(Kadamba Kanana Maharaja, 18 September 2012, Cape Town, South Africa)

Whatever happens in the material world, a devotee always has one foot in the spiritual world. That is really our business- to place one foot in the spiritual world. That is what our chanting of Hare Krsna is about, that is what our reading of Srimad Bhagavatam is about- little by little to make us residents of the spiritual world. All right, first we sort of put our foot in that direction and put it down a little hesitantly and most of our weight is still in the material world. That maybe the case. So we kind of feel like,

‘well, I’m here in the material world and the spiritual world seems so far away, so unreal…’

But by hearing more and more then from different angles again and again, gradually our confidence grows. As our confidence grows, our attraction grows and we no longer are so fearful because we are afraid,

‘well, how can I put all my hopes in the spiritual world when I’m here? I mean that’s not realistic, that’s not practical, I have to deal with real life!’

What is real about this world? Vrindavan is our home, the spiritual world is our home. There, it rains mercy, so why would we bother with this place, this useless place?  The mercy is going to touch you no matter what. So we need not worry. Here, the mercy of Krsna is also present but here it’s more covered, here it’s more in between and here it’s more hidden. It is there of course but in the spiritual world it just rains mercy! It just pours mercy! It’s just everywhere! Therefore gradually by hearing about the spiritual world, gradually our faith is increasing. Then the emphasis in our life is shifting to the spiritual side. Then we are in this material world but not really in the material world but we are liberated souls. We walk in the material world but we are liberated because our interest is not in the material world…