We are ALREADY in the Spiritual Sky (!)

Devotee: What position did we occupy in the spiritual sky before we fell into the material world?

Prabhupāda: You are already in the spiritual sky, but you are simply covered.

Just like the sun is already there. You are also already there, but there is a cloud which hinders your checking, your seeing of the sun. Similarly... The sky is one, when it is clouded or not clouded. So actually we are always in the spiritual world. But when you forget Kṛṣṇa by the cloud of illusion, that is material. Try to understand. There is allotted (?)... When the sky is clouded, you cannot see the sun, it does not mean that you are in a different sky. You are in the same sky. When the cloud is clear, you are in the same sky. But the difference of position is due to the cloud. That is called māyā. When you forget Kṛṣṇa, that is material. And as soon as you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is spiritual. Just like here, this temple is not in London. It is Vaikuṇṭha.

Devotees: Haribol!

Prabhupāda: Because here everyone is Krsna conscious. They haven't forgotten Krsna. Therefore they are in Vaikuṇṭha. Others may see that "Oh, you are in London. How you are in Vaikuntha?" Just like Krsna, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, isvaraḥ sarva-bhutnam hrd-dese rjuna tisthati: [Bg. 18.61] God is situated in everyone's heart. So everyone's heart means He is in the heart of the hog also. But if the hog is within the stool, that does not mean Krsna is also within the stool. Similarly, the devotees, although they are in London or New York, they're in Vaikuntha. That is to be realized when one is in Krsna consciousness.

Yatra tisthantimad-bhakta tatra tishhami narada. Kṛṣṇa says, "I live there where My devotees are there." So Krsna can be everywhere where there is devotee. So this material world, spiritual world means when you forget Krsna that is material. When you are Krsna conscious, that is spiritual. That's all. You may remain in the same place. Because everything is Krsna's—isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]—so how you can distinguish what is material, what is spiritual? If every, every part of the creation belongs to Krsna, you cannot practically distinguish, "This portion is spiritual, this portion is material." That distinction is due to our forgetfulness.

So as soon as you come to Krsna consciousness you will find everything spiritual.

Guest (5): If one realizes the impersonal Brahman, what progress can be made here from this?

Prabhupāda: So if you realize impersonal Brahman, there is chance of falling down again to the material conception. Because you are person, you cannot remain in impersonal stage. Therefore to elevate, to be elevated in the impersonal stage means there is chance of falling down again. But if you elevate yourself to the personal conception of the Absolute Truth, there is no fall down. Of course, because we are marginal potency of Krsna, there is possibility of fall down always. But those who are strong in Krsna consciousness, they do not fall.

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15 -- London, August 3, 1971