Journey to Godhead

The process of traveling to the anti-material world is different from materialistic processes. The individual living being, that anti-material particle who is now embarrassed by material association, can enter the anti-material world very easily by practicing anti-material activities, while continuing to reside in the material sphere. But those who are gross materialists and depend on the limited strength of experimental thought by mental speculation or on material science cannot enter into the anti-material world.

The means of approach to the anti-material world is shrouded by hardships for the gross materialist. The mechanical planes, missiles and rockets that are now being thrown into space cannot even yet approach the material planets in the near regions. The planets situated in the anti-material sky, meanwhile, are far beyond the entire material cosmos of our experience.

The yogis who have perfectly controlled their mystic powers can give up their material bodies at will at some opportune moment, and thus are able to enter the anti-material world through a specific thoroughfare which connects the material and anti-material. Such yogis are able to do this only in accordance with the prescribed method given in The Bhagavad-gita as follows:

The different Deities are powerful directing officers appointed to the administration of cosmic affairs. Foolish people who are unable to perceive the intricacies of cosmic management deny the concept of personal control over fire, air, electricity, day, night, etc. But the perfect yogis know how to satisfy the unseen administrators of such affairs of the material world. Such yogis take advantage of these administrations and leave their material bodies-at will-at opportune moments, so that they can enter the anti-material world, or else travel to the higher planets of the material world.

On the higher planets of the material world one can enjoy a more comfortable and pleasant life for thousands of millions of years, but all the same, life on those higher planets is not eternal. Those who desire eternal life enter into the anti-material world by their yogic or mystic powers at opportune moments which are arranged by the administrators of cosmic affairs, beings unseen by the gross materialists of this planet earth.

Those who are not yogis but die at some opportune moment because of their previous pious acts-sacrifices, charity, penances, etc.-can rise up to the higher planets after death, to later return to this planet. The periods for such a death are called "Dhooma": nighttime, the moonless fortnight and when the sun passes to the south.

To summarize the whole subject, The Bhagavad-gita recommends that everyone adopt the means of devotional service or anti-material activities if he wants to enter the anti-material world. People who adopt the means of devotional service as prescribed by the expert transcendentalists will never be disappointed in their attempts to enter the anti-material world. The obstacles are many, but the devotees of the Personality of Godhead can easily overcome such difficulties if they follow rigidly the path chalked out by the transcendental devotees who have gone before them.

Such devotees, the passengers who are progressing in the journey of life towards the anti-material Kingdom of God, are never bewildered in their attempts. No one can be cheated if he adopts the guaranteed path of devotion for entering the anti-material world. One can easily attain all the results that are derived from the mystical studies of the Vedas, from performing sacrifices, practicing penances or disposing of charities-simply by the performance of devotional service, technically known as Bhakti Yoga or Krishna Consciousness.

Bhakti Yoga is therefore the panacea for all purposes, and it has been made easy, especially for this iron age, by the Lord Himself in His most sublime, liberal and munificent appearance as Lord Chaitanya, who urged the chanting of the Hare Krishna Mantra as the perfection of Bhakti. By His Grace one can quickly pick up the principles of Bhakti Yoga through chanting and attain the summary disappearance of all misgivings in the heart, as well as the extinction of the fire of material tribulations, with a further chance for the development of transcendental bliss.