How to make Krsna consciousness real

Question: How much can we rely on discipline and how important is it to bring the aspect of taste, greed and longing into our practice?

Answer: There are two forms of bhakti: one is where taste has not yet developed, ajata-ruci-bhakti, and secondly, jata -ruci-bhakti, bhakti with taste. In Saranagati there a prayer of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura: “Please maintain me,” the devotee prays, “by giving me taste.”

So how does the birth of taste take place?

Of course, we can pray for it, but more specifically it comes when you learn about how the devotees relate with Krsna, and how Krsna relates with the devotees. Then you become very interested, “Oh, I must also relate to Krsna like this.”

For instance, you hear about Krsna coming home from the meadows, and Nanda Maharaja knows that the cows will not give milk, if Krsna doesn’t start milking them, they wait for Him. Krsna also knows this, so He comes, sits down, puts sandals on His feet, and nods to Nanda indicating: “I know your desire, I’m just putting on my shoes.” Then He goes to the cows because Nanda wants it.

And while hearing this you realize, “Wow, Krsna loves Nanda so much!” And when He returns from the cows, Nanda waits for Him, Krsna puts His little hand into Nanda’s hand and looks at Him sweetly, “Father, will we go to the entertainment?”, and Nanda walks up the stairs with Him to the evening entertainment.

And you hear this and think, “Wow”, and you develop a desire “I also want to love Krsna like that, I want to be close to Krsna.” This is how lobha, greed, appears. It’s so simple and psychologically so easy to understand because – isn’t this how you also developed any other taste, like your taste for mountain biking? You must have seen someone going to the top of the Eiger Nordwand and you thought, “I also have to do this.” You see something which charms your heart and then you want to do that as well.

Jiva Gosvami makes it very clear: by hearing about the sweet dealings between Krsna and the devotees, and the sweet dealings of the devotees and Krsna, the devotee develops such love for Krsna. This is how it happens. This is how your desire develops. It’s simple and I highly recommend it.

Then, while you do your devotional services, you start to mix your taste with the external activity and it comes alive. For instance, you chant your rounds and think, “Argh, I’ve just started my rounds, 15 more to go.” This is one possible thought. Another possibility is to think: “How can I bring some life to my japa? I could read a little about Krsna in the Krsna Book.” Then, when you chant, you remember what you read and feel “Krsna is so wonderful!”

Don’t tolerate that your car remains unused in front of your door for 30 years because you forgot to fill the gas tank. I regularly receive emails from devotees who say, “I’ve been practicing chanting the Holy Name for 30 years, but I have no taste.” Well, it’s because you lack the fuel. You have to add fuel, it is high time. The storm of maya is becoming stronger; and if you don’t become stronger, it will blow you away. Hare Krsna.

Question:

How can I remember someone (Krsna) I do not know? You say I can read stories about Krsna, look at deities or a picture, but to me it feels like, “who is that?” It’s an empty gesture, because I don’t know the person behind the picture.

Answer: This is a very important question. There is something sleeping in you and unless you awaken it, you will remain dissatisfied. The Vedanta-sutra describes that love of Krsna is in our hearts in a seed-like, sleeping form. The example the Vedanta-sutra and the commentaries give is that of virility – the ability to conceive. This potential already rests in children, but they need to grow up, mature, and then they can also conceive their own family. This ability is already sleeping in them as a potential.

So, in the same way, we all have love of Krsna sleeping in us, it’s a potential which needs to be awakened. Or, look at the seed of a tree. Although we can’t see it, there’s the potential for a whole tree with fruits and everything inside the seed.

You can feel this sleeping wave, this potential in your consciousness when you associate with processes like kirtana. At times, when you are in kirtana, as you sing the names of Krsna again and again, you might feel some taste, a little feeling, which you haven’t felt before. In Sri Caitanya-siksamrta, Bhaktivinoda Thakura compares this taste that appears suddenly with a strike of lightning at night; it comes suddenly and then disappears. In the same a way, even a conditioned soul can sometimes feel these devotional inclinations. They manifest and need to be pursued.

There’s a relationship to Krsna within us that we’re not aware of. It is like with family members that are separated from each other. When they finally meet again, they immediately recognize each other, even if they have changed a lot throughout the years, because their relationship lies inside of them. In the same way, love of Krsna is there in us as a potential which needs to be awakened.

For this, look more at pictures of Krsna, dance more, sing more, talk with devotees, and you will see that it will become very concrete. And do you want to know a secret? When you come to Vrndavana-dhama and sit in the dust, Krsna will feel very real.

From a lecture by Sacinandana Swami on December 29, 2022, in Goloka Dhama, Germany.

Srila Prabhupada: Offering prayers to Krsna

By glorifying the Lord with exalted verses, one becomes purified. Although we are unable to offer prayers to the Lord in an adequate fashion, our duty is to make the attempt in order to purify ourselves. It is not that we should stop our glorification because demigods like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva cannot adequately glorify the Lord. Rather, as stated by Prahlada Maharaja, everyone should glorify the Lord according to his own ability. If we are serious and sincere devotees, the Lord will give us the intelligence to offer prayers properly.

From Srila Prabhupada’s commentary to Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.16.2