This sky and false ego is due to the intelligence. Everything begins from the subtle. The most subtle element is the spirit soul, and little grosser than the spirit soul is the intelligence. And little grosser than the intelligence is the false ego, identification. And little grosser than the false . . . intelligence, is the mind. And from mind, then the senses. And the senses, next the grosser element is the body. So we have to analyze according to the śāstra, because it is not possible . . . suppose the modern scientist is given to find out where is the soul in this body. It is not possible.
So we may be very proud of advancement of knowledge, but actually we are not yet advanced, so far material science is concerned, to understand the basic principle of the moving force which is moving this body, the . . . on account of the presence of the soul, we have got so much intelligence, we have got so much thoughtful, psychological effect. So many things wonderful they are. But as soon as the soul is not there, everything collapse.
So the Buddhist theory that this intelligence or consciousness take place at a certain point of material mixture. But that may be an argument, but actually it is not a fact. Any amount of material mixture, you cannot produce soul. They have produced so many things by material mixture, but nobody has produced . . . in India, of course, we heard so many news that, "In America they have produced life in chemical laboratory." And sometimes they say: "In Russia they are trying." But it is not possible. Nobody has found. And greatest scientists, they have admitted that the problem of life is beyond the scope of material science.
So we have to take it from authoritative scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā, the Vedic literature, that soul is different from this body, and . . . of course, according to the mentality of the soul, we develop different kinds of body. And that is being described by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. Pradhānam indriyāṇi śrotrādīni paṣca vagadini ca paṣceti daśa bāhyāni rajasahaṅkārakarya.
Now, we have got ten different kinds of senses: five senses, working senses, and five senses acquiring knowledge. But these senses are also products of the ahaṅkāra, false ego. Sukṣmaḥ śabdadi-tanmātraḥ khadi-viśeṣa-guṇatayā vyaktaḥ santaḥ sthulaḥ śrotradi-pañcaka-grāhya-viṣaya. So from the five senses which are acquiring knowledge, the sense organs acting, they are produced.
In this way, this body is composition of twenty-four elements. That is the analytical study of Bhagavad-gītā. And the sāṅkhya philosophy, Kapila's sāṅkhya philosophy, their analytical . . . the same thing. Revealed scriptures teach the same thing. There is no difference. But above these twenty-four elements, there is time, kāla, time element. That is also representation of the Supreme Lord. And above this time, there is God.
So actually, there are twenty-six different elements which is conducting this material world. Etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam (BG 13.6-7). Kṣetra means this body. Either you take this body or this material world, they are interaction of these twenty-four elements.
Either you take the gigantic body of this universe or you take the body of this planet or you take this your body, my body or a cat's body, dog's body, all these bodies, they are formed of these twenty-four elements, sa-vikāram, by action and reaction. Just like chemically, if you mix one chemical with another chemical, a third element is produced, similarly, originally the reservation of all these elements is called mahat-tattva. It is called pradhāna, upadhāna.
So gradually they manifest, they divide by three guṇas. Three guṇas means in the mahat-tattva, in the total material reservoir, three guṇas, three modes of nature, first of all appear and they act with one another, and then gradually, one after another, the twenty-four elements become manifested. Etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam.
Now, of course, we can theoretically accept that this is the position, but actually to understand this position, to acquire the requisite knowledge, that requires many stages of development. And how that knowledge is developed, that is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā by Kṛṣṇa. What is that? The first principle of acquiring knowledge is described here: amānitvam. Amānitvam. Amānitvam means that we are very much proud of our material existence. That pride must be given up. That is the first principle of knowledge.
(reads commentary) Athoktaṁ kṣetrād vibhinnatvena jñeyaṁ kṣetrajña-dvayaṁ vistareṇa nirūpayiṣyan taj-jñāna-sādhanāny amānitvādini viṁśatim aha pañcābhiḥ. Now, the body and the soul. Now, the body is analyzed. It is composition of twenty-four elements. Now, how to understand the soul as he is?
We are now in the position of material consciousness, and we have to develop into spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What are the stages? That is being described. That means this is the general way of acquiring real knowledge of the soul and the body.
But Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us a special gift, but, that in spite of our not understanding everything very analytically, as they are described in the Vedic scriptures, one can understand himself by the simple process by chanting the holy name of the Lord. That is special gift of Lord Caitanya. He said that if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then automatically everything will be revealed unto you.