So whatever we see in our dealings within the material world, the same things are there in the spiritual world. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This affection of the Lord, of the superior person to the inferior children, is natural. So wherefrom this affection comes? It comes from the Supreme Lord. Everything. Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 3.1). Whatever you see in this material world, same prototype of things are there in the spiritual world.
Then what is the difference? The difference is, here everything is polluted, but in the material world . . . er, in the spiritual world, there is no influence of the material qualities. Nirguṇa. This is nirguṇa. Here everything is . . . Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ (BG 3.27). Guṇaiḥ karmāṇi is here.
We should understand what is the difference between material and spiritual. Here in this material world, everything is polluted. But it is . . . (indistinct) . . . polluted. Why? Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Out of these three guṇas, sattva-guṇa is the best. If one is situated in sattva-guṇa, then there is chance of being promoted to the stage of nirguṇa. The tamo-guṇa is the lowest state, and ignorance, foolish . . . (indistinct) . . ., can be found in animals. This is tamo-guṇa. Pāpa-yoni, this is tamo-guṇa.
Then if one is fortunate, he can be situated in the rajo-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa, at least there is some material interest, intelligence. So . . . But above that, there is sattva-guṇa, to understand things as they are.
In this way, when you get full scope for understanding of things as they are—not falsely studying and speculating, but proper . . . (indistinct) . . .—that is called sattva-guṇa, prakāśa. Just like darkness at night, you cannot see anything. That is tamo-guṇa. Then in between the darkness and sunlight, there is a period, darkness, early in the morning, it is not completely illuminated, but the darkness is not gone. The . . . (indistinct) . . . That is the mode of passion. Everyone gets up early in the morning and begins his work. And in the sunshine, one can work very nicely; he can see how nature is situated, how things can be done. Similarly, one who is dominated by the tamo-guṇa, he is like animal. He is like animal. But taking this body as self, this is tamo-guṇa. Sa eva go-karaḥ. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).
So at the present moment we see that 99.9 percent, they are all in tamo-guṇa, because they are taking this body as self. Anyone goes any part of the world, ask him, "Who are you?" He will say, "I am the material body. I am Mr. such and such," "I am Russian" or "I am German," "I belong to this family" and so on, "this nation"—all the body(?). That is our practical experience. Nobody knows that he is not this body. This is tamo-guṇa.
And few may be trying to speculate that he is not this body; he is something else. That's a fact. But because on account of being influenced by the tamo-guṇa, he cannot understand . . . (indistinct) . . .. And we have to come to the stage of nirguṇa, even there will be no sattva-guṇa. Here sattva-guṇa, the mode of goodness, is sometimes not . . . (indistinct) . . . They are attracted by the lower qualities, by the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa mixed. It becomes mixed.
But if you want to become devotee, then you have to overcome even this mixed quality of sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. You have to come to the platform of nirguṇa: no more influenced by the material qualities. That is the bhakti stage, nirguṇa. Therefore, here it is said, bhaktyā bhaktena nirguṇaḥ.