Hare Krsna,
As we have studied so far, material consciousness is the cause of jiva’s conditional life, in which conditions are enforced upon the living entity by the material energy. Although the spirit soul does not do anything and is transcendental to such activities, he is affected by conditional life. Subsequently material nature (prakrti) is the cause of the conditioned soul’s material body and senses, and the senses’ presiding deities, the demigods (SB 3.26.7-8). The manifestation of the intricate material nature including the gross elements and senses is actually the mercy and grace of the Supreme Lord. It is His mercy because He has manifested this material world for our sense gratification and to fulfill our material desires. It is His grace because He has made this material world so miserable that, upon becoming enlightened with transcendental knowledge, we no longer want to prolong our stay in this place, and thus develop a desire for “home coming.”
As I was meditating on this topic, I realized how our desire to enjoy separately from the Lord created layers of separation between the Lord and us. Firstly, there is pradhana, then time, followed by Mahat-tattva. The material ego (ahankara) springs up from the mahat-tattva. The material ego (ahankara) is endowed predominantly with active power of three kinds: good, passionate, and ignorant. It is from these three types of material ego that the mind, the senses of perception, the organs of action, and the gross elements evolve. From the false ego in goodness, mind develops. From the false ego in passion, intelligence develops. From the false ego in ignorance, five sense objects and five gross elements develop. From egoism in ignorance, the subtle element sound is manifested, and from sound come the ethereal sky and the sense of hearing. Subsequently sound is transformed into Ether, Ether into Touch, Touch into Air, Air into Form, Form into Fire, Fire into Taste, Taste into Water, Water into Smell, and Smell into Earth. Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the former (e.g., Water) exist in the latter (e.g., Earth). Correspondingly the five gross senses – Ears, Skin, Eyes, Tongue, Nose – develop.
SB 3.26.47-49: The sense whose object of perception is sound is called the auditory sense, and that whose object of perception is touch is called the tactile sense. The sense whose object of perception is form, the distinctive characteristic of fire, is the sense of sight. The sense whose object of perception is taste, the distinctive characteristic of water, is known as the sense of taste. Finally, the sense whose object of perception is odor, the distinctive characteristic of earth, is called the sense of smell. Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the former are observed in the latter. That is why the peculiarities of all the elements exist in the earth alone.
The important point to note is that each one of us is more than a combination of material elements. Although our body is composed of material elements, we are ultimately none of these elements. We are spiritual beings. It is the presence of soul or atma that gives apparent life to our body, senses, mind, and intelligence. Our body is practically dead because it is composed of dead matter. What keeps the body alive is the spirit soul within it. This atma is our true identity. Aham brahmasmi.
Therefore, breaking down all the barriers of separation between us and the Lord is a wise thing to do. Since the soul is intimately connected with the Supreme Lord, gratifying the senses of the Lord is our actual constitutional duty. This means somehow or other we need to connect with the Supreme Lord. In order to do so, we do not need to retrace our steps to break down each material barrier in reverse order. All we have to do is to take advantage of the sound vibration. By hearing about the Supreme Lord and by vibrating the sound of His holy name using our tongue, we can reconnect with Him. In fact, we can engage each gross senses in His service. We can use the ears to hear the spiritual sound vibration, skin to touch and feel the Lord’s paraphernalia and His Deity form, eyes to see the beautiful form of the Lord, tongue to vibrate His holy name and glories, and also to taste the remnants of food offered to Him, and nose to smell the fragrant flowers offered to Him.
Thus, if we simply hear and chant His holy name – Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare – we will be able to sever our ties with the gross elements and senses, and ultimately regain our true eternal spiritual existence.
“By thus engaging in devotional service to the Lord, great sages or devotees free themselves from the results of work in the material world. In this way they become free from the cycle of birth and death and attain the state beyond all miseries [by going back to Godhead].” (BG 2.51)
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 