Srila Prabhupada: What do you understand, fully Krishna conscious?
Visala: It’s to see Krishna face to face?
Prabhupada: That means Krishna conscious? Everyone is seeing Krishna face to face. When you go to the temple Krishna is there, and you are seeing. Does it mean everyone is Krishna conscious?
Visala: No.
Prabhupada: Then what is the meaning of Krishna conscious?
Indian man: Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati.
Prabhupada: Hm, that is part of Krishna consciousness, brahma bhutah. Real Krishna consciousness is: “Krishna is master, I am servant.” This is Krishna consciousness.
Visala: To understand that you’re the servant and Krishna is the master. I see.
Prabhupada: When you fully understand, that is Krishna conscious. (break) So long you think that “I can also become like Krishna,” then you are not Krishna conscious.
Visala: In other words, if you still have material desires you can’t be fully Krishna conscious.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is the beginning of Krishna consciousness, anyabhilasita-sunyam. Make all your material desires zero.
Visala: Thank you very much.
Prabhupada: That is Krishna conscious. You should only desire to serve Krishna. (break) …clear or not?
Visala: Very clear. Thank you very much.
Harikesa: What if a person doesn’t desire material enjoyment, but still, there is so much dirt?
Prabhupada: Hm? Who is that person who has no material desires?
Harikesa: A person really wants to be Krishna conscious, but somehow or another, so much dirt gets in the way.
Prabhupada: Yes. Dirt means it is not yet zero. I said that all material desires should be made zero. Anyabhilasita-sunyam.
Harikesa: As soon as the desires completely change, then everything else is purified.
Prabhupada: Yes. As Arjuna said, karisye vacanam tava, nasto mohah: “Now my illusion is over. I agree to act as you say.” This is Krishna conscious. Nasto mohah smrtir labdha tvat prasadan madhusudana. (break) The moha is there. Moha means these desires are illusion, like dreaming. In dream we see so many things. They are all false. In dreaming I am seeing that somebody is coming to kill me but there is nobody, but still, I am dreaming. This is called moha. So when one is free from moha, then he’s Krishna conscious. The whole material world is going on under such illusion. Therefore it is called maya. Hare Krishna.
Thank you. (end)
(Conversation – December 10, 1975, Vrindavan)
