# Material World *On understanding the nature of this temporary material existence* --- ### Living Entities Come from Spiritual World > So from this version of the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,* that the living entities as seeds, they are coming from the spiritual world. They are not product of the matter. Therefore it is not possible to produce living entity with material chemicals and material elements. It is not possible. As some of the modern scientists they claim that "We shall now give life," or they advertise in that way, so from this verse we can understand that it is not possible. Because these living entities, they are just like seeds, and they are coming from the spiritual world, from the body of the Supreme. — [[spoken/1966/661218cc.ny|Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 20.255–281, New York, December 18, 1966]] --- ### False Hope of Permanence > Therefore *śāstra* says, *andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ*. The *andha*—means blind, blind leaders—they are giving us false hope that we shall make here permanent settlement. Therefore they are called *andhas.* They have no sense. You cannot make it *sanātana.* But the whole attempt is going on to make everything *sanātana.* This is called illusion. Illusion means you are accepting something which is not possible. But they do not know. *Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ*. *Durāśā,* this is a hope which is never to be fulfilled. — [[spoken/1972/721128bg.hyd|Bhagavad-gītā 2.24, Hyderabad, November 28, 1972]] --- ### Eternal Servant of Kṛṣṇa > Now, under the influence of nature I am thinking, "I am the servant of my wife," "I am servant of the society," "I am servant of my nation," "I am servant of my cat," "I am servant of my dog." And we are doing that, actually. Everyone is working under this impression. *Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti*. This is illusion. You have to come to the platform of *sanātana.* What is that eternal? "I am eternally servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is *sanātana-dharma.* I am not servant of this or that or that. No. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. — [[spoken/1972/721128bg.hyd|Bhagavad-gītā 2.24, Hyderabad, November 28, 1972]] --- ### We Are Nitya-baddha > So we are *nitya-baddha,* eternally bound up, by these laws of material nature, and we are wandering throughout the universe according to *karma. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ*. If we work on the *sattva-guṇa...* We... *Vicitra:* there are so many varieties. So we may go sometimes up to Brahmaloka. That is not very difficult. But *ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna*. Either you go to Brahmaloka or Pātālaloka or any *loka,* this form or that body, you will have to go through these four principles of material condition: birth, death, old age and disease. That is not possible to overcome. — [[spoken/1974/741218sb.bom|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.6, Bombay, December 18, 1974]] --- ### Part and Parcel Without Value > Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body, so the finger has no separate existence. If this finger is cut off from my hand and it has a separate existence, it will fall down on the street, and it has no value. Others are trampling down; still nobody cares for it, although it is the same finger but cut off from this body. But so long this small finger is attached to this body it has value. If there is some disease or pain, I can spend thousands of dollars for curing it. And when it is cut off from my body it has no value. Similarly, we being part and parcel of God, when we are forgetful or cut off... It cannot be cut off, but still, when we forget God, then we have no value. — [[spoken/1975/751128sb.del|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.1, Delhi, November 28, 1975]] --- ### Material Life Is Simply Anartha > So unless there is *vairāgya,* there is no question of happiness. But we cannot attain *vairāgya* immediately; therefore the *vidhi-mārga, vidhi-mārga-bhakti:* to rise early in the morning, to attend *maṅgala-ārati,* to offer Deity flowers, fruits, and in this way we shall be engaged twenty-four hours. Then *vairāgya-vidyā* will gradually develop. *Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje*. Then the *anartha...* This material life is simply *anartha,* has no meaning, because we are creating another life. Without any spiritual knowledge, if we simply give ourself to the action and reaction of material nature, then we are making progress on the path of *mṛtyu-saṁsāra vartmani*. — [[spoken/1976/761128sb.vrn|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.6.6, Vṛndāvana, November 28, 1976]] --- ### Consciousness Is Eternal > This is universal movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because it is concerned with the soul, consciousness. Therefore you have named the word "consciousness." Consciousness belongs to the soul. That is the symptom of presence of soul. At the present moment, because the soul is in the body, if I pinch your body then you feel—consciousness—feel pains or pleasure. But as soon as the soul is gone out of the body, if I chop off your body with a dagger, you will not protest. The consciousness is gone. *Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṁ tatam*, Kṛṣṇa says. So the consciousness eternal. Therefore we have to purify our consciousness, then our life is successful. — [[spoken/1974/741128sb.bom|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.25.28, Bombay, November 28, 1974]] --- ### Vaikuṇṭha Atmosphere > If you follow the regulative principles, it will remain always Vaikuṇṭha. Otherwise, again material world. A free hotel. That's all. And free hotel will not endure. Spirit of service must be maintained... By service spirit, beginning with tongue: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then everything is revealed, Vaikuṇṭha atmosphere. — [[spoken/1975/751211mw.vrn|Morning Walk, Vṛndāvana, December 11, 1975]] --- *8 verified verbatim quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on the material world*