Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Easy Journey to Other Planets Chapter One
Antimaterial Worlds
Materialistic science may one day finally discover the eternal antimaterial world which
has for so long been unknown to the wranglers of gross materialism. Regarding the scientists'
present conception of antimatter, the Times of India (Oct. 27, 1959) published the following
news release:
Stockholm, Oct. 26, 1959-Two American atomic scientists were awarded the 1959 Nobel Physics
Prize today for the discovery of the antiproton, proving that matter exists in two forms -- as
particles and antiparticles. They are Italian -- born Dr. Emillo Segre, 69, and Dr. Owen
Chamberlain, born in San Francisco.... According to one of the fundamental assumptions of the
new theory, there may exist another world, or an antiworld, built up of antimatter. This
antimaterial world would consist of atomic and subatomic particles spinning in reverse
orbits to those of the world we know. If these two worlds should ever clash, they would both
be annihilated in one blinding flash.
In this statement, the following propositions are put forward:
1. There is an antimaterial atom or particle which is made up of the antiqualities of material
atoms.
2. There is another world besides this material world of which we have only limited experience.
3. The antimaterial and material worlds may clash at a certain period and may annihilate
one another.
Out of these three items, we, the students of theistic science, can fully agree with
items 1 and 2, but we can agree with item 3 only within the limited scientific definition
of antimatter. The difficulty lies in the fact that the scientists' conception of antimatter
extends only to another variety of material energy, whereas the real antimatter must be
entirely antimaterial. Matter as it is constituted is subjected to annihilation, but antimatter
-- if it is to be free from all material symptoms -- must also be free from annihilation, by
its very nature. If matter is destructible or separable, antimatter must be indestructible
and inseparable. We shall try to discuss these propositions from the angle of authentic scriptural
vision.
The most widely recognized scriptures in the world are the Vedas. The Vedas have been divided
into four parts: Sama, Yajur, Rg and Atharva. The subject matter of the Vedas is very difficult
for a man of ordinary understanding. For elucidation, the four Vedas are explained in the historical
epic called the Mahabharata and in eighteen Puranas. The Ramayana is also a historical
epic which contains all the necessary information from the Vedas. So the four Vedas, the original
Ramayana by Valmiki, the Mahabharata and the Puranas are classified as Vedic literatures.
The Upanisads are parts of the four Vedas, and the Vedanta-sutras represent the cream
of the Vedas. To summarize all these Vedic literatures, the Bhagavad-gita is accepted
as the essence of all Upanisads and the preliminary explanation of the Vedanta-sutras. One may
then conclude that from the Bhagavad-gita alone one can have the essence of the Vedas,
for it is spoken by Lord Sri Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who descends upon
this material world from the antimaterial world in order to give complete information
of the superior form of energy.
The superior form of energy of the Personality of Godhead is described in the Bhagavad-gita
as para prakrti. The scientists have recently discovered that there are two forms of perishable
matter, but the Bhagavad-gita describes most perfectly the concept of matter and antimatter
in terms of two forms of energy. Matter is an energy which creates the material world,
and the same energy, in its superior form, also creates the antimaterial (transcendental)
world. The living entities belong to the category of superior energy. The inferior energy, or
material energy, is called apara prakrti. In the Bhagavad-gita the creative energy is
thus presented in two forms, namely apara and para prakrti.
Matter itself has no creative power. When it is manipulated by the living energy, material
things are produced. Matter in its crude form is therefore the latent energy of the Supreme
Being. Whenever we think of energy, it is natural that we think of the source of energy.
For example, when we think of electrical energy, we simultaneously think of the powerhouse
where it is generated. Energy is not self-sufficient. It is under the control of a superior living
being. For example, fire is the source of two other energies, namely light and heat.
Light and heat have no independent existence outside of fire. Similarly, the inferior and
superior energies are derived from a source, which one may call by any name. That source
of energy must be a living being with full sense of everything. That supreme living being
is the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, or the all-attractive living being.
In the Vedas the supreme living being, or the Absolute Truth, is called Bhagavan -- the
opulent one, the living being who is the fountainhead of all energies. The discovery of the two
forms of limited energies by the modern scientists is just the beginning of the progress of science.
Now they must go further to discover the source of the two particles or atoms which they term
material and antimaterial.
How can the antimaterial particle be explained? We have experience with material particles
or atoms, but we have no experience with antimaterial atoms. However, the Bhagavad-gita gives the
following vivid description of the antimaterial particle:
This antimaterial particle is within the material body. Because of the presence of this antimaterial
particle, the material body is progressively changing from childhood to boyhood, from boyhood
to youth to old age, after which the antimaterial particle leaves the old, unworkable body and
takes up another material body.
This description of a living body confirms the scientific discovery that energy exists
in two forms. When one of them, the antimaterial particle, is separated from the material body,
the latter becomes useless for all purposes. As such, the antimaterial particle is undoubtedly
superior to the material energy.
No one, therefore, should lament for the loss of material energy. All varieties of sense
perception in the categories of heat and cold, happiness and distress, are but interactions
of material energy which come and go like seasonal changes. The temporary appearance
and disappearance of such material interactions confirms that the material body is formed
of a material energy inferior to the living force, or jiva energy.
Any intelligent man who is not disturbed by happiness and distress, understanding that
they are different material phases resulting from the interactions of the inferior energy,
is competent to regain the antimaterial world, where life is eternal, full of permanent knowledge
and bliss.
The antimaterial world is mentioned here, and in addition information is given that
in the antimaterial world there is no "seasonal" fluctuation. Everything there is permanent,
blissful, and full of knowledge. But when we speak of it as a "world," we must remember
that it has forms and paraphernalia of various categories beyond our material experiences.
The material body is destructible, and as such it is changeable and temporary. So is
the material world. But the antimaterial living force is nondestructible, and therefore it
is permanent. Expert scientists have thus distinguished the different qualities of the
material and antimaterial particles as temporary and permanent respectively.
The discoverers of the two forms of matter have yet to find out the qualities of antimatter.
But a vivid description is already given in the Bhagavad-gita as follows. The scientist
can make further research on the basis of this valuable information.
The antimaterial particle is finer than the finest of material particles. This living
force is so powerful that it spreads its influence all over the material body. The antimaterial
particle has immense potency in comparison to the material particle, and consequently
it cannot be destroyed.
This is but the beginning of the description of the antimaterial particle in the Bhagavad-gita.
It is further explained as follows:
The finest form of the antimaterial particle is encaged within the gross and subtle material
bodies. Although the material bodies (both gross and subtle) are subject to destruction,
the finer, antimaterial particle is eternal. One's interest, therefore, should be in this
eternal principle.
The perfection of science will occur when it is possible for the material scientists
to know the qualities of the antimaterial particle and liberate it from the association
of nonpermanent, material particles. Such liberation would mark the culmination of scientific
progress.
There is partial truth in the scientists' suggestion that there may exist also another
world consisting of antimaterial atoms and that a clash between the material and antimaterial
worlds will result in the annihilation of both. There is a clash which is continually
going on: the annihilation of the material particles is taking place at every moment,
and the nonmaterial particle is striving for liberation. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita
as follows:
The nonmaterial particle, which is the living entity, influences the material particle to
work. This living entity is always indestructible. As long as the nonmaterial particle is within
the lump of material energy -- known by the names of gross and subtle bodies -- then the
entity is manifest as a living unit. In the continuous clashing between the two particles,
the nonmaterial particle is never annihilated. No one can destroy the antimaterial particle
at any time -- past, present or future.
Therefore, we think that the theory maintaining that the material and antimaterial worlds
may clash, resulting in the annihilation of both worlds, is correct only within the context
of the scientists' limited definition of antimatter. The Bhagavad-gita explains the nature of the
antimaterial particle, which can never be annihilated:
The fine and immeasurable antimaterial particle is always indestructible, permanent and eternal.
After a certain period, however, its encagement by material particles is annihilated. This
same principle also operates in the case of the material and antimaterial worlds. No one
should fear the annihilation of the antimaterial particle, for it survives the annihilation
of material worlds.
Everything that is created is annihilated at a certain stage. Both the material body
and the material world are created, and they are therefore subject to annihilation. The
antimaterial particle, however, is never created, and consequently it is never annihilated.
This also is corroborated in the Bhagavad-gita:
The antimaterial particle, which is the vital force, is never born or created. It exists
eternally. It has neither birth dates nor death dates. It is neither repeatedly created
nor repeatedly destroyed. It is eternally existing, and therefore it is the oldest of
the old, and yet it is always fresh and new. Although the material particle is annihilated,
the antimaterial particle is never affected.
The principle is also applicable to the antimaterial universe as well as to the antimaterial particle.
When the material universe is annihilated, the antimaterial universe exists in all circumstances.
This will be explained in more detail later.
The scientist may also learn the following from the Bhagavad-gita:
The learned man who knows perfectly well that the antimaterial particle is indestructible
knows that it cannot be annihilated by any means.
The atomic scientist may consider annihilating the material world by nuclear weapons, but
his weapons cannot destroy the antimaterial world. The antimaterial particle is more clearly
explained in the following lines:
It is neither cut into pieces by any material weapon, nor is it burnt by fire. Nor is it
moistened by water, nor withered, nor dried up, nor evaporated in the air. It is indivisible,
nonflammable and insoluble. Because it is eternal, it can enter into and leave any sort
of body. Being steady by constitution, its qualities are always fixed. It is inexplicable,
because it is contrary to all material qualities. It is unthinkable by the ordinary brain. It
is unchangeable. No one, therefore, should ever lament for what is an eternal, antimaterial
principle.
Thus, in the Bhagavad-gita and in all other Vedic literatures the superior energy (antimaterial
principle) is accepted as the vital force, or the living spirit. This is also called
the jiva. This living principle cannot be generated by any combination of material elements.
There are eight material principles which are described as inferior energies, and they
are: (1) earth, (2) water, (3) fire, (4) air, (5) ether, (6) mind, (7) intelligence and
(8) ego. Apart from these is the living force, or the antimaterial principle, which is described
as the superior energy. These are called "energies" because they are wielded and controlled by
the supreme living being, the Personality of Godhead (Krsna).
For a long time the materialist was limited within the boundary of the eight material
principles mentioned above. Now it is encouraging to see that he has a little preliminary information
of the antimaterial principle and the antimaterial universe. We hope that with the progress of
time the materialist will be able to estimate the value of the antimaterial world, in which
there is no trace of material principles. Of course the very word "antimaterial" indicates
that the principle is in opposition to all material qualities.
There are, of course, the mental speculators who comment upon the antimaterial principle.
These fall into two main groups, and they arrive at two different erroneous conclusions.
One group (the gross materialists) either denies the antimaterial principle or admits
only the disintegration of material combination at a certain stage (death). The other group
accepts the antimaterial principle as being in direct opposition to the material principle
with its twenty-four categories. This group is known as the Sankhyaites, and they investigate
the material principles and analyze them minutely. At the end of their investigation, the Sankhyaites
finally accept only a transcendental (antimaterial) nonactive principle. However, difficulties
arise for all these mental speculators because they speculate with the help of inferior energy.
They do not accept information from the superior. In order to realize the real position of the
antimaterial principle, one must rise to the transcendental plane of superior energy. Bhakti-yoga
is the very activity of superior energy.
From the platform of the material world, one cannot estimate the real position of the antimaterial
world. But the Supreme Lord, who is the controller of both material and antimaterial energies,
descends out of His causeless mercy and gives us complete information of the antimaterial
world. In this way we can know what the antimaterial world is. The Supreme Lord and the living
entities are both antimaterial in quality, we are informed. Thus, we can have an idea
of the Supreme Lord by an elaborate study of the living entities. Every living entity
is an individual person. Therefore, the supreme living being must also be the supreme person.
In the Vedic literatures the supreme person is properly claimed to be Krsna. The name
"Krsna," indicating the Supreme Lord, is the only truly intelligible name of the highest
order. He is the controller of both material and antimaterial energies, and the very word
"Krsna" signifies that He is the supreme controller. In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord confirms this
as follows:
There are two worlds -- the material and antimaterial. The material world is composed of inferior
qualitative energy divided into eight material principles. The antimaterial world is made
of superior qualitative energy. Because both the material and antimaterial energies are
emanations of the Supreme Transcendence, the Personality of Godhead, it is proper to conclude
that I [Lord Krsna] am the ultimate cause of all creations and annihilations.
Because the Lord's two energies (inferior and superior) manifest the material and antimaterial
worlds, He is called the Supreme Absolute Truth. Lord Krsna explains this in the Bhagavad-gita
thus:
I am, Arjuna, the highest principle of transcendence, and there is nothing greater than Me. Everything
that be rests on My energies exactly like pearls on a thread.
Long, long before the discovery of the principles of antimatter and the antimaterial worlds,
the subject was delineated in the pages of Bhagavad-gita. The Gita itself indicates that
its philosophy had previously been taught to the presiding deity of the sun, which implies
that the principles of the Bhagavad-gita were expounded by the Personality of Godhead long
before the Battle of Kuruksetra -- at least some 120,000,000 years before. Now modern
science has just discovered a fraction of the truths that are available in the Bhagavad-gita.
The assumption of an antimaterial universe is also found in the Bhagavad-gita. And from
all data available it is to be assumed without the slightest doubt that the antimaterial
world is situated in the antimaterial sky, a sky which is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita
as sanatana-dhama, or the eternal nature.
Exactly as material atoms create the material world, the antimaterial atoms create the antimaterial
world with all its paraphernalia. The antimaterial world is inhabited by antimaterial living
beings. In the antimaterial world there is no inert matter. Everything there is a living
principle, and the Supreme Personality in that region is God Himself. The denizens of
the antimaterial world possess eternal life, eternal knowledge and eternal bliss. In other
words, they have all the qualifications of God.
In the material world the topmost planet is called Satyaloka, or Brahmaloka. Beings of
the greatest talents live on this planet. The presiding deity of Brahmaloka is Brahma,
the first created being of this material world. Brahma is a living being like so many of us,
but he is the most talented personality in the material world. He is not so talented
that he is in the category of God, but he is in the category of those living entities
directly dominated by God. God and the living entities both belong to the antimaterial world.
The scientist, therefore, would be rendering service to everyone by researching the constitution
of the antimaterial world -- how it is administered, how things are shaped there, who are the presiding
personalities, and so on. Of the Vedic literatures, Srimad-Bhagavatam deals elaborately with these
matters. The Bhagavad-gita is the preliminary study of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. These two
important books of knowledge should be thoroughly studied by all men in the scientific world.
These books would give many clues to scientific progress and would indicate many new discoveries.
The transcendentalists and the materialists are two distinct classes of men. The transcendentalist
gathers knowledge from authoritative scriptures like the Vedas. Vedic literature is received
from authoritative sources which are in the line of transcendental disciplic succession.
This disciplic succession (parampara) is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna says
in the Bhagavad-gita that hundreds of thousands of years ago the Gita was spoken to the presiding
deity of the sun, who delivered the knowledge to his son Manu, from whom the present generation
of man has descended. Manu, in his turn, delivered this transcendental knowledge to his son King
Iksvaku, who is the forefather of the dynasty in which the Personality of Godhead Sri Rama
appeared. This long chain of disciplic succession was broken during the advent period of Lord
Krsna (five thousand years ago), and for this reason Krsna restated the Bhagavad-gita to
Arjuna, thereby making him the first disciple of this knowledge in this age. The transcendentalist
of this age, therefore, is in the disciplic line that starts with Arjuna. Without troubling
himself with materialistic research work, the transcendentalist acquires the truths
concerning matter and antimatter in the most perfect way (through this disciplic succession)
and thereby saves himself much botheration.
The gross materialists, however, do not believe in the antimaterial worlds of the Personality
of Godhead. They are therefore unfortunate creatures, although sometimes very talented,
educated and advanced otherwise. They are bewildered by the influence of the material
manifestation and are devoid of knowledge of things antimaterial. It is a good sign,
therefore, that the materialistic scientists are gradually progressing toward the region
of the antimaterial world. It may even be possible for them to make sufficient progress
to be able to know the details of this antimaterial world, where the Personality of Godhead resides
as the predominating figure and where the living entities live with Him and serve Him.
The living entities who serve the Godhead are equal in quality to Him, but at the same
time they are predominated as servitors. In the antimaterial world there is no difference
between the predominated and the predominator -- the relationship is in perfection and without
tinge of materialism.
The nature of the material world is destructive. According to the Bhagavad-gita, there is some
partial truth to the assumption of the physical scientist that there is annihilation of the
material and antimaterial worlds when they chance to clash. The material world is a creation
of changing modes of nature. These modes (gunas) are known as sattva (goodness), rajas (passion)
and tamas (ignorance). The material world is created by the mode of rajas, maintained
by the mode of sattva, and annihilated by the mode of tamas. These modes are omnipresent
in the material world, and as such, at every hour, every minute, every second, the process
of creation, maintenance and annihilation is taking place all over the material universe.
The highest planet of the material universe, Brahmaloka, is also subjected to these modes
of nature, although the duration of life on that planet, due to the predominance of the
mode of sattva, is said to be 4,300,000 x 1,000 x 2 x 30 x 12 x 100 solar years. Despite
this long duration, however, Brahmaloka is subject to destruction. Although life on Brahmaloka
is fantastically long compared to life on Earth, it is only a flash in comparison to
the eternal life of the nonmaterial worlds. Consequently, the speaker of the Bhagavad-gita,
Lord Sri Krsna, asserts the importance of the antimaterial universe, which is His abode.
Lord Krsna instructs that all the planets within the material universe are destroyed
at the end of 4,300,000 x 1,000 x 2 x 30 x 12 x 100 solar years. And all the living beings
inhabiting these material planets are destroyed materially along with the destruction of the
material worlds. The living entity, however, is constitutionally an antimaterial particle.
But unless he elevates himself to the region of the antimaterial worlds by cultivation
of antimaterial activities, he is destroyed materially at the annihilation of the material
worlds and is subject to take rebirth in a material shape with the rebirth of a new material
universe. In other words, he is subject to the pains of repeated birth and death. Only
those living entities who take to the loving service of the Personality of Godhead during
the manifested stage of material life are undoubtedly transferred to the antimaterial
worlds after quitting the material body. Immortality is obtained only by those who return to Godhead
by practice of antimaterial activities.
What are these antimaterial activities? They are medicines. For example, when a man falls
ill, he goes to a physician who prescribes medicines which eventually cure the suffering
patient. Similarly, the materialist is ailing, and he should consult an expert transcendentalist-physician.
What is his ailment? He is suffering the tribulations of repeated births, deaths, diseases and old
age. Once he agrees to put himself under the "back to Godhead" treatment, he is able to
transfer himself to the antimaterial world, where there is eternal life instead of birth
and death.
Annihilation of the material world takes place in two ways. Partial annihilation occurs at
the end of every 4,300,000 x 1,000 solar years, or at the end of each day of Brahmaloka, which
is the topmost planet in the material world. During that time of partial annihilation,
the topmost planets such as Brahmaloka are not annihilated, but at the end of each duration
of 4,300,000 x 1,000 x 2 x 30 x 12 x 100 solar years, the entire cosmic manifestation is
merged into the antimaterial body from whence the material principles emanate, manifest
and merge after annihilation. The antimaterial world, which is far removed from the material
sky, is never annihilated. It absorbs the material world. It may be that a "clash" occurs
between the material and antimaterial worlds, as suggested by the scientists, and that the
material worlds are destroyed, but there is no annihilation of the antimaterial worlds.
The eternally existing antimaterial world is unmanifested to the material scientist.
He can simply have information of it insofar as the principles of its existence are contrary
to the modes of the material world. Full details of the antimaterial universe can be known
only from the infallible source of liberated authorities who have thoroughly realized the
constitution of the antimaterial principle. This information is received by aural reception
by a submissive disciple of the Personality of Godhead.
The Vedic knowledge was thus imparted unto the heart of Brahma, the first living being
in the material creation. It was Brahma who related this knowledge to the sage Narada
Muni. Similarly, the Bhagavad-gita was spoken by the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna,
to Vivasvan, the presiding deity of the sun, and when the aural chain of disciplic succession
was broken, Lord Krsna repeated the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra.
At that time, Arjuna took the role of disciple and student in order to receive transcendental
knowledge from Sri Krsna. In order to drive out all misgivings which the gross materialists
of the world may have, Arjuna asked all relevant questions, and the answers were given by Krsna
so that any layman can understand them. Only those who are captivated by the glamour of
the material world cannot accept the authority of Lord Sri Krsna. One has to become thoroughly
clean in habit and heart before one can understand the details of the antimaterial world. Bhakti-yoga
is a detailed scientific transcendental activity that both the neophyte and the perfect yogi
can practice.
The material world is only a shadow representation of the antimaterial world, and intelligent
men who are clean in heart and habit will be able to learn, in a nutshell, all the details
of the antimaterial world from the text of the Bhagavad-gita, and these are in actuality
more exhaustive than material details. The basic details are as follows:
The presiding Deity of the antimaterial world is Sri Krsna, who exists in His original personality
as well as in His many plenary expansions. This personality and His plenary expansions
can be known only by antimaterial activities commonly known as bhakti-yoga, or devotional
service. The Personality of Godhead is the supreme truth, and He is the whole antimaterial
principle. The material principle as well as the antimaterial principle is an emanation
from His person. He is the root of the complete tree. When water is poured onto the root of
a tree, the branches and leaves are nourished automatically. And in the same way, when Sri
Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, is worshiped, all details of the material worlds are enlightened,
and the heart of the devotee is nourished without his having to work in a materialistic
way. This is the secret of the Bhagavad-gita.
The process of entering into the antimaterial worlds differs from materialistic processes.
The individual living being can very easily enter the antimaterial world by practicing
antimaterial activities while residing in the material world. But those who are truly
gross materialists, who depend on the limited strength of experimental thought, mental speculation
and materialistic science, find great difficulty in entering the antimaterial worlds. The gross
materialist may try to approach the antimaterial worlds by endeavoring with spaceships, satellites,
rockets, etc., which he throws into outer space, but by such means he cannot even approach
the material planets in the higher regions of the material sky, and what to speak of
those planets situated in the antimaterial sky, which is far beyond the material universe.
Even the yogis who have perfectly controlled mystic powers have great difficulty entering
into that region. Master yogis who control the antimaterial particle within the material
body by practice of mystic powers can give up their material bodies at will at a certain
opportune moment and can thus enter the antimaterial worlds through a specific thoroughfare which
connects the material and antimaterial worlds. If they are at all able, they act in accordance
with the prescribed method given in the Bhagavad-gita:
Those who have realized the Transcendence can reach the antimaterial world by leaving
their material bodies during the period of uttarayana, that is, when the sun is on its
northern path, or during auspicious moments in which the deities of fire and effulgence
control the atmosphere.
The different deities, or powerful directing officers, are appointed to act in the administration
of cosmic activities. Foolish people who are unable to see the intricacies of cosmic management
laugh at the idea of personal management of fire, air, electricity, days, nights, etc.,
by demigods. But the perfect yogis know how to satisfy these unseen administrators of
material affairs and, taking advantage of the good will of these administrators, leave
their material bodies at will during opportune moments arranged for entrance into the antimaterial
universe or into the highest planets of the material sky. In the higher planets of the
material world, the yogis can enjoy more comfortable and more pleasant lives for hundreds of thousands
of years, but life in those higher planets is not eternal. Those who desire eternal life
enter into the antimaterial universe through mystic powers at certain opportune moments
created by the demigod-administrators of cosmic affairs, administrators unseen by the gross
materialists who reside on this seventh-class planet called "Earth."
Those who are not yogis but who die at an opportune moment due to pious acts of sacrifice,
charity, penance, etc., can rise to the higher planets after death, but are subject to return
to this planet [Earth]. Their going forth takes place at a period known as dhuma, the
dark, moonless half of the month, or when the sun is on its southern path.
In summary, the Bhagavad-gita recommends that one adopt the means of devotional service,
or antimaterial activities, if one wishes to enter the antimaterial world. Those who
adopt the means of devotional service, as prescribed by the expert transcendentalist,
are never disappointed in their attempts to enter the antimaterial world. Although the
obstacles are many, the devotees of Lord Krsna can easily overcome them by rigidly following
the path outlined by the transcendental devotees. Such devotees, who are passengers progressing
in the journey of life toward the antimaterial kingdom of God, are never bewildered. No one
is cheated or disappointed when he adopts the guaranteed path of devotion for entrance
into the antimaterial universe. One can easily attain all the results that are derived from
the studies of the Vedas, performances of sacrifice, practices of penance and offerings
of charities simply by the unilateral performance of devotional service, technically known as
bhakti-yoga.
Bhakti-yoga is therefore the great panacea for all, and it has been made easy to practice,
especially in this iron age, by Lord Krsna Himself in His most sublime, liberal and munificent
appearance as Lord Sri Caitanya (1486-1534), who appeared in Bengal and spread the sankirtana
movement -- singing, dancing, and chanting the names of God -- throughout India. By Lord
Caitanya's grace, one can quickly pick up the principles of bhakti-yoga. Thus all misgivings
in the heart will disappear, the fire of material tribulation will be extinguished, and transcendental
bliss will be ushered in.
In the Fifth Chapter of the Brahma-samhita there is a description of the variegated planetary
system that is within the material world. It is also indicated in the Bhagavad-gita
that there are variegated planetary systems in hundreds of thousands of material universes,
and that altogether these universes comprise only a fraction (one fourth) of the creative
energy of the Godhead. The majority (three fourths) of the Lord's creative energy is
manifested in the spiritual sky, called the para-vyoma or the Vaikunthaloka. These instructions
of the Brahma-samhita and Bhagavad-gita may be finally confirmed by the material scientist
as he researches into the existence of the antimaterial world.
In addition, a February 21, 1960, Moscow news release reported:
Russia's well-known professor of astronomy Boris Vorontsov -- Veliaminov said that there
must be an infinite number of planets in the universe inhabited by beings endowed with
reason.
This statement of the Russian astronomer is a confirmation of the information given in
the Brahma-samhita, which states:
yasya prabha prabhavato jagand-anda-koti- kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam
tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.40]
According to this quote from the Brahma-samhita, there are not only infinite numbers of planets,
as confirmed by the Russian astronomer, but there are also infinite numbers of universes.
All these infinite universes with their infinite planets within are floating on and are produced
from the Brahman effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of Maha-Visnu, who
is worshiped by Brahma, the presiding deity of the universe in which we are residing.
The Russian astronomer also confirms that all the planets -- which are estimated to
be not less than one hundred million -- are inhabited. In the Brahma-samhita there is
indication that in each and every one of the infinite number of universes there are infinite
numbers of variegated planets.
The astronomer's view was seconded by Professor Vladimir Alpatov, a biologist, who maintained
that some of the above-mentioned planets had reached a state of development corresponding
to that of the earth. The report from Moscow continued:
It could be that life, similar to that on Earth, flourishes on such planets. Doctor
of Chemistry Nikolai Zhirov, covering the problem of atmosphere on the planets, pointed
out that the organism of a Martian, for instance, could very well adapt itself to normal existence
with a low body temperature. He said that he felt that the gaseous composition of the
atmosphere of Mars was quite suitable to sustain life of beings which have become adapted to
it.
The adaptability of organisms in different varieties of planets is described in the Brahma-samhita
as vibhuti-bhinnam, i.e., each and every one of the innumerable planets within the universes
is endowed with a particular type of atmosphere, and the living beings there are advanced in
science, psychology, etc., according to the superiority or inferiority of the atmosphere.
Vibhuti means "specific power," and bhinnam means "variegated." Scientists who are attempting
to explore outer space in an attempt to reach other planets by mechanical means must realize
that organisms adapted to the atmosphere of the earth cannot exist in the atmospheres
of other planets. As such, man's attempts to reach the moon, the sun, or Mars will be
completely futile because of the different atmospheres prevailing on those planets. Individually,
however, one can attempt to go to any planet he desires, but this is only possible by psychological
changes in the mind. Mind is the nucleus of the material body. The gradual evolutionary
progress of the material body depends on psychological changes within the mind. The change of the
bodily construction of a worm into that of a butterfly and, in modern medical science,
the conversion of a man's body into that of a woman (or vice versa) are more or less dependent
on psychological changes.
In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that if a man, at the time of death, concentrates his
mind upon the form of the Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, and while so doing relinquishes
his body, he at once enters the spiritual existence of the antimaterial world. This
means that anyone who trains the mind to turn from matter to the spiritual form of the Godhead
by performance of the prescribed rules of devotional service can easily attain the kingdom
of God, in the antimaterial sky. And of this there is no doubt.
And in the same way, if one desires to enter into any other planet of the material sky,
he can go there just after quitting the present body (i.e., after death). Thus if someone
wants to go to the moon, the sun or Mars, he can do so simply by performing acts for
that purpose. The Bhagavad-gita confirms this statement in the following words:
That upon which a person meditates at the time of death, quitting his body absorbed
in the thought thereof, that particular thing he attains after death.
Maharaja Bharata, despite a life of severe penances, thought of a stag at the time of
his death and thus became a stag after death. However, he did retain a clear consciousness
of his past life and realized his mistake. It is important to realize that one's thoughts
at the time of death are influenced by the actual deeds which one performs during his
life.
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam (Third Canto, Chapter Thirty-two), the process of entering the moon
is described as follows:
Materialistic-minded men, who have no information of the kingdom of God, are always mad after
material acquisition of wealth, fame and adoration. Such men are interested in the progressive
weal of their particular family unit for their own self-satisfaction and so are also interested
in the progress of social and national welfare. These men attain their desired objects by
material activities. They are mechanically engaged in the ritualistic discharge of prescribed
duties and are consequently inclined to satisfy the Pitas, or bygone forefathers, and controlling
demigods by performance of sacrifices as prescribed by the revealed scriptures. Addicted to such
acts of sacrifices and ceremonial observances, such souls enter into the moon after death.
When one is thus promoted to the moon, he receives the capacity to enjoy the drinking
of soma-rasa, a celestial beverage. The moon is a place where the demigod Candra is the
predominating deity. The atmosphere and amenities of life there are far more comfortable and
advantageous than those here on earth. After reaching the moon, if a soul does not utilize
the opportunity for promotion to better planets, he is degraded and forced to return to earth
or a similar planet. However, materialistic persons, although they may attain to the topmost
planetary system, are certainly annihilated at the time of the cosmic manifestation's
dissolution.
As far as the planetary system of the spiritual sky is concerned, there are unlimited Vaikuntha
planets in the para-vyoma. The Vaikunthas are spiritual planets which are manifestations
of the internal potency of the Lord, and the ratio of these planets to the material planets
(external energy) in the material sky is three to one. So the poor materialist is busy making
political adjustments on a planet which is most insignificant in God's creation. To say
nothing of this planet earth, the whole universe with innumerable planets throughout the galaxies
is comparable to a grain of mustard seed in a bag full of mustard seeds. But the poor
materialist makes plans to live comfortably here and thus wastes his valuable human energy
in something which is doomed to frustration. Instead of wasting his time with business
speculations, he might have sought the life of plain living and high spiritual thinking
and thus saved himself from perpetual materialistic unrest.
Even if a materialist wants to enjoy developed material facilities, he can transfer himself
to planets where he can experience material pleasures much more advanced than those available
on the earth planet. But the best plan is to prepare oneself to return to the spiritual
sky after leaving the body. However, if one is intent on enjoying material facilities,
one can transfer himself to other planets in the material sky by utilizing yogic powers.
The playful spaceships of the astronauts are but childish entertainments and are of no
use for this purpose.
The astanga-yoga system is also materialistic, inasmuch as it teaches one to control the
movements of air within the material body. The spiritual spark, the soul, is floating
on air within the body, and inhalation and exhalation are the waves of that air containing
the soul. Therefore the yoga system is a materialistic art of controlling this air by transferring
it from the stomach to the navel, from the chest to the collarbone and from there to
the eyeballs and from there to the cerebellum and from there to any desired planet. The
velocities of air and light are taken into consideration by the material scientist, but
he has no information of the velocity of the mind and intelligence. We have some limited
experience of the velocity of the mind, because in a moment we can transfer our minds to places
hundreds of thousands of miles away. Intelligence is even finer. Finer than intelligence is
the soul, which is not matter like mind and intelligence but is spirit, or antimatter.
The soul is hundreds of thousands of times finer and more powerful than intelligence.
We can thus only imagine the velocity of the soul in its traveling from one planet to another.
Needless to say, the soul travels by its own strength and not with the help of any kind
of material vehicle.
The *** 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 which is many, many times more illuminating, dazzling and powerful than
sun, moon or electricity. Human life is spoiled when man does not realize his real identity
with his soul. Lord Caitanya appeared with His disciple Nityananda to save man from this
type of misleading civilization.
Srimad-Bhagavatam also describes how yogis can travel to all the planets in the universe.
When the vital force is lifted to the cerebellum, there is every chance of this force bursting
out from the eyes, nose, ears, etc., as these are places which are known as the seventh
orbit of the vital force. But the yogis can block out these holes by complete suspension
of air. The yogi then concentrates the vital force in the middle position, that is, between
the eyebrows. At this position, the yogi can think of the planet into which he wants to
enter after leaving the body. He can then decide whether he wants to go to the abode
of Krsna in the transcendental Vaikunthas from which he will not be required to descend
into the material world, or to travel to higher planets in the material universe. The perfect
yogi is at liberty to do either.
For the perfect yogi who has attained success in the method of leaving his body in perfect
consciousness, transferring from one planet to another is as easy as an ordinary man's
walking to the grocery store. As already discussed, the material body is just a covering of the
spiritual soul. Mind and intelligence are the undercoverings, and the gross body of
earth, water, air, etc., is the overcoating of the soul. As such, any advanced soul who
has realized himself by the yogic process, who knows the relationship between matter
and spirit, can leave the gross dress of the soul in perfect order and as he desires. By
the grace of God, we have complete freedom. Because the Lord is kind to us, we can live
anywhere -- either in the spiritual sky or in the material sky, upon whichever planet
we desire. However, misuse of this freedom causes one to fall down into the material
world and suffer the threefold miseries of conditioned life. The living of a miserable
life in the material world by dint of the soul's choice is nicely illustrated by Milton
in Paradise Lost. Similarly, by choice the soul can regain paradise and return home,
back to Godhead
At the critical time of death, one can place the vital force between the two eyebrows and
decide where he wants to go. If he is reluctant to maintain any connection with the material
world, he can, in less than a second, reach the transcendental Vaikuntha and appear there
completely in his spiritual body which will be suitable for him in the spiritual atmosphere.
He has simply to desire to leave the material world in both finer and grosser forms and
then move the vital force to the topmost part of the skull and leave the body from the hole
in the skull called the brahma-randhra. This is the highest perfection in the practice
of yoga.
Of course man is endowed with free will, and as such if he does not want to free himself
of the material world he may enjoy the life of brahma-pada (occupation of the post of
Brahma) and visit Siddhaloka, the planets of materially perfect beings who have full
abilities to control gravity, space, time, etc. To visit these higher planets in the
material universe, one need not give up his mind and intelligence (finer matter), but
need only give up grosser matter (the material body).
Man-made satellites and mechanical space vehicles will never be able to carry human beings to
the planets of outer space. Men cannot even go on their much-advertised trips to the moon,
for, as we have already stated, the atmosphere on such higher planets is different from the
atmosphere here on earth. Each and every planet has its particular atmosphere, and if one
wants to travel to any particular planet within the material universe, one has to have a material
body exactly adapted to the climatic condition of that planet. For instance, if one wants
to go from India to Europe, where the climatic condition is different, one has to change
his dress accordingly. Similarly, a complete change of body is necessary if one wants to
go to the transcendental planets of Vaikuntha.
If one wants to go to the higher material planets, he can keep his finer dress of mind,
intelligence and ego, but has to leave his gross dress (body) made of earth, water, fire,
etc. When one goes to a transcendental planet, however, it is necessary to change both the
finer and gross bodies, for one has to reach the spiritual sky completely in a spiritual
form. This change of dress will take place automatically at the time of death if one
so desires. But this desire is possible at death only if the desire is cultivated during
life. Where one's treasures are, there also is one's heart. When one practices devotional
service, one cultivates a desire for the kingdom of God. The following details outline a general
practice by which one can prepare himself for an easy journey to the Vaikuntha (antimaterial)
planets, where life is free from birth, old age, disease and death.
General practice (positive functions):
1. The serious candidate must accept a bona fide spiritual master in order to be trained
scientifically. Because the senses are material, it is not at all possible to realize the Transcendence
by them. Therefore the senses have to be spiritualized by the prescribed method under the direction
of the spiritual master.
2. When the student has chosen a bona fide spiritual master, he must take the proper
initiation from him. This marks the beginning of spiritual training.
3. The candidate must be prepared to satisfy the spiritual master in every way. A bona
fide spiritual master who is fully cognizant of the methods of spiritual science, learned
in the spiritual scriptures such as the Bhagavad-gita, Vedanta, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Upanisads,
and who is also a realized soul who has made a tangible connection with the Supreme Lord,
is the transparent medium by which the willing candidate is led to the path of the Vaikunthas.
The spiritual master must be satisfied in all respects, because simply by his good wishes
a candidate can make wonderful progress along the path.
4. The intelligent candidate places intelligent questions to the spiritual master in order
to clear his path of all uncertainties. The spiritual master shows the way, not whimsically,
but in accordance with the principles of the authorities who have actually traversed the
path. The names of these authorities are disclosed in the scriptures, and one has simply to follow
them under the direction of the spiritual master. The spiritual master never deviates
from the path of the authorities.
5. The candidate should always try to follow in the footsteps of the great sages who have
practiced the method and obtained success. This should be taken as a motto in life. One
should not superficially imitate them, but should follow them sincerely in terms of the
particular time and circumstances.
6. The candidate must be prepared to change his habits in terms of the instructions contained
in the books of authority, and for the satisfaction of the Lord he must be prepared to sacrifice
both sense gratification and sense abnegation, following the example of Arjuna.
7. The candidate should live in a spiritual atmosphere.
8. He must be satisfied with as much wealth as is sufficient for maintenance only. He
should not try to amass more wealth than is necessary to sustain himself in a simple way.
9. He must observe the fasting dates, such as the eleventh day of the growing and waning
moon.
10. He must show respect to the banyan tree, the cow, the learned brahmana and the devotee.
These are the first stepping-stones toward the path of devotional service. Gradually
one has to adopt other items, which are negative in character:
11. One should avoid offenses in the discharge of devotional service and in chanting the
holy names.
12. He should avoid extensive association with nondevotees.
13. He must not take on unlimited disciples. This means that a candidate who has successfully
followed the first twelve items can also become a spiritual master himself, just as a student
becomes a monitor in class with a limited number of disciples.
14. He must not pose himself as a vastly learned man simply by quoting statements in books.
He must have solid knowledge of the necessary books without superfluous knowledge in others.
15. A regular and successful practice of the above fourteen items will enable the candidate
to maintain mental equilibrium even amidst great trials of material loss and gain.
16. In the next stage, the candidate does not become afflicted by lamentation and illusion.
17. He does not deride another's mode of religion or worship, nor does he deride the Personality
of Godhead or His devotees.
18. He never tolerates blasphemy against the Lord or His devotees.
19. He should not indulge in the discussion of topics dealing with the relationship between
man and woman; nor should he engage in useless topics concerning others' family affairs.
20. He should not inflict pain -- either in body or in mind -- upon other living beings,
whomsoever they may be.
Out of the above twenty items, the first three positive items are imperative and most essential
for the serious candidate.
There are forty-four other items to be followed by the serious candidate, but Lord Caitanya
has selected five as the most important. These were selected owing to the present conditions
of civic life. They are as follows:
1. One should associate with the devotees. Association with devotees is made possible
by hearing them attentively, by asking them relevant questions, by supplying them food
and by accepting food from them, and by giving them charity and by accepting from them whatever
they offer.
2. One should chant the holy name of the Lord in all circumstances. The chanting of the
Lord's name is an easy and inexpensive process of realization. One can chant any of the innumerable
names of the Lord at any time. One should try to avoid offenses. There are ten offenses
which one can commit while chanting the transcendental names, and these should be avoided as far
as possible, but in any event, one should try to chant the holy names of the Lord at
all times.
3. One should hear the transcendental topics enunciated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This
hearing is made possible through platform lectures by bona fide devotees and by authorized
translations of the Bhagavatam.
4. One should make his home at Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krsna. Or one may make
his home as good as Mathura by installing the Deity of the Lord to be worshiped by all
members of the family after proper initiation from the spiritual master.
5. One should worship the installed Deity with attention and devotion so that the whole
atmosphere of one's home becomes the replica of the Lord's abode. This is made possible
by the direction of the spiritual master who knows the transcendental art and can show
the candidate the proper method.
The above five items can be adopted by any man in any part of the world. Thus anyone
can prepare himself for returning home, back to Godhead, by the simple method recognized
by authorities such as Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who specifically advented Himself to deliver
the fallen souls of this age.
For further details on this subject, one should read literatures like the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
of which we have presented an English summary study entitled The Nectar of Devotion.
The whole process of transferring oneself to the spiritual sky involves gradually liquidating
the material composition of the gross and subtle coverings of the spirit soul. The above-mentioned
five items of devotional activities are so spiritually powerful that their performance
by a devotee, even in the preliminary stage, can very quickly promote the sincere executor
to the stage of bhava (the stage just prior to love of Godhead), or emotion on the spiritual
plane, which is transcendental to mental and intellectual functions. A complete absorption
in bhava, or love of God, makes one fit to be transferred to the spiritual sky just after
leaving the material tabernacle. The perfection of love of God by a devotee actually situates
him on the spiritual platform, even though he may still maintain a gross material body.
He becomes like a red-hot iron which, when in contact with fire, actually ceases to be
iron and acts like fire. These things are made possible by the Lord's inscrutable and
inconceivable energy, which material science has not the scope to calculate. One should
therefore engage himself in devotional service with absolute faith, and to make his faith
steadfast one should seek the association of the standard devotees of the Lord by personal
association (if possible) or by thinking of them. This association will help one develop
factual devotional service to the Lord, which will cause all material misgivings to disappear
like a flash of lightning. All these different stages of spiritual realization will be personally
felt by the candidate, and this will create in him a firm belief that he is making positive
progress on the way to the spiritual sky. Then he will become sincerely attached to
the Lord and His abode. Such is the gradual process of evolving love of God, which is
the prime necessity for the human form of life.
There are instances in history of great personalities, including sages and kings, who attained perfection
by this process. Some of them attained success even by adhering to one single item of devotional
service with faith and perseverance. Some of these personalities are listed below.
1. Emperor Pariksit attained the spiritual platform simply by hearing from such an authority
as Sri Sukadeva Gosvami.
2. Sri Sukadeva Gosvami attained the same simply by recitation, verbatim, of the transcendental
message which he received from his great father, Sri Vyasadeva.
3. Emperor Prahlada attained spiritual success by remembering the Lord constantly, in pursuance
of instructions given by Sri Narada Muni, the great saint and devotee.
4. Laksmiji, the goddess of fortune, attained success simply by sitting and serving the
lotus feet of the Lord.
5. King Prthu attained success simply by worshiping the Lord.
6. Akrura, the charioteer, attained success simply by chanting prayers for the Lord.
7. Hanuman (Mahavira), the famous nonhuman devotee of Lord Sri Ramacandra, attained success
simply by carrying out the orders of the Lord.
8. Arjuna, the great warrior, attained the same perfection simply by making friends with
the Lord, who delivered the message of Bhagavad-gita to enlighten Arjuna and his followers.
9. Emperor Bali attained success by surrendering everything unto the Lord, including his personal
body.
These are nine standard modes of devotional service to the Lord, and a candidate can choose
to adopt any one, two, three, four or all, however he likes. All the services rendered
to the Absolute are in themselves absolute, with none of the quantitative or qualitative
differences found on the material platform. On the spiritual platform everything is identical
with everything else, although there is transcendental variegatedness. Emperor Ambarisa adopted all
the above nine items, and he attained perfect success. It was he who engaged his mind on
the lotus feet of the Lord, his voice in describing the spiritual world, his hands in cleansing
the temple of the Lord, his ears in submissively hearing the words of Lord Sri Krsna, his eyes
in viewing the Deities of the Lord, his body in touching the bodies of the devotees, his
nostrils in smelling the flowers offered to the Lord, his tongue in tasting the food offered
to the Lord, his legs in visiting the temple of the Lord, and all the energy of his life
in executing the services of the Lord without in the least desiring his own sense gratification.
All these activities helped him attain the perfect stage of life which defeats all dexterities
of material science.
It is therefore important for all human beings to adopt these principles of spiritual realization
for the perfection of life. A human being's only obligation is spiritual realization.
Unfortunately, in modern civilization, human society is too busy in discharging national
duties. Actually, national duties, social duties and humanitarian duties are obligatory
only to those who are bereft of spiritual duties. As soon as a man takes his birth on
this earth, not only does he have national, social and humanitarian obligations, but he
also has obligations to the demigods who supply air, light, water, etc. He also has obligations
to the great sages who have left behind them vast treasure-houses of knowledge to guide
him through life. He has obligations to all kinds of living beings, to his forefathers,
family members and so forth and so on. But as soon as one engages himself in the one
single obligatory duty -- the duty of spiritual perfection -- then he automatically liquidates
all other obligations without having to make separate efforts.
A devotee of the Lord is never a disturbing element in society -- on the contrary, he
is a great social asset. Since no sincere devotee is attracted to sinful actions, as
soon as a man becomes a pure devotee he can do inestimable selfless service to society
for the peace and prosperity of all concerned, in this life and in the next. But even if
such a devotee commits some offense, the Lord Himself rectifies it in no time. Therefore,
there is no need for a devotee to cultivate materialistic knowledge, nor does a devotee
need to renounce everything and live as a hermit. He can simply remain at home and execute
devotional service smoothly in any order of life. And there are instances in history of
extremely cruel men becoming kindhearted simply by the execution of devotional service. Knowledge
and abnegation of an inferior way of life follow automatically in the life of a pure
devotee without his having to make extraneous effort.
This spiritual art and science of devotional service is the highest contribution of Indian
sages to the rest of the world. Therefore everyone who has taken his birth in India
has an obligation to perfect his life by adopting the principles of this great art and science
and distributing it to the rest of the world, which is still ignorant of the ultimate aim
of life. Human society is destined to reach this stage of perfection by gradual development
of knowledge. Indian sages, however, have already reached that position. Why do others
have to wait for thousands and thousands of years to attain their heights? Why not give
them the information immediately in a systematic way, so that they may save time and energy?
They should take advantage of a life for which they may have labored millions of years to
attain.
A Russian fiction writer is now contributing suggestions to the rest of the world that
scientific progress can help man to live forever. Of course, he does not believe in a Supreme
Being who is the creator. Yet we welcome his suggestion because we know that actual progress
in scientific knowledge will certainly take men to the spiritual sky and inform the scientist
that there is a supreme creator who has full potencies beyond all materialistic scientific
conceptions.
As mentioned, every living being is eternal in form, but he has to change his outer coverings,
gross and subtle, and this changing process is technically known as life and death. As
long as a living being has to put on the shackles of material bondage, there is no relief from
this changing process, which continues even in the highest stage of material life. The
Russian fiction writer may speculate, as fiction writers are apt to do, but saner people with
some knowledge of natural law will not agree that man can life forever within this material
world.
A naturalist can see the general course of material nature simply by studying a piece
of fruit. A small fruit develops from a flower, grows, stays for some time on a branch, becomes
full-grown, ripens, then begins to dwindle daily until it finally falls from the tree
and commences to decompose into the earth and at last mingles with the earth, leaving
behind its seed which in its turn grows to become a tree and produces many fruits in
time, which will all meet the same fate, and so on and so on.
Similarly, a living being (as a spiritual spark, a part of the Supreme Being) takes
its organic form in the womb of a mother just after *** intercourse. It grows little
by little within the womb, is born, then continues growing, becomes a child, boy, youth, adult,
old man, then finally dwindles and meets death, despite all the good wishes and hopeful pipe
dreams of fiction writers. By comparison, there is no difference between man and the
fruit. Like the fruit, the man may leave behind him his seeds of numerous children, but he
cannot exist eternally within his material body due to the law of material nature.
How can anyone ignore the law of material nature? No material scientist can change the
stringent laws of nature, however boastful he may be. No astronomer or scientist can
change the course of the planets -- he can only manufacture a paltry toy planet which
he calls a satellite. Foolish children may be impressed by this and may give a great
deal of credit to the inventors of modern satellites, sputniks, etc., but the saner
section of humanity gives more credit to the creator of the gigantic satellites, namely
the sun, stars and planets of which the material scientist can see no end. If a small toy satellite
has a creator in Russia or America, it is reasonable that the gigantic satellites have
their creator in the spiritual sky. If a toy satellite requires so many scientific brains
for its manufacture and its orbiting, what kind of subtle and perfect brain created galaxies
of stars and maintains them in their orbits? Thus far the atheistic class have not been
able to answer this.
Nonbelievers put forward their own theories of the creation, which usually result in statements
such as, "It's hard to understand," "Our imagination cannot conceive it, but it's quite possible,"
"It's incomprehensible," and so forth. This only means that their information has no authoritative
basis and is not backed by scientific data. They simply speculate. However, authorized
information is available in the Bhagavad-gita. For instance, the Bhagavad-gita informs us
that within the material world there are living beings whose duration of life covers 4,300,000
x 1,000 x 2 x 30 x 12 x 100 solar years. We accept the Bhagavad-gita as authority because
this book of knowledge was so accepted by India's great sages like Sankaracarya, Sri
Ramanujacarya, Sri Madhvacarya and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The Bhagavad-gita indicates that
in the material world all component forms are subject to decay and death, regardless
of their duration of life.
Therefore all material shapes are subject to the law of change, although potentially
the material energy is conserved. Potentially, everything is eternal, but in the material
world matter takes shape, remains for some time, develops into maturity, grows old, begins
to dwindle and at last disappears again. This is the case with all material objects. The
materialist's suggestion that beyond the material sky there is "some other form" which is beyond
the boundary of visibility and which is strange and inconceivable is but a faint indication
of the spiritual sky. However, the basic principle of spirit is much closer -- for it functions
within all living beings. When that spiritual principle is out of the material body, then
the material body has no life. Within the body of a child, for instance, the spiritual
principle is present, and therefore changes take place in the body and it develops. But
if the spirit leaves the body, the development stops. This law is applicable to every material
object. Matter transforms from one shape to another when it is in contact with spirit.
Without spirit there is no transformation. The entire universe develops in that way.
It emanates from the energy of the Transcendence because of the spiritual force which is His,
and it develops into gigantic forms like the sun, moon, earth, etc. There are fourteen
divisions of planetary systems, and although they are all different in dimension and quality,
the same principle of development holds true for all. The spiritual force is the creator,
and by this spiritual principle only, transformation, transition and development take place.
Life is definitely not generated simply by a material reaction like a chemical combination,
as many foolish men claim. Material interaction is set in motion by a superior being who creates
a favorable circumstance to accommodate the spiritual living force. The superior energy
handles matter in an appropriate way -- as determined by the free will of the spiritual
being. For example, building materials do not automatically "react" and suddenly assume
the shape of a residential house. The living spiritual being handles matter appropriately
by his free will and thus constructs his house. Similarly, matter is the ingredient only,
but the spirit is the creator. Only a man with a poor fund of knowledge avoids this
conclusion. The creator may remain unseen in the background, but that does not mean
that there is no creator. One should not be illusioned simply by the gigantic form of
the material universe. Rather, one should learn to discern the existence of supreme
intelligence behind all these material manifestations. The Supreme Being, who is the supreme intelligence,
is the ultimate creator, the all-attractive Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Although
one may not be aware of this, there is definite information of the creator given in Vedic
literatures such as the Bhagavad-gita and especially the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
When a satellite is thrown into outer space, a child may not understand that there are
scientific brains behind it, but an intelligent adult realizes that scientific brains on earth
are controlling the satellite. Similarly, less intelligent persons do not have information
of the creator and His eternal abode in the spiritual world, which is far beyond our range
of visibility, but in actuality there is a spiritual sky, and spiritual planets which
are more spacious and greater in number than planets in the material sky. From the Bhagavad-gita
we receive information that the material universe only constitutes a fraction (one fourth) of
the creation. Such information is extensively available in the Srimad-Bhagavatam and in
other Vedic literatures.
If living energy can be generated in the scientist's laboratory by "the interaction of certain
physical and chemical combinations," then why haven't the boastful material scientists
been able to manufacture life? They should know definitely that spiritual force is distinct
from matter and that such energy is not possible to produce by any amount of material adjustment.
At present Russians and Americans are undoubtedly very much advanced in many departments of
technological science, but they are still ignorant of the spiritual science. They will
have to learn from superior intelligence in order to make a perfect and progressive human
society.
The Russians are unaware that in the Srimad-Bhagavatam the socialist philosophy is most perfectly
described. The Bhagavatam instructs that whatever wealth exists -- all natural resources (agricultural,
mining, etc.) -- is created by the ultimate creator, and therefore every living being
has a right to take part of them. It is further said that a man should only possess as much
wealth as is sufficient to maintain his body, and that if he desires more than that, or
if he takes more than his share, he is subject to punishment. It is also stated that animals
should be treated as one's own children.
We believe that no nation on earth can describe socialism as well as the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Living beings other than humans can be treated as brothers and children only when one has
a full conception of the creator and the actual constitution of the living being.
Man's desire to be deathless is realized only in the spiritual world. As stated at the beginning
of this essay, a desire for eternal life is a sign of dormant spiritual life. The aim
of human civilization should be targeted to that end. It is possible for every human being
to transfer himself to that spiritual realm by the process of bhakti-yoga, as described
herein. It is a great science, and India has produced many scientific literatures by which
the perfection of life may be realized.
Bhakti-yoga is the eternal religion of man. At a time when material science predominates
all subjects -- including the tenets of religion -- it would be enlivening to see the principles
of the eternal religion of man from the viewpoint of the modern scientist.
Even Dr. S. Radhakrishnan admitted at a world religion conference that religion will not
be accepted in modern civilization if it is not accepted from a scientific point of view.
In reply, we are glad to announce to the lovers of the truth that bhakti-yoga is the eternal
religion of the world and is intended for all living beings, who are all eternally related
with the Supreme Lord.
Sripada Ramanujacarya defines the word sanatana, or "eternal," as that which has neither beginning
nor end. When we speak of sanatana-dharma, eternal religion, we take this definition
for granted. That which has neither beginning nor end is unlike anything sectarian, which
has limits and boundaries. In the light of modern science it will be possible for us
to see sanatana-dharma as the main occupation of all the people of the world -- nay, of
all living entities of the universe. Non-sanatana religious faith may have some beginning in
the annals of man, but there is no historic origin of sanatana-dharma because it eternally
remains with the living entities.
When a man professes to belong to a particular faith -- Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist
or any other sect -- and when he refers to a particular time and circumstance of birth,
such designations are called non-sanatana-dharma. A Hindu may become a Muslim or a Muslim may
become a Hindu or Christian, etc., but in all circumstances there is one constant. In
all circumstances, he is rendering service to others. A Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist or Christian
is in all circumstances a servant of someone. The particular type of faith professed is
not sanatana-dharma. Sanatana-dharma is the constant companion of the living being, the
unifier of all religions. Sanatana-dharma is the rendering of service.
In the Bhagavad-gita there are several references to that which is sanatana. Let us learn the
import of sanatana-dharma from this authority.
There is reference to the word sanatanam in the tenth verse of the Seventh Chapter, in
which the Lord says that He is the eternal fountainhead of everything and is therefore
sanatanam. The fountainhead of everything is described in the Upanisads as the complete
whole. All emanations of the fountainhead are also complete in themselves, but although
many complete units emanate from the complete sanatana fountainhead, the sanatana head does
not diminish in quality or quantity.See Sri Isopanisad, Invocation* That is because the
nature of sanatana is unchangeable. Anything that changes under the influence of time and
circumstances is not sanatana. Therefore anything that changes whatsoever in form or quality
cannot be accepted as sanatana. To give a material example, the sun has been disseminating
its rays for hundreds and millions of years, and yet although it is a materially created
object, its form and rays are still unchanged. Therefore, that which is never created cannot
change in formation and quality, even though He is the seedling source of everything.
The Lord claims to be the father of all species of life. He claims that all living beings
-- regardless of what they are -- are part and parcel of Him. Consequently, the Bhagavad-gita
is meant for all of them. In the Gita there is information of this sanatana nature of
the Supreme Lord. There is also information of His abode, which is far beyond the material
sky, and of the sanatana nature of the living beings.
Lord Krsna, in the Bhagavad-gita, also informs us that this material world is full of miseries
in the shape of birth, old age, disease and death. Even in the topmost planet of the material
universe, Brahmaloka, these miseries are present. Only in His own abode is there a total absence
of misery. In that abode there is no need of light from sun, moon or fire. The planets
are self-luminous. Life there is perpetual and full of knowledge and bliss. That is what
is known as sanatana-dharma. It is therefore natural to conclude that the living entities
must return home, back to Godhead, to enjoy life in the sanatana-dhama with the sanatana-purusa,
or the purusottama, Lord Sri Krsna. They must not remain to rot in this miserable land of
material existence. There is no happiness in the material sphere -- even in Brahmaloka
-- so plans and activities for elevation to higher planets within the material universe
are carried out by those who are less intelligent. Less intelligent men also take shelter of
demigods and only derive benefits which endure for a limited period. Thus their religious
principles and the benefits derived therefrom are only temporary. The intelligent man, however,
abandons all engagements in the name of religion and takes shelter of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead and thus receives absolute protection from the Almighty Father. Sanatana-dharma
is therefore the process of bhakti-yoga, by which one can come to know the sanatana Lord
and His sanatana abode. By this process only can one return to the spiritual universe,
the sanatana-dhama, to take part in the sanatana enjoyment prevailing there.
Those who are followers of sanatana-dharma may henceforward take up those principles
in the spirit of the Bhagavad-gita. There is nothing barring anyone from adopting the
eternal principles. Even persons who are less enlightened can return to Godhead. This is
the version taught by Srimad-Bhagavatam and by the Supreme Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gita.
Mankind should be given a chance to take advantage of this opportunity. Because Bhagavad-gita
was spoken in the land of Bharata-varsa, every Indian has the responsibility to broadcast
the message of real sanatana-dharma in the other parts of the world. Especially at the
present moment, misguided men are suffering in the darkness of materialism, and their
so-called learning has enabled them to discover the atomic bomb. They are consequently on
the verge of annihilation. Sanatana-dharma, however, will teach them about the real purpose
of life, and they will benefit by its propagation.