Guest: What is the first stage of transformation like in the consciousness after one discovers chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra?
Prabhupāda: You understand what you are. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra when you are purified, then you can understand that you are not this body; you are soul. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho abhadrāṇi (SB 1.2.17). Abhadrāṇi means inauspicious things. That is the modes of ignorance and passion. So in the material world some of us, most of us, we are covered by these modes of passion and ignorance. That is abhadra. That is most inauspicious. We cannot understand. But gradually we have to come to the modes of goodness, sattva-guṇa. So rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa is covering us. So by śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ... If you hear about Kṛṣṇa, then these dirty things, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, will be cleansed. And even it is not completely cleansed, naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu (SB 1.2.18), even almost clean, then you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. And as soon as you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, the resultant action of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, namely kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). So long you are covered by the passion and ignorance... The ignorance means you do not know anything. Just like animals. And passion means although human being, they are after sense gratification. That is called passion. So both these qualities will keep you in darkness. By the resultant action of these modes, you will be simply greedy and lusty. So if you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, then you become free from this greediness and lustiness. Then your life becomes settled. Then gradually you will understand what is God, what is your relationship. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). You can do that simply by cultivating this Bhāgavata life. That is required. What is that?
Devotee (3): Is Kṛṣṇa always seeking to engage us in His devotional service, and is He upset in some way if we reject His offer?
Madhudviṣa: Is Kṛṣṇa always anxious for us to engage in His devotional service, and does He become upset if we reject His offering?
Prabhupāda: Yes, because you are foolish. Kṛṣṇa, God, is coming to you to take you back to home, back to Godhead. If you reject, that is your foolishness. Mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhaḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). One who does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, or God—when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, it is God—then what class of man he is? That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhaḥ, narādhamāḥ, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, āsuri bhāvam āśr... Immediately you come to these categories. What is that? Duṣkṛtinaḥ, most sinful. Unless you are most sinful, you cannot reject Kṛṣṇa's offer. Or unless you are rascal number one, you cannot reject Kṛṣṇa's offer. Duṣkṛtino mūḍhaḥ. So as soon as you reject Kṛṣṇa's offer, that means you are most sinful, you are rascal number one, you are lowest of the mankind, and your knowledge has been taken by māyā. That's all. Thank you very much.