definition

The exact Sanskrit terminology for Krsna consciousness is here mentioned: krsna-parayanah. Parayana means going forward. Anyone who is going forward to the goal of Krsna is called krsna-parayana, or fully Krsna conscious. The example of Dhruva Maharaja indicates that every Krsna conscious person can expect to reach the topmost summit of all three planetary systems within the universe. A Krsna conscious person can occupy an exalted position beyond the imagination of any ambitious materialist. (More...)

In practice it is also experienced that anyone who takes to Krishna Consciousness does not like to deviate to any other consciousness. This Krishna Consciousness is a development of love for Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And this development of love of Godhead is called the fifth dimensional interest of the human being. When one takes to this process of transcendental devotional service, or love of Godhead, he relishes his relationship with Krishna directly, and by such reciprocation in relishing transcendental dealings with Krishna, Krishna becomes gradually a Personal associate of the devotee. The devotee eternally enjoys blissful life. Therefore, the purport of the Vedanta Sutra is to re-establish the lost relationship of the human being with the Supreme Lord Krishna, to execute devotional service, and ultimately to achieve the highest goal of life, love of Godhead. These three principles of transcendental life are described in the Vedanta Sutra, and nothing more. (More...)

Krsna consciousness is actually a purificatory process (sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam). Its purpose is to make people free from all designations (tat-paratvena nirmalam). When our consciousness becomes purified of all designations, the activities we carry out with our purified senses make us perfect. Eventually, we reach the ideal perfection of human life. Krsna consciousness is also a very simple process. It is not necessary to become a great philosopher, scientist, or whatever. We need only chant the holy name of the Lord, understanding that His personality, His name, and His qualities are all absolute. (More...)

It is not that we have coined this term "Krsna consciousness." Krsna consciousness is the oldest phrase in the history of the world: (More...)

The phrase man-mana bhava mad-bhakto means "just be always conscious of Me." This then is Krsna consciousness. In Bhagavad-gita Krsna is repeatedly saying that we should worship Him, offer obeisances unto Him and then come to Him. Bhagavad-gita clearly points to the absolute necessity of Krsna consciousness, and Bhagavad-gita is accepted as the essence of the Upanisads. Even from the historical point of view, it has no comparison. It has been calculated on the basis of archeological evidence that Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra more than five thousand years ago. So this Krsna consciousness movement, even from the historical point of view, is five thousand years old. Its philosophy is the oldest in the history of the world. If we wish to trace it even further back, we find that Sri Krsna spoke it earlier to the sun-god. Krsna is eternal, and consciousness of Krsna is also eternal. In this way Krsna consciousness should be approached. It should not simply be considered a theory. (More...)

In Bhagavad-gita the peace formula is clearly given. We have to understand that Krsna is the only enjoyer. The consciousness of this is developed in a Krsna conscious temple where the central point of all activities is Krsna. All cooking is carried on for Krsna, not for one's own purposes. Ultimately we shall eat the prasadam (offered food), but when we cook we should think that we are cooking for Krsna and not for ourselves. When the members of a temple go into the streets, they do not do so for their own sake but to distribute Krsna conscious literatures in order to make people aware of Krsna's presence. All monies acquired are spent for Krsna, in spreading His message in so many ways. Such a style of life, in which everything is done for Krsna, promotes the development of Krsna consciousness within the living entity. Our activities may remain the same; we simply have to understand that we are acting for Krsna and not for our personal satisfaction. In this way we can come to our original consciousness and be happy. Unless one is established in his original consciousness, which is Krsna consciousness, he is certain to be crazy to some degree. Everyone who is not Krsna conscious is to be considered crazy because he exists on a platform which is temporary and transient. Since we as living entities are eternal, temporary activities are not our concern. Our engagements should be eternal because we are eternal, and that eternal engagement is the rendering of service to Krsna in love. (More...)

In pure devotional service one simply serves the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a matter of duty, without reason and without being impeded by material conditions. That is called suddha-sattva, or vasudeva, because in that stage the Supreme Person, Krsna, is revealed in the heart of the devotee. Srila Jiva Gosvami has very nicely described this vasudeva or suddha-sattva, in his Bhagavat-sandarbha. He explains that astottara-sata (108) is added to the name of the spiritual master to indicate one who is situated in suddha-sattva or in the transcendental state of vasudeva. The word vasudeva is also used for other purposes. For example, vasudeva also means one who is everywhere or all-pervading. The sun is also called vasudeva-sabditam. The word vasudeva may be utilized for different purposes, but whatever purpose we adopt, Vasudeva means the all-pervading or localized Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita it is also stated, Vasudevah sarvam iti (Bg. 7.19). Factual realization is to understand Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and surrender unto Him. Vasudeva is the field where Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is revealed. When one is free from the contamination of material nature and is situated in pure Krsna consciousness or in the vasudeva state, Vasudeva, the Supreme Person, is revealed. This state is also called kaivalya, which means pure consciousness. Jnanam sattvikam kaivalyam. When one is situated in pure, transcendental knowledge, one is situated in kaivalya. Therefore vasudeva also means kaivalya, a word which is generally used by impersonalists. Impersonal kaivalya is not the last stage of realization, but in Krsna consciousness kaivalya, when one understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he is successful. In that pure state, by hearing, chanting, remembering, etc., because of the development of knowledge of the science of Krsna, one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All these activities are under the guidance of the internal energy of the Supreme Lord. The action of the internal potency is also described in this verse as apavrtah, free from any covering. Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His name, His form, His quality, His paraphernalia, etc., are beyond material nature, being transcendental, it is not possible to understand any one of them with the materialistic senses. When the senses are purified by the discharge of pure devotional service (hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate), the pure senses can see Krsna without covering. Now one may inquire that since factually the devotee has the same material existential body, how is it possible that the same materialistic eyes become purified by devotional service? The example, as stated by Lord Caitanya, is that devotional service cleanses the mirror of the mind. In a clean mirror one can see his face very distinctly. Similarly, simply by cleansing the mirror of the mind one can have a clear conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is stated in Bhagavad-gita, abhyasa-yoga-yuktena. By executing one's prescribed duties in devotional service, cetasa nanyagamina (Bg. 8.8), or simply by hearing about God and chanting about Him, if one's mind is always engaged in chanting and hearing and is not allowed to go elsewhere, one can realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed by Lord Caitanya, by the bhakti-yoga process, beginning from hearing and chanting, one can cleanse the heart and mind, and thus one can clearly see the face of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (More...)

So in the Kali-yuga especially, there is no Vedic system of reformatory processes. It is the pancaratriki-vidhi, that anyone has got a little qualification for becoming brahmana, he is accepted by the spiritual master and is trained up, is initiated, just to make him a complete brahmana. [reading:] So "The sacred thread is the sign of those who are competent to study the Vedas from acarya, or the bona fide spiritual master." The bona fide spiritual master is called acarya, or the acarya can become a bona fide spiritual master. Acarya means who knows the purport of the sastra, and he behaves himself according to the sastric regulative principles and teaches his disciple in that way. He is called acarya. Acarya means whose behavior, whose activities should be followed. That is called acarya. (More...)

So we are teaching this real religion. Here is Deity, Krsna. So we are thinking of Krsna, "Hare Krsna." We are worshiping Deity, Krsna. There is no difference between Lord Krsna and Deity. He's Krsna. And we are offering obeisances. So the same... This... Therefore it is real religion because we are strictly following the laws of God. Anyabhilasita... We have no other business. So therefore this is real religion, if you take, or real culture, real society-everything real. Because God is real, anything in connection with God, according to His instruction, that is real. All other things are imitation. So always remember that if somebody takes us as religionist, yes, we are religionist, but pure religionist. If somebody says socialist, we are pure socialist. If somebody says we are diplomats, poli..., yes, we are pure politician. What is pure politician? Politics requires violence. So annihilate the demons and give protection. The politics means two things. The state, government, what is that? Government gives protection to the good citizen, and those who are rogues, punish them. Law and order. Two things are there: maintenance and law and order. So similarly, our Krsna consciousness is also the same thing. But so far we are concerned, because we are not in political power... Otherwise we have..., would have followed the principles of Krsna. (More...)

Krsna can be served by all our senses according to the direction of the sastra and guru-sadhu, sastra, guru. Just like Ambarisa Maharaja. He is devotee. We have to follow. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18]. The senses... The mind is the chief of the senses, and immediately under the mind, ten senses are working, ten: five knowledge-gathering senses, jnanendriya, and five working senses, karmendriya. And they have got different types of activities-hands, legs, tongue, ear, eyes. And above these, there is ahaṅkara, false ego in the material world. The eleven senses, and the twelfth is the false ego. The false ego means I am thinking, "I am this body. I am body." Then expansion of body: "I belong to this family"; "I am the husband of this body"; "I am the father of this body"; "I am the brother of this body." Or "I belong to this nation"; "I belong to this species." This is called twelfth conception. It is different consciousness according to different body. And then "It is mine." With all these eleven senses, I form an idea of "I" and then my possession, "mine." Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Janasya moho 'yam. This is called illusion, maya. (More...)

So to come to the bhakti-marga, or devotional service, it is not very difficult. The smell is creation of God, or Krsna, punyo gandhah prthivyam ca. Therefore the smell should be used for Krsna's pleasure-this is bhakti-not for my pleasure. This is called tyaga. Tyaga means that actually it should be used for Krsna, who has produced it. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc Madhya 19.170]. Our senses are also Krsna's senses. He is Hrsikesa. Hrsika-isa, iti hrsikesa. Hrsika means senses. Unfortunately, our senses are being used for sense satisfaction, neither for our use. It is for sense gratification. So bhakti means this practice of using the senses for sense gratification should be rectified, should be purified. Then the same senses will be utilized for Krsna's satisfaction, and then you become a bhakta. Krsna's things may be used for Krsna. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc Madhya 19.170]. (More...)

So that is Krsna consciousness movement. We are preaching that God is one and to think of God is also one, and to become obedient servant of God, that is also one. Not that you have to become a different servant, I have to become different ser... Everyone is servant originally. So we accept to serve God. Then our religion is there; our fulfillment of desires are there. Therefore the author said, mat-sarvasva-padambhojau: "That is my everything. To take shelter of Radha-Madana-mohana, that is my everything. I have no other desire." This is Krsna consciousness. (More...)

Devotional service means to prosecute Krsna conscious activities which are favorable to the transcendental pleasure of the Supreme Lord Krsna, and any activities which are not favorable to the transcendental favor of the Lord cannot be accepted as devotional service. For example, great demons like Ravana, Kamsa and Hiranyakasipu were always thinking of Krsna, but they were thinking of Him as their enemy. This sort of thinking cannot be accepted as bhakti or Krsna consciousness. (More...)

One must be able to clear all doubts and simultaneously be situated in the brahminical characteristics.

Artha-jna-brahmana refers to one who has made a thorough analytical study of the Absolute Truth and who knows that the Absolute Truth is realized in three different phases, namely Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. If someone not only has this knowledge but is able to clear all doubts if questioned about the Absolute Truth, he is considered better. Further, there maybe a learned brahmana Vaisnava who can explain clearly and eradicate all doubts, but if he does not follow the Vaisnava principles, then he is not situated on a higher level. One must be able to clear all doubts and simultaneously be situated in the brahminical characteristics. Such a person, who knows the purpose of the Vedic injunctions, who can employ the principles laid down in the Vedic literatures and who teaches his disciples in that way, is called an acarya. The position of an acarya is that he executes devotional service with no desire for elevation to a higher position of life. (More...)

So when our senses are engaged for the actual proprietor of the senses, that is called devotional service.

Srila Rupa Gosvami has also quoted a definition from the Narada-pancaratra, as follows: "One should be free from all material designations and must be cleansed of all material contamination by Krsna consciousness. He should be restored to his pure identity, where he engages his senses in the service of the proprietor of the senses." So when our senses are engaged for the actual proprietor of the senses, that is called devotional service. In our conditional state, our senses are engaged in serving these bodily demands. When the same senses are engaged in executing the order of Krsna, it is called bhakti. (More...)

The living entities, who are called marginal energy, perform material activities when acting under the inferior external energy. And when they engage in activities under the internal spiritual energy, their activities are called Krsna conscious.

This cultivation of Krsna consciousness is not material. The Lord has generally three energies-namely, the external energy, the internal energy, and the marginal energy. The living entities are called marginal energy, and the material cosmic manifestation is the action of the external or material energy. Then there is the spiritual world, which is a manifestation of the internal energy. The living entities, who are called marginal energy, perform material activities when acting under the inferior external energy. And when they engage in activities under the internal spiritual energy, their activities are called Krsna conscious. This means that those who are great souls or great devotees do not act under the spell of material energy, but act instead under the protection of the spiritual energy. Any activities done in devotional service or in Krsna consciousness are directly under the control of spiritual energy. In other words, energy is a sort of strength, and this strength can be spiritualized by the mercy of both the bona fide spiritual master and Krsna. (More...)

We should always try to mold the activities of our lives in such a way that we will constantly remember Visnu, or Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness.

We should always try to mold the activities of our lives in such a way that we will constantly remember Visnu, or Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. Whether one concentrates his mind on the four-handed form of Visnu or on the form of two-handed Krsna, it is the same. The Padma Purana recommends: somehow or other, always think of Visnu without forgetting Him under any circumstances. Actually, this is the most basic of all regulative principles. For, when there is an order from a superior about doing something, there is simultaneously a prohibition. When the order is that one should always remember Krsna, the prohibition is that one should never forget Him. Within this simple order and prohibition all regulative principles are found complete. (More...)