Art of Desiring Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
Desire is the fuel of existence. For the materialist, desire burns as the unquenchable fire of lust, leading to frustration and rebirth. For the voidist, desire is a source of suffering to be extinguished. But for the Vaiṣṇava, desire is a divine energy to be utilized. Śrīla Prabhupāda defines Kṛṣṇa consciousness as "an art of changing our hearts." This art involves not the destruction of our dynamic nature, but the skilled transformation of our desires from self-centered gratification to the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Impossibility of Being Desireless
The first lesson in the art of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is acknowledging the eternal nature of the soul. Because the soul is active and living, it must desire. The attempt to become desireless is an artificial imposition that ultimately fails because it denies the very symptom of life. The goal, therefore, is to change the object of desire.
- A living being, to become desireless, how you can? I am living. I am not a dead body. Desire should be to satisfy Krsna. Attachment should be for Him. That's all. You have to change. That is Krsna consciousness.
- Krsna consciousness is an art of changing our hearts by purification from the dust of material desires. We cannot stop our desires because as living entities, desiring is the component part of our constitution. But we can purify our desires.
- Krsna consciousness movement is not to stop desiring but purify desiring.
Purification by Dovetailing
The practical application of this art is called "dovetailing." Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that just as a part fits perfectly into a machine, the devotee fits his desires into the plans of the Supreme Lord. By using one's intelligence to plan many activities for Kṛṣṇa's service, the devotee creates a spiritual overflow that washes away stagnant material desires. Without this positive engagement, the mind will inevitably revert to "rubbish desires."
- A devotee with intelligence plans so many things for the service of the Lord in Krsna consciousness that stagnant material desires become overflooded by the desire to serve the Lord.
- A Krsna conscious person is always dovetailed with the supreme desire, for he has no desire for personal sense gratification. He moves exactly like a part of a machine.
- Without Krsna consciousness, you will have simply rubbish desires. And when you are Krsna conscious, then you desire rightly.
One Supreme Desire
While material life is characterized by unlimited, conflicting desires, spiritual life is characterized by focus. Real liberation, or mukti, is defined as the state where the living entity has only one desire remaining: the desire to serve Kṛṣṇa. This singular focus brings peace and constitutes the perfection of consciousness.
- The Krsna consciousness movement means that we are trying to educate people to change the consciousness. We have got so many desires under different consciousness. So one desire, that "I am eternal servant of Krsna," this is called mukti.
- Simply we have to desire to please Him (Krsna), and not desire anything for ourselves. Then we become simply instruments for His will. This is the important essence of Krsna consciousness.
- The stage of pure Krsna Consciousness is when our only desire is to be serving Krsna with no personal considerations whatsoever.
Intensity of Determination
This transformation does not happen casually. It requires intense determination. One cannot maintain the desire to enjoy the material world while simultaneously desiring spiritual advancement. One must decide, "In this life, I shall achieve Kṛṣṇa." This intensity of purpose attracts the mercy of the Lord, who then helps the devotee fulfill this supreme ambition.
- Krsna consciousness can be achieved simply by your intense desire that "This life I shall try to achieve favor of Krsna." Krsna will help you.
- It does not require to become poor to take to Krsna consciousness, but if anyone has the desire that "I will become spiritually advanced; at the same time I shall enjoy this material life," that is not possible.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the art of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the art of living correctly. It validates the living entity's inherent nature to desire but provides the perfect object for that desire. By turning the mind toward the service of the Lord and the association of His devotees, the heart is cleansed of the dust of materialism, and the soul awakens to its eternal, blissful life of service.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vāṇī
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Desiring Krsna Consciousness. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.