Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 19.144
Different Bodies, the Same Spiritual Spark
“The unlimited living entities can be divided into two divisions — those that can move and those that cannot move. Among living entities that can move, there are birds, aquatics and animals.
What the purport teaches
- Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu divides living entities into those that move and those that cannot move. The purport includes trees, plants and stones among bodies in which the soul is present.
- The same spiritual spark is present in moving living entities such as birds, aquatics and animals. Their bodies allow them to fly, swim or walk.
- Material bodies are composed of earth, water, air, fire and ether. The purport teaches that living entities exist under different conditions throughout the universe, not only on this planet.
Try this today
Observe a plant and a moving animal today, reflecting on the teaching that the same spiritual spark is present in both.
Ask yourself
How might recognizing the spiritual spark change the way I regard beings with bodies unlike mine?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.