Materialist & Devotee -- Difference

Here brahmani means in Krsna consciousness. The material world is a sum total manifestation of the three modes of material nature, technically called the pradhana. The Vedic hymns, sarvam etad brahma, tasmad etad brahma nama-rūpam annam ca jayate, and, in the Bhagavad-gita, mama yonir mahad brahma, indicate that everything in the material world is the manifestation of Brahman; and, although the effects are differently manifested, they are nondifferent from the cause. In the Īsopanisad it is said that everything is related to the Supreme Brahman or Krsna, and thus everything belongs to Him only. One who knows perfectly well that everything belongs to Krsna, that He is the proprietor of everything and that, therefore, everything is engaged in the service of the Lord, naturally has nothing to do with the results of his activities, whether virtuous or sinful. Even one's material body, being a gift of the Lord for carrying out a particular type of action, can be engaged in Krsna consciousness. It is beyond contamination by sinful reactions, exactly as the lotus leaf, though remaining in the water, is not wet. The Lord also says in the Gita: mayi sarvani karmani sannyasya: "Resign all works unto Me [Krsna]." The conclusion is that a person without Krsna consciousness acts according to the concept of the material body and senses, but a person in Krsna consciousness acts according to the knowledge that the body is the property of Krsna and should therefore be engaged in the service of Krsna.    (More...)

A person in Krsna consciousness is pure in his existence, and consequently he has nothing to do with any work which depends upon five immediate and remote causes: the doer, the work, the situation, the endeavor and fortune. This is because he is engaged in the loving transcendental service of Krsna. Although he appears to be acting with his body and senses, he is always conscious of his actual position, which is spiritual engagement. In material consciousness, the senses are engaged in sense gratification, but in Krsna consciousness the senses are engaged in the satisfaction of Krsna's senses. Therefore, the Krsna conscious person is always free, even though he appears to be engaged in things of the senses. Activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, evacuating, etc., are actions of the senses meant for work. A Krsna consciousness person is never affected by the actions of the senses. He cannot perform any act except in the service of the Lord because he knows that he is the eternal servitor of the Lord.    (More...)

The difference between a person in Krsna consciousness and a person in bodily consciousness is that the former is attached to Krsna, whereas the latter is attached to the results of his activities. The person who is attached to Krsna and works for Him only is certainly a liberated person, and he is not anxious for fruitive rewards. In the Bhagavatam, the cause of anxiety over the result of an activity is explained as being due to one's functioning in the conception of duality, that is, without knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Krsna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead. In Krsna consciousness, there is no duality. All that exists is a product of Krsna's energy, and Krsna is all good. Therefore, activities in Krsna consciousness are on the absolute plane; they are transcendental and have no material effect. One is, therefore, filled with peace in Krsna consciousness. One who is, however, entangled in profit calculation for sense gratification cannot have that peace. This is the secret of Krsna consciousness-realization that there is no existence besides Krsna is the platform of peace and fearlessness.    (More...)