(Click to enlarge photo of Srila Prabhupada)
Devotee: How do we free ourself from māyā?
Prabhupāda: Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious and māyā will not touch you. Just like you take injection, vaccine, and the infection will not touch you. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. Find out this verse. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Seventh Chapter. Read it.
Devotee (2):
daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te
(BG 7.14)
(This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.)
Prabhupāda: So, any other question? Yes?
Devotee or Guest: I want to ask you how can we possibly know that one has attained Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Prabhupāda: You have to think of Kṛṣṇa. Hmm? What did he say, question?
Devotee (3): He wanted to know what are the symptoms of one who has become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Prabhupāda: Symptoms? He's chanting always Hare Kṛṣṇa. Unless one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, why he'll take the trouble, twenty-four hours, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa"? This is the symptom. The symptom is further explained that as soon as you see one man and you remember Kṛṣṇa, that means he's Kṛṣṇa conscious. So our men, wherever they go, people say "Hare Kṛṣṇa!"—by seeing him only. Therefore the man is Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the proof. That is the statement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "If by seeing one person you remember Kṛṣṇa, that person is Kṛṣṇa conscious."
Devotee (3): Why it seems that when the soul comes into contact with material nature it becomes contaminated?
Prabhupāda: He wants to enjoy this material enjoyment. Just like everyone is going to the restaurant for eating something palatable, but we are not going; and somebody is going to cinema, but we are not going to the cinema. Similarly, there are two kinds of men: one is attracted, one is not attracted. Those who are not attracted, they are called nitya-siddha, eternally liberated. And those who are being attracted, they are called nitya-baddha, eternally conditioned. So you'll find always two classes of men. So one is attracted; one is not attracted. In the spiritual world the number of liberated person—many, many times greater than these conditioned soul. Just like the prison house and outside the prison house. The population outside the prison house, their number is very great, but within the prison house there are small number, criminals. So there are innumerable living entities. Out of them, some of them become attracted to this material enjoyment; others not. So one who does not want to serve Kṛṣṇa and wants to serve his senses, he's put into this material world. And he's given all facilities to enjoy, but he becomes entangled. This is the position. Yes?
Devotee (3): How is..., devotion for service: how is it born? How does it arise?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Devotee (3): How do we develop devotion for service, desire for service?
Prabhupāda: That is, means... If you are serious, you come to us. I shall teach you.
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Mexico City, February 15, 1975)
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