out of water

So that we must first of all understand, that we cannot be happy. The example I have given many times: Just like if you take out a fish from water, you can give it very comfortable velvet lying-down, bedstead-the fish cannot be happy. It will die. Because the fish is the animal of water, it cannot be happy without water. Similarly, we are all spirit souls. Unless we are in spiritual life or in the spiritual world, we cannot be happy. That is our position. Everyone is trying for that spiritual realization, but he does not know. Therefore he is trying to be happy here in material condition. He is becoming frustrated, confused. (More...)

A fish that is taken out of the water cannot be happy by any arrangement on land. He must be supplied with water. In the same way, the minute sac-cid-ananda living entity cannot be really happy through any amount of planning conceived by his illusioned brain in this material universe. He must therefore be given a different type of happiness which is spiritual in essence. Our ambition should be aimed at enjoying spiritual bliss and not this temporary happiness. Some philosophers claim that spiritual bliss is attained by negating material happiness and material existence. Theoretical negation of material activities as propounded by Sripada Saṅkaracarya may be effective for an insignificant section of mankind, but the best and surest way for everyone to attain spiritual bliss was propounded by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by means of devotional activities. These devotional activities can change the very face of material nature. (More...)