Page 76 - THE FOURTH DIMENSION

When the intelligence is purified of all illusory thoughts and desires, one understands the three states of
activity of the senses and mind: wakefulness when the senses are in direct contact with the objects of the
senses, dreaming while asleep when one experiences subtle sensory visions of objects from the wakeful state
and in deep sleep when one forgets all sensory objects both gross and subtle. With purified intelligence
through constant engagement in devotional service, one perceives that all three states are perverted shadows
of reality. They are temporary and can mislead one from the path of devotion.

The Lord in the heart of all living entities is the source of remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. The
great Vaisnava saint, Madhavacarya, explains that some living enitities can attain the state of sattva-buddhi by
which a person can perceive pains and pleasures without engaging in activities. There is also a dreaming state
in which the Supersoul (Krishna) reveals knowledge to His sincere devotee.
If the intelligence is not purified, one does not understand the activities of the senses in the three states of
consciousness and remains confused about the real goal of life.

Under the guidance and shelter of Lord Krishna through His pure representatives, who have no other desire
than to please the Lord by unwavering service, one can detach himself from the allure and illusion of the
three states of mental activity.
ebhis tri-varṇaiḥ paryastair / buddhi-bhedaiḥ kriyodbhavaiḥ
svarūpam ātmano budhyed /gandhair vāyum ivānvayāt (SB 7.7.26)

As one can understand the presence of the air by the aromas it carries, so, under the guidance of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, one can understand the living soul by these three divisions of intelligence. These three
divisions, however, are not the soul; they are constituted of the three modes and are born of activities.

Bhaktivedanta Swami explains this verse as follows:

As already explained, there are three states to our existence, namely wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep.
In all three states, we have different experiences. Thus the soul is the observer of these three states. Actually,
the activities of the body are not the activities of the soul. The soul is different from the body. Just as aromas
are distinct from the material vehicle in which they are carried, the soul is unattached to material activities.
This analysis can be considered by a person who is fully under the shelter of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.
This is confirmed by the Vedic injunction yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati (Mundaka Upanisad
1.3). If one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can automatically understand everything
else. Because of not taking shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet, even great scholars, scientists, philosophers and
religionists are always bewildered. This is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.2.32:

ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas / tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ

Even though one may artificially think himself liberated from material contamination, if he has not taken
shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet his intelligence is polluted. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (3.42):

indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur / indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ / manasas tu parā buddhir / yo buddheḥ paratas tu saḥ

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