Mantra Fourteen
75
at the end of Brahmā's lifetime, there is an  avyakta  state. But beyond these two non-manifested states there is another, spiritual atmosphere or nature, where there is a great number of spiritual planets, existing eternally even when all the planets within this material universe are vanquished.
The cosmic manifestation within the jurisdiction of the various Brahmās is a display of one-fourth the energy of the Lord, and this energy is called inferior. The spiritual nature beyond the jurisdiction of Brahmā is called  tri-pada-vibhūti , three-fourths the energy of the Lord, and is the superior energy, or  parā-prakṛti .
The predominating Supreme Person in the spiritual nature is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He can be approached only by unqualified devotional service, and not by anything else, such as the processes of  jñāna  (philosophy) and  yoga  (mysticism), much less that of  karma  (fruitive work). The  karmis , or fruitive workers, can elevate themselves to the  Svarga-loka  planets, including the Sun and the Moon.  Jñānins  and  yogis  can reach still higher planets, such as the  Brahmā-loka ; and, becoming still more qualified by devotional service, they are allowed to enter into the spiritual nature, either in the illuminating cosmic atmosphere of the spiritual sky (the  Brahman ), or on the planets, according to qualification. It is certain, however, that no one can enter into the spiritual planets called  Vaikuṇṭhas  without being trained in devotional service.
On the material planets, everyone from Brahmā down to the ant is trying to lord it over material Nature, and this is called the material disease. As long as this material disease continues, the living entity has to undergo the process of changing bodies, whether in the form of a demigod, a man, or an animal; and ultimately he has to endure the unmanifested condition during the two kinds of devastations: the night of Brahmā, and at the end of Brahmā's life. If we want to cease the process of repeated birth and death, and the concomitant factors of old age and disease, then we must try to enter into the spiritual planets,