Just a dream

[ancient_paztriot]

SB 10.87.37

Since this universe did not exist prior to its creation and will no longer exist after its annihilation, we conclude that in the interim it is nothing more than a manifestation imagined to be visible within You, whose spiritual enjoyment never changes. We liken this universe to the transformation of various material substances into diverse forms. Certainly those who believe that this figment of the imagination is substantially real are less intelligent.

 

PURPORT

Having thus defeated all attempts of the ritualists to prove the substantial reality of material creation, the personified Vedas now present positive evidence to the contrary—that this world is unreal in that it is temporary. Before the creation of the universe and after its dissolution, only the spiritual reality of the Supreme Lord, along with His abode and entourage, continue to exist. The srutis confirm this: atma va idam eka evagra asit. “Prior to the creation of this universe, only the Self existed.” (Aitareya Upanisad 1.1) Nasad asin no sad asit tadanim: “At that time neither the subtle nor the gross aspects of matter were present.” (Åg Veda 10.129.1)

 

One can understand the relativity of creation by an analogy. When basic materials like clay and metal are processed and shaped into various products, the created objects exist separately from the clay and metal only in name and form. The basic substance remains unchanged. Similarly, when the energies of the Supreme Lord are transformed into the known things of this world, these things exist separately from Him only in name and form. In the Chandogya Upanisad (6.1.4–6), the sage Udalaka explains a similar analogy to his son: yatha saumyaikena mrtpindena sarvam mrn-mayam vijnatam syad vacarambhanam vikaro namadheyam mrttikety eva satyam. “For example, my dear boy, by understanding a single lump of clay one can understand everything made from clay. The existence of transformed products is only a creation of language, a matter of assigning designations: the clay alone is real.”

 

In conclusion, there is no convincing evidence that the things of this world are eternal or substantial, while there is overwhelming evidence that they are temporary and conditioned by false designations. Therefore only the ignorant can take the imaginary permutations of matter to be real.

 

Srila Sridhara Svami prays,

mukuta-kundala-kankana-kinkini-

parinatam kanakam paramarthatah

mahad-ahankrti-kha-pramukham tatha

nara-harer na param paramarthatah

 

“Transformations of gold such as crowns, earrings, bangles and ankle bells are not ultimately separate from gold itself. Similarly, the material elements—headed by the mahat, false ego and ether—are not ultimately separate from Lord Narahari.”

[ancient_paztriot]

IMAGINE that a government or governments is/are responsible for the crimes they "pretext" to police. Imagine the settup and sting to get to a citizen they can't get to legally.

 

Imagine the recent past, imagine the future. Dream a nightmare. But just make sure it's a patriotic dream. Us? We're the leaders. "Now suck in that tummy!"

 

IMAGINE the many people and conspiracies against the many who do nothing about it. IMAGINE all the useless people.

 

Hey, why do we have a da_n police department if the government's position is that it doesn't have to protect the citizens?

 

IMAGINE the many things in the news. "Hush now. Go back to sleep. We're checking on it now. There are alot of smart people working on this."

 

(Feel like you're being governed by a bigger hypocrite than you?) (Is that the heart and brain in unison? Could be Paramatma. /images/graemlins/smile.gif)

 

SB 1.13.47

Those who are devoid of hands are prey for those who have hands; those devoid of legs are prey for the four-legged. The weak are the subsistence of the strong, and the general rule holds that one living being is food for another.

 

PURPORT

A systematic law of subsistence in the struggle for existence is there by the supreme will, and there is no escape for anyone by any amount of planning. The living beings who have come to the material world against the will of the Supreme Being are under the control of a supreme power called maya-sakti, the deputed agent of the Lord, and this daivi maya is meant to pinch the conditioned souls by threefold miseries, one of which is explained here in this verse: the weak are the subsistence of the strong. No one is strong enough to protect himself from the onslaught of a stronger, and by the will of the Lord there are systematic categories of the weak, the stronger and the strongest. There is nothing to be lamented if a tiger eats a weaker animal, including a man, because that is the law of the Supreme Lord. But although the law states that a human being must subsist on another living being, there is the law of good sense also, for the human being is meant to obey the laws of the scriptures. This is impossible for other animals. The human being is meant for self-realization, and for that purpose he is not to eat anything which is not first offered to the Lord. The Lord accepts from His devotee all kinds of food preparations made of vegetables, fruits, leaves and grains. Fruits, leaves and milk in different varieties can be offered to the Lord, and after the Lord accepts the foodstuff, the devotee can partake of the prasada, by which all suffering in the struggle for existence will be gradually mitigated. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (9.26). Even those who are accustomed to eat animals can offer foodstuff, not to the Lord directly, but to an agent of the Lord, under certain conditions of religious rites. Injunctions of the scriptures are meant not to encourage the eaters of animals, but to restrict them by regulated principles.

 

The living being is the source of subsistence for other, stronger living beings. No one should be very anxious for his subsistence in any circumstances because there are living beings everywhere, and no living being starves for want of food at any place. Maharaja Yudhisthira is advised by Narada not to worry about his uncles' suffering for want of food, for they could live on vegetables available in the jungles as prasada of the Supreme Lord and thus realize the path of salvation.

 

Exploitation of the weaker living being by the stronger is the natural law of existence; there is always an attempt to devour the weak in different kingdoms of living beings. There is no possibility of checking this tendency by any artificial means under material conditions; it can be checked only by awakening the spiritual sense of the human being by practice of spiritual regulations. The spiritual regulative principles, however, do not allow a man to slaughter weaker animals on one side and teach others peaceful coexistence. If man does not allow the animals peaceful coexistence, how can he expect peaceful existence in human society? The blind leaders must therefore understand the Supreme Being and then try to implement the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God, or Rama-rajya, is impossible without the awakening of God consciousness in the mass mind of the people of the world.

[ancient_paztriot]

SB 1.15.2525-26

O King, as in the ocean the bigger and stronger aquatics swallow up the smaller and weaker ones, so also the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to lighten the burden of the earth, has engaged the stronger Yadu to kill the weaker, and the bigger Yadu to kill the smaller.

 

PURPORT

In the material world the struggle for existence and survival of the fittest are laws because in the material world there is disparity between conditioned souls due to everyone's desire to lord it over the material resources. This very mentality of lording it over the material nature is the root cause of conditioned life. And to give facility to such imitation lords, the illusory energy of the Lord has created a disparity between conditioned living beings by creating the stronger and the weaker in every species of life. The mentality of lording it over the material nature and the creation has naturally created a disparity and therefore the law of struggle for existence. In the spiritual world there is no such disparity, nor is there such a struggle for existence. In the spiritual world there is no struggle for existence because everyone there exists eternally. There is no disparity because everyone wants to render service to the Supreme Lord, and no one wants to imitate the Lord in becoming the beneficiary. The Lord, being creator of everything, including the living beings, factually is the proprietor and enjoyer of everything that be, but in the material world, by the spell of maya, or illusion, this eternal relation with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is forgotten, and so the living being is conditioned under the law of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest.

 

Why Can't We LIve Together?

 

Tell me why, tell me why, tell me why.

Why can't we live together?

Tell me why, tell me why.

Why can't we live together?

 

Everybody wants to live together.

Why can't we be together?

 

No more war, no more war, no more war...

Just a little peace.

No more war, no more war.

All we want is some peace in this world.

 

Everybody wants to live together.

Why can't we be together?

 

No matter, no matter what colour.

You are still my brother.

I said no matter, no matter what colour.

You are still my brother.

 

Everybody wants to live together

Why can't we be together?

 

Everybody wants to live.

Everybody's got to be together.

 

Everybody wants to live.

Everybody's going to be together.

 

Everybody's got to be together.

Everybody wants to be together.

 

I said no matter, no matter what colour.

You're still my brother.

I said no matter, no matter what colour.

You're still my brother.

 

Everybody wants to live together.

Why can't we be together?

 

Gotta live together...

Together. – Chade

[theist]

Brings an interesting question to mind. Is that stage where one begins to awaken but hasn't fully, he is still aware of and influenced by the dream still dreaming,or is it awakening. Bit of both it seems like. Tangled states of consciousness, one overlapping the other and interposed.

 

A couple more from the Bhagavatam to help us arise from our not so restful slumber.

 

 

SB 4.29.34: Narada continued: O you who are free from all sinful activity! No one can counteract the effects of fruitive activity simply by manufacturing a different activity devoid of Krsna consciousness. All such activity is due to our ignorance. When we have a troublesome dream, we cannot relieve it with a troublesome hallucination. One can counteract a dream only by awaking. Similarly, our material existence is due to our ignorance and illusion. Unless we awaken to Krsna consciousness, we cannot be relieved of such dreams. For the ultimate solution to all problems, we must awaken to Krsna consciousness.

 

SB 4.29.35: Sometimes we suffer because we see a tiger in a dream or a snake in a vision, but actually there is neither a tiger nor a snake. Thus we create some situation in a subtle form and suffer the consequences. These sufferings cannot be mitigated unless we are awakened from our dream.

 

 

[theist]

It's so strange to me. When we dream at night we are actually dreaming within within the larger dream context called our material experience. Layers of illusion.

 

TRANSLATION 4.29.61

 

The living entity, while dreaming, gives up the actual living body. Through the activities of his mind and intelligence, he acts in another body, either as a god or a dog. After giving up this gross body, the living entity enters either an animal body or a demigod's body on this planet or on another planet. He thus enjoys the results of the actions of his past life.

 

PURPORT excerpt

 

The gross body may lie on a bed and rest, and even though the machinery of the gross body is working, the living entity may leave, go into a dream, and return to the gross body. When he returns to the body, he forgets his dream. Similarly, when the living entity takes on another gross body, he forgets the present gross body. The conclusion is that the subtle body — mind, intelligence and ego — creates an atmosphere with desires and ambitions that the living entity enjoys in the subtle body. Actually the living entity is in the subtle body, even though the gross body apparently changes and even though he inhabits the gross body on various planets.

 

[theist]

TRANSLATION 4.29.67

 

Sometimes we suddenly experience something that was never experienced in the present body by sight or hearing. Sometimes we see such things suddenly in dreams.

 

PURPORT excerpt

 

In dreams we sometimes see things that we have never experienced in the present body. Sometimes in dreams we think that we are flying in the sky, although we have no experience of flying. This means that once in a previous life, either as a demigod or astronaut, we flew in the sky. The impression is there in the stockpile of the mind, and it suddenly expresses itself. It is like fermentation taking place in the depths of water, which sometimes manifests itself in bubbles on the water's surface. Sometimes we dream of coming to a place we have never known or experienced in this lifetime, but this is proof that in a past life we experienced this. The impression is kept within the mind and sometimes becomes manifest either in dream or in thought.

 

[ancient_paztriot]

Cool post and comments.

 

This answered a question I was thinking of earlier…

"Actually the living entity is in the subtle body, even though the gross body apparently changes… "

 

I was trying to make a mental analogy between body and soul like mutual interdependency at the atomic level. Couldn't do it.

 

This subtle body goes a long way to explain that idea. But I suspect it still doesn't fit.

[theist]

But the gross body is in the depend position. But it does have its effects. According to how the subtle body is formed the next gross body is shaped and awarded by nature. but what we take into our minds through the gross body has a huge effect on how the subtle body is formed.

 

So one can only imagine the unseen benefits in this regard of a sadhana-yoga program like Prabhupada set up in his temples. If one can approach it mindfully(like the Buddhists say). When the gross bodies head touches the floor the subtle body should likewise and not wander off. Just like chanting. Everything from washing the floor to leading kirtan. Prasadam may be the easiest place to increase of focus. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Otherwise we find ourselves sleep walking through our sadhana.

[theist]

TRANSLATION 2.b (last verse of 4.29)

 

Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present and future, is merely a dream. That is the secret understanding in all Vedic literature.

 

PURPORT

 

Factually all of material existence is only a dream. Thus there is no question of past, present or future. Persons who are addicted to karma-kandha-vicara, which means "working for future happiness through fruitive activities," are also dreaming. Similarly, past happiness and present happiness are merely dreams. The actual reality is Krsna and service to Krsna, which can save us from the clutches of maya, for the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (7.14), mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etm taranti te: "Those who surrender unto Me can easily cross beyond My illusory energy."

 

 

[ancient_paztriot]

So let's say we dream of service to Krsna, is that a dream?

 

I don't know the names. There is one story I remember (from CC?) where a brahmana burned his finger while daydreaming of cooking for the Lord. "Caused the Lord to laugh abruptly while being served intimately by Laksmi. So there's an absolute instance.

 

But what about your own imagination with no verification? I mean you could commit many mental offenses from your own imbalances… the way you see it may not be the way the Lord sees it. What force there?

 

A Day In the Life

 

BUY POSTERS

 

I read the news today oh, boy

About a lucky man who made the grade

And though the news was rather sad

Well I just had to laugh and

I saw the photograph

 

He blew his mind out in a car

He didn’t notice that the lights had changed

A crowd of people stood and stared

They’d seen his face before,

Nobody was really sure if he was from the house of lords.

 

I saw a film today oh, boy

The english army had just won the war

A crowd of people turned away

But I just had a look

Having read the book,

I’d love to turn you on...

 

Woke up, fell out of bed,

Dragged a comb across my head

Found my way downstairs and drank a cup,

And looking up I noticed I was late.

 

Found my coat and grabbed my hat

Made the bus in seconds flat

Found my way upstairs and had a smoke,

Somebody spoke and I went into a dream

 

Ah

 

I read the news today oh boy

Four thousand holes in blackburn, lancashire

And though the holes were rather small

They had to count them all,

Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the albert hall.

I’d love to turn you on... - Beatles

[theist]

 

So let's say we dream of service to Krsna, is that a dream?

 

 

Sure, you can offer something to Krishna in your dreams. Remember the gross body is also a dream body that the soul is using. The subtle body is a dream body that the soul is using also. Is mental energy anyless real than denser forms of matter?

 

The brahmana burning his finger checking the sweet rice is a good example.

 

 

But what about your own imagination with no verification? I mean you could commit many mental offenses from your own imbalances… the way you see it may not be the way the Lord sees it. What force there?

 

 

Without the Lord or His devotee presribing something or verifying something the risk of our imagination is there. But what need is there for that. People are bombing airplanes thinking they are serving God. People have ripped off jewelry stores in japan and cheated people on the street calling it sankirtana. Others call it scamkirtana. So we have been warned not to be whimsical right. The guru asks for water, so bring water and not milk.

 

But the principal of offering service in the mind is sound. I have never heard of mindless service being recommended however. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

 

 

[theist]

I just noticed I mislabeled the post above. The actual number was 4.29.64 (not 4.29.67)

[theist]

 

 

TRANSLATION 4.29.67

 

Sometimes in a dream we see something never experienced or heard of in this life, but all these incidents have been experienced at different times, in different places and in different conditions.

 

PURPORT

 

In the previous verse it was explained that in dreams we see that which was experienced during the day. But why is it that we sometimes in our dreams see what we have never heard of or seen at any time during this life? Here it is stated that even though such events may not be experienced in this life, they were experienced in previous lives. According to time and circumstance, they combine so that in dreams we see something wonderful that we have never experienced. For instance, we may see an ocean on the peak of a mountain. Or we may see that the ocean has dried up. These are simply combinations of different experiences in time and space. Sometimes we may see a golden mountain, and this is due to our having experienced gold and mountains separately. In the dream, under illusion, we combine these separate factors. In this way we are able to see golden mountains, or stars during the day. The conclusion is that these are all mental concoctions, although they have actually been experienced in different circumstances. They have simply combined together in a dream. This fact is further explained in the following verse.

 

<<>>

 

 

[ancient_paztriot]

Is mental energy anyless real than denser forms of matter?

 

… Uh, I was thinking more in terms of dovetailing.

 

It must be if it is illusion and we are not seeing things as Krsna does. How many of us are competing for the same resources? Are all those claims on matter legit?

.....................

But what need is there for that.

 

I wouldn't say need. An example would be experiences many of us felt (so long ago) when we first found Krsna. We had impulses we couldn't control… we couldn't just do the regs. or anything. Most of us still can't follow the many principles - including me. But still, one tries to serve… even in his nonsense… because he has that calling.

 

So I'm questioning the spirituality of that?

 

Then it seems to me so much of ISKCON's strength and success wasn't the qulifications so much as this response to the calling. (But that was a brighter time).

[Govindaram]

 

 

http://sampradaya.4t.com/HareKrsnaJava/Gauraapplet.html

 

Move mouse over it.

[theist]

but its too early. Now I have motion sickness..

[theist]

Lucid dreams are a very interesting and intriquing subject. During a lucid dream the subject suddenly becomes aware that they are in a dream. The dream setting suddenly takes on a different quality about it. People say the colors become brighter, the sounds change tone in a way that is difficult to describe.

 

In many ways a lucid dream shares many of the characteristics that are common to being guided through a clinical hynotic session. And there are those that become experienced at using it as a form of therapy or self improvement.

 

The devotee can also do this but with a distinctly different aim. His aim would be to become aware of himself in relation to the Supreme Self. The same goal as he has when he is in the so-called waking state during the day. Afterall as we go about our ordinary duties in life in relationship to the life built up around our physical bodies we are in fact dreaming that that body and the ones around us are our true selves when actually they are not us at all. The physical body is a dream body in a very real sense.

 

And likewise with a dream body that we experience at night as the body sleeps. We are not that body either. We can be said to be present in that body and experiencing through it, but it is not us.

 

What's more the Lord is fully there as the Witness. There is never a moment when He is not with us so He must also be present in our dreams. So the devotees goal is to become aware of Him amidst that setting which has been created in the mind.

 

The essential fact is to become aware in the dream of yourself apart from the dream body. Non-devotees accomplish this by the use of what they call dreamsigns. We can also use dreamsigns to spark rememberance of ourselves but we have another,related goal as well which is to remember the Supreme Soul along with ourselves.

 

So next we can talk more of dreamsigns and what would be appropriate for aspiring bhaktas. I am sure we can find some right in our present practices that won't be viewed as going off on a tangential 'mystical path'.

[theist]

SB 5.1.16: Even if one is liberated, he nevertheless accepts the body he has received according to his past karma. Without misconceptions, however, he regards his enjoyment and suffering due to that karma the way an awakened person regards a dream he had while sleeping. He thus remains steadfast and never works to achieve another material body under the influence of the three modes of material nature.

 

 

[ancient_paztriot]

6.17.17

Citraketu said: My dear mother, with my own hands folded together I accept the curse upon me. I do not mind the curse, for happiness and distress are given by the demigods as a result of one's past deeds.

 

There is a wonderful story here about Citraketu and his being cursed to become a demon by Siva's wife Parvati.

 

http://vedabase.net/sb/6/17/en

[theist]

SB 6.17.30: As one mistakenly considers a flower garland to be a snake or experiences happiness and distress in a dream, so, in the material world, by a lack of careful consideration, we differentiate between happiness and distress, considering one good and the other bad.

 

 

[ancient_paztriot]

SB 7.15.58

Although one may consider the reflection of the sun from a mirror to be false, it has its factual existence. Accordingly, to prove by speculative knowledge that there is no reality would be extremely difficult.

 

PURPORT

The impersonalists try to prove that the varieties in the vision of the empiric philosopher are false. The impersonalist philosophy, vivarta-vada, generally cites the acceptance of a rope to be a snake as an example of this fact. According to this example, the varieties within our vision are false, just as a rope seen to be a snake is false. The Vaisnavas say, however, that although the idea that the rope is a snake is false, the snake is not false; one has experience of a snake in reality, and therefore he knows that although the representation of the rope as a snake is false or illusory, there is a snake in reality. Similarly, this world, which is full of varieties, is not false; it is a reflection of the reality in the Vaikuntha world, the spiritual world.

 

The reflection of the sun from a mirror is nothing but light within darkness. Thus although it is not exactly sunlight, without the sunlight the reflection would be impossible. Similarly, the varieties of this world would be impossible unless there were a real prototype in the spiritual world. The Mayavadi philosopher cannot understand this, but a real philosopher must be convinced that light is not possible at all without a background of sunlight. Thus the jugglery of words used by the Mayavadi philosopher to prove that this material world is false may amaze inexperienced children, but a man with full knowledge knows perfectly well that there cannot be any existence without Krsna. Therefore a Vaisnava insists on the platform of somehow or other accepting Krsna (tasmat kenapy upayena manah krsne nivesayet).

 

When we raise our unmixed faith to the lotus feet of Krsna, everything is revealed. Krsna also says in Bhagavad-gita (7.1):

 

mayy asakta-manah partha

yogam yunjan mad-asrayah

asamsayam samagram mam

yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu

 

“Now hear, O son of Prtha [Arjuna], how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt.” Simply by raising one’s staunch faith in Krsna and His instructions, one can understand reality without a doubt (asamsayam samagram mam). One can understand how Krsna’s material and spiritual energies are working and how He is present everywhere although everything is not Him. This philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda, inconceivable oneness and difference, is the perfect philosophy enunciated by the Vaisnavas. Everything is an emanation from Krsna, but it is not that everything must therefore be worshiped. Speculative knowledge cannot give us reality as it is, but will continue to be nefariously imperfect. So-called scientists try to prove that there is no God and that everything is happening because of the laws of nature, but this is imperfect knowledge because nothing can work unless directed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is explained in Bhagavad-gita (9.10) by the Lord Himself:

 

mayadhyaksena prakrtih

suyate sacaracaram

hetunanena kaunteya

jagad viparivartate

 

“This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kunti, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.” In this regard, srila Madhvacarya gives this note: durghatatvad arthatvena paramesvarenaiva kalpitam. The background of everything is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [bg. 7.19]. This can be understood by a mahatma who is perfect in knowledge. Such a mahatma is rarely seen.

[harish]

Since everything is illusory except Brahman, how does Mayavada explain reincarnation?

To say that a particular Atma lived several lives would be strange when the existance of the Atma itself is negated by mayavada!!

 

[theist]

harish, that is an interesting question and should have a thread of its own. I have a couple thoughts on the matter but I am trying to keep this one on directly on dreams. It's hard because at some point all subjects are related in some way giving way to tangential points.

 

Thanks for understanding.

[Guest guest]

TRANSLATION SB 5.11.3

 

A dream becomes automatically known to a person as false and immaterial, and similarly one eventually realizes that material happiness in this life or the next, on this planet or a higher planet, is insignificant. When one realizes this, the Vedas, although an excellent source, are insufficient to bring about direct knowledge of the truth.

 

PURPORT

 

In Bhagavad-gita (2.45), Krsna advised Arjuna to become transcendental to the material activities impelled by the three material modes of nature (traigunaya-visaayi veda nistraigunayo bhavarjuna). The purpose of Vedic study is to transcend the activities of the three modes of material nature. Of course in the material world the mode of goodness is accepted as the best, and one can be promoted to the higher planetary systems by being on the sattva-guna platform. However, that is not perfection. One must come to the conclusion that even the sattva-guna platform is also not good. One may dream that he has become a king with a good family, wife and children, but immediately at the end of that dream he comes to the conclusion that it is false. Similarly, all kinds of material happiness are undesirable for a person who wants spiritual salvation. If a person does not come to the conclusion that he has nothing to do with any kind of material happiness, he cannot come to the platform of understanding the Absolute Truth, or tattva jñana. Karmis, jñanis and yogis are after some material elevation. The karmis work hard day and night for some bodily comfort, and the jñanis simply speculate about how to get out of the entanglement of karma and merge into the Brahman effulgence. The yogis are very much addicted to the acquisition of material perfection and magical powers. All of them are trying to be materially perfect, but a devotee very easily comes to the platform of nirguna in devotional service, and consequently for the devotee the results of karma, jñana and yoga become very insignificant. Therefore only the devotee is on the platform of tattva jñana, not the others. Of course the jñana's position is better than that of the karmi but that position is also insufficient. The jñani must actually become liberated, and after liberation he may be situated in devotional service (mad-bhaktim labhate param [bg. 18.54]).

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

TRANSLATION SB 5.11.12

 

The individual soul bereft of Krsna consciousness has many ideas and activities created in the mind by the external energy. They have been existing from time immemorial. Sometimes they are manifest in the wakening state and in the dream state, but during deep sleep [unconsciousness] or trance, they disappear. A person who is liberated in this life [jivan-mukta] can see all these things vividly.

 

PURPORT

 

As stated in Bhagavad-g&#299;t&#257; (13.3), ks&#803;etrajñam&#769; c&#257;pi m&#257;m&#769; viddhi sarva-ks&#803;etres&#803;u bh&#257;rata. There are two kinds of ks&#803;etrajña, or living beings. One is the individual living being, and the other is the supreme living being. The ordinary living being knows about his body to some extent, but the Supreme, Paramatma, knows the condition of all bodies. The individual living being is localized, and the Supreme. Paramatma. is all-pervading. In this sloka the word ks&#803;etrajña refers to an ordinary living being, not the supreme living being. This ordinary living being is of two kinds — nitya-baddha or nitya-mukta. One is eternally conditioned and the other eternally liberated. The eternally liberated living being; are in the Vaikun&#803;t&#803;ha jagat, the spiritual world, and they never fall into the material world. Those in the material world are conditioned souls, nitya-baddha. The nitya-baddhas can become liberated by controlling the mind because the cause of conditioned life is the mind. When the mind is trained and the soul is not under the mind's control, the soul can be liberated even in this material world. When it is liberated, one is called jivan-mukta. A jivan-mukta knows how he has become conditioned; therefore he tries to purify himself and return home, back to Godhead. The eternally conditioned soul is eternally conditioned because he is controlled by the mind. The conditioned state and liberated state are compared to the sleeping, unconscious state and the awakened state. Those who are sleeping and unconscious are eternally conditioned, but those who are awake understand that they are eternally part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. Therefore even in this material world, they engage in Krsna's service. As confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami: &#299;h&#257; yasya harer d&#257;sye. If one takes to Krsna's service, he is liberated, even though he appears to be a conditioned soul within the material world. Jivan-muktaha sa ucyate. In any condition, one is to be considered liberated if his only business is to serve Krsna.