The spiritual senses are beyond the material senses. A materialist can think only of the negation of material variety; he cannot understand spiritual variety. He thinks that spiritual variety simply contradicts material variety and is a negation or void, but such conceptions cannot even reach the precincts of spiritual realization. The wonderful activities of the gross body and subtle mind are always imperfect. They are below the degree of spiritual understanding and are ephemeral. The spiritual mellow is eternally wonderful and is described as purna, suddha, nitya-mukta-that is, complete, perfectly pure and eternally liberated from all material conceptions. When we are unable to fulfill our material desires, there is certainly sorrow and confusion. This may be described as vivarta. But in spiritual life there is no sorrow, inebriety or imperfection. Srila Ramananda Raya was expert in realizing the spiritual activities of Srimati Radharani and Krsna, and Ramananda's spiritual experience was placed before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu as he inquired whether the Lord approved his realization of spiritual truth.

There are three books prominent in this connection. One was written by Bhakta dasa Baula and is called Vivarta-vilasa. Another was compiled by Jagadananda Pandita and is called Prema-vivarta. Sri Ramananda Raya's book is called Prema-vilasa-vivarta. The Vivarta-vilasa by Bhakta dasa Baula is completely different from the other two books. Sometimes a university student or professor tries to study these transcendental literary works and attempts to put forth a critical analysis from the mundane view, with an end to receiving degrees like a Ph.D. Such realization is certainly different from that of Ramananda Raya. If one actually wants to take a Ph.D. degree from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and be approved by Ramananda Raya, he must first become free from all material designations (sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam). A person who identifies with his material body cannot understand these talks between Sri Ramananda Raya and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Man-made religious scriptures and transcendental philosophical talks are quite different. Indeed, there is a gulf of difference between the two. This subject matter has been very diligently described by Sriman Madhvacarya. Since material philosophers are situated in the material conception of life, they are unable to realize the spiritual prema-vilasa-vivarta. They cannot accommodate an elephant upon a dish. Similarly, mundane speculators cannot capture the spiritual elephant within their limited conception. It is just like a frog's trying to measure the Atlantic Ocean by imagining it so many times larger than his well. Materialistic philosophers and sahajiyas cannot understand the talks between Ramananda Raya and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu concerning the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krsna. The only tendency of the impersonalists or the prakrta-sahajiyas is to face the platform of impersonalism. They cannot understand spiritual variegatedness. Consequently, when Ramananda Raya attempted to sing his own verses, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu stopped him by covering his mouth with His own hand.