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Superconsciousness

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

Superconsciousness of the supramind in the spiritual plane is as good as the spirit soul and is never annihilated.
SB 1.6.4, Purport:

As spirit is not annihilated even after the annihilation of the material body, so also spiritual consciousness is not annihilated. Śrī Nārada developed this spiritual consciousness even when he had his material body in the previous kalpa. Consciousness of the material body means spiritual consciousness expressed through the medium of a material body. This consciousness is inferior, destructible and perverted. But superconsciousness of the supramind in the spiritual plane is as good as the spirit soul and is never annihilated.

SB Canto 3

In everyone's heart there is the representation of the Superconsciousness, who gives memory to the partial consciousness of every living entity.
SB 3.4.11, Purport:

Uddhava is one of the eternal associates of the Lord, and a plenary portion of Uddhava was one of the eight Vasus in the days of yore. The eight Vasus and the demigods in the upper planetary system, who are responsible for the management of the universal affairs, performed a sacrifice in the days of yore, desiring to fulfill their respective ultimate goals in life. At that time an expansion of Uddhava, acting as one of the Vasus, desired to become an associate of the Lord. The Lord knew this because He is present in the heart of every living entity as Paramātmā, the Superconsciousness. In everyone's heart there is the representation of the Superconsciousness, who gives memory to the partial consciousness of every living entity. The living entity, as partial consciousness, forgets incidents of his past life, but the Superconsciousness reminds him how to act in terms of his past cultivation of knowledge. Bhagavad-gītā confirms this fact in various ways: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11), sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15).

The Lord responds from within as the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master as Superconsciousness.
SB 3.5.4, Purport:

The bhakti process, as performed under the regulative principles of vaidhī-bhakti, or devotional service following the prescribed rules and regulations, is defined by the revealed scriptures and confirmed by great ācāryas. This practice can help the neophyte devotee to rise to the stage of rāga-bhakti, in which the Lord responds from within as the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master as Superconsciousness. All transcendentalists other than devotees make no distinction between the individual soul and the Supersoul because they miscalculate the Superconsciousness and the individual consciousness to be one and the same. Such miscalculation by the nondevotees makes them unfit to receive any direction from within, and therefore they are bereft of the direct cooperation of the Lord.

The Supersoul, or Paramātmā, is present throughout the whole creation by superconsciousness.
SB 3.15.45, Purport:

It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that a person who is always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost yogī. What is Kṛṣṇa consciousness? As the individual soul is present by his consciousness throughout his entire body, so the Supersoul, or Paramātmā, is present throughout the whole creation by superconsciousness. This superconscious energy is imitated by the individual soul, who has limited consciousness. I can understand what is going on within my limited body, but I cannot feel what is going on in another's body. I am present throughout my body by my consciousness, but my consciousness is not present in another's body. The Supersoul, or Paramātmā, however, being present everywhere and within everyone, is also conscious of everyone's existence.

Superconsciousness can be achieved by dovetailing individual consciousness with the consciousness of the Supreme.
SB 3.15.45, Purport:

The theory that the soul and the Supersoul are one is not acceptable because it is not confirmed by authoritative Vedic literature. The individual soul's consciousness cannot act in superconsciousness. This superconsciousness can be achieved, however, by dovetailing individual consciousness with the consciousness of the Supreme. This dovetailing process is called surrender, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. From the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā we learn very clearly that Arjuna, in the beginning, did not want to fight with his brothers and relatives, but after understanding Bhagavad-gītā he dovetailed his consciousness with the superconsciousness of Kṛṣṇa. He was then in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

The superconsciousness, or the existence of God, is perceived everywhere. He is present everywhere by His energy.
SB 3.26.3, Purport:

The Lord is described as the soul, or spirit. What is the definition of spirit? Spirit is perceivable everywhere. Brahman means "great." His greatness is perceived everywhere. And what is that greatness? Consciousness. We have personal experience of consciousness, for it is spread all over the body; in every hair follicle of our body we can feel consciousness. This is individual consciousness. Similarly, there is superconsciousness. The example can be given of a small light and the sunlight. The sunlight is perceived everywhere, even within the room or in the sky, but the small light is experienced within a specific limit. Similarly, our consciousness is perceived within the limit of our particular body, but the superconsciousness, or the existence of God, is perceived everywhere. He is present everywhere by His energy.

SB Canto 8

Whatever exists, not only in the spiritual world but even within this material world, is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present everywhere as the Superconsciousness.
SB 8.1.10, Purport:

Svāyambhuva Manu instructs that whatever exists, not only in the spiritual world but even within this material world, is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is present everywhere as the Superconsciousness. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (13.3), kṣetra-jñam cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata: in every field—in other words, in every body—the Supreme Lord is existing as the Supersoul. The individual soul is given a body in which to live and act according to the instructions of the Supreme Person, and therefore the Supreme Person also exists within every body. We should not think that we are independent; rather, we should understand that we are allotted a certain portion of the total property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Renunciation Through Wisdom

When the devotee meets the Lord face to face, liberation takes the form of a woman and is at his beck and call, eager to serve him, and she is accompanied by personified material opulence, sense pleasure, and religiosity, all of whom wait upon the devotee like servants. The pure devotees of the Lord are all embodiments of perfection in yoga; thus the four Vedic goals are truly at their beck and call. And beyond these four goals is the supreme destination: superconsciousness.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1:

Real yoga is buddhi-yoga, the yoga of devotional service, which brings about direct perception of the Supreme Lord. When the devotee meets the Lord face to face, liberation takes the form of a woman and is at his beck and call, eager to serve him, and she is accompanied by personified material opulence, sense pleasure, and religiosity, all of whom wait upon the devotee like servants. The pure devotees of the Lord are all embodiments of perfection in yoga; thus the four Vedic goals are truly at their beck and call. And beyond these four goals is the supreme destination: superconsciousness, or God consciousness. This is the fifth and paramount Vedic goal. One who has reached the state of unalloyed Kṛṣṇa consciousness is an extremely rare personality—one in a million devotees, according Lord Caitanya.

Proper execution of abhyāsa-yoga culminates in the awakening of divine consciousness, or superconsciousness. This is true success.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1:

When a person fixes his mind on the eternal, exquisite form of Śyāmasundara, the blackish, beautiful Lord Kṛṣṇa, all distress and anguish are vanquished. In the initial stages, the attempt to fix the mind on Kṛṣṇa may be unsuccessful, but with regulated practice (abhyāsa-yoga) it becomes possible. Abhyāsa-yoga means sincere engagement in the ninefold process of bhakti, beginning with hearing and chanting the holy name, pastimes, and so on, of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Proper execution of abhyāsa-yoga culminates in the awakening of divine consciousness, or superconsciousness. This is true success.

All objects in the material world are meant not for our enjoyment or gratification but for the Lord's service. This is the mood of one in transcendental consciousness, or superconsciousness.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1:

Considering everything material, some people make a show of renunciation and reject even those things that can be used in the Lord's service. This is futile. All objects in the material world are meant not for our enjoyment or gratification but for the Lord's service. This is the mood of one in transcendental consciousness, or superconsciousness. And all activities performed in this consciousness constitute true renunciation, or yukta-vairāgya, as opposed to false renuniciation, or phalgu-vairāgya. By instructing Arjuna to act in this way, the Supreme Lord has ordered us to do so as well. It is our duty to execute His instruction. Whatever the result may be, we must be convinced that all such activities are all-auspicious.

One must follow the process of buddhi-yoga, which is uncontaminated by the three modes of nature (ignorance, passion, and goodness). Otherwise superconsciousness is unattainable.
Renunciation Through Wisdom 5.1:

The living entity becomes bound up by the ropes of ignorance, duality, and illusion as soon as he sees this material world through the coloured crystal known as "me and mine." To nullify such false ego and contaminated consciousness, one must follow the process of buddhi-yoga, which is uncontaminated by the three modes of nature (ignorance, passion, and goodness). Otherwise superconsciousness is unattainable.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

We consider God may be just like one of us. No. The God who is controlling such a huge affairs of universal administration, He cannot be, He is superconscious. That is superconsciousness.
Lecture on BG 2.11 -- New York, March 4, 1966:

So Kṛṣṇa is, in this sen..., He's identified, that bhagavān. Bhagavān means that nobody can surpass His knowledge. Because I have already given the definition of bhagavān, that a personality who is in full, all the opulences—wealth, strength, fame and knowledge, beauty and renunciation—He is God. You see? So... Now, in this, at the present moment, when people are godless, I think, this definition is convincing. If you find out a personality that, one who has got in full all these opulences, He is God. Then it will be very difficult to present an ordinary man as God. You see? You'll find that in the Bhagavad-gītā, when Arjuna was convinced that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead... But because in future others will have doubt about Kṛṣṇa, he requested Kṛṣṇa that "Will You show me Your universal form?" And Kṛṣṇa agreed and showed him the universal form. That means in future any intelligent man, accepting a so-called God, may also ask him, "Just show something, that you are God." Without showing something, simply by false advertisement, one cannot be God. So whole mistake is that we do not know what is God. We consider God may be just like one of us. No. The God who is controlling such a huge affairs of universal administration, He cannot be, He is superconscious. That is superconsciousness.

Lecture on BG 2.13-17 -- Los Angeles, November 29, 1968:

Madhudvisa: "This verse more clearly explains the real nature of the soul which is spread all over the body. Anyone can understand what is spread all over the body. It is consciousness. Everyone is conscious about the pains and pleasures of the body in part or as a whole. This spreading of consciousness is limited within one's own body."

Prabhupada: Now, this consciousness, the Mayavadi philosopher says, "Yes, I am consciousness. The same theory. This small consciousness, but as soon as I break this body, the small consciousness will mix up with the supreme consciousness." That is their theory. But anyway, whatever that theory may be, at least in my present condition, I, my consciousness, is limited within this body. I cannot say that I am superconscious. Had I been superconscious, then the pains and pleasure going on (in) your body I would have felt. But because I am limited within this body, therefore the pains and pleasure of my body I can understand. Therefore my consciousness is limited. You cannot argue that you are the same... That will be explained. Krsna says in the Thirteenth Chapter that ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata (BG 13.3). Ksetra-jna, the soul, and, is within this body. Therefore soul is called ksetra-jna. Ksetra-jna means "one who knows about this body." I am conscious about my this body. You are conscious about your body. But Krsna is conscious of your body and my body and everyone's body. Therefore He's also ksetra-jna, but He's ksetra-jna, He's Supersoul. Just the same example. Just like the sun, during meridian, is on your head. At 5,000 miles, you ask your friend "Where is the sun?" He'll also say, "It is on my head."

The superconsciousness is of Viṣṇu.
Lecture on BG 2.17 -- Hyderabad, November 22, 1972:

The material nature is there, but without the soul's presence, the consciousness being there, it will not work. Therefore as this universe, material cosmic manifestation is working very nicely, you have to accept there is God. You cannot deny. So that consciousness, superconsciousness, that is different. You cannot say that "I am the same. I have got superconsciousness." That is not possible. Then, if you have got superconsciousness, why don't you feel about my pains and pleasure? The superconsciousness is of Viṣṇu. That is all-pervading consciousness. That is also the same. Nature is the same. As I have got my consciousness all over this body, similarly, the superconsciousness is there all over the universe. As I feel pains and pleasure on account of some disturbance on this body, similarly, as soon as we create some disturbance with this universal atmosphere, the supreme consciousness is disturbed. That disturbance is going on. Therefore, in spite of all arrangement... Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). That, by God's creation, everything is complete. There is no flaw. But because we are creating disturbances, the world situation is different.

The soul is there and the heart is there, mind is there. Now we are making plan. But you cannot hide the plan from the consciousness of Kṛṣṇa. He is sitting there. That is superconsciousness.
Lecture on BG 2.17 -- London, August 23, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa is the super or the supreme because His consciousness is spread all over the universe. You cannot hide anything from Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. You cannot hide. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ (BG 15.15). After all, you are making your plan with your heart and soul. The soul is there and the heart is there, mind is there. Now we are making plan. But you cannot hide the plan from the consciousness of Kṛṣṇa. He is sitting there. That is superconsciousness. One, you know the Aurobindo. He was trying to get superconsciousness. His philosophy is superconscious. Everyone who is here knows about Aurobindo. The superconsciousness you cannot get. That is not possible. Superconsciousness is for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Kṛṣṇa says, "I know everything."

I do not know what you are thinking now, and you do not know what I am thinking. Therefore my consciousness, individual; your consciousness, individual. But there is the Supersoul who knows what you are thinking and what I am thinking, what he is thinking, everyone thinking. That is superconsciousness.
Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

Consciousness is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. The consciousness is distributed throughout your whole body. That we can make an experiment. But this consciousness is not, I mean to..., spread over all the cosmic manifestation. That is also a fact. My consciousness is spread over my body. Your consciousness is spread over your body. I do not know what you are thinking now, and you do not know what I am thinking. Therefore my consciousness, individual; your consciousness, individual. But there is the Supersoul who knows what you are thinking and what I am thinking, what he is thinking, everyone thinking. That is superconsciousness.

Kṛṣṇa is the superconsciousness; He's trying to convince Arjuna that "You act according to My direction. Because you are individual consciousness, subordinate to Me, and I am Superconsciousness."
Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

So superconsciousness and individual consciousness. So our relationship, the superconsciousness and individual consciousness, is eternal, eternal. They cannot be, I mean to say, separated. Therefore my position is... Just like there is superior one and the inferior one. Inferior one is subordinate to the superior one, and inferior one is to act according to the superior one. Just like it is taught here that Kṛṣṇa is the superconsciousness; He's trying to convince Arjuna that "You act according to My direction. Because you are individual consciousness, subordinate to Me, and I am Superconsciousness." And in the last phase of Bhagavad-gītā, you'll see that He summarized, Lord Kṛṣṇa summarized, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You just surrender unto Me." This is the sum and substance of everything. So therefore the conclusion is that the individual consciousness should surrender to the supreme consciousness and act accordingly. That is the position of standing on the conscious plane. That is the position of conscious plane.

"When you shall be callous to all religious rituals and scriptural injunction and simply you shall be engaged in the, in the dovetailing business of with the superconsciousness, then you are in transcendental position of all religious rituals and all conception of religious ceremonies and everything."
Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

If by performing all religious rituals very nicely and very perfectly, if we fail to dovetail ourself with the supreme consciousness, then all our labor for performing these rituals and religious performances, they become only labor of love. It has not produced anything substantial, anything substantial. Nanu niṣkarmāṇi karmāṇi kurvata me.(?) This is the question of Arjuna, that "When I shall be self-realized by doing work without any fruitive result, so what will be the position of my self-realization?" That, in that, in answer to that question, that "When you shall be callous to all religious rituals and scriptural injunction and simply you shall be engaged in the, in the dovetailing business of with the superconsciousness, then you are in transcendental position of all religious rituals and all conception of religious ceremonies and everything." That's it. But in the beginning you require all these things.

Amādhi means to be always in the, situated in the superconsciousness, situated in the business of dovetailing with the superconsciousness.
Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

Samādhi means to be always in the, situated in the superconsciousness, situated in the business of dovetailing with the superconsciousness. That is called samādhi. Bhagavad-gītā. Śruti-vipratipannā te yadā sthāsyati niścalā. You are not deviated even by hearing so many other things. If you are not deviated, then that position is called samādhi, and that position is the highest position of your life.

Simply the activities are to be dovetailed in a certain way that we can join ourself with the superconsciousness.
Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

Now, Kṛṣṇa is being questioned by Arjuna that "What are the symptoms of such person who is already in that position of dovetailing the individual consciousness with the superconsciousness? What are the symptoms?"

arjuna uvāca
sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣā
samādhi-sthasya keśava
sthita-dhīḥ kiṁ prabhāṣeta
kim āsīta vrajeta kim
(BG 2.54)

Now Arjuna says, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, will You kindly explain what are the language? How a person who is already in transcendental position, how does he speak? How does he act? And how does he live? How does he move?" All these things. Because in our present life, we have to act. Activity is not stopped. Simply the activities are to be dovetailed in a certain way that we can join ourself with the superconsciousness. Now, when such thing is performed, when actually one is dovetailed with the superconsciousness, what are the symptoms of his life, this is being questioned by Arjuna.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

So there is gradual process of evolution, and the human form of life is the greatest evolution. Here is a junction. Now you can go, elevate yourself to further, higher status of living condition. That is called devata, or demigods. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah. If you develop the quality of goodness, then you are promoted to the higher planetary system. Urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tisthanti rajasah (BG 14.18). If you do not develop further, if you remain whatever quality you have got, just now you remain within this world. And adho gacchanti tamasah. And if you do not develop goodness or remain in the same quality but you degrade yourself, then again go to the cycle of birth in the animal kingdom. This is the law of nature.

urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha
madhye tisthanti rajasah
jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha
adho gacchanti tamasah
(BG 14.18)

Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-sthah. Jaghanya means abominable, abominable, without any distinction. "Whatever I like, I shall do." No. You cannot do that. You have got now super consciousness. You must decide whether you want to stop this evolutionary process, cycle of birth and death, and go back to home, back to Godhead, or if you want to continue again the cycle of birth and death. That is up to you to decide. This is the human form of life. Therefore how you can promote yourself to the higher status of life or how you can degrade yourself to the lower status of life, that is to be decided.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Kṛṣṇa consciousness means superconsciousness.
Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

Guest (3): May I know the distinction between Kṛṣṇa consciousness and supramental consciousness described by Śrī Aurobindo?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Kṛṣṇa consciousness means superconsciousness. Kṛṣṇa You are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Just like father and son. Father knows, "He is my son," and the son knows, "He is my father." So this father, paternal consciousness, is there. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is real consciousness, but we color it with other consciousness. That is polluted. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to purify your consciousness.

So when this individual consciousness is in agreement with the superconsciousness, it is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Lecture on SB 7.9.19 -- Hamburg, September 7, 1969, (with German Translator):

So when this individual consciousness is in agreement with the superconsciousness, it is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that our consciousness at the present moment is misguided. We have to dovetail it with Kṛṣṇa's consciousness. This is called oneness, or agreeing with the superconsciousness. That is called oneness.

General Lectures

Now you read that article, "Superconsciousness," in the paper.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Prabhupāda: No. Now you read that article, "Superconsciousness," in the paper.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Superconsciousness."

Prabhupāda: You can sit down here face to face.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then I'll turn my back to you.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is from Back to Godhead, which is a monthly publication that we put out in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There's an article in it called "Superconsciousness," by our spiritual master.

Our consciousness is individual, my consciousness is individual. But there is another consciousness, which is all-pervading. That consciousness is able to understand your feelings, my feelings, and everyone's feelings.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Supersoul gives all facility to the individual soul for achieving whatever he may desire, but He instructs his friend so that he may ultimately give up all other engagements and simply surrender unto God for perpetual bliss and eternal life full of knowledge. This is the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā, the most authorized and widely read book on all forms of yoga. The last word of the Bhagavad-gītā, as stated above, is the last word in the matter of perfecting the yoga system. It is further stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that a person who is always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the topmost yogi. What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Just as the individual soul is present by his consciousness throughout the whole body, so the Supersoul or Paramātmā is present throughout the whole creation by His superconsciousness. This superconsciousness cannot be imitated by the individual soul."

Prabhupāda: This consciousness formula is very simple to understand. Anyone can understand. Just like this body, so long the soul is there within this body, there is consciousness. Just like so long the sun is visible, there is heat and sunlight. Similarly, so long the soul is there within this body, we have got this consciousness. And as soon as the soul is gone from this body, there is no consciousness. So... But this consciousness, my consciousness, your consciousness is limited within this body. I cannot feel what pain and pleasure is within your body, neither you can feel. Therefore your consciousness is individual, my consciousness is individual. But there is another consciousness, which is all-pervading. That consciousness is able to understand your feelings, my feelings, and everyone's feelings.

So the superconsciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is all-pervading.
Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

The same example: The sun is located in one place, but five thousand miles away, you ask your friend where is sun, he will reply that "He is on my head." Similarly, you will say. Any direction. But the sun is one, but he is all-pervading. This is crude example. Similarly, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness means when you dovetail your consciousness with the supreme consciousness, then your life becomes perfect. Just like a motorcar is being driven at fifty miles speed, but a cyclist is going at ten miles speed. But if he catches the motorcar, he'll also have the fifty miles speed immediately. So the superconsciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is all-pervading. If you dovetail your consciousness, then you get universal feeling. Otherwise it is not possible. The same example. So that is being explained.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

Young man (3): May I ask this, Swami, as you said after. Have you yourself reached the superconscious state, or the Christ consciousness state?

Prabhupada: Why don't you come and sit down here. Yes. What is your question?

Young man (3): I asked, Swami, that you have yourself reached this Christ consciousness or superconscious state and then talked with the Divine.

Prabhupada: It is not very difficult. You can also do that. It is the easiest process. What Christ consciousness? What did Christ say? That you surrender unto God. Did he say anything more than this?

Young man (3): No, the understanding I had of Christ consciousness was when one's mind reaches the state where he is within all atoms and all the flowers...

Prabhupada: That we have already explained, that Krsna is within yourself, within your heart, within my heart, within the atoms, everywhere. So if Christ thinks also like that, then there is no difference between Christ consciousness or Krsna consciousness.

The presence of Supersoul and superconsciousness in the universal body of cosmic manifestation is perceived by the presence of the Supreme Lord, or the Absolute Truth.
Press Release -- Los Angeles, December 22, 1968:

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement basically is trying to reach this science of the soul—not in any dogmatic way, but in complete scientific and philosophical understanding. You can find out the background of this body as the soul and the soul's presence as perceived, perceivable by consciousness. Similarly, the presence of Supersoul and superconsciousness in the universal body of cosmic manifestation is perceived by the presence of the Supreme Lord, or the Absolute Truth.

Philosophy Discussions

You are conscious of your body, but you are not conscious of my body. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, kṣetra-kṣetrajña, that individual soul is conscious of his own body, each and every individual soul, but there is another consciousness, that is superconsciousness.
Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: Concerning God's personality, he writes, "According to the Bible, God has a personality and is the ego of the universe, just as I myself am the ego of my psyche and physical being." But here...

Prabhupāda: Yes, God... So that is our view, that consciousness, just like I am conscious, but I am conscious about my body. I am not conscious of your body. This is individual consciousness. You are conscious of your body, but you are not conscious of my body. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, kṣetra-kṣetrajña, that individual soul is conscious of his own body, each and every individual soul, but there is another consciousness, that is superconsciousness. That is God. God is in everyone's heart, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). I am also within the body, but He is not like that individual soul, limited within that body. He is residing in everyone's body, so that He is superconscious, Supersoul, Paramātmā.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagriva: Concerning God's personality, he writes, "According to the Bible, God has a personality and is the ego of the universe, just as I myself am the ego of my psyche and physical being." But here...

Prabhupada: Yes, God... So that is our view, that consciousness, just like I am conscious, but I am conscious about my body. I am not conscious of your body. This is individual consciousness. You are conscious of your body, but you are not conscious of my body. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, ksetra-ksetrajna, that individual soul is conscious of his own body, each and every individual soul, but there is another consciousness, that is superconsciousness. That is God. God is in everyone's heart, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata (BG 13.3). I am also within the body, but He is not like that individual soul, limited within that body. He is residing in everyone's body, so that He is superconscious, Supersoul, Paramatma.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupada: This is another foolishness. It has never become, neither it will be.

Bhavananda: Man has always had five toes.

Prabhupada: That's right.

Bhavananda: And he always will. However, is there, if there is a species of a type of men that have eight toes on each foot, he's always had eight toes on each foot. He might not be on this planet.

Prabhupada: We don't care any such things.

Syamasundara: His idea is that man may evolve to a demigod platform in the future.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Syamasundara: That he will have super consciousness, this and that.

Prabhupada: That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Yanti deva-vrata devan (BG 9.25). If you become fond of the demigods, you go to the demigods. Pitrn yanti pitr-vratah. You can go to the Pitrloka. Or bhutejya, you can remain in this material world.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupada: There is no such thing, from inorganic life. Inorganic life... Suppose just like Brahma is coming from the navel of Visnu. So where is the... We don't get any information. Visnu is origin, and from Visnu, Brahma came. From Brahma, other demigods came, other animals came. They create animals and others. The first created being is Brahma, the most intelligent. He's not animal. Their proposal is from lower to the higher, but our theory is from the higher, from Visnu. Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavah (BG 10.8). "I am the origin of everything." Now, how you can say there is development from the lower creatures? He is the origin. And Vedanta says, janmady asya yatah (SB 1.1.1). The origin, Absolute Truth, is that from whom everything is generating. So Absolute Truth means He is the supreme life. From life, life is coming. Where is the evidence that dead stone giving birth to a man or animal? Where is the evidence?

Syamasundara: His idea is that in future everyone will be a demigod, that the race of man, because of mental life, will be replaced by a race of superconscious beings.

Prabhupada: Superconscious beings, there are already existing, just like in Siddhaloka and Gandharvaloka. There are many planets.

Syamasundara: This earth planet will become like that.

Prabhupada: No. We don't get such information. Why they are so much anxious about the earth planet? There are many millions of planets. So super human being there... Just like we learn from the sastras, in the Siddhaloka they can fly from one planet to another. Not only that, all the yogic siddhis, they are, naturally they have got. Just like we are trying to fly in the sky, that is not natural, but a small bird, he can fly. It is God's creation. So similarly, there are many human beings in the Siddhaloka. They, without any airplane, without any..., they can fly. They go from one planet to another. Not that this, from this planet they have developed. They are already existing.

Purports to Songs

Superconsciousness is impersonal conception of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is personal conception of Superconsciousness.
Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:

Now, either you say Kṛṣṇa or you say Superconsciousness... Superconsciousness is impersonal conception of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is personal conception of Superconsciousness. Because Kṛṣṇa means He's not only superconscious, but He's supreme bliss and supreme knowledge—supreme knowledge means superconsciousness—and eternal, supreme consciousness, supreme bliss. That is the definition of Kṛṣṇa.

Correspondence

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 18 November, 1968:

Your question, "Is it to be understood that once the yogi sees the Narayana Form, his desires for travel and material perfections cease? (as did the desires of Dhruva Maharaja) Or do the yogis still persist in desiring to do wonders even after seeing Narayana Form? You say, in your essay, Super Consciousness, that the topmost is to see Narayana Form and take dictation. In short the question is, is it true that the yogi who is travelling to planets and performing siddhis -- has never seen Narayana?" The example of Dhruva Maharaja, he was a devotee. The yogis are not devotees. They are more or less after some material perfection. But generally one who sees Narayana, he becomes a devotee. And sometimes such devotee before entering the Supreme Abode of Krishna or Narayana, they want to see some of the wonders of this material world. Just like I have come to your country, and I have no interest for sight seeing, but my main business is preaching Krishna Consciousness, but still, when I go to a new place, sometimes devotees take me to some important sight seeing place. Similarly, a yogi after becoming a devotee sometimes go to other planets also and Narayana fulfills such material desires. In other words, a devotee even if he wants to fulfill some material desires, he is given the chance by the Lord, but a pure devotee in higher status does not desire like that. They do not care for any siddhis.

Page Title:Superconsciousness
Compiler:Laksmipriya, MadhuGopaldas, Visnu Murti
Created:23 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=7, CC=0, OB=4, Lec=22, Con=0, Let=1
No. of Quotes:34