Material Body - Spiritual Body

[suchandra]

Explanation below says, that for a Vaishnava there's hardly any difference in which body he serves the Lord, what would means that "going back home back to Godhead", takes place as soon someone is engaged in spiritual activity?

 

 

"The desire to serve the Lord establishes one as liberated in any condition of life, whether in a spiritual body or a material body. In a spiritual body the devotee becomes a direct associate of the Lord, but even though a devotee may superficially appear to be in a material body, he is always liberated and is engaged in the same duties of service to the Lord as a devotee in Vaikuṇṭhaloka. There is no distinction. It is said, sādhur jīvo vā maro vā. Whether a devotee is alive or dead, his only concern is to serve the Lord. Tyaktvā dehaḿ punar janma naiti mām eti [bg. 4.9]. When he gives up his body, he goes directly to become an associate of the Lord and serve Him, although he does the same thing even in a material body in the material world."

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 9.13.9

 

Srila Rupa Goswami:

 

 

īhā yasya harer dāsye

karmaṇā manasā girā

nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu

jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate

 

 

 

"A person acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities."

 

 

For a devotee there is no pain, pleasure or material perfection. One may argue that at the time of death a devotee also suffers because of giving up his material body. But in this connection the example may be given that a cat carries a mouse in its mouth and also carries a kitten in its mouth. Both the mouse and the kitten are carried in the same mouth, but the perception of the mouse is different from that of the kitten. When a devotee gives up his body (tyaktvā deham), he is ready to go back home, back to Godhead. Thus his perception is certainly different from that of a person being taken away by Yamarāja for punishment. A person whose intelligence is always concentrated upon the service of the Lord is unafraid of accepting a material body, whereas a nondevotee, having no engagement in the service of the Lord, is very much afraid of accepting a material body or giving up his present one. Therefore, we should follow the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu: mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi. It doesn't matter whether we accept a material body or a spiritual body; our only ambition should be to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

[Guest guest]

 

Explanation below says, that for a Vaishnava there's hardly any difference in which body he serves the Lord, what would means that "going back home back to Godhead", takes place as soon someone is engaged in spiritual activity?

 

 

 

Srila Rupa Goswami:

 

 

īhā yasya harer dāsye

karmaṇā manasā girā

nikhilāsv apy avasthāsu

jīvan-muktaḥ sa ucyate

 

 

 

"A person acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness with his body, mind, intelligence and words is a liberated person even within the material world, although he may be engaged in many so-called material activities."

 

 

Hmm..... this is highly arguable. There are thousands of so called 'vaishnavas' roaming the streets. All of them are liberated n there is no difference between them n say those liberated souls in Goloka? I don't agree with this!! And to be honest, the right way to put it shouldn't be "for a "Vaishnava"... btu for a "true devotee". Vaishnava or from any other sampradaya - Shaiva or Shakta. This is Sanatana dharma.