6 THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION

which is to regain our lost spiritual identity. The boat of human life is
constructed in such a way that it must move toward a spiritual destina-
tion. Unfortunately this body is anchored to mundane consciousness by
five strong chains, which are: (1) attachment to the material body due to
ignorance of spiritual facts, (2) attachment to kinsmen due to bodily rela-
tions, (3) attachment to the land of birth and to material possessions
such as house, furniture, estates, property, business papers, etc.,
(4) attachment to material science, which always remains mysterious for
want of spiritual light, and (5) attachment to religious forms and holy
rituals without knowing the Personality of Godhead or His devotees,
who make them holy. These attachments, which anchor the boat of the
human body, are explained in detail in the Fifteenth Chapter of the
Bhagavad-gitad. There they are compared to a deeply rooted banyan tree
which is ever increasing its hold on the earth. It is very difficult to uproot
such a strong banyan tree, but the Lord recommends the following pro-
cess: ‘‘The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No
one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its founda-
tion is. But with determination one must cut down this tree with the
weapon of detachment. So doing, one must seek that place from which,
having once gone, one never returns, and there surrender to that
Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything has begun and
in whom everything is abiding since time immemorial.’’ [Bg. 15.3-4]
Neither the scientists nor speculative philosophers have yet arrived at
any conclusion concerning the cosmic situation. All they have done is
posit different theories about it. Some of them say that the material world
is real, others say that it is a dream, and yet others say that it is ever
existing. In this way different views are held by mundane scholars, but
the fact is that no mundane scientist or speculative philosopher has ever
discovered the beginning of the cosmos or its limitations. No one can say
when it began or how it floats in space. They theoretically propose some
laws, like the law of gravitation, but actually they cannot put this law to
practical use. For want of actual knowledge of the truth, everyone is anx-
ious to promote his own theory to gain certain fame, but the actual fact is
that this material world is full of miseries and that no one can overcome
them simply by promoting some theories about the subject. The Per-
sonality of Godhead, who is fully cognizant of everything in His creation,
informs us that it is in our best interest that we desire to get out of this
miserable existence. We must detach ourselves from everything
material..To make the best use of a bad bargain, our material existence
must be one-hundred-percent spiritualized. Iron is not fire, but it can be
