Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Spiritual forms

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

Both the jīvas and Godhead have their original spiritual forms
SB 1.2.23, Purport:

Viṣṇu is manifested by His millions and billions of integrated forms and separated forms. The integrated forms are called Godhead, and the separated forms are called the living entities or the jīvas. Both the jīvas and Godhead have their original spiritual forms. Jīvas are sometimes subjected to the control of material energy, but the Viṣṇu forms are always controllers of this energy. When Viṣṇu, the Personality of Godhead, appears in the material world, He comes to deliver the conditioned living beings who are under the material energy. Such living beings appear in the material world with intentions of being lords, and thus they become entrapped by the three modes of nature.

SB Canto 2

The devotees experience the above-mentioned state of affairs by attainment of spiritual forms for activity in the transcendental loving service of the Lord
SB 2.2.17, Purport:

The above-mentioned state of affairs is factual on the transcendental plane, but is factually revealed in a transcendentalist's knowledge of the advanced state of pure consciousness. Such transcendentalists are of two types, namely the impersonalists and the devotees. For the impersonalist the ultimate goal or destination is the brahmajyoti of the spiritual sky, but for the devotees the ultimate goal is the Vaikuṇṭha planets. The devotees experience the above-mentioned state of affairs by attainment of spiritual forms for activity in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. But the impersonalist, because of his neglecting the association of the Lord, does not develop a spiritual body for spiritual activity, but remains a spiritual spark only, merged in the effulgent spiritual rays of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

SB Canto 3

The Lord may appear in any of His many, many spiritual forms, but He is not materially composed, nor has He any difference between body and self. That is the way of conceiving the spiritual form of the Lord.
SB 3.9.36, Translation and Purport:

Although I am not easily knowable by the conditioned soul, you have known Me today because you know that My personality is not constituted of anything material, and specifically not of the five gross and three subtle elements.

Knowledge of the Supreme Absolute Truth does not necessitate negation of the material manifestation but understanding of spiritual existence as it is. To think that because material existence is realized in forms therefore spiritual existence must be formless is only a negative material conception of spirit. The real spiritual conception is that spiritual form is not material form. Brahmā appreciated the eternal form of the Lord in that way, and the Personality of Godhead approved of Brahmā's spiritual conception. In Bhagavad-gītā the Lord condemned the material conception of Kṛṣṇa's body which arises because He is apparently present like a man. The Lord may appear in any of His many, many spiritual forms, but He is not materially composed, nor has He any difference between body and self. That is the way of conceiving the spiritual form of the Lord.

SB Canto 6

The Lord is called advaya jñāna, indicating that there is no difference between Him and His names, forms, qualities, weapons and so on. Anything pertaining to Him is in the same category of spiritual existence. They are all engaged in the service of the Lord in varieties of spiritual forms.
SB 6.8.30, Translation and Purport:

May the Supreme Personality of Godhead's holy names, His transcendental forms, His carriers and all the weapons decorating Him as personal associates protect our intelligence, senses, mind and life air from all dangers.

There are various associates of the transcendental Personality of Godhead, and His weapons and carrier are among them. In the spiritual world, nothing is material. The sword, bow, club, disc and everything decorating the personal body of the Lord are spiritual living force. Therefore the Lord is called advaya jñāna, indicating that there is no difference between Him and His names, forms, qualities, weapons and so on. Anything pertaining to Him is in the same category of spiritual existence. They are all engaged in the service of the Lord in varieties of spiritual forms.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

Both the living entity and the Supreme Lord have original, spiritual forms (sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha), but the Lord, the Supreme, does not change His form.
SB 10.1.43, Purport:

The living entity is part and parcel of the supreme sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, but his material forms are temporary, or illusory. Both the living entity and the Supreme Lord have original, spiritual forms (sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha), but the Lord, the Supreme, does not change His form. The Lord appears as He is, whereas the living entity appears because material nature forces him to accept different forms. When the living entity receives these different forms, he identifies with them, and not with his original, spiritual form. As soon as the living entity returns to his original, spiritual form and understanding, he immediately surrenders to the supreme form, the Personality of Godhead. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19). Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. When the living entity, after many, many births in different forms, returns to his original form of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he immediately surrenders unto the lotus feet of the supreme form, Kṛṣṇa. This is liberation.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 12.8.46, Translation:

O Lord, because fearlessness, spiritual happiness and the kingdom of God are all achieved through the mode of pure goodness, Your devotees consider this mode, but never passion and ignorance, to be a direct manifestation of You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Intelligent persons thus worship Your beloved transcendental form, composed of pure goodness, along with the spiritual forms of Your pure devotees.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

Before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited His spiritual forms during His residence at Navadvīpa, He asked Śrī Rāma Paṇḍita, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura's brother, to go to Śāntipura and bring back Advaita Ācārya.
CC Adi 12.17, Purport:

Before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu exhibited His spiritual forms during His residence at Navadvīpa, He asked Śrī Rāma Paṇḍita, Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura's brother, to go to Śāntipura and bring back Advaita Ācārya. Acyutānanda joined his father at that time. It is said, advaitera tanaya "acyutānanda" nāma/ parama-bālaka, seho kānde avirāma. Acyutānanda also joined in crying in transcendental bliss.

CC Madhya-lila

Just as there are material forms in this material world, there are spiritual forms in the spiritual world.
CC Madhya 6.167, Translation and Purport:

“One who does not accept the transcendental form of the Lord is certainly an agnostic. Such a person should be neither seen nor touched. Indeed, he is subject to be punished by Yamarāja.

According to the Vedic instructions, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has His eternal, transcendental form, which is always blissful and full of knowledge. Impersonalists think that "material" refers to the forms within our experience and that "spiritual" refers to an absence of form. However, one should know that beyond this material nature is another nature, which is spiritual. Just as there are material forms in this material world, there are spiritual forms in the spiritual world. This is confirmed by all Vedic literature. The spiritual forms in the transcendental world have nothing to do with the negative conception of formlessness. The conclusion is that a person is an agnostic when he does not agree to worship the transcendental form of the Lord.

Although the arcā-mūrti, the worshipable Deity form of the Lord, appears to be made of material elements, it is as good as the spiritual forms found in the spiritual Vaikuṇṭhalokas.
CC Madhya 20.217, Translation and Purport:

“At Viṣṇu-kāñcī there is Lord Viṣṇu, at Māyāpur Lord Hari, and throughout the universe a variety of other forms.

All of these forms are mūrti forms, and They are worshiped in the temples. Their names are Keśava at Mathurā, Puruṣottama or Jagannātha at Nīlācala, Śrī Bindu Mādhava at Prayāga, Madhusūdana at Mandāra, and Vāsudeva, Padmanābha and Janārdana at Ānandāraṇya, which is situated in Kerala, South India. At Viṣṇu-kāñcī is Lord Varadarāja, and Hari is situated at Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya's birth site. Thus in different places throughout the universe there are various Deities in temples bestowing Their causeless mercy upon the devotees. All these Deity forms are nondifferent from the mūrtis in the spiritual world of the Vaikuṇṭhas. Although the arcā-mūrti, the worshipable Deity form of the Lord, appears to be made of material elements, it is as good as the spiritual forms found in the spiritual Vaikuṇṭhalokas. The Deity in the temple, however, is visible to the material eyes of the devotee. It is not possible for one in material, conditioned life to see the spiritual form of the Lord. To bestow causeless mercy upon us, the Lord appears as the arcā-mūrti so that we can see Him. It is forbidden to consider the arcā-mūrti to be made of stone or wood.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Renunciation Through Wisdom

The impersonalists, in trying to destroy the illusion inherent in material forms, do away with even the eternal spiritual forms.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.13:

Lord Viṣṇu's impersonal aspect is known as Brahman. So when the jīva soul, a product of Lord Viṣṇu's superior, spiritual energy, attains sāyujya-mukti, or liberation by merging with Brahman, it is not at all surprising. The energetic principle always enjoys the prerogative of enfolding within itself His own energy, but that does not destroy the energy's eternal individuality. The impersonalists, desiring to merge with Brahman and knowing that it is feasible, still experience intense suffering in their effort to reach brahmānanda, "the bliss of Brahman." The Lord's devotees consider the pleasures of such liberation worse than hell. The impersonalists, in trying to destroy the illusion inherent in material forms, do away with even the eternal spiritual forms. That is indeed very foolish. Treating a patient to cure his disease is one thing, but ending the patient along with the disease is the work of an idiot.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

In the Bhagavad-gītā the material forms, they have been described as inferior, and spiritual forms... There is spiritual world also. That is called parā-prakṛti. There is another nature.
Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

Amongst the trees, plants, there are two million forms. So there are hundred and thousands of forms in the material world. But in the spiritual world the form is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. Every form is eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss. That is the difference between material world and spiritual world. Material world means... Although the varieties are there in the spiritual world... There are also trees, as we have got here trees. But there the forms are spiritual form, and here they are material form. Material form and spiritual form, what is the difference?

The difference is that just like a living being. I can ask any of my disciple to do something. He'll do it. But this microphone, it has also a form, but if I want microphone, "Please do this," he cannot, it cannot do because it is material. It can mechanical, give some mechanical service, one only, but it cannot do any other thing. A man can speak or he can dance or he can become a thief, he can become so many—because he's living. That is the difference between material form and spiritual form.

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā the material forms, they have been described as inferior, and spiritual forms... There is spiritual world also. That is called parā-prakṛti. There is another nature. So we have no information. But information means we have in the Vedic literature. In other literatures also there are slight information, but in the Vedic literature you'll find described information of the spiritual world.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

There is a difference between ordinary form and Viṣṇu form. Ordinary forms, they are controlled by Viṣṇu.
Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The materialists and the foolish human beings do worship Brahmā and Śiva respectively, but the pure transcendentalists do worship the form of goodness, Viṣṇu, in His various forms. Viṣṇu is manifested by His millions and billions of integrated forms and separated forms. The integrated forms are called Godhead, and the separated forms are called the living entities, or the jīvas. But either the jīvas or Godhead, both of them have their original, spiritual forms. The jīvas are sometimes subjected under the control of the material energy, but the Viṣṇu forms are always controller of the material energy. When..."

Prabhupāda: There is a difference between ordinary form and Viṣṇu form. Ordinary forms, they are controlled by Viṣṇu. Go on... nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is the Vedic injunction.

Because we are spiritual forms, maybe very minute, therefore we grow our hands and legs and heads and so many things. That is materially coated.
Lecture on SB 1.3.30 -- Los Angeles, October 5, 1972:

So as our this material body is not our real form... The real form is within this body, spiritual form. This body is explained as the dress. The dress is made when there is a real form. Just like you have got coat. Because you have got hands, the coat has got a hand. Your shirt: because you have got hand, the shirt has got a hand. But you are not the shirt or the coat. Similarly, because we are spiritual forms, maybe very minute, therefore we grow our hands and legs and heads and so many things. That is materially coated.

Our rūpam, our this form, is imitation of one of the forms of Kṛṣṇa. This is imitation. So but His forms are not like our form. His forms are spiritual. He is existing in different spiritual forms.
Lecture on SB 1.15.35 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

So you are also changing body. We, everyone we have to change body. Similarly, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa has got also ananta-rūpam. Our rūpam, our this form, is imitation of one of the forms of Kṛṣṇa. This is imitation. So but His forms are not like our form. His forms are spiritual. He is existing in different spiritual forms. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta means unlimited. But every form is spiritual. So He is changing. He is changing, yathā naṭaḥ. He is changing like naṭaḥ. Naṭaḥ means actor, dramatic actor. Just like in the stage the dramatic actor is sometimes coming as a king and next time by changing the dress he is coming as (indistinct). This is an example. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the same but He has got different manifestations. That different manifestation He takes. Why? Bhū-bhāraḥ kṣapitaḥ. Bhū-bhāraḥ. He comes in different forms just to liquidate the burden of the earth, bhū-bhāraḥ. Bhū-bhāraḥ kṣapitaḥ, just to reduce the burden of this earth.

Yes. Viṣṇudūtas are looking exactly like Viṣṇu.
Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Devotee (1): The Viṣṇudūtas, they had spiritual bodies, spiritual forms. Are they traveling through all the planets or only where there are devotees?

Prabhupāda: All the planets. Everywhere there are devotees. You are thinking that only in America there are devotees? (laughter)

Devotee (1): No, I'm speaking particularly of the four-armed form described as... Particularly of those.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Viṣṇudūtas are looking exactly like Viṣṇu.

Page Title:Spiritual forms
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Kanupriya, MadhuGopaldas
Created:11 of Jan, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=6, CC=3, OB=1, Lec=5, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:15