Ocean of Nectar: This Body Is Just A Covering Of Our Real Self | His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Archives

1. THIS BODY IS JUST A COVERING OF OUR REAL SELF

[BG 2.23]
nainam chindanti sastrani
nainam dahati pavakah
na caiman kledayanty apo
na sosayati marutah

TRANSLATION
The soul can never be cut to pieces by any weapons, nor burdened by fire, nor moistened by water, nor withered by the wind.
So that is the identity of the spirit soul. In this way Krishna explains very nicely the difference between matter and spirit. The very basic spiritual information is not available to the people of this world. How many people know that? Hardly anyone. This knowledge is not given in the Universities, schools or colleges.

When Prabhupada went to the MIT in Boston, Prabhupada’s first question was, “Where the department that studies what happens to a person when he dies was?” In this way the first thing that Prabhupada pointed out to the great educators of this world is that they are just fools, they don’t have any information whatsoever. The most important thing is not at all being considered in our education system and that is why the world is becoming more and more degraded with the passing of time.

Therefore, Prabhupada established this International Society for Krishna Consciousness to give this proper education to people in general. This is open to all, anyone can come and enrol his or herself in this educational institution and make his life really successful. At least we are benefitting because Prabhupada came, we at least found some information about our true identity otherwise prior to reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and joining this institution we all were thinking that we are this bodies and the ultimate goal of our existence is to enjoy through this body. Due To Srila Prabhupada’s teachings we have realized that this body is just a covering of our real self.

[BG 2.22]
vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya
navani grhnati naro ‘parani
tatha sarirani vihaya jirnany
anyani samyati navani dehi

TRANSLATION
As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies giving up the old and useless ones. In plain and simple words this body is just a dress for the spirit soul. Now if a person is only concerned about his dress will he be very intelligent? If somebody just takes care of his dress but doesn’t take care of his self he won’t be considered intelligent. He makes the dress look very nice but doesn’t give any food to this body will he be considered intelligent or will he enjoy? No. Similarly, if we are only concerned with the body and not the soul then this is not at all intelligent. So, the real intelligent person is he who takes care of the soul.

The soul’s welfare and this is the know the difference between matter and spirit and recognize the soul’s real spiritual identity and recognize the Supreme soul of whose part and parcel we, individual souls are and as part and parcels what is our relationship with that Supreme Personality of Godhead and finally how we can become re-established in our lost relationship with the Lord. In this way Srila Prabhupada actually showed us how to make our life successful and when one follows the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and lives his life accordingly then he naturally becomes very joyful and his life becomes very successful.

2. SRILA PRABHUPADA’S APPRECIATION

3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS

In this way Srila Prabhupada actually showed us how to make our life successful and when one follows the instructions of Srila Prabhupada and lives his life accordingly then he naturally becomes very joyful and his life becomes very successful.

(The content of this E-magazine was based on a lecture given by His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami given on 2 August 1993)

(Compiled and Edited by Hemavati Radhika Devi Dasi)

CONTENTS:

1. THIS BODY IS JUST A COVERING OF OUR REAL SELF

2. SRILA PRABHUPADA’S APPRECIATION

3. GURU MAHARAJA’S INSTRUCTIONS