Hare Krsna-
For those who care and still have imagination and ability to inquire, we have arranged some things from Srila Prabhupadas books which describe that which is not describable but is in fact inconceivable.
damaghosa das
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Inconceivable things in the spiritual world-
Just for teasers, here is some of what you will find below…when our body is completely spiritualized it can and will act just like Krsnas-He/and we can eat thru his eyes, feet, ears,
etc/our spiritual body can become grass, a tree or whatever we want, and still return to the original human like form/ Gadadhara das– is the luster of Srimati Radharanis body and Gadadhara pandit is the incarnation of Radha Herself/ trees in the spiritual world can move from one place to another/and Arjuna and Devahuti remain in the material world to assist Krsna with His pastimes and they can expand themselves in unlimited bodies in unlimited universes to do so…….and more
Adi 5.22 purport
In the Vaikuṇṭhas there are airplanes, but they make no tumultuous sounds. Material airplanes are not at all safe: they can fall down and crash at any time, for matter is imperfect in every respect. In the spiritual sky, however, the airplanes are also spiritual, and they are spiritually brilliant and bright. These airplanes do not fly business executives, politicians or planning commissions as passengers, nor do they carry cargo or postal bags, for these are all unknown there. These planes are for pleasure trips only, and the residents of Vaikuṇṭha fly in them with their heavenly, beautiful, fairylike consorts. Therefore these airplanes, full of residentsof Vaikuṇṭha, both male and female, increase the beauty of the spiritual sky. We cannot imagine how beautiful they are, but their beauty may be compared to the clouds in the sky accompanied by silver branches of electric lightning. The spiritual sky of Vaikuṇṭhaloka is always decorated in this way.
The bestial civilization of eating, sleeping, fearing and sense-gratifying has misled modern man into forgetting how powerful a soul he has. As we have already described, the soul is a spiritual spark many, many times more illuminating, dazzling and powerful than the sun, moon or electricity. Human life is spoiled when man does not realize his real identity with his soul. LordCaitanya appeared with Lord Nityānanda to save man from this type of misleading civilization.
(SPL to Saradiya, 12th December 1968)-“To answer your second question, you should know that Arjuna and Kunti-devi are not in Krsnaloka. They are eternally associated with Krsna only in the material world. Just like Krsna is always in the spiritual world so similarly He is always in the material world and His pastimes are going on there also. In the material world, Krsna also has eternal associates, such as Arjuna and Kunti-devi. There is a difference between the body and soul of Arjuna and Kunti-devi. But although Arjuna is with Krsna in innumerable different material universes at one time, still there is only one spirit soul who is Arjuna. This spirit soul expands into many different bodies and thus you can understand that there are also incarnations of devotees as well as incarnations of Krsna. This is the power of the spirit soul, that it is unlimited. Such conception cannot be understood while one is still in the conditioned state.”
KB 1-13-Therefore in order to satisfy the mothers of His friends as well as to convince Brahmā of the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead, He immediately expanded Himself as the cowherd boys and calves. In the Vedas it is said that the Supreme Personality of Godhead expands Himself in so many living entities by His energy. Therefore it was not very difficult for Him to expand Himself again into so many boys and calves. He expanded Himself to become exactly like the boys, who were of all different features, facial and bodily construction, and who were different in their clothing and ornaments and in their behavior and personal activities. In other words, everyone has different tastes; being individual soul, each person has entirely different activities and behavior.Yet Kṛṣṇa exactly expanded Himself into all the different positions of the individual boys. He also became the calves, who were also of different sizes, colors, activities, etc. This was possible because everything is an expansion of Kṛṣṇa’s energy.
ADI 9.32 purport
It is our experience in the material world that trees stand in one place, but in the spiritual world a tree can go from one place to another. Therefore everything in the spiritual world is called alaukika, uncommon or transcendental. Another feature of such a tree is that it can act universally. In the material world the roots of a tree go deep within the earth to gather food, but in the spiritual world the twigs, branches and leaves of the upper portion of the tree can act like the roots.
It is our experience in the material world that trees stand in one place, but in the spiritual world a tree can go from one place to another. Therefore everything in the spiritual world is called alaukika, uncommon or transcendental. Another feature of such a tree is that it can act universally. In the material world the roots of a tree go deep within the earth to gather food, but in the spiritual world the twigs, branches and leaves of the upper portion of the tree can act like the roots.
ADI 10.53 purport
Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa was known as an inhabitant of this village (eṅḍiyādaha-vāsī gadādhara dāsa). The Bhakti-ratnākara (Seventh Wave), informs us that after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Gadādhara dāsa came from Navadvīpa to Katwa. Thereafter he came to Eṅḍiyādaha and resided there.
Śrīla Gadādhara dāsa was known as an inhabitant of this village (eṅḍiyādaha-vāsī gadādhara dāsa). The Bhakti-ratnākara (Seventh Wave), informs us that after the disappearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Gadādhara dāsa came from Navadvīpa to Katwa. Thereafter he came to Eṅḍiyādaha and resided there.
He is stated to be the luster of the body of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, just as Śrīla Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosvāmī is an incarnation of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī Herself. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is sometimes explained to be rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalita, or characterized by the emotions and bodily luster of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Gadādhara dāsa is this dyuti, or luster.
TLC introduction-–
The Brahma-saṁhitā also confirms that the spiritual body of the Supreme Lord is so powerful that any part of that body can perform the functions of any other part. We can only touch with our hands or skin, but Kṛṣṇa can touch just by glancing. We can only see with our eyes, we cannot touch or smell with them. Kṛṣṇa, however, can smell and also eat with His eyes. When foodstuffs are offered to Kṛṣṇa we don’t see Him eating, but He eats simply by glancing at the food. We cannot imagine how things work in the spiritual world where everything is spiritual. It is not that Kṛṣṇa does not eat or that we imagine that He eats; He actually eats, but His eating is different from ours. Our eating process will be similar to His when we are completely on the spiritual platform. On that platform every part of the body can act on behalf of any other part
Melborne May 20 1975-Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, you were saying that because the body has arms and legs, then the coat has a similar shape. Then does the spirit soul that’s within our body have arms and legs like that?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee (1): Would the spirit soul that is within, say, a cow’s body, is in a different shape?
Prabhupāda: Yes. It has got also legs. But the shape has taken according to his desire. Every animal has got these four things. Just like bird, it has got two wings, two legs. The animal has got four legs. And the man has got two hands, two legs. So the same parts of the body, they are appearing in a different type. But the four limbs of the body are there. Hm?
Devotee (2): Is the original body of the spirit soul a human form?
Madhudviṣa: The question is that whether the eternal form of the spirit soul is a human form or is it…
Prabhupāda: Yes, human form. God is also human form. “Man is made after the shape of God.” I think there is in the Bible. Is it not? So God is also like human form. Here you see Kṛṣṇa, two hands, two legs.
Hari-śauri: How do we understand, then, that there are peacocks and flowers and trees in the spiritual world? Are these not eternal forms?
Prabhupāda: Yes. They are more covered. Just like if you cover your body with blanket, the hands and legs are invisible. But you are not the blanket. So the trees and plants, they are more covered. They are not in full manifestation. The human form is the full manifestation of the soul.
Hari-śauri: They are covered in the spiritual world?
Madhudviṣa: He is asking if they were actually covered in the spiritual world as well.
Prabhupāda: Not in the spiritual world. There that is voluntary. Some devotee wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as flower; they become flower there. If I want that “As a flower I shall lie down at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa,” he becomes flower, voluntarily. And he can change his…, from flower to human body. That is spiritual life. There is no restriction. If some devotee wants to serve Kṛṣṇa as cow, he serves Kṛṣṇa as cow, as calf, as flower, as plant, as water, as ground, field, or as father, as mother, as friend, as beloved, anything. Ye yathā mām prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham [Bg. 4.11]. That is Kṛṣṇa’s all-powerfulness, spiritual life.
Hon may 10 1976–
The injunction is that tad viddhi, if you want to understand transcendental subject matter, not material, spiritual… Spiritual is completely unknown to us because we do not know what is spiritual. We are identifying with this body. You do not know even that “I am spirit soul.” So where is the possibility of spiritual understanding? One cannot see himself, what he is. He is thinking, “I am this body,” exactly like the dog. The dog is thinking, “I am dog.” So if I think, “I am American,” “I am Indian,” where is the difference? There is no difference. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke [SB 10.84.13]. If one thinks that “I am this body,” then he’s no better than sa eva go-kharaḥ. The animals, they also think like that, “I am this body.”
Bombay Nov 17 1974–This is self-realization. Self-realization means to see one’s proper identity. At the present moment we are not finding out our proper identity. We are seeing to the body. I see you, your body, and you see me, my body. We have no vision of the real person,which is, who is occupying this body. This is the first lesson we get from Bhagavad-gītā: dehino ‘smin yathā dehe [Bg. 2.13]. Dehi… This body is called deha, and the owner of the body is called dehī….So when we can see that we are not this body, “I am not this body,” that is beginning of self-realization. That is called brahma-bhūta [SB 4.30.20] stage. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: “I am not this material body.” Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is self-realization.
ADI 7.148
The complete path of bhakti-yoga is based upon the process of becoming humble and submissive. By the grace of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all the Māyāvādī sannyāsīs were very humble and submissive after hearing His explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra, and they begged to be pardoned for the offenses they had committed by criticizing the Lord for simply chanting and dancing and not taking part in the study of the Vedānta-sūtra. We are propagating the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement simply by following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. We may not be very well versed in the Vedānta-sūtra aphorisms and may not understand their meaning, but we follow in the footsteps of the ācāryas, and because of our strictly and obediently following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is to be understood that we know everything regarding the Vedānta-sūtra.
TLC chapter 32-
Lord Caitanya then passed ten nights with Rāmānanda Rāya, enjoyed his company and discussed the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā. The discussions between them were on the highest level of love for Kṛṣṇa. Some of these talks are described, but most of them could not be described. In Caitanya-caritāmṛta this has been compared to metallurgic examination. The metals compared are discussed in the following sequence: first copper, then bronze, then silver, gold and at last touchstone. The preliminary discussions between Lord Caitanya and Rāmānanda Rāya are considered to be like copper, and the higher discussions are considered to be like gold. The fifth dimension of their discussions, however, is considered to be like touchstone. If one is eager to attain the highest understanding, he must begin with an inquiry into the differences between copper and bronze, then silver and gold and so on.
SB 10.15.34 purport
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.3):“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, or even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form.”
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.2.3):“The Supreme Lord is not obtained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, or even by much hearing. He is obtained only by one whom He Himself chooses. To such a person, He manifests His own form.”
68-12 “To answer your second question, you should know that Arjuna and Kunti-devi are not in Krsnaloka. They are eternally associated with Krsna only in the material world. Just like Krsna is always in the spiritual world so similarly He is always in the material world and His pastimes are going on there also. In the material world, Krsna also has eternal associates, such as Arjuna and Kunti-devi. There is a difference between the body and soul of Arjuna and Kunti-devi. But although Arjuna is with Krsna in innumerable different material universes at one time, still there is only one spirit soul who is Arjuna. This spirit soul expands into many different bodies and thus you can understand that there are also incarnations of devotees as well as incarnations ofKrsna. This is the power of the spirit soul, that it is unlimited. Suchconception cannot be understood while one is still in the conditioned state.”
(SPL to Saradiya, 12th December 1968)
Dr. Singh: Yes, and we want to prove it on a purely experimental basis. It’s a very simple experiment. We germinate some seeds, like barley or rice, and we calculate the amount of, let’s say, calcium. Now, as a place to germinate the seed on, we use a piece of ashless, pure-cellulose filter paper, completely devoid of calcium. First, we calculate the amount of calcium present before the seed germinates. Then we germinate the seed with deionized water, again completely devoid of calcium. Once the seed germinates, we analyze the calcium content.
What Kervran found is this: The amount of calcium is much increased. So we do not know where that calcium is coming from. And this phenomenon is beyond our present knowledge of chemistry.
What Kervran found is this: The amount of calcium is much increased. So we do not know where that calcium is coming from. And this phenomenon is beyond our present knowledge of chemistry.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: The soul has entered and has germinated the seed—and this has produced the increased calcium.
Dr. Singh: Yes. This increased calcium has to be coming from somewhere. There has to be a cause.
Śrīla Prabhupāda: That cause is the soul.
Bhubanesvara, India, on February 3, 1977
SB 5.1.40 purport...
This is also mentioned in relation to Mahārāja Pṛthu, who was born from the dead body of his father by the manipulation of great sages. Mahārāja Pṛthu’s father was very sinful, and therefore a black man called Niṣāda was first born from his dead body. The Naiṣāda race was given a place in the forest because by nature they are thieves and rogues. As animals are given places in various forests and hills, men who are like animals are also destined to live there. One cannot be promoted to civilized life unless one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for by nature one is destined to live in a particular situation according to one’s karma and association with the modes of nature. If men want to live in harmony and peace, they must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, for they cannot achieve the highest standard while absorbed in the bodily concept of life. Mahārāja Priyavrata divided the surface of the globe into different islands so that each class of men would live peacefully and not clash with the others. The modern idea of nationhood has gradually developed from the divisions made by Mahārāja Priyavrata. Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/5/1/40
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Some quotes below to explain the process of how to get to these understandings of spiritual life. There is no use trying to describe emotional life with God-Krsna or even Guru when we still firmly believe we are these material bodies. There is a process and that has been amply described in the books and previous Acaryas.
May 11 1975 Perth
Devotee (1): So if we as devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are transcendental to these modes, does that mean that we can…
Prabhupāda: You are not transcendental. You are trying to be transcendental. You should always remember that “We are trying to be transcendental.” When you are actually on transcendental state, you will not be affected by any modes of material nature. Therefore you should be very cautious and careful. Just like on the sea, you are in the boat. You are transcendental. But the boat may can merge into the water any moment unless you are very carefully plying it. At any moment. You are not in the water, you are safe on the boat, but if you do not carefully ply your boat, then you can fall down at any moment. The comparison is given, nṛ-deham ādyam sulabhaṁ sudurlabhaṁ. Sulabhaṁ. This human form of body is just like a very nice boat to cross over this ocean of ignorance, and the guru is the pilot or the captain. And the śāstras are favorable win
July 4 1974 Honolulu
Prabhupāda: Then so śikṣā and dīkṣā-guru… A śikṣā-guru who instructs against the instruction of spiritual, he is not a śikṣā guru. He is a demon. Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru means… Sometimes a dīkṣā-guru is not present always. Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the śikṣā-guru. Śikṣā-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the dīkṣā-guru. He is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a rascal.
….Because that is offense. First offense is guror avajnā, defying the authority of guru. This is the first offense. So one who is offensive, how he can make advance in chanting? He cannot make. Then everything is finished in the beginning. Everything is there. If one is disobeying the spiritual master, he cannot remain in the pure status of life. He cannot be śikṣā-guru or anything else. He is finished, immediately. śruti-śāstra-nindanam, nāmno balād yasya hi… You do not study all these things. You become initiated. There are ten kinds of offenses. Do you have any regard for these things or not? You must avoid these ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to disobey the orders of guru. That is first offense. So if you are offensive, how you can become advanced by chanting? That is also not possible.
Some Conclusions–When I bathe our Salagram silas every mornings first thing, after mongol arotik, while rubbing sandle wood to get the pulp is I slowly recite the 10 offenses to try to get a more clear understanding of these 10 major but fundamental items in devotional life.
I have had many discussions over the years with different devotees about so many different aspects of this devotional life. Sometimes we agree sometimes we don’t. But one common thing is that everybody has his own opinion but not all can back up those opinions with direct quotes from our guru Srila Prabhupada.. And even after hearing these quotes, some seem to still disagree with recurring themes in the books. Like for instance-what constitutes bona fide deity worship?
Some seem to think that just opening a curtain, clapping your hands and saying Hare Krnsa then lighting a stick of incense is all you have to do.. This may be some form of deity worship for some, but it is not the actual process described by Srila Prabhupada repeatedly in his books. For some there is no doing the formal arotik ceremony, no offering of some sweets or fruits along with chanting the morning mongol songs. and then what to speak of actually bathing your deity, grinding sandle wood pulp and offering it to HIm, and then some tulsi leaves along with scented oils. Changing Their clothes, and offering all sorts of desirable things for the Lords pleasure.
If we do not do these so basic things, then where is our devotion? Where is our obedience to Srila Prabhupada? We are so busy with other things that we think these basic items are negotiable or obtionalbe? If so this is called mental speculation and one of the 10 offenses-To give some concocted interpretation or idea of the chanting of the Holy Names.