Adi-lila, Chapter 1 55
The spiritual world is brightly illuminated, but the material world is wrapped in
darkness. In the material world, sunshine, moonshine or different kinds of artificial
light are required to dispel darkness, especially at night, for by nature the material
world is dark. Therefore the Supreme Lord has arranged for sunshine and moonshine.
But in His abode, as described in Bhagavad-gita (15.6), there is no necessity for
lighting by sunshine, moonshine or electricity because everything is self-effulgent.
That which is relative, temporary and far away from the Absolute Truth is called
maya, or ignorance. This illusion is exhibited in two ways, as explained in Bhagavad-
gita. The inferior illusion is inert matter, and the superior illusion is the living entity.
The living entities are called illusory in this context only because they are implicated
in the illusory structures and activities of the material world. Actually the living
entities are not illusory, for they are parts of the superior energy of the Supreme
Lord and do not have to be covered by mdyd if they do not want to be so. The
actions of the living entities in the spiritual kingdom are not illusory; they are the
actual, eternal activities of liberated souls.
TEXT 55
BU AEB QS Preyer a5ey |
afattaataaifa Sal cwx a CTARA | ee
yatha mahanti bhitani
bhiitesiiccavacesv anu
pravistany apravistani
tatha tesu na tesv aham
SYNONYMS
yatha—as; mahanti—the universal; bhitani—elements; bhitesu—in the living
entities; ucca-avacesu—both gigantic and minute; anu—after; pravistani—situated
internally; apravistani—situated externally; tathad—so; tesu—in them; na—not; tesu—
in them; gham—l.
TRANSLATION
“As the material elements enter the bodies of all living beings and yet remain
outside them all, ! exist within all material creations and yet am not within them.
PURPORT
The gross material elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether) combine with the
subtle material elements (mind, intelligence and false ego) to construct the bodies
of this material world, and yet they are beyond these bodies as well. Any material
construction is nothing but an amalgamation or combination of material elements in
varied proportions. These elements exist both within and beyond the body. For
example, although the sky exists in space, it also enters within the body. Similarly,
