am not this body..." This is the thing, "I am not this body." The material wants means bodily demands. Then he does not go to all these demigods. He takes at once shelter of the Supreme Lord. Jñānavān. Jñānavān, who has understood the problems of life. Jñānavān. Jñāna means who has understood the spiritual nature of the living being, he is called jñānavān. So jñānavān. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). One who has become really learned, even after many, many births, and knows that "I am not this body; I am spirit. My nature, my advancement, my happiness, is depending on the advancement of my spiritual life," such a person only can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and perfectly.

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

Now Kṛṣṇa describes, "My abode, how it is. In that sky, where My abode is there, there is no necessity of sunlight, there is no necessity of moonlight, there is no necessity of electricity." Now you cannot find such abode within this universe. You travel with your sputnik or any machine, you find out some place where there is no sunlight, there is no moonshine. The sunlight is so extensive, all over the universe there is sunlight. Where you'll find that place? That means that place is beyond the sky. That is also stated: paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). Beyond this material nature there is another spiritual nature. So we do not know what is the formation of this material nature and what to know about the spiritual nature. Then you have to hear from Kṛṣṇa who lives there. Otherwise you remain nonsense all your life.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

So there is another nature, spiritual nature, that is not created. Here in the material world, everything is created. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Anything created in the material world, it has got a period, a date, historical date of creation. And again it is annihilated, again it is created. That is the nature of material world. But transcendental to this material sky, there is another sky, which is called paravyoma. That paravyoma is called, in English word, "the kingdom of God." Of course, it is not perfectly expressed, but there is word, "paravyoma," or Vaikuṇṭhaloka. That is Kṛṣṇa's dhāma. So that is existing eternally. So therefore the creative feature of this material world and the spiritual world are different. They are not created. They are existing eternally. So we have to cultivate such knowledge that we can be..., we may be transferred to the spiritual world, because Kṛṣṇa belongs to the spiritual world, acintya-guṇa-svarūpam.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

How? This is the process, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ. Bahavo. Not only one, two, but bahavo, many. Bahavaḥ jñāna-tapasā pūtā. By..., one has to be purified. That is called pūtāḥ. Without being purified you cannot enter into the spiritual world. Vīta-rāga-bhaya, jñāna-tapasā pūtā, mad-bhāvam āgatāḥ. So these are the statements of the Bhagavad-gītā and there are many others, statements. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for taking back all the suffering humanity, all living entities, back to home, back to Godhead. This is the sum and substance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

We have got conception that Mahatma Gandhi, a great politician, he is called mahātmā. But in the Bhagavad-gītā the definition of mahātmā is different. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ: (BG 9.13) "One who is mahātmā, he is not under the control of this material nature. He is under the protection of the spiritual nature." Daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is the difference between a person under the spell of this material nature and one person under the protection of spiritual nature? That is also stated there, that mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanti mām ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). The test whether a man is under the protection or under the punishment of this material nature or he is under the protection of spiritual nature is tested in this line. What is that? That mahātmā, who is under the protection of spiritual nature, his business is to render transcendental loving service to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

There are two kinds of natural sequences. Just like this water is liquid. This is natural. But this water becomes solid also. It becomes ice. That is also natural. So which one is actual natural? Liquidity. Liquidity is actual natural. And to turn into ice, solid, that is temporary natural. So there are two kinds of natural. One kind of natural... Just like we have got this body. This is also natural, but it is temporary natural. But we are eternal, and when we get our eternal existence, that is our real natural. Is that all right? So we are now in artificial natural. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). We are getting our body and finishing. So we have to transfer from this nature to the other nature, spiritual nature. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Prakṛti means nature. So those who are mahātmās, great soul, they transfer themselves to the other nature, spiritual nature. So if you transfer yourself to the spiritual nature, that is your real life. Now I am in the artificial or temporary nature. Not artificial, but temporary. I want to live eternally. I don't want death. But it is not possible, because I have got this temporary nature.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Montreal, June 3, 1968:

Guest (1): Yeah. I was thinking in terms of spiritual nature being real nature.

Prabhupāda: Spiritual nature... I am actually spiritual nature, but I am now in material nature. So I have to revive my position in the spiritual nature.

Guest (1): When the person, by following his temporary nature, realizes he can't find satisfaction but he has to turn to spiritual nature...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That dissatisfaction is always there. Just like if a animal or a living entity is put into the water, then however expert swimmer he may be, it is struggle.

Lecture on BG 8.1 -- Geneva, June 7, 1974:

So that mad-bhāva, here it is said, yaḥ prayāti. Anyone who is passing away, who is leaving this body, thinking of Kṛṣṇa at the time of death, yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti (BG 8.5). Mad-bhāvam means spiritual nature, this spiritual world. This is also Kṛṣṇa's world, but this is not the spiritual world. This is material world. We have already discussed that He has got two energies, material and spiritual. This material world is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's material energy. Similarly, He has got a spiritual world also. Because He, His spiritual energy's also one of the energies. So mad-bhāvam yāti means that spiritual energy... Because Kṛṣṇa remains in that spiritual world, therefore He says mad-bhāvam, "the spiritual nature."

Lecture on BG 8.15-20 -- New York, November 17, 1966:

So here you get the information that paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). Bhāvaḥ means the nature, another nature. Just like you have got experience of this material nature, similarly, there is another, spiritual nature. Just like the material nature and spiritual nature you have got experience here also. What is that? Just like you are yourself combination of material and spiritual. You are yourself spirit. So long you are within this body, within this matter, it is moving. And as long, as soon as you are out of this body, it is as good as stone. So as you can perceive here, within yourself, what is matter and what is spirit, similarly, there is spiritual world also. The two natures are there, as you can experience two natures here, the material nature and spiritual nature. This we have discussed in the Seventh Chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, er, Bhagavad-gītā. The spiritual nature is called superior nature, and this material nature is called inferior nature. So this material nature, beyond this material nature, there is spirit, superior nature, spiritual nature. This information we have got.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

Now, this verse we have been discussing from the last day. There is another nature, paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ. Bhāva means nature, and para, para means superior. So there is another, superior nature, avyaktaḥ avyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Vyakta means what you see manifested. Now, this material universe you are seeing manifested... Practically not seeing, but at least at night we can see how the stars are twinkling, so many planets innumerable. This is manifested. And beyond that manifestation there is covering of the universe. Vyakta-avyakta. And beyond that avyakta there is another, material nature, er, spiritual nature...

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa is pointing out that, that nature... Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Sanātana means eternal. This nature, this material nature, it has got its beginning and end. But that spiritual nature, that has no beginning and no end. How it is? You can understand by simple example. Just like this sky, and in some insignificant part of the sky there is some cloud, and the cloud covers us. When there is cloud or snowfall we see everything is covered.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

So whatever we are seeing here, beautiful, they are all imitation of the real. As the doll is imitation of a beautiful girl, similarly, yasya satyatayā nityāpi satyam eva abhipadyate. Śrīdhara Svāmī says, "Because the spiritual world is real and this unreal manifestation appears to be real, appears to be real, but it is not real, we can understand reality will exist; reality will not vanquish." That is... Reality means eternal. Therefore real pleasure, that is Kṛṣṇa. The material pleasure is temporary, not actual. Therefore those who are after reality, they don't take part in this shadow pleasure. Shadow pleasure, they don't take part. So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati. That is reality. "When everything will be vanquished, that spiritual nature will continue to remain." That remains always.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

So our aim is, the human life's aim is, to reach that spiritual sky, but they do not know. Bhāgavata says, na te viduḥ: "They do not know that there is reality." There is reality. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know their self-interest, that this human life is meant for understanding that reality and prepare for being transferred into that real reality, not to remain. The whole Vedic literatures instructs us like that. Tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Don't remain in this darkness." This material world is darkness. We are artificially making it illuminated with electric light and fire and so many things, but the nature is dark. But that nature, that spiritual nature, is not dark. That is full of light. Just like the sun planet, there is no possibility of darkness, similarly, every planet there, they are self-illuminated, so there is no darkness.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Melbourne, April 20, 1976:

Very important chapter, the most confidential knowledge, guhyatamam. And it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even those who are liberated from this material contamination, they are called mukta-jīva, liberated soul. And there are nitya-mukta. Nitya-mukta and nitya-baddha. Nitya means eternally, and mukta means liberated. And again, nitya, eternally, baddha, conditioned. So just like there are many persons in the state who have never seen what is the prison life, and there are many persons in the state, the majority of one's life is passed in the prison. Similarly, there are two nature, material nature and the spiritual nature. What we are seeing, this nature, this universe, within the material nature... Similarly, there is another spiritual nature. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20).

Lecture on BG 9.7-10 -- New York, November 25, 1966:

Now, we are concerned how to get out of this temporary life. We are hankering after eternal life, how to get out of this temporary life. That should be our problem. There is no use calculating for how many years one kalpa, one duration of this cosmic manifestation, is maintained. But our concern is that whether we can get out of these clutches of material nature and get into our spiritual nature and have our eternal blissful life. That is our problem. That we can make solution. If we culture the Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, then even after annihilation of this body, we can get into the spiritual nature and spiritual nature, and we are also spirit. Therefore there is no difference; there is no question of birth and death. That is the problem.

Lecture on BG 10.3 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

Atrājam ity anena pradhāna-pradhānāt cid-vargāt saṁsāra-vivargāc ca veda, veda.(?) Now, here this ajam, that God is unborn, this indicates that He is different from this material world because in the material world we have no experience that anyone is unborn. Everyone is born. Not only everyone, everything is born. This your New York City is born. You will find some date in the history that the New York City was started four hundred years or five hundred years. So we have got, we are very much fond of history. That means finding out the date of birth of everything. So this is the nature. So "He is unborn" means that spiritual nature is not like this material nature. At once we can understand. Spiritual nature is born and... Material nature is born, and spiritual nature is not born. This is the distinction. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is not material, He is spiritual. Because He says unborn, therefore He is not material. Immediately you have to understand.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

The material nature and the spiritual nature... There are two natures. So spiritual nature, the living entities, although they are to be enjoyed... Enjoyed by whom? Enjoyed by God, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that bhoktā, bhoktā aham, "I am the enjoyer." Just like in this temple, who is the enjoyer? Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. We are helping to Kṛṣṇa's enjoyment. Kṛṣṇa will eat something very nice. Our business is to prepare it nicely and offer to Kṛṣṇa. He is enjoyer. He is enjoying His flute in the company of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. So His very position is enjoyer. And we are servants. We don't claim that we are on the equal level of Kṛṣṇa. That is not our philosophy. We claim to become servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of servant of Kṛṣṇa (CC Madhya 13.80). This is our position. We don't say that...

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

If you want actual peace, ātmā, suprasīdati, then you have to accept paro dharma. Para means supreme or superior. There are two kinds of dharmas, parā and aparā. Aparā means this material world. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). There are two natures, one spiritual nature and one material nature. People do not understand what is spiritual nature. But Kṛṣṇa explains very nicely, and one can understand very easily what is spiritual nature and what is material nature. In the Bhagavad-gītā, the matter, five elements, earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence, ego, these are material nature.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, April 18, 1974:

Therefore here it is said, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Para and apara—these two words are there, para and apara. Para means spiritual, and apara means material. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā in another place, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. Apara, this material nature, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), this earth, water, fire, air, mind, intelligence, they are material. Bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. Apareyam. But they are apara. Apara means material, inferior. There is another, spiritual nature. What is that? Jīva-bhūta, that living entity. Living entity's para. So Kṛṣṇa is also para. So when the living entity engage himself in the service of the supreme spiritual, Kṛṣṇa, that is called paro dharmaḥ, spiritual religion, not apara. Apara means material, and para means superior or spiritual.

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

Now, Siddhaloka, the inhabitants of the Siddhaloka, they don't require any plane. They can go... Because siddha means the inhabitants in that planet, they are all perfect in aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga. By yogic perfection, one can travel in the space. Just like Durvāsā Muni. He traveled in the space. When there was chasing by the Sudarśana-cakra, he, by yogic power, he fled from one place to another, one place... He even entered the spiritual nature and saw Viṣṇu personally.

Lecture on SB 1.8.35 -- Los Angeles, April 27, 1973 :

When analyzing the energy of Kṛṣṇa in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said, viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā. Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu's energy is parā, superior energy or spiritual energy. Parā. Parā and aparā, you have read in the Bhagavad-gītā. Apareyam itas tu vidhi me prakṛtiṁ parā. When Kṛṣṇa is analyzing, two kinds of nature, parā and aparā, inferior and superior. This is also nature, bhūmih, āpaḥ, analo, vāyuḥ, land, water, fire, air. This is also Kṛṣṇa's nature. Kṛṣṇa says vidhi me prakṛtiḥ aṣṭadhā. "These eight kinds of material nature, they are My nature, they are My energy. But they apareyam. But this is inferior energy. And there is another, superior nature." "What is that, Sir?" Jīva-bhūta, this living energy. And these rascals, they do not know that there are two natures working—material nature and spiritual nature. The spiritual nature is within the material nature; therefore it is working. Otherwise material nature hs no power to work independently.

Lecture on SB 1.15.34 -- Los Angeles, December 12, 1973:

This iron or other metallic preparation, they have been turned into microphone by a living entity, not that the matter has come automatically and combined together and it has become microphone. Where is that instance? Nature, material nature, does not combine together. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). He is defining very nice. You read book. Kṛṣṇa says, "There are two kinds of nature: inferior nature and spiritual nature. The inferior nature is matter." Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), and superior nature is the living entity. So why superior, living entity? Because the living entity can manipulate the material nature.

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

So we, marginal... Marginal means actually we belong to the spiritual nature. Because we are spirit soul, but we have come in contact with this material nature, some way or other. So therefore we are seeing our position incompatible. We cannot adjust here. Therefore we are getting one type of body and enjoying or suffering another type of body, another type of body, another type of body. This is going on. Therefore we are called marginal. If we like, we can transfer ourself to the spiritual world and remain eternally, because we are of the spiritual nature. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). This is the description of the soul. The soul is never born, na jāyate. Na mriyate, neither he dies. Na jāyate na mriyate vā. Kadācit, at any time. Not that sometimes we wish to live or sometimes we wish to die. No. Everlastingly, eternally, we never take our birth, never we die. Then what is this death? This death is of the material body, not of the soul. Therefore it is said, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), more distinctly, that "We don't think that the soul is dead after the annihilation of this body."

Lecture on SB 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973:

So now the conclusion is that because we are marginal, in between the spiritual nature and the material nature, although we are spiritual, although our real nature is na jāyate na mriyate, we never take birth, never die, but on account of our contact with this material nature, we are getting this material body and the body is changing. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Body is changing. And that we have taken as our nature, birth and death. That is not our nature. We are spirit soul. We are put into marginal because... Just like the margin is explained: taṭastha. That is... We have translated into "marginal." Just like we go on the Pacific beach. Some day we find the water is covering the beach, and some day we see it is open. There is no water. So that is called marginal. Marginal. Sometimes it is covered by water; sometimes there is no water. Similarly, we, being marginal potency, we are sometimes influenced by this material nature, not always. Because at the present moment for sometimes we are under the material nature, now, if we try, then we can get out of this covering of material nature and come to the spiritual nature.

Lecture on SB 3.25.39-40 -- Bombay, December 8, 1974:

Bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā mad-yājino 'pi yā... Now it is your choice. It is your choice, where you want to go. You have to go somewhere. You can remain here in this material world, you can remain to the higher planets, or you can go beyond these higher planets. Avyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ, paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature. This is material nature, and there is another nature, spiritual nature. You can go there also, as you like. You are given full freedom. So here it is said... But wherever you go, it is said, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti. You can go to the Svarga-loka, the heavenly planets, by your pious activities, but kṣīṇe puṇye, when your puṇya, pious acti..., resultant action of pious activities will be finished, then you have to come back again. Kṣīṇe puṇye punar martya-lokam...

Lecture on SB 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974:

Therefore here it is said, jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya puruṣasya ātma-darśanam. Puruṣa, puruṣa means the enjoyer. So, here in this material world, either the so-called man and so-called woman, everyone is hankering after sense enjoyment. Therefore all of them together has been described as puruṣa. A woman is not puruṣa, but by mentality she is puruṣa, because she also wants to enjoy. Although she has got the body of being enjoyed, but she has the mentality of enjoying. Therefore everyone is described, although by nature everyone is prakṛti, not puruṣa. Prakṛti means enjoyed. That is stated in the Bhāgavata, prakṛti me bhinnā aṣṭadhā. This material body is made of earth, water, fire, air, sky. That is prakṛti. Bhinnā, separated. Itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. There is another nature that is parā prakṛti. That is spiritual nature. And how I can understand? Na jīva-bhūta. You can understand that parā-prakṛti is the living entity, yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5), which is sustaining this material nature. So actually in the Bhagavad-gītā they, both of us are described as prakṛti, not puruṣa. Puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Arjuna, when he realized after reading Bhagavad-gītā, he addresses Kṛṣṇa as Puruṣa. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvata (BG 10.12). We are, not that you have become puruṣa now, but śāśvata, eternally.

Lecture on SB 3.26.4 -- Bombay, December 16, 1974:

So the stone is also another energy of Kṛṣṇa, another energy of Kṛṣṇa. And Śrī Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful. He can utilize His energy in anyway. He can utilize His energy in any way. Just like an electrician—he knows how to utilize electricity for the refrigerator and the heater, although the heating process is just opposite of the cooling process. We see opposite. Similarly, material nature and spiritual nature, just opposite, but the same way: the electricity utilize for heating and electricity utilized for cooling. The energy is the same, but it is the manipulation of the engineer which can turn heat into cold and cold into heat. So therefore, for Kṛṣṇa there is no material nature. Everything is spiritual nature. Even Kṛṣṇa appears as material form, as stone, as matter, still, one who knows Kṛṣṇa, he can derive Kṛṣṇa's favor from any form. Otherwise the devotees are recommended to worship the Deity in the temple.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

So our this pāra-tantrya, dependence on material nature, is pāra-tantryaṁ ca tat-kṛtam. Tat-kṛtam. And we wanted this separation. Therefore it is our conditioned life here. That is our selection. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. When we wanted to enjoy life independently, so-called ind..., because we cannot be independent... We have to become dependent. Either this material nature or the spiritual nature, it is not possible. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). You have to take āśraya, shelter, of either of the prakṛtis, parā-prakṛti or aparā-prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti is this material nature, and parā-prakṛti is the spiritual nature. So therefore jīva-śakti is called taṭastha. Taṭastha. Antaraṅga, bahiraṅga, taṭastha. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport), the Absolute Truth has got multi-potencies. They have been summarized into three. First is parā-prakṛti, spiritual nature, and then the material nature, and another nature, prakṛti—we are also prakṛti—between the two, taṭastha.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

Beach is sometimes covered with water, and sometimes it is uncovered; the water is far away. When it is not covered, we call it beach, and it is covered, we call it sea. So similarly, our position is like that, living entities. Although by nature we are parā-prakṛti, spirit, spirit, but because we have got the tendency to enjoy material nature, therefore we come to this material nature. Therefore our position is in between the spiritual nature and the material nature, taṭastha. Taṭastha means in between.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

So because we have selected this pāra-tantrya, to be conditioned by the material nature, in any condition we are dependent, either dependent on spiritual nature or on material nature. So if we prefer to be under the control of material nature, then it is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). And if we are under spiritual nature, then... Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. Raso vai saḥ, labdhānandī. Then we get blissful life, eternal blissful life. That is our selection. Either you be under spiritual nature or you be under material nature. That we have got, little independence, as you like. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa said. Kṛṣṇa is very kind. If you want to remain in the material nature and enjoy so-called material sense gratification, then you can have it.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

So mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha (BG 9.13), those who have become great, the great souls, they are not under this material nature. They are in the spiritual nature. To become mahātmā means one should be under spiritual nature. After many, many births, when he has attained perfect knowledge, that is the sign of mahātmā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Johannesburg, October 22, 1975:

Now, in the next verse, how we can practice tapasya, that is recommended here. Mahat-sevām. Mahat sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). Mahat, great soul. Mahat means great soul. Who is great soul? Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Great soul means who has taken shelter of the spiritual nature. He is great soul. There are two natures: spiritual nature and the material nature. We can understand material nature, this body, and the spiritual nature, the soul.

Lecture on SB 5.5.4 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1976:

So it is recommended that mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimuktes (SB 5.5.2). Mahat-sevā, we have described the symptoms of mahātmā. The sum and substance of mahātmā is mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). That is mahātmā. Otherwise durātmā. Simply putting on a saffron dress and having a big beard, he's not mahātmā. Mahātmā is he who is cent percent engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim (BG 9.13). He's not in the control of this material nature. He's completely under the direction of spiritual nature. Daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is the sign? What is the difference between a person under material nature and spiritual nature? The difference is that one who is under spiritual nature, he is cent percent engaged in the service of the Lord.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1 -- Melbourne, May 21, 1975:

Great soul means who has understood God. He is great soul. He is called mahātmā. That is stated, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ-prakṛtim āśritāḥ bhajanty ananya-manaso (BG 9.13). Mahātmā means he is not under the condition of this material nature. He is under the protection of the spiritual nature, he is mahātmā. You have to live under somebody. That is our position. You cannot say that "I am not living under somebody. I am independent."

Lecture on SB 6.1.8-13 -- New York, July 24, 1971:

Similarly this svabhāva. Svabhāva means the material nature, material nature. We have acquired so many material nature, by association of the three modes of material nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So our habits are formed on account of our association with the three different qualities of material nature. But if we can disassociate ourself from the three modes of material nature, then our real nature, means spiritual nature, becomes invoked. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, then there is no chance of your associating with the three material modes of nature. That is the secret. Therefore you'll find our students, those who are habituated to so many bad things previously, they are able to stay in a platform where there is no such contamination.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

That is the difference between material world and spiritual world. Spiritual world is eternal. There is no question of occasional appearance and occasional disappearance. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20). In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find the description that "There is another nature, bhāva." Bhāva means... Svabhāva, bhāva, these are the Sanskrit terms of the nature. So that nature is vyaktāvyakta. This nature is vyakta and avyakta, manifest and nonmanifest. So, and above this, beyond this manifested and nonmanifest material nature, there is another, spiritual nature, which is sanātana. Sanātana means eternal. And it is also stated, yasmin sarveṣu api naśyatsu na vinaśyate: "When everything is annihilated, that sanātana nature is not annihilated. That sanātana nature remains as it is." That is the spiritual nature and material nature.

Lecture on SB 6.1.64-65 -- Vrndavana, September 1, 1975:

The prakṛti... We are prakṛti, nature, spiritual nature, parā prakṛti. The material nature is aparā prakṛti, and we living entities, we are trying to enjoy this prakṛti. Therefore sometimes the living entity, either man or woman, he is described as puruṣa. Puruṣa means the one who keeps the feeling of becoming enjoyer. That is puruṣa. So this material world is prakṛti and puruṣa. It is said in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam in the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva, puṁsaṁ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etat. The whole basic principle of materialistic civilization is the attachment between man and woman. Puṁsaṁ striyā mithunī-bhāva. Mithunī-bhāvam is sex. And tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ. On account of this sex relationship, the man or woman is bound up.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Toronto, June 21, 1976:

And another world is there, mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). This material world is manifested, and background of this is the total material energy, mahāt-tattva. That is not manifested. So vyakto 'vyaktāt. Beyond this there is another nature, a spiritual nature, sanātana. That is called sanātana. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). And the jīva-bhūtaḥ-sanātana.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

Govinda. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo. Pantha means road. If you walk over the path of Kṛṣṇa... Suppose Kṛṣṇa, there is Kṛṣṇaloka. Above this material universe, there is another spiritual sky, paravyoma. It is called paravyoma. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ 'vyakta 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another nature. As this is material nature, there is spiritual nature. And in that spiritual nature there are innumerable spiritual planets. They are called Vaikuṇṭha planets. And the highest Vaikuṇṭha planet is called Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-102 -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

That is mahātmā. He is under the control of daivī prakṛti. As we are controlled by this material nature, a mahātmā is controlled by the spiritual nature. And what is the sign? Bhajanty ananya-manaso, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. This is the sign. Without any division. So these young boys, girls, they're always chanting. That you'll see: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa They are mahātmās. Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). These things are there. Very simple thing. You accept Kṛṣṇa the Supreme, you follow instruction, you become a great mahātmā.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.137-146 -- Bombay, February 24, 1971:

He takes some profit, either keeping in the bank some balance, and lives in a comfortable place. That is the tendency. Because we are spiritual entities, our natural tendency is to enjoy life. Spiritual entities means by nature, ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12); by nature, they want to enjoy life. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt. That is the spiritual nature. As Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is by nature joyful, similarly, we being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are also by nature joyful. But unfortunately, we have been put into such condition, material condition, that we are trying to enjoy life in this material condition. That is not possible. So karmīs, they are trying their best to make material adjustments and enjoy life. They are called karmīs. But when they are wiser, that "We have worked so hard, but actually we could not enjoy life. Then what is the problem of life?" that is the platform of the jñānīs and the yogis.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Lecture on Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 3 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1970:

Devotee (1): (explaining text 2) This explains that the human form of life is meant for realizing our spiritual nature.

Prabhupāda: No, I wanted that śloka, kurvann eva. That is 2, yes. That's all right. So anyone will explain this,

kurvann eveha karmāṇi
jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ
evaṁ tvayi nānyatheto 'sti
na karma lipyate nare

So you should try to read the explanation, these word meanings. So kurvann eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ. Samāḥ means years. You can live hundreds of years if you understand the philosophy of life. Otherwise, what is the use of living? The trees are also living for five hundred years, for thousands years. There is one tree in San Francisco... What is that wood?

Festival Lectures

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

There is planet beyond this material sky. There is another sky. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paras tasmāt tu bhavo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another sky, which is eternal. This sky is temporary. Just like your body, my body, or anything in this material world, they are temporary. They have got a date of birth, and they grow, they stay, they produce some by-products, then dwindle, and then vanishes. That is material nature. But there is another nature, which is called spiritual nature. Even when everything is annihilated, that nature stands. So that spiritual nature, or spiritual sky, is described in the Vedic literature, in the Upaniṣads, that there is no need of sunshine, there is no need of moonshine, there is no need of electricity. That is another sky. So our only business is to transfer ourself from this sky to that sky, that illuminating sky. That is the Vedic injunction.

Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

There is planet beyond this material sky. There is another sky. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paras tasmāt tu bhavo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). There is another sky, which is eternal. This sky is temporary. Just like your body, my body, or anything in this material world, they are temporary. They have got a date of birth, and they grow, they stay, they produce some by-products, then dwindle, and then vanishes. That is material nature. But there is another nature, which is called spiritual nature. Even when everything is annihilated, that nature stands. So that spiritual nature, or spiritual sky, is described in the Vedic literature, in the Upaniṣads, that there is no need of sunshine, there is no need of moonshine, there is no need of electricity. That is another sky. So our only business is to transfer ourself from this sky to that sky, that illuminating sky.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

That is expressed in the Bhagavad-gītā, jīva bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho (BG 7.5), "My dear Arjuna, they are these living entity." Some of the nonsense philosophers, they are identifying the soul with the mind, with intelligence, with ego, but they are all material. The soul is different. So this is daivī prakṛti, spiritual nature. The material nature and spiritual nature.

Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

So mahātmā means, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritaḥ (BG 9.13). Mahātmās, those who are mahātmā, they take shelter of the spiritual nature, and those who are durātmā or kśūdrātmā... Mahā means great, and just opposite to mahā means, opposite to mahā is kśūdra, small. Just like somebody is very liberal and somebody is very miser. So mahātmā is broad, broader-minded, broader soul, whose soul has become broader. How you can become broader? If you dovetail yourself with the supreme broadest, then you become broader. Otherwise you become smaller. So this is the difference between mahātmā and kśūdrātmā. People are generally, they are doing something for his own body, something for his society, something for his family, something for his country. So you can expand your activities, but unless you expand your activities to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you become the smaller.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Jayapataka Dasa -- Montreal, July 24, 1968:

'Vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Paras tasmād tu bhāva anya. As you get information from the Bhagavad-gītā, there is another nature which is called spiritual nature and the devotees are trying, all the transcendentalists... Some are trying to merge into the spiritual existence only, and we devotees, we want to keep individuality and want to become associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. So gradually you can learn it from the lectures and the books and with association with your Godbrothers and sisters. So this is your initiation. Take it very seriously. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa very faithfully and your life will be successful.

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

In whatever condition you may be. Because two conditions there are. For the living entities... The living entity is in the marginal position. Either he can be in material nature or in the spiritual nature. The spiritual nature means liberation, and material nature means contamination. So in this mantra it is said, either of the condition, never mind.

Initiation Lecture and Bhagavan dasa's Marriage Ceremony -- New Vrindaban, June 4, 1969:

The sum and substance of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we want to go back to Kṛṣṇa. There is another nature. Just like you are seeing this material nature, so many stars and planets. We are very much busy studying, but we have no knowledge practically about this material world even. But we get information from Vedic literature that this material world, cosmic manifestation, is only one-fourth part of the whole God's creation. So there is another nature, which is called spiritual nature, and there is spiritual planets, Vaikuṇṭhas, and Kṛṣṇaloka, the highest planet.

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1971:

So take your... So what is your name? (break) I asked this, what is your name? Georgina? No, now what is your spiritual name? Immediately forgot? (laughter) Guṇamayī. Guṇamayī. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Guṇamayī means qualities, full of qualities. So this material nature is, has got three qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. This is also guṇamayī. And the spiritual nature also has got three qualities—sandhinī, saṁvit, and... What is called, other?

Initiation Lecture -- Los Angeles, July 13, 1971:

Ahlādinī, yes. Sandhinī, saṁvit, and ahlādinī. So both of them are guṇamayī. The spiritual nature is horrible for the conditioned soul, but she is not horrible for Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). So everyone Kṛṣṇa's..., related with Kṛṣṇa is not, he or she is not horrible. Just like a police department is horrible for the criminals and not for the President. The President is not afraid of the police department because the police department is under his control. Similarly, this material nature with three qualities, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, it is horrible for the conditioned soul. Therefore, if anyone surrenders to Kṛṣṇa—mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti—immediately he overcomes the horrible feature of this material nature. Otherwise, if one does not come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if one does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, this material nature is horrible. So therefore in both ways the spiritual nature or the material nature, they are guṇamayī. And the difference is that when one is conditioned, he is under the material nature guṇamayī, and when he is liberated, he is under the spiritual nature guṇamayī. But both of them are guṇamayī.

General Lectures

Lecture Excerpt -- Montreal, July 18, 1968:

Material principle is side by side. Just like the cloud is always there in the sky, but if you be above the cloud, then it is all right. So you have to become above the material principles. And to become above the material principles means to accept everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa. That will save you. You have to become above the cloud. Just like the jet plane takes the friendly sky. So we have to take the friendly energy, the spiritual energy. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Mahātmā, those who are mahātmā, great souls, they take shelter of the nature where there is no more cloud. Then it is very nice. You go on. So we have to become above the cloud. Not to be influenced by the material nature, but we take shelter of Rādhārāṇī, the spiritual nature. Not of Durgā.

Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968:

In the Bhagavad-gītā we can understand five main principles: namely God, the living entity, the material or the spiritual nature, time, and activities. Out of these five items, God, the living entities, nature—material or spiritual—and time are eternal. But activities are not eternal. The activities in the material nature are different from the activities in the spiritual nature. In the material nature, although the spiritual soul is eternal, as we have explained before, the activities are temporary.

Engagement Lecture -- Buffalo, April 23, 1969:

So God is not under creation. He is the creator. Before creation, He was existing. That is called sanātana. That means He is also sanātana. And there is a spiritual nature, sky, where there are innumerable spiritual planets also. And there are innumerable spiritual living entities also. And some of them, those who are not fit to live in that spiritual world, they are, I mean to say, sent to this material world. The same idea is expressed in Milton's Paradise Lost.

Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

Eating, sleeping, mating and defending, these things are common to the animals and the human being. You eat; the animals eat. You sleep; the animals sleep. You mate; the animals mate. You are also afraid of your enemy; they are also afraid of their enemy. So by discovering very palatable dishes to eat, or fashionable dresses for sex life, or atom bomb for defending... Eating, sleeping, mating and defending, these four principles, if you advance in these four principles only, that does not mean that you are better than animals. You are as good as animals. (break) ...under the control of this material nature. They are under the control of the spiritual nature. Daivī-prakṛtim āśritāḥ. And what is the symptom of such persons, that he is under the control of spiritual nature?

Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:

What is that? God, first of all to know what is God. Next, to understand what is jīva, or the living entity. Then, what is this material nature, or what is that spiritual nature. Īśvara, jīva, prakṛti. And then time—what is the time factor, past, present, and future. And then there is karma, activities. These five things, primary principles of philosophical speculation or philosophical understanding, are very clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: īśvara, jīva, prakṛti, kāla, and activities. So out of these five, īśvara, the Lord, the jīva, the living entities, the nature, prakṛti, and the time factor, as well as the..., they are eternal.

Lecture at Wayside Chapel -- Sydney, May 13, 1971:

So this saṅkīrtana movement is meant for purifying our heart. By long association with this material nature, we are thinking that "There is no God," "I have nothing to do with God. I am independent of God." We are thinking like that. But actually this is not a fact. The gross material nature is very strong. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā—those who have read Bhagavad-gītā—daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). God has got multi-energies, and they are divided grossly into three: the external energy, the internal energy and the marginal energy. The external energy is this material nature, and the internal energy, there is another, spiritual nature. As you see this universe, as far as you can see or imagine, it is covered. This is material energy. Beyond this covering there is another nature. That is spiritual nature. We get this information from the Vedic literatures. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). And we living entities, we are the marginal energies. That means if we like, we can live in this material nature; if we like, we can transfer ourselves to the spiritual nature. The spiritual nature is... It is not in..., what is called, incompatible. Compatible. You can adjust yourself in the spiritual nature, but you cannot adjust yourself in the material nature.

Lecture at Wayside Chapel -- Sydney, May 13, 1971:

But this tendency can be satisfied if you transfer yourself to the spiritual world, because you are marginal. I have already said that we are in a marginal position. If we like, we can keep on this material side of the nature, and if we like, we can transfer ourself to the spiritual side of nature. And what we are? We are also spiritual sparks. Therefore we cannot adjust with this material nature. Our real hankering is how to go to the spiritual nature. But due to our long association with this material nature, we are thinking wrongly that "I am a product of this material nature. I will have to adjust with the elements here, and... But because there is no other way, so as long is possible, let me live comfortably and satisfactorily." This is our nature. But we get information from Bhagavad-gītā, by simply doing one thing you can make your life permanent, eternal, and never to die again, or never to take birth again.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, May 18, 1972:

So to understand Kṛṣṇa is little difficult. Actually, to understand God is a subject matter very difficult. But the God Himself is explaining Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā. "I am this, I am like this. I am like this, this material nature is like this, this spiritual nature is like this, the living entities are like..." Everything are completely described in the Bhagavad-gītā. God Himself, giving His own knowledge, and that is the only process to understand God. Otherwise, by speculation we cannot understand God. It is not possible. He is unlimited and we are limited. Our knowledge, our perception, all of them are very limited. So how we can understand the unlimited? But if we accept the version of the unlimited, that He is like this, like that, then we can understand.

Lecture -- Jakarta, March 2, 1973:

So we, living entities, we also belong to that spiritual nature. We are also part and parcel of Nārāyaṇa. So some way or other we have come to this material world. Some way or other we have come to this material world, therefore we have got this material body. And because we have got this material body, we are subjected to birth, death, old age and disease. So our real problem is that although we are spiritual beings, we have been caught up by material bodies. How to get out of these clutches of birth, death, old age and disease, that is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:

Śyāmasundara: He says that these monads are spiritual in nature; therefore they are immortal.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That we admit, because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's will, both of them are spiritual.

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Prabhupāda: Transcendental knowledge means knowledge received from a source which is beyond the reach of my material senses. That is transcendental. Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gītā. So we have no knowledge that there is a spiritual world, but Kṛṣṇa says that there is another nature, a spiritual nature, beyond this material nature. So we understand through the source of transcendental knowledge. We cannot experience.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is divine by nature. He is covered by nondivine, by māyā. That is our philosophy. He's in a (indistinct). Just like this same example: the man is living, there is breathing, but he has no consciousness. Just like you put electric in that (indistinct), how you call, (indistinct). So similarly, by the influence of māyā, we have forgotten ourself, our spiritual nature.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is spiritual nature. That is spiritual nature. We are teaching people to come to that standard, spiritual nature which will never change. Just like we are trying to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is not (indistinct). We are serving Kṛṣṇa and when we go to Vaikuntha, we serve Kṛṣṇa. That which is called nitya. Nitya means eternal. Nitya-yukta upāsate. Bhagavad-gītā, eternally engaged in the service of the Lord. Not like Māyāvādī. Māyāvādī philosophers, they will say that "Let me serve Kṛṣṇa now. As soon as I become liberated, I become God. I become God." This is another bluff. Just like I am serving you to take your favor and as soon as I get opportunity I ride upon you. You see?

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Aquinas:

Prabhupāda: No. The universe is created by God. How you can say "out of nothing"? God is there. So before creation of the universe God was there, so you cannot say that the universe was created out of nothing.

Hayagrīva: Well, but the material universe must have been created out of nothing, because it could not have arisen out of God's spiritual nature.

Prabhupāda: No. The material nature is also inferior nature of God. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Apareyam, the material nature, means earth, water, fire, air, ether, and the subtle materials, mind, intelligence, ego. They are all emanation from God, so actually they are not unreal but inferior. They are, it is called, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. They are separated material energy.

Page Title:Spiritual nature (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Partha-sarathi, Rishab
Created:30 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=85, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:85