View source for Spiritual world is eternal, and material world is created. We can experience: anything material is created, it is maintained for some time, then it is annihilated. Nothing remains forever

<div id="compilation">
<div id="facts">
{{terms|"Spiritual world is eternal, and material world is created. We can experience: anything material is created, it is maintained for some time, then it is annihilated. Nothing remains forever"}}
{{notes|}}
{{compiler|SharmisthaK}}
{{complete|ALL}}
{{first|2023-07-04T11:43:02Z}}
{{last|2023-07-04T11:43:02Z}}
{{totals_by_section|BG=0|SB=0|CC=0|OB=0|Lec=1|Con=0|Let=0}}
{{total|1}}
{{toc right}}
[[Category:Spiritual World]]
[[Category:Eternal World]]
[[Category:Material World (Prakrti)]]
[[Category:Create]]
[[Category:We Can]]
[[Category:Experience]]
[[Category:Anything]]
[[Category:Maintain]]
[[Category:For Some Time]]
[[Category:Annihilate]]
[[Category:Nothing]]
[[Category:Remain]]
[[Category:Forever]]
[[Category:Pages Needing Audio - SHARMISTHA]]
</div>
<div id="section">
<h2>Lectures</h2>
</div>
<div id="sub_section">
<h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
</div>
<div class="quote">
<div class="quote_heading">
Creation means this material world. There are two worlds: material world and spiritual world. Spiritual world is eternal, and material world is created. We can experience: anything material is created, it is maintained for some time, then it is annihilated. Nothing remains forever.
</div>

<div class="quote_link">
[[Vanisource:751020 - Lecture SB 05.05.01 - Johannesburg|751020 - Lecture SB 05.05.01 - Johannesburg]]
</div>
<div class="text">
Prabhupāda: Yes. Creation means this material world. There are two worlds: material world and spiritual world. Spiritual world is eternal, and material world is created. We can experience: anything material is created, it is maintained for some time, then it is annihilated. Nothing remains forever. So when . . . creation means this material world, not the spiritual world. So when Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānāṁ ([[Vanisource:BG 10.2 (1972)|BG 10.2]]), ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 10.8 (1972)|BG 10.8]]), that means God is not within this material world, created being; He is the creator. So creator was there in the beginning, and then the created material world was in existence or is in existence. Therefore God is not one of these created things. He is beyond created. He is transcendental. If we accept God is also one of the created beings, that is our mistake, because if God created this material world, He was existing before the creation. Therefore He is not one of the product of this creation. Therefore He is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). His body is eternal, full of bliss and full of knowledge. Creator means He must have full knowledge.

How God creates this material world? That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]). This creator is well conversant directly and indirectly every details of the universe. Just like we are trying to study how this material world is going on, how the big, big planets are floating in the air. We cannot understand properly. There are so many scientists, but they do not understand what are these. There are innumerable universes. This is only one universe. So He must have full knowledge how He is maintaining this material world. Therefore He is called abhijña. He is not dull-headed. He has got full knowledge. That is God, omniscient. He has got full knowledge. We may not have, because we are very tiny. A child may not have knowledge, but the father knows everything. Similarly, He is the supreme father. He knows everything. He has got full knowledge. Anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu. There are things, indirect and direct. In both ways He is abhijña; He is well aware, everything. Then the next question is svarāṭ. Svarāṭ. Because we are thinking in our own way of life that, "If God has got so much knowledge, wherefrom He got it?" Because we have got experience that whenever we require knowledge we go to a superior person and take knowledge from him. Then "Wherefrom God has got so much knowledge?" Therefore the answer is svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means He is fully independent. He is not dependent for knowledge to anyone else. So these things are there. We have to study very nicely.

So your question about the creation, maintenance and annihilation . . . it is being done by the Supreme Lord. The material world is . . . our body is also like that. It is created at a certain date, it exists for a certain time, and it is annihilated. This is being done by God. This is the law, nature. Nature means an instrument in the hands of God. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram ([[Vanisource:BG 9.10 (1972)|BG 9.10]]). This is the information. Don't think that material nature is working automatically. No. This is not possible. Behind this material nature, the big machine, there is the operator, God. That you should understand.

Woman guest: Good evening. Would Kṛṣṇa be able to . . . (indistinct) . . . you've given us austerity, but you haven't mentioned meditation. Can you?

Prabhupāda: This is meditation. If you become sober and think of everything, that is meditation. Meditation means the subject matter must be very sober, and you think over and find out the solution. That is meditation.
</div>
</div>
</div>