142 THE PATH OF PERFECTION The Path of Perfection 143

world. All Vedic literatures instruct us in this way. Tamasi md jyotir Because we are presently covered by a dress of material senses,
gama: “‘Don’t remain in this darkness. Go to the light.’” Accord- we cannot see the spiritual world, and the spiritual nature is incon-
ing to the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gitd (15.6), ceivable for us. Yet we can fee/ that there is something spiritual
present. Even a man completely ignorant of the spiritual nature
na tad bhasayate siiryo can somehow feel its presence. One need only analyze his body
na Sasanko na pavakah silently: ‘‘What am I? Am I this finger? Am I this body? Am I this
yad gatva na nivartante hair? No, I am not this, and I am not that. I am something other
tad dhama paramam mama than this body. I am something beyond this body. What is that?
That is the spiritual.’’ In this way, we can feel or sense the pres-
‘*That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by ence of spirituality within this matter. We can sense the absence
electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material of spirit when a body is dead. If we witness someone dying, we can
world.”? This material world is dark by nature, and we are ar- sense that something is leaving the body. Although we do not
tificially illuminating it with electric lights, fire, and so on. In any have the eyes to see it, that something is spirit. Its presence in the
case, its nature is dark, but the spiritual nature is full of light. body is explained in the very beginning of Bhagavad-gitd (2.17):
When the sun is present, there is no darkness; similarly, every
planet in the spiritual sky is self-luminous. Therefore there is no avinasi tu tad viddhi
darkness, nor is there need of sun, moon, or electricity. The word yena sarvam idam tatam
suryo means ‘‘sun,”’ Sasdnko means ‘‘moon,”’ and pavakah means vinasam avyayasyasya
‘*fire’’ or ‘‘electricity.”’ So these are not required in the spiritual na kascit kartum arhati
sky for illumination. And again, Krsna herein says, yad gatva na
nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: ‘‘That is My supreme ‘*Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No
abode, and one who reaches it never returns to this material one is able to destroy the imperishable soul.”
world.” This is stated throughout Bhagavad-gita. Again, in this Spiritual existence is eternal, whereas the body is not. It is said
Eighth Chapter (Bg. 8.21), that the spiritual atmosphere is avyakta, unmanifest. How, then,
can it be manifest for us? Making the unmanifest manifest is this
avyakto ‘ksara ity uktas very process of Krsna consciousness. According to Padma Purana,
tam ahuh paramam gatim oe
yam prapya na nivartante atah Sri-krsna-namadi
tad dhama paramam mama na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
: sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
‘That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it svayam eva sphuraty adah
is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes
back. That is My supreme abode.” Again, the word avyakta, ‘‘No one can understand Krsna as He is by the blunt material
meaning ‘‘unmanifest,”’ is used. The word aksara means ‘‘that senses. But He reveals Himself to the devotees, being pleased
which is never annihilated,” or ‘that which is infallible.” This with them for their transcendental loving service unto Him.” In
means that since the supreme abode is eternal, it is not subject to this verse, the word indriyaih means ‘‘the senses.’’ We have five
the six transformations mentioned previously. senses for gathering knowledge (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and
