I am trying to find some relationship with particular type of society, particular type of community, particular type of nation, particular type of family or individuals. So many ways, I am searching where is my relationship, because I have lost my relationship with God. Therefore I have to reestablish, I have to revive my old relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness process is to... Just like in darkness you are finding your things, your watch, you cannot find it out. Sometimes you are touching this, sometimes touching this, sometimes touching this, but the real thing you are not touching. So you are bewildered, you are harassed. And now you, if you touch Kṛṣṇa consciousness, these harassments will be stopped. It is so nice thing. We are giving you your lost relationship, which you are searching out life after life. And you are confused. Take this! You will be happy. You will find your relationship, eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.
Process of Krsna consciousness (Lectures, BG)
Expressions researched:
"Krsna conscious"
|"Krsna consciousness"
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Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So by practical knowledge you should be well-acquainted with God. That is brāhmaṇa's business. So sattva-sthāḥ, those who are strictly following the brahminical principles, they will be situated in upper planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). But a Vaiṣṇava is above these. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). Those who are following these principles with an aim for higher planetary system, they can go, elevated. Similarly, those who are trying to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa, they can also go. It is not very... This process, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is to help people to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa. It is not very difficult. Why it is difficult? Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not vaguely.
So this is the education, that we should understand what is our material life and what is our spiritual life. Spiritual life means sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Sat-cit-ānanda. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and bliss means full of jubilation, ānanda, pleasure. This is our constitution. This is God's constitution. This our constitution. The difference between God and ourself is that God never accepts this material body, but sometimes we, under certain circumstances, we have to accept this material body. But never mind. We have accepted this material body. We can get out of it. And the process for getting out of it is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the science. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are teaching people how to get out of this entanglement of birth, death, old age and disease and become as good as God. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is very scientific movement, authoritative movement. So not only it is authoritative, it is accepted by millions and thousands.
Revatīnandana: Yes? (question is asked) How can we know ourselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? How can we know ourselves through Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Prabhupāda: That you will know as they have known. These boys, these girls, they had no idea of Kṛṣṇa four years ago. Now they are fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. So if you follow their process, you'll understand what is Kṛṣṇa.
So the process of hearing is very important. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to propagate that "You hear from the authority, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is accepted in the present age and in the past age. In the past age, great sages like Nārada, Vyāsa, Asita, Devala, very, very great stalwart scholars and sages, they accepted. In the Middle Age, say 1,500 years ago, all the ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka... Practically, Indian Vedic civilization, it is still existing on the authority of these ācāryas. And it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā: ācāryopāsanam. If you want to learn factually things, then you should approach ācārya.
So the simple process is, as we are preaching in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that if you try to understand only what is Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa or Christ, the same thing. Then you get your original spiritual body. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be awakened simply by chanting the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, or the holy name of God. So keep yourself aloof from four kinds of sinful life and keep always in touch with Kṛṣṇa, and (or) God, Then you go back to home, back to Godhead. This advantage is possible in this human form of life. Otherwise, we are missing the chance. We may be again put in the cycle of that 8,400,000's forms of body. The process is very simple and easy because you can remain in your occupation, in whatever position you are. Simply you chant the holy name of God. Not only Hare Kṛṣṇa. You can chant the holy name of God, Christ. Christ is also the same as Kṛṣṇa. So do it. There is no expenditure, but the profit is very, very great.
So we are all part and parcel of God. We are part and parcel of God; therefore we have got the same quality just like a particle of gold has got the same quality as the big gold, and the small drop of sea water has got the same chemical composition as the large mass water. That God is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), eternal, full of bliss and knowledge. We can also attain that stage by purifying ourself. That purificatory process is stated as jñāna-tapasā, means knowledge and austerity. We can come to the real knowledge of our existence by purifying ourself. The purificatory process we are introducing by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And the method is very simple: chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The more you chant this mahā-mantra, or the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa, you become purified. Then you can understand what you are. Then every one of us, we can understand that "I am not this body.
Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. He can accept your service, any way. Because He is everything. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). His energy. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis tathedam akhilaṁ jagat. Everything's Kṛṣṇa's energy. So if we are in touch with Kṛṣṇa's energy, with a little knowledge, we are directly in touch with Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. As you become constantly in touch with Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you become purified. Purified. Just like if you put one iron rod in the fire, it becomes warm, warmer, warmer, and at last it becomes red hot. When it is red hot, it is fire. It is no more iron rod. Similarly, if you keep always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you become Kṛṣṇized. This is the process. Then everything becomes purified; then your spiritual life is manifested. Then your life is successful.
So the first beginning is... Here, as it is said by Kṛṣṇa, antavanta ime dehāḥ: don't be attached with this body. The body is material, but even this body is material, it can be spiritualized by the same process, by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Spiritualized means when this body will forget the materialistic activities. This body, you can utilize for sense gratification. Just generally people are doing. Eating, sleeping, mating and drinking and so on. So you can utilize this body... That is material. But if you engage this body for the service of the Lord, it becomes spiritualized. As I have already explained, the iron rod, constantly in touch with fire, it becomes, at end, it becomes red hot. That is fire. At that time, it acts like fire. You touch that red-hot iron rod anywhere, it will burn. Similarly, this body can be spiritualized, although it is material body.
By hearing, hearing, now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened, and they have taken seriously to Kṛṣṇa devotion (break) ...or Africa or India. Everyone has got Kṛṣṇa consciousness within. Our process, the saṅkīrtana movement, is to awaken that consciousness. That's all. Just like one man is sleeping. To awake him: "Get up! Get up!" Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varān nibodhata. So this is our process. It's not that artificially we are making somebody Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there already. That is a birthright of every living entity. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Just like father and the son. There cannot be any separation. But sometimes it happens that the son goes out of home, by some chance, or from childhood. He forgets who is his father. That is a different thing. But the relationship between father and son is never broken.
Those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, those who have decided to serve Kṛṣṇa only, they are no longer in the categories of sva-dharma, the bodily sva-dharma, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, or brahmacārī, vānaprastha. He is transcendental. That is confirmed in every śāstra. So so far we are concerned, Kṛṣṇa conscious, so long our bodily concept of life is not completely eradicated, we must follow the sva-dharma of the body. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, ity ādi. But when actually advanced, that is mahā-bhāgavata. We should not imitate that, but our process is the more we advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we become transcendental to this bodily concept of life, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra.
Arjuna is asking that "You say that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very good. Why You are engaging me in this fight?" That is his question. So Kṛṣṇa will answer this question. General people understand that retiring from ordinary duties, one becomes spiritually advanced. That is being taught here. It is not like that. Kṛṣṇa taught to the whole world that Arjuna was a soldier, he was a fighter, and in his fighting also he can be Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is not that he has to cease from fighting and then become Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. There is no such question. There is no rejection of anything, but dovetailing everything. That is the process. Do everything, but in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you are a fighter, fight, but for Kṛṣṇa. If you are a businessman, all right. Do business for Kṛṣṇa. If you are something else, do that, but for Kṛṣṇa. This is wanted. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To dovetail everything with Kṛṣṇa.
Sudāmā: "Although other yajñas prescribed in the Vedic literature are not easy to perform in this age of Kali, the saṅkīrtana-yajña is the easiest and it is sublime for all purposes, as is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā."
Prabhupāda: Yes. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is recommended, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). So this process, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and gradually to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the only means for, I mean to say, elevating yourself to the perfectional stage which is meant for this human life. Otherwise we are simply, what is called, cutting our own throat. That's all.
At the time of death, whatever you are thinking, that means you are preparing your next life like that. Therefore the whole life shall be so processed but at the same time, at the end of our life we can at least think of Kṛṣṇa. Then sure and certain you go back to Kṛṣṇa. This practice has to be done. Because unless we practice while we are strong and stout and our consciousness is right thinking. So instead of wasting time in so many things for sense gratification, if we go on concentrating on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that means we are making a solution of all the miseries of our material existence. That is the process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
Regulating, how can you regulate the senses? Not by artificial means. The yoga practice, of course, is meant for controlling the senses but nobody can practice in this age perfectly yoga, neither one can control the senses. But this is practically. Just like our sense, tongue. We want to taste very palatable dishes. Now you supply palatable Kṛṣṇa prasādam. You forget going to hotel immediately. This sort of process is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't simply prohibit that "You don't do this," but we supply something which is engaged by the senses and the mind, the intelligence, so that you do not require to be engaged otherwise.
So God seeing is not very difficult, provided you are purified, you are pure. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a purificatory process. Purificatory process. The first condition... We do not accept any rascal who is addicted to these four principles. We do not make cheap disciples. Our condition is first of all you must give up these things: illicit sex and meat-eating and intoxication, up to the drinking of tea and cigarette. You have to give up. And gambling. So these nice boys, they have given up. They were addicted to all these habits in their previous lives. But they have given up. Therefore they are making progress. Santa, they have become santa, saintly persons. So Kṛṣṇa is paraṁ pavitram.
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that by the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness we shall revive our original spiritual body. And when we revive our original spiritual body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha... (Bs. 5.1). Sat, cit, ānanda. That is the formation of Kṛṣṇa, and that is our formation also. Sat means eternal. Cit means full knowledge. Eternal, full knowledge and ānanda. Ānanda. Ānanda means bliss. Now, we can make distinction from the spiritual body and the material body is this, that as the description of the spiritual body is given, sat-cit-ānanda, eternal, full of knowledge and blissful, so just the opposite number is this material body. It is neither sat, nor cit, nor ānanda. It is not sat. Sat means eternal.
So Kṛṣṇa says that "Even if you see a person immoral, but he is completely engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it should be concluded that he is a saint." He's a saintly person. That is the description given by Kṛṣṇa of sādhu. Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). So in other words, He says, "Any person who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Never mind, he might have something externally immoral habits due to his past association. It doesn't matter." So some way or other, one should be Kṛṣṇa conscious. And then, gradually, he will become a saintly person; as he goes on executing this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then, with his advancement, he becomes a perfect saint. That you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. And how Kṛṣṇa says that even if he's externally a little immoral... Of course, a devotee or a person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's never immoral. But it may be that due to his past association he may appear to be immoral or he may fall down, fall down. Due to habits, we may sometimes fall down.
Kṛṣṇa science can be understood by this devotional service. You'll find this verse, that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ. The truth of Kṛṣṇa science can be understood by become, by becoming a devotee, or a person of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can simply understand what is this science of Kṛṣṇa; others cannot. Now, it is very clearly stated, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. Bhaktyā means Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: "One can understand Me very clearly by the process of that devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
So everyone's duty is that he should take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness by engaging himself in this process of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), chanting and hearing, the simple process. You have nothing to do. Simply if you give aural reception, that will clear everything within your mind, and you, you'll get enlightenment because Kṛṣṇa will help you. He's present within. You have simply to, I mean to say, spare a little time. You, you'll see actually. If you kindly spare a little time in this process which you have adopted here, you'll feel yourself... Nobody has to canvass you that oh, whether you are making your progress? No. You'll understand it. Because it is actual, you'll understand it.
That body is offered to us according to our consciousness. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). At the time of death, the situation of your consciousness makes you ready for accepting a similar body. And if you quit this body in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you get a body by which you can associate with Kṛṣṇa. That is to be understood, how it is possible. Therefore the training should be Kṛṣṇa conscious. In particular type of consciousness. That we cannot deny. Now if we change our consciousness to Kṛṣṇa type of consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is perfection of our life. The process is: by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa we keep always alive to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
If I cut my throat, my self, then who can save me? So people do not understand it. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, who understands, he has sung, hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu, manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu. So it is our duty, of course, as servant of Kṛṣṇa, to awaken everyone to Kṛṣṇa consciousness by this process of saṅkīrtana movement, but people should take it very seriously, that without taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one is making suicide, he's cutting his own throat, or drinking poison. If you like to drink poison, no can, nobody can check you. That's a fact. If you want to cut your throat, your own self, nobody can check you.
Young Woman: So how to realize Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: You have to adopt the process. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Young Woman: Say that again?
Prabhupāda: You have to adopt the process. Ādau śraddhā. If you are inquisitive to understand that is your first stage of faith. That is called śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā. In the beginning your inquisitiveness that "I want to understand," that is faith. Then next stage is association of persons who know, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Then initiation. Then disappearance of all misgivings. Then steady faith. Then attachment. And then ecstasy. Then realization. These are stages.
These nine different process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is being pushed on by the members of Kṛṣṇa conscious society all over the world. And we have opened also here in Bombay, the most important city of India. So we request you all to come every day and try to understand this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness based on Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta-sūtra, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, all authentic scriptures.
So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the simple process introduced by Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya also supported this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa, that anyone is eligible for going back to the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa. This simple process. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. We have discussed that simply by knowing the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa, we become eligible for entering into His kingdom, simply by knowing. So try to know. Try to study what is Kṛṣṇa.
We are trying to mitigate all our miserable conditions of life. That is struggle for existence. We are scientists. We are discovering many counteracting processes to get out of distresed condition. But the difficult position, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, we are avoiding. Because we cannot do anything. We cannot even... The so-called science, they cannot solve this problem. Although sometimes they falsely become proud that (indistinct) By science we shall be come immortal and so on. (indistinct) These things were tried before also by atheistic class of men like Rāvaṇa, Hiraṇyakaśipu. But it is not possible to become successful, to stop birth, death, old age and disease. That is not possible. If there is any possible process, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So this is the process of ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), to cleanse the material dust from the mirror of our mind. The whole process is to dust out the dirty things which we have accumulated by our material association and therefore to revive our spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. From Bhagavad-gītā we are studying about the process of life by which we can revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no need of external help for reviving Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have got Kṛṣṇa consciousness dormant in yourself. It is the quality of the self. So the, we have simply to invoke by this process.
Everybody must have some consciousness. Without consciousness, nothing can be done. One who has no consciousness, he cannot do anything nicely. If his consciousness is disturbed, then his work cannot be... Just like a madman. A madman cannot do anything nicely because his consciousness is disturbed. So we, similarly, if we change the process only, that "I am, to satisfy Kṛṣṇa..." Just like we are doing everything, with that idea, to satisfy somebody else, or at least myself, for my satisfaction. This process has to be changed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That should be done. This process has to be changed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says, yasya sarve samārambhāḥ.
So this is the process, that we, we have simply to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and by doing so, the reaction of such work will not affect me.
- nirāśīr yata-cittātmā
- tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
- śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma
- kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
Kilbiṣam. Kilbiṣam means sin. We are materially so much entangled that even if we do not want to commit any sin, consciously or unconsciously we are obliged to commit some sort of sins. We are in such a circumstances.
A devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he does not eat anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. Just like you take the remnants of your master. Just like servant takes the remnants of master. The master eats. In India the process is that husband and wife, that after the husband eats, the remnants are taken by the wife. The wife does not eat along with the husband. That is the old system. Now it is being changed. The husband and wife, they do not... The husband is supplied by the wife all kinds of good dishes, and when the husband is satisfied, some foodstuff is left, and that is taken by the wife. So similarly, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he does not take anything, does not accept anything, which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Because his life is full of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So similarly we have to do everything but because it is mixed up with that medicine of Kṛṣṇa consciousness it will cure your material disease. That is the process. Because it is mixed up with some medicine which is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness therefore your dancing, your eating, your loving affairs—all, whatever you want there is but it is well-treated. It will not entangle you. It will give more and more enlightenment of spiritual understanding. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Brahmārpaṇam brahma havir. And the thing which we are sacrificing, we have to understand that the things belong to the Supreme Brahman. Brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma havir brahmāgnau. And the fire which is on the altar, that is to be understood as the energy of the Supreme Brahman. And brahmaṇā hutam. And the person who is offering the sacrifice, he is also part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. In this way, if we offer sacrifice, then brahmaiva tena gantavyam. The person who is offering such sacrifice is sure to attain spiritual salvation. This is brahma-karma-samādhinā. And the performance is just according to the Vedic injunction. So in this way, if we, I mean to say, execute the duties of our living condition, then the result will be that at the end we shall be attaining Brahman. And the whole process is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He went to Vārāṇasī, He was simply dancing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So people began to criticize. Not people, this sannyāsī-sampradāya. So His devotees, they became little sorry that "Our Lord is being criticized." Therefore He accepted their invitation, and there was Vedānta talk with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu became victorious, and they became all disciples. These are statement in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. So it is not that those who are bhaktas, they... That is also complete, chanting and dancing Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. There is direct process. But if somebody wants to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy through Vedānta philosophy, through Upaniṣads, so they are prepared, they are prepared. Therefore we are publishing so many books. We are discussing Vedānta philosophy, Upaniṣad, all the Vedic literatures. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the essence of all Vedic literature.
Just like suppose I came to your country, United States of America. Oh, in my childhood I heard of it in school when I was reading geometry or something like, history or geography. I heard first of all. I did not come first of all. So hearing, hearing, when I understood, "Oh, that's a very wonderful country, and it is far away, and if I go there..." Similarly, as you think also about going to India, so first of all hearing. Not immediately seeing what is America or what is India. First of all hearing. So similarly, if we want to see God, then we have to hear. That is the process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness process is first with hearing. Śravaṇam. Śravaṇam means hearing.
So yoga, this word yoga, means to come in direct touch with the absolute light or Absolute Truth. That is called yoga. So by analytical, analytical study of this material world, that is not sufficient. Unless you come in direct touch with the Supreme Absolute Truth, this knowledge has no value. This knowledge has no value. If you want, you can study anything, any straw in the street. You can make a very analytical study of the straw. But that sort of knowledge has no value unless you come to the point of our spiritual existence. So sāṅkh... So Kṛṣṇa says... The idea of sāṅkhya-yoga, analytical study of this material world, means you have to find out the spiritual existence. And that spiritual existence you can have when you directly come to the spiritual life. So direct process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun.
This is yoga process. Kṛṣṇa is advising that yoga process. Yoga process means to come to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But one who directly goes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he hasn't got to practice this. But still, the practice is recommended here, sparśān kṛtvā bahir bāhyāṁś cakṣuś caivāntare bhruvoḥ. We have to put our eyeballs within the... What is called? Eyebrow, yes. Eyebrow. And prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā. There are five kinds of air passing within our body: prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna... There are different names of the air. So controlling them, prāṇāpānau samau kṛtvā and nāsābhyantara-cāriṇau. They are coming, breathing control. These are the process. Those who are have practiced this yoga process, they can know.
My body means senses, my activities means sensual activities, that's all. But above the senses is the mind. Above the mind is the intelligence. And above the intelligence is the spirit soul. If one is on the spiritual platform, on the soul platform, then his intelligence is spiritualized, his mind is spiritualized, his senses are spiritualized, he is spiritualized. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because actually the spirit soul is working but he has given his power of attorney to this nonsense mind. He is sleeping. But when he's awakened, the master is awakened, the servant cannot do anything nonsense. Similarly if you are awakened in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, your intelligence, your mind, or your senses cannot act nonsensically. They must according to that. That is spiritualization. That is called purification.
If you want to be great soul in terms of the Vedic literature, in terms of Bhagavad-gītā, in terms of great saints and sages, then you have to adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. No other process will be possible. It is not impossible. Just imagine. A personality like Arjuna, with all facilities of life and five thousand years before the circumstances were different, and still, he denied. So yoga system... Actually, if you simply making a show, showbottle of meditation, if you are satisfied, oh, that is a different thing. Make yourself a showbottle. But showbottle demonstration will not make you successful. It is clearly according to Bhagavad-gītā. Showbottle demonstration will not make you successful. You have to be really bottle of medicine. Then it will cure.
Now here Kṛṣṇa says that "I am speaking to you." He's particularly marking Arjuna. Why? He does not say here, "I'm speaking to everyone." No. Everyone cannot understand this knowledge. It is confidential. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not understandable by any ordinary man. Of course, Lord Caitanya has made it so easy for this age that if you sincerely, with devotion, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you'll be able to understand. But the science as it is, itself, it is very difficult. It is very difficult. But because the age is not very favorable, the time is not very favorable, therefore Lord Caitanya has inaugurated this saṅkīrtana movement by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and dancing, so that your mind very quickly becomes cleared so that you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This simple process. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa says it is not for all.
Kṛṣṇa says that mayy āsakta-manāḥ: simply you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Simply this method. These, all these, we are chanting, we are hearing, we are dancing, we're enjoying. Why? Just to detach our life from all nonsense things and attach to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have to make your mind attached to something. But if you make your mind attached to something nonsense, then the same thing, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), birth, death, old age, disease. You have to suffer. You have to suffer. Your science, your material science, or nothing... No. Nobody can make any solution of these sufferings. But if you want real solution, permanent solution, permanent life, then you become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Simple method. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. That is the perfect form of yoga.
The struggle for existence means that everyone is trying to get his objective. So many tactfully. So you also try, instead of after this material will-o'-the-wisp, you some way tactfully try to capture Kṛṣṇa. That will make your life successful. Some way. Mayy ās...
- yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet
- sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ
Now, there are so many in Kṛṣṇa consciousness..., this process, there are so many. I am just introducing one after another, little by little, but those who are practicing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness in India, there are so many rules and regulations. Somebody says that "Swamiji is very conservative. He has got so many rules and regulations," but I have not introduced one percent. One percent. Because it is not possible to introduce all those rules and regulations in your country. My policy is following the footstep of Rūpa Gosvāmī.
So this is the process of the more you become purified, the more you'll be advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And your advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be tested, how you are developing good qualities. Officially I'm Kṛṣṇa conscious yogi, but I am still addicted to so many nonsense habits—that means you are not advancing. That is the test. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). He hasn't got to learn how to become good. Simply by executing this devotional service, he'll be all good. That is the test.
So mad-āśrayaḥ means directly we cannot take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, one who knows what is Kṛṣṇa—you take shelter of that person. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Taking shelter, ādau gurv-āśrayam, that is the process of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Ādau, in the beginning, you have to take shelter of guru. Ādau gurv-āśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchā: "Then you inquire from him about Kṛṣṇa." Sad-dharma-pṛcchā, sādhu-mārgānugamanam: "Then follow the footstep of big, big devotees." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee; Kapiladeva, a great devotee; and similarly, Brahmā, a great devotee. Lord Śiva is great devotee; Nārada Muni, a great devotee. There are... Especially twelve names are given in the śāstras, that we have to follow them. That is called sampradāya. Sampradāya means coming in disciplic succession from the original guru. Just like Kṛṣṇa instructed Brahmā, so Brahmā is one of the gurus.
Any way, if you keep yourself always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in Kṛṣṇa's business, then you are immune. You will not be infected. This is the process. Keep yourself always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, you will always remain immune. Sa-gunān samatītya etān brahma-bhūyāya. And willfully, we shall not do anything which against the bhakti process, willfully. But because I am habituated... Suppose a smoker he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at least has promised that "I shall not smoke, I shall...," but all of a chance, sudden, suppose his friend seduces him: "Oh what is that, smoke today, doing." So sometimes we become induced, but we should always remember that "I have taken this vow. Why shall I be induced by my friend to smoke?" That is very nice. But even if by mistake you do that, that can be excused, but not willfully: "Now nobody is seeing, Kṛṣṇa is not here. Let me smoke now." Not that. (laughter) Kṛṣṇa's eyes are everywhere. You cannot escape Kṛṣṇa's eyes.
So those who are practicing this bhakti-yoga, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their first position is that they are attached to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Āsakti means attachment. We have got to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. There is process, recommended process. If we adopt that process, then naturally we'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious and gradually we shall understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ, I explained yesterday, taking shelter unto Him under different rasas or mellows, transcendental mellows. Accept Him as your master. Accept Him as the Supreme. Accept Him as your friend. Accept Him as your son. Accept Him as your lover. In whatever way. Of course, this eternal relationship is already there. With every living entity there is an eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. But we have forgotten that. That is our position. But if we practice this yoga, as Kṛṣṇa recommends, Mayy āsakta-manāḥ... If we become attached, then our original relationship will be revealed. That is called svarūpa-siddhi. How we are, now I am related with Kṛṣṇa, that will be revealed.
This śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, especially, is very essential for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Our this śravaṇa-kīrtana process, hearing and chanting, is helping us, recruiting members in Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. It is practical. So there is a formula, I have stated many times, that in order to increase our attachment, our dormant love for Kṛṣṇa... We should always remember that we have got dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, but it is now covered. We have to uncover it by cleansing the dirty things. That is the method. So for that purpose, ādau śraddhā, that with some faith, with some conviction, you have come here. This is called śraddhā. "Let us see that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on." Out of curiosity or out of faith, somehow or other, with little faith you have come here. This is called śraddhā stage. Ādau śraddhā. Then if you increase your śraddhā... Suppose this function is going on. If this function continues and if you come continually, then gradually your attachment for Kṛṣṇa will increase. That's a fact.
So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People should be interested by hearing the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is intelligence. Kṛṣṇa says that "In this way you can stop your birth and death process." So why don't you do that? Why you are after so many things? If you simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa and if you perfectly understand, then immediately you can stop your birth and death process. You are eternal. That is intelligence. That is intelligence. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, "After many, many births, one comes to this conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is everything." So why shall I wait for another many births? Why not accept Kṛṣṇa as everything? This is intelligence.
Indian man (2): How they can become God conscious?
Prabhupāda: By taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is... Therefore this movement. This movement is to make everyone... Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). They have suffered under misconception many, many births, and here is the opportunity that they can stop their birth and death process and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and go back to home. That's all.
Indian man (2): Does that means they should not worship these demigods and goddesses?
Prabhupāda: Yes, there is no need.
Kṛṣṇa said this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā first to the sun-god, and he spoke to his son Manu, he spoke to his son Ikṣvāku. In this way, disciplic succession, this Bhagavad-gītā has come down to this earthly planet, and if we accept that disciplic succession, do not unnecessarily interpret, then we understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. That is the process. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to understand the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, as He is, without any interpretation. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga. That can be achieved, as Kṛṣṇa says, always keeping center Kṛṣṇa.
So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and Kṛṣṇa is explaining personally. So yaj jñātvā, if we understand the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there will be nothing unknown. Everything will be known. It is such a nice thing. Yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo 'nyaj jñātavyam avaśiṣyate. Bhūyo means no more to understand anything. Everything is completely known. Then the question may be why people do not understand Kṛṣṇa. That is, of course, a relevant question, and that is being answered by Kṛṣṇa in the next verse.
- manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
- kaścid yatati siddhaye
- yatatām api siddhānāṁ
- kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
- (BG 7.3)
Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu. There are different kinds of men. Just like we know everyone on this planet only, apart from other planets, there are hundreds and thousands varieties of men. Even here we are sitting, so many ladies and gentlemen, there are different varieties. And if you go outside, there are different varieties.
It is true for everyone that at the moment of his death, whatever he is thinking of, his next life is going to happen like that. So if you practice this Kṛṣṇa consciousness while you are strong enough, then naturally at the time of your death, when everything is oblivion... Because at the time of death you do not know what is the condition of my health, of my body. But therefore, if I practice... This is called abhyāsa-yoga. Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gaminaḥ (BG 8.8). If one practices this yoga process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then paramaṁ puruṣam adyam—he can attain, he can arrive the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). If one goes to that place, he hasn't got to come back again to this miserable world.
Nārada Muni said that if the symptoms or characteristics of a certain status of social order is found in other family... For example, if a śūdra-born boy is inclined to accept brahmanism or Vedic culture, he should be given the chance. That is accepted in the Pāñcarātriki-vidhi. Just like these boys, European and American boys and girls, they are, according to our śāstra, they are less than śūdras, or you can call them caṇḍālas. But they are being elevated to the status of the brāhmaṇa qualities by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness process. It doesn't matter.
As soon as, early in the morning, you find the sunshine, you remember "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Here is Kṛṣṇa." Or at night, when there is no sun, there is moonlight, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." Then praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. If you are a student, serious student of Vedic mantras... Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūra... If you chant the Vedic mantras... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. The oṁkāra, that is Kṛṣṇa. Many people are very much fond of chanting oṁkāra. That is also nice. That is Kṛṣṇa. But if we simply remember that "This oṁkāra is Kṛṣṇa," then we become perfect. Because the process is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
After giving up this body... Ordinarily, we give up this body and we accept another. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). That we have to stop. We are trying our best to make solution of all problems of life. The real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), birth, death, old age and disease. But if you can conquer over birth, no more birth... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). No more birth. "Then it is finished? I am finished?" No, you are not finished. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti. "You come to Me. You come to Me." Go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very easy. Everyone can adopt. Why should you give up? Take it very seriously and be happy.
Kṛṣṇa is explaining everything, how you can become Kṛṣṇa conscious twenty-four hours. The one process is, as recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu,
- tṛṇād api sunīcena
- taror api sahiṣṇunā
- amāninā mānadena
- kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
- (CC Adi 17.31)
Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. "Always chanting the glories of the Lord." Man-manāḥ... Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bha... Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā nitya-yuktā upāsate. These are the mahātmās, symptoms of mahātmā. They are always engaged in chanting the holy name. Satatam. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also recommends: kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ.
So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati. Smarati means remember. Nityaśaḥ, continually. Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. "Oh, I am very cheap for them." Kṛṣṇa becomes very cheap commodity. The highest valuable thing becomes very cheap for him who takes this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ: (BG 8.14) "Because he's continually engaged in such process of yoga, bhakti-yoga, oh, I am very cheap. I am easily available. I am easily available." Now, Kṛṣṇa declares Himself that He becomes easily available by this process. Why should I try for any, I mean to say, very hard job? Why shall I take to that? We chant Kṛṣṇa: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and twenty-four hours you can chant. There is no rules and regulation.
My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see God. You work in such a way that God will see you. God will take care of you. Don't try to see God." This is the process. "I want to see God. Oh, God please come and stand before me," oh, just like He's my servant. God is no one's servant. You have to oblige Him by your love, by your service. That is the process. Here it is..., tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. Anyone who is engaged in that way, in that submissive way, always, constantly, without any deviation, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, oh, for So take this process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Very easy. This process is given to the humanity by Lord Caitanya, and Rūpa Gosvāmī, the first disciple of Lord Caitanya, he appreciated it. He was a minister in the service of the..., then Muhammadan kingdom. And he become a disciple of Lord Caitanya.
And here Kṛṣṇa says that "I am..." Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha: "I am... I become very cheap to him." Whom? "One who is constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." And if you remain twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then—just like the impersonalists, the yogis, the jñānīs, they transfer themselves to the spiritual world in the..., and merge into the impersonal effulgence—you enter into the planet where Kṛṣṇa is. Then what is the benefit? You can ask, "Well, suppose I do this and enter into the Kṛṣṇa planet, then what is the benefit?" The benefit is stated in the next verse, mām upetya punar janma...
- mām upetya punar janma
- duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
- nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
- saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ
- (BG 8.15)
"My dear Arjuna, if anyone comes to Me," mām upetya, "by this process, by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result is," punar janma duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, na āpnuvanti, "he does not get any more to come back into this material world full of miseries."
Those who developed that love of God, they are constantly, twenty-four hours, seeing God before him. Santaḥ sadaiva. Sadaiva means twenty-four hours, constantly. Not that "Oh, I have seen God yesterday night. Now He is not." No. He is always with you. God is everywhere. You can see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. But we have to develop that eyes. So these are the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should invite you to come and cooperate with us. This is a great science. And let us take advantage of it.
So we want enjoyment, but this atheism or this voidness, this impersonalism, they have created such an atmosphere that we are simply speculating, but we are addicted to these material enjoyments. That is not the process. Here it is said, puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā labhyas tv ananyayā. If you accept this principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the devotional path, and if you worship that Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you can have the spiritual realization and you prepare yourself and you become detached from this material enjoyment. Your life becomes sublime. Oh. That is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Puruṣa. Here it is clearly said, puruṣa, puruṣa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ. Paraḥ means Supreme. Paraḥ: "O My dear Arjuna, that in that spiritual atmosphere, there is the Supreme Personality." He's a person just like you and me. Just we have got talking face to face, when you'll reach there you'll talk face to face with God. You'll play, you'll eat, everything. Puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha.
If you are hungry and if you are given very nice, nutritious, palatable food, you haven't got to take any certificate from others. You'll understand yourself, "Yes, I am now feeling strength. I am now feeling energy." This is called pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. Similarly, if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness—that is the process—then you'll feel automatically how you are satisfied. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ
So if you cannot see at night with your own endeavor even a material thing like sun, do you think that by your own endeavor you will see God? How it is possible? As the sun reveals in the morning at five o'clock or six o'clock, similarly, when the sun Kṛṣṇa will reveal before you, then you will understand. You cannot find out Kṛṣṇa or understand Kṛṣṇa by your own endeavor. Now, that process is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). You will be in confidence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Those who have taken this line with faith and love, always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, then from within... Kṛṣṇa is within you. We have no realization. Due to my material conception of life, I have no realization. So you have to realize that Kṛṣṇa is there, and you have to purify yourself by service attitude. Then Kṛṣṇa will reveal. You will see, eye to eye.
So therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. This is culture of spiritual knowledge. That's all right. But simply by culture of spiritual knowledge, without favor, without mercy of the Supreme Lord, you cannot approach the, I mean, ultimate goal. Therefore in the Eighteenth Chapter you'll find, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). These are all partial understanding of the Supreme, but if you accept this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you directly approach, directly approach the Su... Because after all, unless you approach to that point, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), "Here is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva. He is everything"... So those who are intelligent, they take the root. Therefore in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta you'll find in a very nice verse, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Catura means very intelligent. One who worships Kṛṣṇa directly, he's very intelligent.
One who is in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform, he is already in the liberated platform. Simply kṣipram: it will take some time only, kṣipram, but very soon he will be all right. So this is the proposal of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and this is the facility of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we should take this advantage of being Kṛṣṇa conscious. Never mind what we are. And that will help us in attaining the perfection of life. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). It is very clearly declared here. Never mind what here he is or she is. Just take to this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and your progress and advancement of spiritual life is guaranteed.
And, in the tenth chapter, the Lord says, bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Lord says, bhūya eva mahā-bāho śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ (BG 10.1). "Now I have already said what is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now you hear further more information." Yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā. Because Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were, I mean to say, in relationship of friends, therefore He says that, yat te ahaṁ prīyamāṇāya. "Because you are My, My, you are My dear friend, therefore, vakṣyāmi, I am speaking to you." That means the same chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, what is spoken there, it is not meant for any ordinary person. It is meant for those who are a little bit advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he's conscious about Him, for them it will be relishable. For others, it will not be relishable.
Now we are satisfying our senses. That is bodily concept of material existence. And when we train ourself how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, oh, then, that is our perfection of life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The process is there. Either you satisfy your senses or you satisfy the proprietor of the senses. Kṛṣṇa is called Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīka. Hṛṣīka means "the senses." And Kṛṣṇa is called Hṛṣīkeśa. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me 'cyuta (BG 1.21). Hṛṣīkeśa. Tvayā hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣṭitena.(?) So Hṛṣīkeśa. So bhakti means hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Now hṛṣīka means indriya. At the present moment, we are satisfying the senses. For the sense only. We have no other higher objective. Sense wants to eat something palatable. Although it is not good for me, either from health point of view, or spiritual point of view...
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpām. One who has completely finished his sinful activities, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpāṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Who can become free from sinful activities? One who is engaged always in pious activities. If you are engaged in pious activities always, where is the chance of committing sinful activities? Therefore the most pious activity is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. If you are engaged always, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, if your mind is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then there is no accommodation for other things to come to your mind. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we forget Kṛṣṇa, māyā is there, immediately captured.
| Page Title: | Process of Krsna consciousness (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, Serene |
| Created: | 19 of Apr, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=67, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 67 |