Swami Prakashanand Saraswati illuminates the concepts of reality and illusion, guiding seekers to discern between sat (reality) and asat (illusions such as attachments we create) on their spiritual journey. He emphasizes that while worldly pleasures may seem appealing, they are ultimately transient and unfulfilling. By cultivating a deeper love for Radha-Krishn and embracing divine-love-consciousness, devotees can shift their focus from the material to the spiritual. This will help them to ultimately experience the true happiness their soul longs for – the divine realization of God.

According to Swami Prakashanand Saraswati...

To start on the path of God realization, a soul must know and understand the basic knowledge of what is real and what is not real.

The Gita tells us: "Nasato vidyate bhavo na bhavo vidyate satah."

That which exists, has substance or existence (sat), cannot cease to exist. And, that which does not exist or has no substance (asat), cannot be thought of or even dreamed about, because it is totally non-existent.

Saints have observed two situations: sat and asat. If asat is a non-existent thing, how can it be observed? What Saints have seen is that illusion exists on the basis of reality. What is real and what is illusion? Shree Krishn tells Arjun in the Gita: "Oh, Arjun, You and I and this whole world were in the past, will be in the future and are in the present."

Reality consists of three main, eternal powers: the personal power of God, all the souls, and maya. Although maya is an eternal power, it is lifeless. The personal power of Krishn enlivens maya and it develops on its own according to its law of attraction, and its three eternal qualities, the gunas (sat, raj and tam - pious, selfish and impious). All the souls are governed by Krishn, but they are bound to experience cause and effect (karma) and attachments because of their attraction to the world. With the Grace of Krishn they can be liberated from space, time and the limitations of this world, and experience Divine happiness and perfect love forever.

This world is real, but it offers limited amounts of happiness, pain, and pleasure. Whatever you assume or imagine about the world is fake. Your soul desires perfect happiness - happiness that increases and lasts forever. Your mind picks up this desire from the soul, and failing to understand it, turns to the world where you look for satisfaction in physical and mental entertainment which is never satisfying. How can you break this attraction to worldly objects that keep you bound in unfulfilling attachments?

You cannot break the attraction of the world, but you can change your focus to a more charming one. The bigger attraction will nullify the smaller attraction. Suppose there is a magnet attracting a piece of iron and you put a bigger magnet next to it. What will happen? The bigger magnet will draw it away from the smaller one.

The attraction of this world is there. It's not that great, but we magnify it with our imagination until it seems great. On the other side, there is a much greater power of the Grace of Krishn that can have a stronger attraction for us. Where is that power? This world is attracting you from outside, and within your heart Divine Grace is attracting you. As you develop your love for Radha-Krishn, worldly attraction weakens, and your spiritual side becomes stronger. The desire to find Krishn, just the desire, activates the power of Grace which is dormant in your heart.

When the desire for Krishn becomes weak, you have to keep on thinking and multiplying it. In this way the force of the mindisused and converted into a yearning for the Divine world.

A devotee thinks, "Oh, Krishn, I long to see You. I have desired Your love since eternity, but I forgot for a while. Now I know Your love is the only desire of my soul. I want to see You, I want to meet You, I want to come to You." When your desire to find Divine-love takes the shape of longing and stays in your consciousness, it is called divine-love-consciousness.

By giving first importance to God in your life you have already proceeded on the path to God realization. Then, what happens after that? Krishn Himself takes care of you.

Through his teachings, Swami Prakashanand Saraswati emphasizes that understanding the distinction between sat (reality) and asat (illusion) is essential for spiritual growth. By recognizing the fleeting nature of worldly attachments and focusing on the enduring love of Radha-Krishn, seekers can transcend illusion and move toward divine realization. This shift in focus nurtures a deeper longing for the Divine, which helps one to progress on the path toward true happiness and fulfillment in the presence of God.