Material covering (Conv and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"cross this material sky, penetrate the covering" |"material bodily coverings" |"material body is covering" |"material body is his covering" |"material body is my covering" |"material body is the covering" |"material body is the covering" |"material body is your covering" |"material consciousness is the covering" |"material covering" |"material coverings" |"material elements is covering" |"material elements. Each covering" |"material energy is the covering energy" |"material energy, is covering" |"material energy. Beyond this covering" |"material nature is not covering" |"material spheres of the coverings" |"material things are acting, covering the soul" |"material world, there is covering" |"the covering is there"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Actual identity is that you are spirit soul. And this material body is your covering.

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Gargamuni: What is our true identity?

Prabhupāda: Actual identity?

Gargamuni: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Actual identity is that you are spirit soul. And this material body is your covering. Just like dress. Just like when you dress, the real body is there. Similarly, we are within this material body. So we are taking more care for the dress and not for the body actually. But when a body is dead we can understand that there is something missing. That missing thing is the soul. In the modern educational field there is no department of knowledge to understand that what is that missing part. There are so many theories, but they are not practical. Therefore we have to understand the soul and its constitution from authoritative scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā. Then we can understand our identity actually. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that persons who are identifying themselves with this material body, they are not actually human beings. They are counted amongst the asses and cows. So that is ignorance or illusion.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Unless iron is rusty, it is automatically attracted by the magnetic force. Similarly, we are contaminated by material coverings. So we are trying to make it rustless so that immediately we shall be attracted.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: But what do you do when different religious groups claim to be the center? What do you do when different religious groups...

Prabhupāda: No, we welcome every religion. We don't decry any religion. Our point is the love of Godhead. Or Kṛṣṇa is love, all-attractive. So we want to be attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Just like a magnetic force and iron. Unless iron is rusty, it is automatically attracted by the magnetic force. Similarly, we are contaminated by material coverings. So we are trying to make it rustless so that immediately we shall be attracted. This is the program. Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive. That is a fact. And we are attracted. But being covered with this rust, we are, instead of being attracted by Kṛṣṇa, we are being attracted by māyā. This is our whole program. So our central program is how to love Kṛṣṇa, or how to love God.