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Physical and Transcendental Worlds
In the physical world, objects are composed of a hierarchy of subunits. For example, a tree is composed of cells, which are made of proteins, nucleic acids, etc. These are composed of various kinds of atoms, such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. These atoms are composed of various kinds of subatomic particles, such as protons, neutrons and electrons. Physicists believe that protons and neutrons are made of quarks. We use the word transcendental to describe a world in which objects are not composed of such subunits. Transcendental objects are made of pure transcendental energy, which is characterized as sat, chit and ananda. Sat means indestructible, eternal, unchanging. Our real transcendental body, which is identical with our actual self, can not be altered or destroyed by any means. It is therefore completely eternal, as opposed to the fallible physical body. Extensive empirical evidence for the transcendental body published by professors at major universities is described in our article Evidence for Reincarnation. Chit means conscious, and ananda means constitutionally full of ecstasy. When we are reinstated in our real transcendental situation, we experience ever-increasing transcendental ecstasy in our loving relationship with God. This ecstasy keeps on increasing forever, although it already seems so intense that it is inconceivable that it can increase! Bhakti yoga is a practical process to reawaken our original loving relationship with Krishna (God). Since the real nature of the self is to be constantly absorbed in an ecstatic loving relationship with Krishna, the various practices of bhakti yoga aim at awakening this relationship. Bhakti yoga has been practiced for thousands of years according to detailed descriptions given in Bhagavad-gita, The Nectar of Instruction, Sri Isopanisad, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta and The Nectar of Devotion. A nice outline of how to practice bhakti yoga is found at the following site: http://www.krishna.com/main.php?id=465 top^ |