Spiritual universe

Expressions researched:
"spiritual universe" |"spiritual universes"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

When there is devastation of this material universe, Brahmā and his devotees, who are constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, are all transferred to the spiritual universe and to specific spiritual planets according to their desires.

BG 8.16, Purport: Those who progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the higher planets are gradually elevated to higher and higher planets and at the time of universal devastation are transferred to the eternal spiritual kingdom. Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, in his commentary on Bhagavad-gītā, quotes this verse:

brahmaṇā saha te sarve

samprāpte pratisañcare

parasyānte kṛtātmānaḥ

praviśanti paraṁ padam

"When there is devastation of this material universe, Brahmā and his devotees, who are constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, are all transferred to the spiritual universe and to specific spiritual planets according to their desires."

The Supreme Lord, by His spiritual and material energies He is present everywhere—both in the material and in the spiritual universes.

BG 8.22, Purport: It is here clearly stated that the supreme destination, from which there is no return, is the abode of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person. The Brahma-saṁhitā describes this supreme abode as ānanda-cinmaya-rasa, a place where everything is full of spiritual bliss. All the variegatedness manifest there is of the quality of spiritual bliss—nothing there is material. That variegatedness is expanded as the spiritual expansion of the Supreme Godhead Himself, for the manifestation there is totally of the spiritual energy, as explained in Chapter Seven. As far as this material world is concerned, although the Lord is always in His supreme abode, He is nonetheless all-pervading by His material energy. So by His spiritual and material energies He is present everywhere—both in the material and in the spiritual universes. Yasyāntaḥ-sthāni means that everything is sustained within Him, within either His spiritual or material energy. The Lord is all-pervading by these two energies.

SB Canto 1

Nārada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly, not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes.

SB 1.13.14, Purport: Saintly persons like Vidura must be treated as well as a denizen from heaven. In those days denizens of heavenly planets used to visit homes like that of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and sometimes persons like Arjuna and others used to visit higher planets. Nārada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly, not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes. Even Nārada used to visit the palace of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and what to speak of other celestial demigods. It is only the spiritual culture of the people concerned that makes interplanetary travel possible, even in the present body. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira therefore received Vidura in the manner of reception offered to the demigods.

SB Canto 4

The left ear is utilized for hearing about the higher planets, situated in the spiritual universe, where one becomes more inclined to be permanently situated.

SB 4.25.51, Purport: The two ears are situated on the northern side and the southern side. The ear on the southern side is very strong and is always anxious to hear about sense enjoyment. The ear on the northern side, however, is used for taking initiation from the spiritual master and for gaining promotion to the spiritual sky. The right ear, or the ear on the southern side, is called Pitṛhū, which indicates that it is used for attaining the higher planetary systems known as Pitṛloka, but the left ear, which is known as Devahū, is utilized for hearing about even higher planetary systems, such as Maharloka, Tapoloka and Brahmaloka—or yet even higher planets, situated in the spiritual universe, where one becomes more inclined to be permanently situated.

CC Adi-lila

There are innumerable living entities throughout the material and spiritual universes, but still Lord Kṛṣṇa is full in Himself.

CC Adi 3.71, Purport: In the realm of the Absolute, one plus one equals one, and one minus one equals one. Therefore one should not conceive of a fragment of the Supreme Lord in the material sense. In the spiritual world there is no influence of the material energy or material calculations of fragments. In the Fifteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that the living entities are His parts and parcels. There are innumerable living entities throughout the material and spiritual universes, but still Lord Kṛṣṇa is full in Himself. To think that God has lost His personality because His many parts and parcels are distributed all over the universe is an illusion. That is a material calculation. Such calculations are possible only under the influence of the material energy, māyā. In the spiritual world the material energy is conspicuous only by its absence.

CC Madhya-lila

The spiritual universe is situated far, far away from the cluster of material universes.

CC Madhya 8.139, Purport: Just as there are many orbs in the material world called stars or planets, in the spiritual world there are many spiritual planets called Vaikuṇṭhalokas. The spiritual universe, however, is situated far, far away from the cluster of material universes. Material scientists cannot even estimate the number of planets and stars within this universe. They are also incapable of traveling to other stars by spaceship. According to the Bhagavad-gītā (8.20), there is also a spiritual world:

paras tasmāt tu bhāvo ’nyo ‘vyakto ’vyaktāt sanātanaḥ

yaḥ sa sarveṣu bhūteṣu naśyatsu na vinaśyati

“Yet there is another unmanifested nature, which is eternal and is transcendental to this manifested and unmanifested matter. It is supreme and is never annihilated. When all in this world is annihilated, that part remains as it is.”

Lord Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of both the material and spiritual universes. The material world constitutes only one-fourth of His creative energy.

CC Madhya 15.179, Purport: Since everyone can be liberated in this way, one may conclude that it is according to the sweet will of the devotee whether the material world exists or does not exist. Ultimately, however, it is not the sweet will of the devotee but the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who, if He so desires, can completely annihilate the material creation. There is no loss on His part. The owner of millions of cows does not consider the loss of one she-goat. Similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of both the material and spiritual universes. The material world constitutes only one-fourth of His creative energy. If, according to the desire of the devotee, the Lord completely destroys the creation, He is so opulent that He will not mind the loss.

Easy Journey to Other Planets

By bhakti-yoga only can one return to the spiritual universe, the sanātana-dhāma, to take part in the sanātana enjoyment prevailing there.

Easy Journey to Other Planets 1: There is no happiness in the material sphere—even in Brahmaloka—so plans and activities for elevation to higher planets within the material universe are carried out by those who are less intelligent. Less intelligent men also take shelter of demigods and only derive benefits which endure for a limited period. Thus their religious principles and the benefits derived therefrom are only temporary. The intelligent man, however, abandons all engagements in the name of religion and takes shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus receives absolute protection from the Almighty Father. Sanātana-dharma is therefore the process of bhakti-yoga, by which one can come to know the sanātana Lord and His sanātana abode. By this process only can one return to the spiritual universe, the sanātana-dhāma, to take part in the sanātana enjoyment prevailing there.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

These gross materialists find it impossible to believe that besides our material universe, a spiritual universe exists.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 1.7: Conditioned human beings are expert at dealing with this material body and mind. These gross materialists, who cannot see beyond materialistic activities, find it impossible to believe that besides our material universe, a spiritual universe exists. Completely identifying with the body, such materialists are like animals, simply eating, sleeping, mating, and defending.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

"Nārada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes."

Lecture on SB 1.13.12 -- Geneva, June 3, 1974: So Vidura, he was a saintly person. He was received by the Pāṇḍavas and treated just like denizens. (reads:) "In those days denizens of heavenly planets used to visit homes like that of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, and sometimes persons like Arjuna and others used to visit higher planets." We get information. Arjuna also went to the heavenly planets, and persons from heaven, when there was big yajñas, sacrifice, they used to come and visit Indra, Candra. And sometimes person like... (reads:) "Nārada is a spaceman who can travel unrestrictedly not only within the material universes but also in the spiritual universes." Wherever he wanted, he could go. He can go. He's still living.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

All the universes taken together of this material world, it is only one-fourths in comparison to the other Vaikuṇṭha, or spiritual universes.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.146-151 -- New York, December 3, 1966: That brahmajyoti, in that brahmajyoti there are all these universes and Vaikuṇṭhas. All, they are resting in that brahmajyoti. Just like in the sunshine so many planets are resting, similarly, in the brahmajyoti, the personal shining of Lord Kṛṣṇa, in that shining which is called brahmajyoti, all the universes and Vaikuṇṭha planets or universes, they are all resting. And the universes, the material universes are only one-fourths in quantity of the Vaikuṇṭha universes. All the universes taken together of this material world, it is only one-fourths in comparison to the other Vaikuṇṭha, or spiritual universes. Vaikuṇṭha, brahmāṇḍa-gaṇa-śakti-kārya haya.