Everything Is Spiritual

Dr.Singh: Is material consciousness the absence of Krsna consciousness? Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

Dr.Singh: And when there is Krsna consciousness, where is material nature? Srila Prabhupada: If you continue in Krsna consciousness, you will see that nothing is material.

When you offer a flower to Krsna, it is not material.

Krsna will not accept anything material.

And this does not mean that the flower is material on the bush, and then it becomes spiritual when you offer it to Krsna.

No.

The flower is "material" only as long as you think that it is made for your enjoyment.

But as soon as you see that it is for Krsna's enjoyment, you see it as it really is-spiritual.

Dr.Singh: So the entire world is actually spiritual? Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

Therefore, we want to engage everything in Krsna's service; that is the spiritual world.

Dr.Singh: Can we also appreciate Krsna's creation in that light? For example, can we think, "This tree is very beautiful because it is Krsna's property"? Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

That is Krsna consciousness.

Dr.Singh: If someone looks at the Deity of Krsna in the temple and thinks that it is only stone or wood, what does that mean? Srila Prabhupada: He is ignorant of the facts.

How can the Deity be material? Stone is also Krsna's energy.

Just as electric energy is everywhere but only the electricians know how to utilize it, so Krsna is everywhere--even in stone--but only His devotees know how to utilize stone to appreciate Krsna.

The devotees know that stone cannot exist outside of Krsna.

Therefore, when the devotees see the Deity, they say, "Here is Krsna." They see the real oneness of Krsna and His energy.