Rukmini: I feel so far away from you, you know, when you’re not here.

Prabhupada: Oh, that you should not think. There are two conceptions: the physical conception and the vibration conception. So physical conception is temporary. The vibration conception is eternal. Just like we are enjoying, or we are relishing, the vibration of Krsna’s teachings. So by vibration He is present.

As soon as we chant Hare Krsna or chant Bhagavad-gita or Bhagavata, so He is present immediately by His vibration. He’s absolute. Therefore vibration is more important than physical presence. When you feel separation from your spiritual master, you just try to remember His words of instruction; you’ll not feel separation. You’ll feel that He is with you.

So we should associate by the vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association. Sabdad anavrtti [Vedanta-sutra 4.4.22]: by sound. Just like we are touching Krsna immediately by sound, sound vibration. So we should give more stress on the sound vibration, either of Krsna or of the spiritual master. Then we’ll feel happy and no separation. When Krsna departed from this world, at that time Arjuna was overwhelmed with sorrow, and he began to remember the instruction of Bhagavad-gita. You’ll find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Then he was pacified. He immediately began to remember the teachings which was taught to him in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, and he was pacified. He was his constant friend, so when Krsna went to His abode he was feeling overwhelmed, but he began to remember His teaching. So whenever we shall feel separation, the best thing is to remember the teachings. Then it will be very nice.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.12 — August 18, 1968, Montreal