Through Question and Answer HDGSP explains How Material Energy can become Spiritual Energy—-

list compiled by Gargamuni das

Devotee: So Śrīla Prabhupāda, if the sound is the same, does that mean that when you become fully purified you will also see the sound of an automobile horn as transcendental?
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is transcendental, this microphone, because it is being used for Kṛṣṇa’s purpose. The same flower, when you use it for sense gratification, it is material. The same flower when you offer to Kṛṣṇa, it is spiritual. The flower is not different, but by the different use it becomes material and spiritual. I think I have said many times that there is actually no material existence. Therefore it is called māyā. Māyā means it has no actual existence. We create an atmosphere. That is māyā. Atmosphere of forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, that is māyā. Anartha. Anartha, unnecessary. [SB 1.7.6]. If this park is given to us, we can immediately make it Vaikuṇṭha. We know how to do it. But it is not given to us. The same electric energy is creating heater and cooler. For the cooler there is no different electric energy. And for the heater there is no different—the same electric. Similarly, the material and spiritual is coming from Kṛṣṇa’s energy. How Kṛṣṇa’s energy can be material? That is spiritual. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that “These material elements, they are also My energy.” So how Kṛṣṇa’s energy can be material? Separated, a little separated, that’s all. Separated means as soon as you separate Kṛṣṇa from anything, that is material. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So you have to dovetail everything with Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be spiritual. As soon as you say these demons, they separate Kṛṣṇa, “What is Kṛṣṇa? What is God? We are scientist, we are technicians and so on, so on. We create our own thing,” that means they don’t dovetail with Krsna; therefore they are materialist. When we want to enjoy life without Krsna, that is material. And Krsna gives chance, “All right, you enjoy without Me.” And when he is, what is called, disgusted, then Krsna comes once, “Now you have experienced. You haven’t got happiness. Now give up this attitude to enjoy without Me.” Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam… [Bg. 18.66]. “Do it.” This is going on. The rascals, they want to enjoy life without Krsna. The gopis are dancing with Krsna; the dancing is here also, ball dance. Why they do not get any pleasure? Without Krsna. You dance with Krsna, you get real pleasure. So our business is to educate people that “Everything is Krsna. You try to understand.” This is Krsna consciousness. You are trying to forget Krsna. That is your argument. Just like the materialistic person argue, “Why shall I do this? Why shall I go to Krsna?” They argue simply this. Actually, there cannot exist anything without Krsna. Krsna says. “All this, whatever you see, that is My expansion of energy. Everything is resting on Me.” [Bg. 9.4]. “Everything is on Me.” By bhakti-yoga gradually he develops that “Everything — vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19] — oh, everything is Krsna.” Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. That mahatma is very rare who can see everywhere Krsna.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk — May 21, 1975, Melbourne

Similarly, to think that the body of the spiritual master consists of material ingredients is offensive. The fact is, however, that by the grace of Krsna’s omnipotence, the so-called stone statue of the Deity is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the body of the spiritual master is directly spiritual. Let us therefore offer our obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whose mercy so-called material things also become spiritual when they are engaged in spiritual activity.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 8.3.2

One should not give up anything which can be utilized in the service of the Lord. That is a secret of devotional service. Anything that can be utilized in advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service should be accepted. For instance, we are using many machines for the advancement of our present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, machines like typewriters, dictating machines, tape recorders, microphones and airplanes. Sometimes people ask us, “Why are you utilizing material products if you condemn the advancement of material civilization?” But actually we do not condemn. We simply ask people to do whatever they are doing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the same principle on which, in Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa advised Arjuna to utilize his fighting abilities in devotional service. Similarly, we are utilizing these machines for Kṛṣṇa’s service. With such sentiment for Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we can accept everything. If the typewriter can be utilized for advancing our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we must accept it. Similarly, the dictating machine or any other machine must be used. Our vision is that Kṛṣṇa is everything. Kṛṣṇa is the cause and effect, and nothing belongs to us. Kṛṣṇa’s things must be used in the service of Kṛṣṇa. That is our vision.The acceptance and rejection of things should always be in pursuance of the devotional principles; not that one can independently manufacture some idea of what should be accepted or rejected. The spiritual master as the visible manifestation of Krsna is necessary, therefore, to direct the devotee on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => NoD 14: Devotional Qualifications

Ramesvara: In other words, we want to reorganize all of society so that they develop Krsna consciousness.
Prabhupada: Krsna consciousness. That’s it. We do not hate anything. That is not our business. Just like we utilizing this. So it is modern, scientific gift. So we can utilize it for spreading Krsna consciousness. We do not say… We are not so bigot — “No, no. It is material. We shall not touch it.” We are not such fools.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation — January 21, 1977, Bhubaneswar

The things which are usable by Krsna consciousness movement, if we give up them, as material, that is foolishness. That they do not know. They have yet to learn. It is Rupa Gosvami’s injunction. “Oh, it is material.” So we are not such fools, sunyavadi and nirvisesavadi. We are not such fools. Arjuna, he thought that not killing is better than killing, but Krsna convinced him, “Yes, killing is better than not killing.” Therefore he, after reading Bhagavad-gita, he took it, “Yes, killing is better than not killing.” Generally people understand not killing is better than killing. But Krsna explained to Arjuna, “No, if there is My desire, then killing is better than not killing.” And that is knowledge. Therefore we have to carry out simply Krsna’s order or His representative’s order. Then it is all good. Either killing or not killing, it doesn’t matter because it is coming directly from the Supreme. And that is spiritual. Otherwise why Krsna induced Arjuna to kill? He was presenting as very good man, that “I shall not kill.” And that’s… Actually that is good. Even if your enemy excuse him, that is very good idea. But if it is not desired by Krsna, then it is bad. So our principle is: We have to act according to the desire of Krsna; then it is good. Otherwise, bad.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation — April 20, 1976, Melbourne

No. If we get opportunity, preaching facility for going on car, on aeroplane, using typewriter, Dictaphone, microphone, we must use it. Because this is Krsna’s property, it must be used for Krsna. This is our philosophy. This microphone is Krsna’s. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. So when it is used for Krsna it is not material; it is spiritual.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.55 — April 10, 1976, Vrndavana