Real Consciousness is Knowing We Are Eternal Servants of Kṛṣṇa
The living entity in the material world is wandering in a state of amnesia, having forgotten its true spiritual identity. To cure this diseased condition, it is thoroughly explained by Śrīla Prabhupāda that one must awaken their original, pure awareness. When we stop identifying with the temporary physical body and understand our eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord, we enter into the liberated state of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Awakening from Material Illusion
Due to contact with material nature, our pure spiritual awareness becomes colored by the modes of passion and ignorance. This pollution causes us to serve our senses and mind, which is pointed out by Śrīla Prabhupāda as the root cause of our suffering in the cycle of birth and death. By engaging in the process of purification, we can dissipate this gross ignorance and bring our true identity back to the forefront.
- Krsna consciousness is real consciousness, but we color it with other consciousness. That is polluted. So this Krsna consciousness movement means to purify your consciousness.
- So Krsna consciousness means purified consciousness, real consciousness.
- This (identifying with this body) is the grossest type of ignorance, and we are trying to dissipate this ignorance and bring people to real consciousness, real identity. And that is called Krsna consciousness.
- When one's mind and senses are attracted to sense objects for enjoyment, the mind becomes agitated. As a result of continually thinking of sense objects, one's real consciousness almost becomes lost.
The Constitutional Position of the Soul
A madman may imagine himself to be a king and act nonsensically, just as a conditioned soul thinks himself independent of God's control. It is clarified by Śrīla Prabhupāda that genuine sanity is only restored when we realize our constitutional position as the eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa. This is not a newly created state, but the original, clear nature of the soul, free from all material designations.
- Real consciousness, as it is recommended by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that He identifies Himself as eternal servant of Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness.
- So our consciousness-originally clear, Krsna consciousness: "Krsna is my eternal master. I am eternal servant." This is real consciousness.
- So our real business is how to become free from all these designations. Yes. Then we come to the real consciousness.
- The real consciousness is that I am eternal servant of Krishna. Or, it is just like a madman who thinks to himself that he is king, he is free to do whatever he likes, and talks nonsense; but a sane man laughs at him.
Surrendering to the Supreme Master
In material life, we are forced to serve the cruel masters of lust and anger, which afford us no mercy. True liberation occurs, as explained by Śrīla Prabhupāda, when a soul tires of this speculative, miserable existence and finally surrenders to the Supreme Lord. By approaching Kṛṣṇa with an open heart, one achieves perfect shelter and fulfills the ultimate goal of all knowledge.
- After many, many births, when one is developed in his real consciousness, he can understand. - What? What he understands? Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah: (BG 7.19) - That Krsna is the Supreme.
- After performing speculative activities for many, many births, when one actually comes to his real consciousness and surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, Krsna, then the fulfillment of his research in knowledge is actually achieved.
- As masters of the conditioned soul, lust and anger are never merciful. Indeed the conditioned soul will never cease rendering service to such bad masters.when he comes to his real consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, he abandons these bad masters.
- When the living entity comes to his real consciousness, he approaches Krsna with a frank and open heart to achieve His shelter. At such a time he prays to Krsna to be engaged in His transcendental loving service.
Freedom from Birth and Death
The primary benefit of reviving our lost spiritual awareness is the cessation of material miseries. It is guaranteed by Śrīla Prabhupāda that as soon as our Kṛṣṇa consciousness is fully awakened, we are saved from the endless repetition of accepting new material bodies. Instead of behaving like polished animals, we engage our senses in the service of the Lord, which is the very definition of liberation.
- If our real consciousness, means Krsna consciousness, is awakened, then we become aware of our position, constitutional position. Then we are saved from this repetition of birth and death and go back home, back to Godhead.
- So long we serve our senses and mind we remain in this material world, prakrti-sthani. And as soon as we revive our real consciousness, Krsna consciousness - we serve Krsna - that is liberation.
- So this Krsna consciousness movement means to save them from this animal consciousness. Krsna consciousness means real consciousness, and without Krsna consciousness, just animals.
- Unnecessarily we have accepted sufferings of this material world. If our real consciousness, means Krsna consciousness, is awakened, then we become aware of our position, constitutional position.
Conclusion
The journey of the soul in the material world is one of deep forgetfulness, but the remedy is entirely within our reach. By establishing the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, Śrīla Prabhupāda provided humanity with the exact method to awaken their dormant spiritual identity. Once we firmly realize that we are the eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa, the illusion of material existence vanishes, and we are reinstated in our natural, joyful state of real consciousness.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Real Consciousness. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.