Supreme Abode Is Eternal Going There None Returns

Transcript Preview

Prabhupāda: avyakto 'kṣara ity uktas tam āhuḥ paramāṃ gatim yaṃ prāpya na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṃ mama [Bg 8.21] [That supreme abode is called unmanifested and infallible, and it is the supreme destination. When one goes there, he never comes back. That is My supreme abode.] This verse we have been discussing last day, that avyaktam akṣaram. Avyaktam means which is not manifested.

This material world is manifested, but the spiritual world is not manifested before us. But, although not manifested, that part of this creation is eternal, akṣaram. Akṣaram means "which has no annihilation." In the material world everything is born, it stays for some times, it develops, it gives some by-products, then it dwindles and then vanishes. These six forms of changes of the material form—ṣaò-vikāra.

This is called in Sanskrit word ṣaò-vikāra, six kinds of changes. But the spiritual world, avyakta, which is not manifested at the present moment before us, that is akṣaram. Akṣaram means it is eternal. It does not annihilate. Now, this spiritual vision at the present moment, because we are covered by the material dress, or material senses, therefore the spiritual world or anything spiritual is not conceivable, due to our material senses.

But we can feel that there is something spiritual. That is possible. Although we are fully in ignorance of the spiritual matter, still, we can feel. If you analyze yourself silently, "What I am?

I am this finger? I am this body? I am this hair?" you will deny, "No, I am not this." So beyond this body, what is, that is spiritual. That we can feel. Similarly, as we cannot find ourselves within this matter, although I'm here, that we can distinguish, the distinction between dead body and living body, something minus.

That something is spirit. That something is spirit. Although we have no eyes to see, but the spirit is there. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā.

Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idaṃ tatam [Bg 2.17]. [Know that which pervades the entire body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul.] That spiritual existence is eternal, whereas this body is not eternal. Now, here it is said that avyaktaḥ akṣaram: "That nonmanifested, spiritual atmosphere is nonmanifested." But how it can be manifested? We have little feeling of it, but how it can be manifested?

Continue reading full transcript in the app →