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Spiritual sense

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

Less intelligent people who have lost their spiritual sense take shelter of demigods for immediate fulfillment of material desires
BG 7.20, Purport:

As stated in the Bhāgavatam (2.3.10):

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
yajeta puruṣaṁ param

Less intelligent people who have lost their spiritual sense take shelter of demigods for immediate fulfillment of material desires. Generally, such people do not go to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because they are in the lower modes of nature (ignorance and passion) and therefore worship various demigods. Following the rules and regulations of worship, they are satisfied. The worshipers of demigods are motivated by small desires and do not know how to reach the supreme goal, but a devotee of the Supreme Lord is not misguided.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

In the absolute conception, there is no difference between the served and the servitor; yet the distinction is there, in a higher spiritual sense
BG 18.54, Purport:

To the impersonalist, achieving the brahma-bhūta stage, becoming one with the Absolute, is the last word. But for the personalist, or pure devotee, one has to go still further, to become engaged in pure devotional service. This means that one who is engaged in pure devotional service to the Supreme Lord is already in a state of liberation, called brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), oneness with the Absolute. Without being one with the Supreme, the Absolute, one cannot render service unto Him. In the absolute conception, there is no difference between the served and the servitor; yet the distinction is there, in a higher spiritual sense.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

At birth no one is qualified, neither in the mundane nor in the spiritual sense
SB 1.1.3, Purport:

Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī was a liberated soul from his very birth. He was liberated even in the womb of his mother, and he did not undergo any sort of spiritual training after his birth. At birth no one is qualified, neither in the mundane nor in the spiritual sense. But Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, due to his being a perfectly liberated soul, did not have to undergo an evolutionary process for spiritual realization. Yet despite his being a completely liberated person situated in the transcendental position above the three material modes, he was attracted to this transcendental rasa of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is adored by liberated souls who sing Vedic hymns. The Supreme Lord's pastimes are more attractive to liberated souls than to mundane people. He is of necessity not impersonal because it is only possible to carry on transcendental rasa with a person.

Hunger is actually for spiritual food, spiritual shelter, spiritual defense and spiritual sense gratification.
SB 1.12.6, Purport:

The whole material world is full of hungry living beings. The hunger is not for good food, shelter or sense gratification. The hunger is for the spiritual atmosphere. Due to ignorance only they think that the world is dissatisfied because there is not sufficient food, shelter, defense and objects of sense gratification. This is called illusion. When the living being is hungry for spiritual satisfaction, he is misrepresented by material hunger. But the foolish leaders cannot see that even the people who are most sumptuously materially satisfied are still hungry. And what is their hunger and poverty? This hunger is actually for spiritual food, spiritual shelter, spiritual defense and spiritual sense gratification. These can be obtained in the association of the Supreme Spirit, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and therefore one who has them cannot be attracted by the so-called food, shelter, defense and sense gratification of the material world, even if they are relished by the denizens of the heavenly planets. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gītā (8.16) it is said by the Lord that even in the topmost planet of the universe, namely the Brahmaloka, where the duration of life is multiplied by millions of years by earth calculation, one cannot satisfy his hunger. Such hunger can be satisfied only when the living being is situated in immortality, which is attained in the spiritual sky, far, far above the Brahmaloka, in the association of Lord Mukunda, the Lord who awards His devotees the transcendental pleasure of liberation.

Exploitation of the weaker living being by the stronger is the natural law of existence; there is always an attempt to devour the weak in different kingdoms of living beings. There is no possibility of checking this tendency by any artificial means under material conditions; it can be checked only by awakening the spiritual sense of the human being by practice of spiritual regulations.
SB 1.13.47, Purport:

Exploitation of the weaker living being by the stronger is the natural law of existence; there is always an attempt to devour the weak in different kingdoms of living beings. There is no possibility of checking this tendency by any artificial means under material conditions; it can be checked only by awakening the spiritual sense of the human being by practice of spiritual regulations. The spiritual regulative principles, however, do not allow a man to slaughter weaker animals on one side and teach others peaceful coexistence. If man does not allow the animals peaceful coexistence, how can he expect peaceful existence in human society? The blind leaders must therefore understand the Supreme Being and then try to implement the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God, or Rāma-rājya, is impossible without the awakening of God consciousness in the mass mind of the people of the world.

SB Canto 4

Lord Śiva is always interested in protecting the animals and the animalistic living entities, who are not very advanced in the spiritual sense.
SB 4.7.14, Purport:

The specific function of a human being in society, irrespective of his social status, is to practice control of the mind and senses by observing the regulative principles enjoined in the Vedic śāstras. Lord Śiva is called paśupati because he protects the living entities in their developed consciousness so that they may follow the Vedic system of varṇa and āśrama. The word paśu refers to the animal as well as to the human entity. It is stated here that Lord Śiva is always interested in protecting the animals and the animalistic living entities, who are not very advanced in the spiritual sense.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Madhya-lila

Just as there is a difference between life and death, there is a difference between spiritual sense gratification and material sense gratification.
CC Madhya 8.187, Translation and Purport:

Rāya Rāmānanda replied, “Lord Kṛṣṇa is dhīra-lalita, for He can always keep His girlfriends in a subjugated state. Thus His only business is enjoying sense gratification.

We should always remember that Kṛṣṇa's sense gratification is never to be compared to the sense gratification of the material world. As we have already explained, Kṛṣṇa's sense gratification is just like gold. The perverted reflection of that sense gratification found in the material world is just like iron. The purport is that Kṛṣṇa is not impersonal. He has all the desires that are manifest in the perverted reflection within this material world. However, the qualities are different—one is spiritual, and the other is material. Just as there is a difference between life and death, there is a difference between spiritual sense gratification and material sense gratification.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Nectar of Devotion

Anyone who has any desire or aspiration for satisfying his senses by becoming more and more important, either in the material sense or in the spiritual sense, cannot actually relish the really sweet taste of devotional service.
Nectar of Devotion 3:

One must know that he is finite and that the Lord is infinite. Thus it is not possible to actually become one with the Lord even if one aspires for this. It is simply not possible. Therefore, anyone who has any desire or aspiration for satisfying his senses by becoming more and more important, either in the material sense or in the spiritual sense, cannot actually relish the really sweet taste of devotional service. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has therefore compared possessing these bhukti (material) and mukti (liberation) desires with being influenced by the black art of a witch: in both cases one is in trouble. Bhukti means material enjoyment, and mukti means to become freed from material anxiety and to become one with the Lord. These desires are compared to being haunted by ghosts and witches, because while these aspirations for material enjoyment or spiritual oneness with the Supreme remain, no one can relish the actual transcendental taste of devotional service.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Those who are materially addicted cannot understand the value of the paramahaṁsa, but those who are fortunate—who are advanced in a spiritual sense—take shelter of the paramahaṁsa and successfully complete the mission of human life.
Krsna Book 85:

The word paramahaṁsa mentioned here means "the supreme swan." It is said that the swan can draw milk from a mixture of milk and water; it can take only the milk portion and reject the watery portion. Similarly, a person who can draw out the spiritual portion from this material world and who can live alone, depending only on the Supreme Spirit, not on the material world, is called a paramahaṁsa. When one achieves the paramahaṁsa platform, he is no longer under the regulative principles of the Vedic injunctions. A paramahaṁsa accepts only the association of pure devotees and rejects others, who are too much materially addicted. In other words, those who are materially addicted cannot understand the value of the paramahaṁsa, but those who are fortunate—who are advanced in a spiritual sense—take shelter of the paramahaṁsa and successfully complete the mission of human life.

Sri Isopanisad

The highest development of one's spiritual sense is described in this mantra: One should give up the material body, which will be turned to ashes, and allow the air of life to merge into the eternal reservoir of air.
Sri Isopanisad 17, Purport:

When the world was full of water, the living entity took an aquatic form. Then he passed to vegetable life, from vegetable life to worm life, from worm life to bird life, from bird life to animal life, and from animal life to the human form. The highest developed form is this human form when it is possessed of a full sense of spiritual knowledge. The highest development of one's spiritual sense is described in this mantra: One should give up the material body, which will be turned to ashes, and allow the air of life to merge into the eternal reservoir of air. The living being's activities are performed within the body through the movements of different kinds of air, known in summary as prāṇa-vāyu. The yogīs generally study how to control the airs of the body. The soul is supposed to rise from one circle of air to another until it rises to the brahma-randhra, the highest circle. From that point the perfect yogī can transfer himself to any planet he likes. The process is to give up one material body and then enter into another. But the highest perfection of such changes occurs only when the living entity is able to give up the material body altogether, as suggested in this mantra, and enter into the spiritual atmosphere, where he can develop a completely different type of body—a spiritual body, which never has to meet death or change.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Simply when I feel hungry, I take some food. And simply when I feel asleep, I go to bed. Otherwise, always, I don't feel fatigued. You can ask Mr. Paul whether I am not doing this. So I take, I take pleasure in doing that. I don't feel fatigued. Similarly, when one will have that spiritual sense, he won't feel...
Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

Unfortunately, you haven't got more than twenty-four hours at your disposal. Still, you won't feel fatigued. I tell you. This is my practical experience. This is my practical experience. And I am here, always working, something reading or writing, something reading or writing, twenty-four hours. Simply when I feel hungry, I take some food. And simply when I feel asleep, I go to bed. Otherwise, always, I don't feel fatigued. You can ask Mr. Paul whether I am not doing this. So I take, I take pleasure in doing that. I don't feel fatigued. Similarly, when one will have that spiritual sense, he won't feel... Rather, he will, he will feel disgusted to go to sleep, to go to sleep, "Oh, sleep has come just to disturb." See? He wants to lessen the time of sleeping.

But really if one has any spiritual sense, he'll at once cease from all this nonsense enjoyment.
Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

I want enjoyment. That is my life. I want enjoyment. But as soon as my future is void, I must be inclined to enjoy this material life. Therefore they simply discuss this voidness impersonalism, but they enjoy as much as possible this material life. Simply armchair philosophical discussion. But as soon as we see their behavior, they're too much attached with the material enjoyment. So that is simply you can enjoy some speculation. That's all. But there is no benefit. But really if one has any spiritual sense, he'll at once cease from all this nonsense enjoyment. That is the symptom of any idea of spirituality. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). The test is... If you have developed your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if you have developed your devotional spirit, spiritual realization, the result will be that you'll be at once detached from these all kinds of material enjoyment. How it is? The example is given that just like a hungry man, if he's given nice foodstuff, and as soon as he eats and feels satisfaction, he says, "No, I don't want anymore. I am satisfied."

The highest principle of spiritual sense means Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to understand God.
Lecture on BG 16.9 -- Hawaii, February 5, 1975:

The basic principle of creation is that this material world is the field of activities of the rebellious living entity. "I don't want to serve Kṛṣṇa. I want to serve my senses." That is the whole world, going on. This Hawaiian city or any city, especially in your America, they're very, very busy. So ask them, "What is the aim of your life?" They'll say, "Sense gratification. I shall earn money, eat nicely, drink nicely, enjoy nicely. That is the aim of life." They do not know. Etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya. Their vision is so polluted. Naṣṭātmānaḥ: they have lost their spiritual ideas, spiritual sense or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The highest principle of spiritual sense means Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to understand God. That is mahātmā, mahātmā.

So we are discussing about the characteristics of the demons. So they have lost their intelligence. Ātmānaḥ means spirit soul. So they have lost the sense of spirit soul. They do not know that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul." So therefore they do not know this. Therefore they are called naṣṭātmānaḥ. They have lost their spiritual sense. Why? Alpa-buddhayaḥ, not very intelligent.
Lecture on BG 16.10 -- Hawaii, February 6, 1975:

Demigods means those who are devotee of the Lord. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daivaḥ. Viṣṇu-bhakta, the all-pervasive Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotee... The Godhead is called deva, and his devotees are called daiva. So we are discussing about the characteristics of the demons. So they have lost their intelligence. Etāṁ dṛṣṭim avaṣṭabhya naṣṭātmānaḥ alpa-buddhayaḥ. Naṣṭātmānaḥ. Ātmānaḥ means spirit soul. So they have lost the sense of spirit soul. They do not know that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi." So therefore they do not know this. Therefore they are called naṣṭātmānaḥ. They have lost their spiritual sense. Why? Alpa-buddhayaḥ, not very intelligent.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So if you associate with Kṛṣṇa, you enjoy your senses affluently. Just like the gopīs are dancing with Kṛṣṇa. So there is no scarcity of sense gratification also. But that is not this sense gra..., gross sense gratification. That is spiritual sense.
Lecture on SB 1.8.21 -- New York, April 13, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa, you'll never find Kṛṣṇa is very unhappy. Kṛṣṇa is never unhappy. Kṛṣṇa is always happy. Therefore nanda-gopa-kumārāya govindāya (SB 1.8.21). He is happy, and whoever, whoever associates with Him, he's also happy. Govindāya. We are after sense gratification. Go means senses. So if you associate with Kṛṣṇa, you enjoy your senses affluently. Just like the gopīs are dancing with Kṛṣṇa. So there is no scarcity of sense gratification also. But that is not this sense gra..., gross sense gratification. That is spiritual sense. That is spiritual sense.

When Kṛṣṇa drives the chariot, Arjuna does not forget, that "He is my chariot driver." He knows that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. But He is so kind, He has accepted the post of my chariot driver." This is spiritual sense.
Lecture on SB 1.16.16 -- Los Angeles, January 11, 1974:

This is the supreme name, Kṛṣṇa, "All-attractive." He can attract everyone. So this statement, that "God has no name," that is fact, but He has got His name in relationship with His activities with devotees. So Kṛṣṇa worked as sārathi, as it is stated here, sārathyam. He acted as the chariot driver of Arjuna. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Pārtha-sārathi. So Kṛṣṇa did all these things. He acted as a chariot driver. He acted as the president of the assembly. Not that He is eternally chariot driver. Eternally servant is the human being or the living entities. Eternally master, that is. In Vaikuṇṭha, in the spiritual world, there is equality with God and the living entities. They enjoy on equal level. But everyone knows that "Here is the Supreme." That is spiritual world. When Kṛṣṇa drives the chariot, Arjuna does not forget, that "He is my chariot driver." He knows that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. But He is so kind, He has accepted the post of my chariot driver." This is spiritual sense. And sometimes, by the influence of yoga-māyā, Kṛṣṇa also forgets that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the devotee also forgets that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is the action of yoga-māyā.

Sense gratification is a perverted reflection of the spiritual sense gratification.
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

The yogis, they are also having sense gratification. But where? Anante: "With the Supreme." They are also having sense gratification. Ramaṇa. Ramaṇa means sense gratification. Just like Kṛṣṇa's name is Rādhā-Ramaṇa. His sense gratification is with Rādhārāṇī. So the sense gratification is also there, but not this sense... Don't consider like this. Here it is only... Sense gratification is a perverted reflection of the spiritual sense gratification. The whole devotional line of service is also sense gratification. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). Hṛṣīka means senses, and Hṛṣīkeśa means the master of the senses. The master of the senses is Kṛṣṇa. So when your senses will be applied for the sense gratification of Kṛṣṇa, that is your transcendental position. And when your senses will be employed for your sense gratification, that is material. This is the difference. So when one is situated in the transcendental platform, when one's existential conditions are purified by tapasya, by voluntarily accepting austerity and penance under the guidance of spiritual master, śāstras, scriptures, saintly person, at that time it will be possible that you are in the platform of satisfying the senses of Kṛṣṇa and you are fully satisfied.

Spiritual sense is not senselessness.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975:

Hṛṣīka means the senses, the material senses and the spiritual senses. So what is the spiritual senses? Spiritual sense is not senselessness. No. Purified senses. In the impurified senses I am thinking, "This body is Indian; therefore I am meant for serving India," "This body is American; therefore I am meant for giving service to America." This is upādhi. But spiritual sense means the sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam—"I am no more Indian, no more American, no more brāhmaṇa, no more śūdra." Then what I am? As Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, as Kṛṣṇa also said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). That is spiritual platform, that "I am no more belonging to this dharma or that dharma. I am simply surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa." This is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). If one can come to this platform of spiritual understanding, that "I am spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am part and parcel of God..." Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Kṛṣṇa says, "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel."

Actual sense enjoyment is spiritual sense enjoyment that has no end, that has no limit.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

Everything is for satisfaction. But if you, sense... If you falsely satisfy your senses... Just like suppose you are a diseased man, if you have got fever and you want to eat some delicious food. The doctor has forbidden you, "Don't accept such and such food," but your senses demand that "If I could eat such and such thing," then you become more diseased. So first of all we should understand that because I have got this body, it is my diseased condition, because I am spirit soul. I have developed this particular type of body for this gratification of false material senses. You cannot satisfy your senses because this is false satisfaction. Because actually this body, you are not this body. Therefore even you try to satisfy your senses, that is flickering and that is temporary. But actual sense enjoyment is spiritual sense enjoyment that has no end, that has no limit. Brahma-saukhyaṁ tad anantam, unlimited. Just like a diseased man, if you give a nice foodstuff, he cannot eat much. After tasting, "All right, that's all." Finished. Because he is diseased. And give to a healthy man, oh, he will take so much. This is a crude example. Similarly, when you are spiritually purified, then actually you can make your sense enjoyment. When you are materially contaminated, that is false, temporary, increasing your material disease.

Sense enjoyment must be there, but that is spiritual sense enjoyment, purified sense enjoyment.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3 -- Montreal, June 16, 1968:

By serving Kṛṣṇa you will also satisfy your senses. Kṛṣṇa's name is Govinda. Go means senses, and vinda means one who gives pleasure to the senses. Do you mean to say that here the boys who are giving service to the, I mean to say, Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, they are not enjoying? Without enjoying can they serve free? They are giving service free. Whenever you go to render some service you immediately demand some money. But here in this temple, so many young boys, they are giving service free. Not only that: whatever they are earning they are also paying Kṛṣṇa. So do you think unless they get some enjoyment they are doing it foolishly? Sense enjoyment must be there, but that is spiritual sense enjoyment, purified sense enjoyment. We are training people in that way, that we don't stop your sense enjoyment. But enjoy it in its purified stage. Because sense enjoyment cannot be stopped. You are living entity, living being, the senses are there. But we do not know the way of sense enjoyment. That is to be learned by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

This propensity we should always remember that "I shall be greater than him, I shall overlord him." Just like my Godbrothers. The propensity is that "Oh, he has become greater than us," they are very envious. Their propensity is to become but they could not, they are therefore envious. This is materialism. There is no spiritual sense here.
Lecture on SB 7.7.28, 32-35 -- Mombassa, September 11, 1971:

So bīja-nirharaṇam. This propensity we should always remember that "I shall be greater than him, I shall overlord him." Just like my Godbrothers. The propensity is that "Oh, he has become greater than us," they are very envious. Their propensity is to become but they could not, they are therefore envious. This is materialism. There is no spiritual sense here. In the material..., spiritual world, if somebody is greater in service, others, they appreciate, "How great he is, how he has advanced in Kṛṣṇa's service. We could not do it," the Rādhārāṇī's spirit. Why Rādhārāṇī is worshiped by the devotees? His (her) spirit is like that. If anyone, She finds a nice devotee of Kṛṣṇa, She immediately recommends to Kṛṣṇa, "How nice this devotee. He can render better service than Me. Please accept him." This is spiritualism. This is spiritualism. Who can give better service than Rādhārāṇī? She is so great that She is captivating Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa captivates Madana, Cupid. But Rādhārāṇī captivates Kṛṣṇa. How great She is. Rādhe jaya jaya mādhava-dayite.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

There is said that so long, bhukti-mukti-spṛhā yāvat piśācī hṛdi vartate. Rūpa Gosvāmī. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi piśācī. It is... They are compared with piśācī, What is called, piśācī? Witch?
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

Bhavānanda: "Therefore anyone who has any desire or aspiration for satisfying his senses by becoming more and more important, either in the material sense or in the spiritual sense, cannot actually relish the really sweet taste of devotional service. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has therefore compared possessing these bhukti (material) and mukti (liberation) desires with being influenced by the black art of a witch. In both cases, one is in trouble. Bhukti means material enjoyment, and mukti means to become freed from material anxiety and to become one with the Lord. These desires are compared to being haunted by ghosts and witches, because while these aspirations for material enjoyment or spiritual oneness with the Supreme remain, no one can relish the actual transcendental taste of devotional service. A pure..."

Prabhupāda: There is said that so long, bhukti-mukti-spṛhā yāvat piśācī hṛdi vartate. Rūpa Gosvāmī. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi piśācī. It is... They are compared with piśācī, What is called, piśācī? Witch? What is that? Witch, what does it mean by "witch"?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One who flies around bewitching people.

Prabhupāda: What is that witch?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Puts a spell on people.

Devotee (1): Black magic.

Devotee (2): Black...

Prabhupāda: Black, yes. Witch.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Black, yes. Ghosts. Flying around.

Prabhupāda: So bhukti-mukti, they are considered as witch. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi, bhukti-mukti piśācī yāvat hṛdi vartate, tāvad bhakti-sukhasya. So long this piśācī will be within heart... Just like if a man is ghostly haunted, he cannot have healthy condition. He's in a troubled condition, ghostly haunted.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Now this connection of Kṛṣṇa and with the gopīs, apparently it is abominable, but in the spiritual sense, it is the highest, highest perfectional stage of love of Godhead.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.391-405 -- New York, January 2, 1967:

In the spiritual world, there is no contamination. And actually, when the gopīs went to Kṛṣṇa, they approached there in their spiritual bodies, not with material bodies. Because it is stated in the Bhāgavata that when the gopīs left their house, their husbands saw that the wife is sleeping on the same bed. So Kṛṣṇa, I mean to say, danced with the gopīs, not with their, in their material bodies, but in their spiritual bodies. These are the descriptions are there. So Kṛṣṇa is always pure, always pure, perfect. So sarvaiśvarya-prakāśe. There is pūrṇatama, the fullest expression of God. Now this connection of Kṛṣṇa and with the gopīs, apparently it is abominable, but in the spiritual sense, it is the highest, highest perfectional stage of love of Godhead.

Festival Lectures

As soon as we purify our senses, then actually we can enjoy our spiritual sense enjoyment.
Ratha-yatra -- London, July 13, 1972:

We are searching after that joyfulness within this material world, but that is not possible. Just like a fish, if it is taken from the water and put on the land, in any condition the fish will never feel joyfulness. Similarly, we are spirit souls. Somehow or other, we have come in contact with this material world. Therefore in this material world we cannot have joyfulness. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. This material world is not befitting our spiritual self. Spiritual self requires spiritual joy. That is beyond these material senses. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for clearing or cleansing or purifying the senses. As soon as we purify our senses, then actually we can enjoy our spiritual sense enjoyment.

Yes. Sound create life, that is the scientific truth.
Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

Guest (1): What is the source of life? Not the ordinary life. I am referring to it in the spiritual sense of the word. What is the source of... I don't mean to ask you if Brahman is the source of life. For example, could sound create life?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Sound create life, that is the scientific truth. From ether, sound is created. From sound, fire is created. From fire... No. From sound, air is created. From air, fire is created. And from fire, water is created. From water, land is created. This is nature's law. But where the ether is created? That you have to search out. If you go upstairs, where ether is created, then you come to God. Therefore from God, everything is created. Ether is the subtle form of matter. Then it becomes gross, gross matter. So the grossest is this material, this matter, dark. And the finest in the material is the ether. And finer than the ether is the mind. And finer than the mind is intelligence. And finer than the intelligence is the soul. And who is the source of soul? The Supreme Lord. Therefore the Supreme Lord is everything.

General Lectures

First of all you understand what is spiritual life, then... In the spiritual sense also you are subordinate because your nature is subordination.
Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Explain subordination again.

Prabhupāda: Subordination, it is simple. You are subordinate. You don't understand what is subordination? Is it very difficult? Are you not subordinate to somebody?

Young man: Well, yes, I suppose you could say I was.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You must. Everyone. Everyone must be subordinate, in subordination.

Young man: Yes, in a spiritual sense though, I don't feel subordinate to...

Prabhupāda: First of all you understand what is spiritual life, then... In the spiritual sense also you are subordinate because your nature is subordination.

Real happiness is above the senses. It is supramental sense, or spiritual sense.
Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to get the living out..., living entity out of this material entanglement. Because real happiness is not sensual happiness. Real happiness is above the senses. It is supramental sense, or spiritual sense. With the gross senses, what we enjoy, that is temporary. It is not permanent. Permanent enjoyment is transcendental sense enjoyment.

Philosophy Discussions

Yes, I agree with him. That is the degradation of human civilization. But the philosophy of the Communist, that everyone has equal right or everyone must take share of the state equally, that is little, basic principle of real communism.
Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: Jung sees atheistic Communism as the greatest threat in the world today. He writes that "The Communist revolution has debased man, because it robs him of his freedom, not only in the social but in the moral and spiritual sense. The state has taken the place of God. That is why, seen from this angle, the socialist dictatorships are religions, and state slavery is a form of worship."

Prabhupāda: Yes, I agree with him. That is the degradation of human civilization. But the philosophy of the Communist, that everyone has equal right or everyone must take share of the state equally, that is little, basic principle of real communism. According to our understanding, God is the father, material nature is the mother, and we, all living entities, are sons of the father and mother. So as sons everyone has right to live at the cost of father's property.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

No, no, he was not authority in the spiritual sense. He was a politician, moralist, politician. That's all. Worldly man.
Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda: Canakya, Canakya Pandit. He was a great politician and brāhmaṇa.

Yamunā: Was he in Lord Caitanya's time?

Prabhupāda: No, no. He was five thousand years..., not. Three thousand years.

Haṁsadūta: He was a great devotee?

Devotee: No.

Haṁsadūta: No?

Guest (1): He was politician. He was a mathematician.

Prabhupāda: He was very learned scholar, brāhmaṇa, rigid brāhmaṇa. That's all.

Guest (1): He was insulted once in boyhood by something of Mahātmānanda.

Prabhupāda: Nanda.

Guest (1): Then he took oath that "All right, today I turn my (indistinct) and one day I will dethrone you from here. Then you can call me (indistinct)," and he went away. (tells story)

Haṁsadūta: Great determination.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Yamunā: He was a great devotee?

Prabhupāda: No.

Yamunā: So he's not authority.

Prabhupāda: No, no, he was not authority in the spiritual sense. He was a politician, moralist, politician. That's all. Worldly man.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

No, no, no. Yes. By the help of God, he can revive. That is stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta...
Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: Yes. His mind and His knowledge of the spiritual sense. But it is possible to man without the helping of God to realize his perfection?

Prabhupāda: No, no, no.

Cardinal Danielou: It is necessary that the grace of God help the...

Prabhupāda: Yes. By the help of God, he can revive. That is stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta...

Cardinal Danielou: Because man is, himself, is not capable to attain...

Prabhupāda: No.

Cardinal Danielou: ...the divinity.

Prabhupāda: By the help of Kṛṣṇa...

Cardinal Danielou: (aside in French)

Prabhupāda: By the help of God, and by the help of master, spiritual master...

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

If one is not spiritually advanced or has no spiritual sense, he's animal.
Morning Walk -- April 24, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: (break) ...difference between animal and man. Therefore if one is not spiritually advanced or has no spiritual sense, he's animal. He is not human being. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). The verdict is already there. Sa eva go-kharaḥ. He is nothing, no better than the cows and asses.

So this brahma-bhūta stage is spiritual stage. We want to bring everyone to this spiritual stage.
Interview with Kathy Kerr Reporter from The Star -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Jayādvaita: "In the absolute conception, there is no difference between the served and the servitor; yet the distinctions is there, in a higher spiritual sense. In the material concept of life, when one works for sense gratification, there is misery, but in the absolute world, when one is engaged in pure devotional service, there is no misery. The devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness has nothing to lament or desire. Since God is full, a living entity who is engaged in God's service, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, becomes also full in himself. He is just like a river cleansed of all dirty water. Because a pure devotee has no thought other than Kṛṣṇa, he is naturally always joyful. He does not lament for any material loss or gain because he is full in service to the Lord. He has no desire for material enjoyment because he knows that every living entity is the fragmental part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and therefore eternally a servant. He does not see, in the material world, someone as higher and someone as lower; higher and lower positions are ephemeral, and a devotee has nothing to do with ephemeral appearances or disappearances. For him, stone and gold are of equal value. This is the brahma-bhūta stage, and this stage is attained very easily..."

Prabhupāda: So this brahma-bhūta stage is spiritual stage. We want to bring everyone to this spiritual stage. That is the sum and substance. We are not on the material stage. Therefore it is little difficult to understand. Everyone is on the material stage, but we are working on the spiritual stage.

When you engage your physical senses in the service of the Lord, then the physical quality of the senses will be diminished or gone, your spiritual sense activities will begin. This is practical.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Ali: I feel man has already accepted his physical deficiency. I was just watching Olympic, and it seemed so pathetic, they were just trying to jump higher and higher, and they couldn't do it.

Prabhupāda: No, the physical senses are to be spiritualized. You cannot appreciate God by physical senses. But when your physical senses are purified and it is spiritualized, then you can...

Ali: That's exactly what I meant when I said that whatever we see...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is process, how to... Just like iron rod, it is iron rod, but if you put into the process, that means if you put into the fire, a time will come the iron rod will be red hot and it is fire. Similarly, if you engage your physical senses only—(aside:) here is candle—when you engage your physical senses in the service of the Lord, then the physical quality of the senses will be diminished or gone, your spiritual sense activities will begin. This is practical.

When one is acting only spiritually, there is no material activity. That is the process. So if we adopt that process, it is possible to come to the platform of spiritual sense activity.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Ali: Are we closer to this practicality when we sleep?

Prabhupāda: Yes, when you are practiced. Sleep means what you do when you are awakened, the same thing you'll dream, that's all. Physical, I've told you there are two phases of senses. Gross and subtle. When the gross senses are not working, the subtle senses work. Just like you dream, your mind is working. Although your hands and legs are taking rest, but mind is working. That is dreaming. So there are two phases of physical senses, gross and subtle. When the gross senses are stopped, the subtle senses continue to work. And when you are above even subtle senses, that is spiritual. Sometimes we misunderstand subtle senses are spiritual. No. Spiritual senses are different from the subtle stages.

Ali: These are the different stages.

Prabhupāda: Yes, of coming to the platform of spiritual senses. And when you come to the spiritual senses, then you can understand God, you can understand your relationship with God, you can talk with God, you can serve God, and so on, so on. The same example, just like iron rod as it is, it is not able to burn anything. But when the iron rod is sufficiently hot, red-hot, touch anywhere, it will burn. Similarly, from this physical platform, if you begin these spiritual activities, then stage will come when you'll act only spiritually, there will be no more material activity. That is the stage of bhakti, that is real platform of bhakti, when one is acting only spiritually, there is no material activity. That is the process. So if we adopt that process, it is possible to come to the platform of spiritual sense activity. That is possible. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). That is purification process. And when one is completely purified, then he acts with his spiritual senses.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

No, there is no... Matter means matter develops on spirit. Without spirit there is no existence of matter.
Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In order to make a distinction between that life and the matter, especially to the material scientific community, we were thinking of presenting in the manner that matter, though in the spiritual sense there is nothing like matter, but still, there is matter...

Prabhupāda: No, there is no... Matter means matter develops on spirit. Without spirit there is no existence of matter. Just like spirit means consciousness. You see in this finger. Here is consciousness, and little after, there is no consciousness, this nail. But the nail has grown from the skin. So therefore, from consciousness, unconsciousness... Not that from unconsciousness, consciousness.

No, there is no... Matter means matter develops on spirit. Without spirit there is no existence of matter.
Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In order to make a distinction between that life and the matter, especially to the material scientific community, we were thinking of presenting in the manner that matter, though in the spiritual sense there is nothing like matter, but still, there is matter...

Prabhupāda: No, there is no... Matter means matter develops on spirit. Without spirit there is no existence of matter. Just like spirit means consciousness. You see in this finger. Here is consciousness, and little after, there is no consciousness, this nail. But the nail has grown from the skin. So therefore, from consciousness, unconsciousness... Not that from unconsciousness, consciousness.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good example.

Prabhupāda: Unconsciousness means absence of consciousness.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Unconsciousness also means no life?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Originally conscious. When there is forgetfulness, that is not. So unconsciousness is a covering of life. You develop this argument. There is no such thing as unconsciousness, but when the consciousness is covered, that is unconsciousness, negation.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That becomes matter.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That we say, "matter." Absence of consciousness is matter, jaḍa.

Satadhanya: We say "covered consciousness."

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

This is the age of Kali which plunders away spiritual sense of the human being and it is only the Divine Grace of Lord Caitanya Who can protect us from all these dangerous pitfalls.
Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 14 March, 1967:

A female is never awarded the order of Sannyasam. Because a female is never considered independent and Sannyasam was never awarded to any female in the past by the great Acaryas like Sankara, Ramanuja etc. The female Sannyasins are to be immediately understood as pretenders or prostitutes. In India they have organized so many organizations where specially young females are maintained to attract rich women-hunters who pretend to pose as righteous in the society. This is the age of Kali which plunders away spiritual sense of the human being and it is only the Divine Grace of Lord Caitanya Who can protect us from all these dangerous pitfalls. You were not agitated by unfavorable criticism and yet you chanted Hare Krishna Mahamantra that is the way of chanting Hare Krishna. I thank you very much for this forbearance. I am very glad to note that you can know the foolishness of the modern society in spiritual understanding and I thank you very much for your appreciation of my association. This association is disciplic and as such all thanks are due to Lord Krishna Who infuses His powers through the bona fide disciplic succession.

Page Title:Spiritual sense
Compiler:Visnu Murti, MadhuGopaldas
Created:16 of Jan, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=2, SB=4, CC=1, OB=3, Lec=18, Con=8, Let=1
No. of Quotes:37