The spiritual realm (cid-dhāma), or Vaikuṇṭha, is attainable through bhakti. One should not conceive of Vaikuṇṭha-dhāma the spiritual world, as any material place. Bombay, London, Paris, New York – all such places are material. To travel there, one must traverse many material lands or countries. Even going by airplane, by ship or by railroad takes a great deal of time. One has to proceed by moving the material body step by step. However, Vaikuṇṭha is not a region of that kind. It is a particular abode which is entirely beyond the entirety of the material world. That abode is conscious 😚 , eternal, and devoid of defects. It cannot be seen by the physical eyes, nor conceived of by the mind. The Lord Supreme resides in that inconceivable realm. If we are able to satisfy Him, we too shall go there and serve the Supreme Lord eternally. Here, what we call happiness is not eternal; it remains but a short while and then vanishes. Here, everything is full of suffering. Birth itself is a matter of great distress and pain. Once born, the body must be nourished by food and the like, and the lack of such food and sustenance causes misery. Illness is ever-present. Cold, heat, and all manner of hardships abound. To relieve all these sufferings, one must endure great bodily toil to earn wealth. One is forced to work to obtain food and shelter. One must marry and beget children. As one gradually grows old, nothing seems pleasant any more. In the midst of all this, through quarrels and disputes with others, much torment is experienced. In brief, there is no such thing as ‘untainted happiness’ in this world. People mistake MOMENTARY RELIEF from suffering and deprivation as ‘happiness.’ When this present, transient world of pleasure and pain is left behind, we shall attain unceasing eternal bliss. Therefore, satisfying the Supreme Lord is our natural duty—and when we live according to that nature, we experience deep and lasting satisfaction. It is like the fingers bringing food to the stomach. When the stomach is nourished, the entire body is nourished. But if the fingers try to enjoy the food for themselves, the whole body goes hungry.