Logos 197

The abandonment of the body is called death, and the acceptance of a new body is none other than rebirth. Death means ending an existence and changing bodies, in order to start a new life.

In truth, it is a God-named authority that decides what new body will be given to us. When his body is no longer functioning, the soul must put on another, sometimes belonging to a different species. Human life is an opportunity to find refuge with an authentic spiritual master who is a true servant of God and, through him, with the Supreme Lord. No one can avoid this struggle for existence with all the suffering it entails, unless it is left to a pure devotee of the Lord. Any material effort can only modify our condition superficially, without ever being able to truly free us from the struggle for existence. Our only recourse is to turn to an authentic spiritual master, who will reveal to us God as he is, will transmit to us the science of God, will show us the way which leads to the Supreme Eternal and which will make us pass from death to eternal life.

We can obtain a spiritual body through which it will be possible for us to leave this world and enter the kingdom of God, by surrendering ourselves to the Supreme Lord, doing his will and serving him with love and devotion, so we will put a term for rebirth in this material world.

This is the highest gain.

Logos 198

The wheel of material existence.

The material mind covering the soul takes it from one life form to another. This is called the wheel of material existence. Because of its mind, the soul experiences material unhappiness or happiness. Thus deluded, the mind prompts him to new virtuous and ungodly acts with the consequences they entail [karma], and the soul thus becomes conditioned.

The activities of the mind under the influence of material nature cause happiness and unhappiness in this world. Blinded by illusion, the distinct individual soul of God eternally pursues its conditioned existence under different names. These beings are eternally conditioned. In short, the mind is at the origin of conditioned existence. This is why the practice of devotional service aims to ensure mastery of the mind and the