An Eternal Life of Ecstasy
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The supramundane body is transcendental to the gross and subtle bodies of the living entity and it is suitable for rendering loving service to Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. Transmigration of the soul from one body to another takes place in material existence according to the living entity's fruitive activities, which are carried out in relation to the three modes of nature. In the Bhagavad-gita, the transmigration of the soul is vividly described. The mind carries the soul to another body just as the air carries aromas. At the time of death, one's state of mind is very important in this connection. The mind is prone to be absorbed in the particular kind of thinking, feeling, and willing that it has always done in relation to its daily activities.
The state of the mind at the time of leaving the body depends on the modes of thinking, feeling, and willing. Devotees are advised to think continuously, day and night, about the transcendental pastimes of Radha and Krsna, so that their minds will be absorbed with that type of thinking, feeling, and willing. As such, it will be possible for the living entity to enter the kingdom of Radha and Krsna to directly associate with Them for rendering loving service in the particular sentiment that he cultivated continually during his life.
In material existence, the mind is always conditioned to think about material enjoyment. Therefore, the mind has to be engaged in contemplating the transcendental subject matter that has no connection with the three modes of nature. The divine pastimes of Radha and Krsna and the activities of the cowherd girls of Vraja are above the three qualities of material nature. When the mind is engaged in thinking, feeling, and willing in connection with such transcendental subjects, the living entity is sure to ultimately get the service of Radha and Krsna.
The deva-vrata, people who are situated in the mode of goodness, worship the demigods such as Brahma and Siva and attain the abodes of such demigods. The pitr-vratas, people who are situated in the mode of passion for enjoying the material world and who worship the pitrs, forefathers who have passed away, attain the different abodes of the pitrs. The bhutejyas, animal and ghost worshipers, who are situated in the mode of darkness and ignorance, also attain their respective destinations in the material world. But the devotees of the Personality of Godhead Sri Krsna attain His supreme abode, which is eternal. No one ever returns after attaining that abode.
All other spheres of attainment are considered temporary abodes because they are either vanquished after a limited duration of time or the residents of those abodes have to come back again to this earth after they have exhausted the results of their previous pious activities. As far as the bhutejyas are concerned, they are doomed to hover on this earth or in even lower regions of the universe.
Lord Caitanya offers all people in the age of Kali, who are by nature very unfortunate in every respect, the highest benefit of life. As such, those who take this opportunity will be considered the most fortunate souls. By following the principles of devotional activities as propounded by Ramananda Raya under the order of Lord Caitanya, every human being can attain the eternal life of ecstasy in the company of the Personality of Godhead in different transcendental rasas as are enjoyed by the denizens of Vraja or Goloka Vrndavana, the eternal abode of Sri Krsna.