Beyond Birth and Death

We Are Not These Bodies

18 Jul 2026 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in Uncategorized Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Beyond Birth and Death, consciousness, hinduism, Krishna, Krishna Consciousness, Krsna, philosophy, religion, spirituality, Srila Prabhupada, we-are-not-these-bodies

‘Beyond Birth and Death’ is one of my favorite small books written by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. The first chapter is a good introduction to the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. We have included the entire first chapter for those interested.

We Are Not These Bodies

(Chapter One from Beyond Birth & Death)

The very first step in self-realization is realizing one’s identity as separate from the body. “I am not this body but am spirit soul” is an essential realization for anyone who wants to transcend death and enter into the spiritual world beyond. It is not simply a matter of saying “I am not this body,” but of actually realizing it. This is not as simple as it may seem at first. Although we are not these bodies but are pure consciousness, somehow or other we have become encased within the bodily dress. If we actually want the happiness and independence that transcend death, we have to establish ourselves and remain in our constitutional position as pure consciousness.

dehī nityam avadhyo ‘yaṁ
dehe sarvasya bhārata
tasmāt sarvāṇi bhūtāni
na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

“O descendant of Bharata, he who dwells in the body is eternal and can never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any creature.” (Bhagavad-gita 2.30)

Living in the bodily conception, our idea of happiness is like that of a man in delirium. Some philosophers claim that this delirious condition of bodily identification should be cured by abstaining from all action. Because these material activities have been a source of distress for us, they claim that we should actually stop these activities. Their culmination of perfection is in a kind of Buddhistic nirvāṇa, in which no activities are performed. Buddha maintained that due to a combination of material elements, this body has come into existence, and that somehow or other if these material elements are separated or dismantled, the cause of suffering is removed. If the tax collectors give us too much difficulty because we happen to possess a large house, one simple solution is to destroy the house. However, Bhagavad-gītā indicates that this material body is not all in all. Beyond this combination of material elements, there is spirit, and the symptom of that spirit is consciousness.

When a Vaisnava Passes

08 Dec 2024 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Beyond Birth & Death, Bhagavad-gita, Vyasasan das Tags: Beyond Birth and Death, chanting Hare Krishna, death, Hare Krishna, India, Krishna, Krsna, krsna consciousness, spirituality, Srila Prabhupada

Recently a fellow Vaisnava (Kamsahanta Prabhu) passed away, or as we like to say, left his body, and we were left to settle his affairs. First there was the death certificate, and registering his death. Then there was the funeral home where arrangements were made for his cremation. Then there was the big job of distributing all his possessions. We gave his clothes to a nearby charity, food stuffs to the local church, There was tons of religious paraphernalia, dieties, pictures, books, (which were left with other devotees) and vehicles. It took weeks. And it really got me thinking… about my own mortality.

Kamshanta Prabhu was very fortunate in many ways, for in his adult life he preformed so much devotional service, distributed so many of Srila Prabhupada’s books, and collected so much laxmi to help advance this movement. He was also fortunate that his son Namacharya, was there to assist him at his hour of passing. Nam put his fathers japa beads in his hand, helped him chant in his final hours, and made arrangements to have his fathers body be cremated with his tulasi beads around his neck and his japa beads in his hand.

But this is what got me thinking…after a whole lifetime, Kamshanta Prabhu was left with only his neck and japa beads, and most importantly the holy name on his lips and in his ears. And I was reminded of the verse from the Bhagavad-gita 8.5:

“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature, of this there is no doubt”

01 Sep 2016 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Beyond Birth & Death, Books by Srila Prabhupada, KrishnaPath.org Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, BBT, Beyond Birth and Death, books by Srila Prabhupada, Iskcon, Krishna consciousness

I love these small books by Srila Prabhupada printed in the early days of ISKCON by the BBT. They were beautiful publications, which explained the philosophy of Krisnna Consciousness in a simple format. Thanks to Krishna Path for making these books available to the world.

Please note that Srila Prabhupada took birth on September 1, 1896 — 120 years ago today

For a free pdf download click on the following link:

Beyond-Birth-and-Death-His-Divine-Grace-A.C.Bhaktivedanta-Swami-Prabhupada

Beyond Birth & Death

04 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Beyond Birth & Death, Death and Dying, Free Downloads, Free eBooks Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Beyond Birth and Death, Bhagavad Gita, bhakti yoga, books by Srila Prabhupada, death and dying, free downloads, I am not this body, mantra-yoga, search for meaning, self realization, Srimad Bhagavatam, transcendentalists

This morning as I was driving up our lane, I saw a hawk flying past me with a live squirrel in his talons. And I thought, ‘how fragile is this life’. One moment the squirrel was out collecting nuts to store in his home for the winter, and the next moment, he is being carried away to his sure death. I was reminded of the famous quote “Life takes Life”, and of how all of ours lives, hang in the balance.

There is another famous Quote from the Srimad Bhagavatam:

“Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was asked by Yamarāja, “What is the most wonderful thing in this world? Can you explain?” So Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira answered, “Yes. The most wonderful thing is that at every moment one can see that his friends, his fathers, and his relatives have died, but he is thinking, ‘I shall live forever.’”” (The Science of Self Realization)

This is the great illusion (maya)

So today I am moved to post another chapter from the book “Beyond Birth & Death” by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Chapter One entitled “We Are Not These Bodies”.

Also for a Free PDF download of entire book click the link at bottom of post.

Prabhupada Library

06 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

by The Hare Krishna Movement in A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Book Distribution, Books by Srila Prabhupada, Devotee Business's, Free Downloads, Free eBooks, Madhudvisa das, Prabhupada Libary, Srila Prabhupada's Books Tags: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Beyond Birth and Death, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Easy Journey to Other Planets, Elevation to Krishna Consciousness, King of Knowledge, Krishna Store, Krsna The Reservoir of Pleasure, Krsna The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Madhuvisa das, Matchless Gift, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, On Chanting Hare Krishna, On the Way to Krishna, perfection of yoga, Science of Self Realization, Sri Isopanisad, Srila Prabhupada, Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1, Teachings of Lord Caitanya

click on image to enlarge

Prabhupada Library

Reading Srila Prabhupada’s books is personal association with a pure devotee of Krishna. Prabhupada is living in his books and Krishna is also living in them.

“You may please me the most by reading my books and following the instructions therein…” (Srila Prabhupada)

A library of 16 essential books on Krishna consciousness by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the Hare Krishna Movement. Includes: Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Krsna–The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1, Science of Self-Realization,Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Sri Isopanisad, Perfection of Yoga, Beyond Birth and Death, Matchless Gift, Elevation to Krishna Consciousness, King of Knowledge, Easy Journey to Other Planets, On the Way to Krishna, Krsna the Reservoir of Pleasure, On Chanting Hare Krishna.