We are spirit soul, pure, as Kṛṣṇa is pure. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; we are also pure. That is qualitative equality. Not quantitative. Kṛṣṇa is the great, we are the small. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.20). He is mahato mahīyān, we are aṇor aṇīyān. We are aṇu, atomic, atomic sparks of Kṛṣṇa. So actually, we are pure, but as we associate with the qualities of material nature, we become impure. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify, to purify the impure living entities. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). If you become purified, ceto-darpaṇa . . . where the purificatory process begins? From the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa. Cittaḥ, desires. We have got so many desires, and Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He fulfills your desire, my desire. Whatever you like you can do. But you'll never be happy in that way. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said: "Give up all these nonsense desire. Simply surrender unto Me. That is your only business."
So that is the . . . as we have discussed in the last verse, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Glānir bhavati bhārata. Glāniḥ. We should not desire anything except serving Kṛṣṇa. That is our fulfillment of life. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Or anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). We should not desire anything except we simply desire how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to remain a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Even we should not speculate so-called knowledge. What kind of knowledge we can get? We are deficient, imperfect in so many ways. So what is the use of speculating, of our knowledge? Therefore jñāna. And karma, fruitive activities, "Let me work hard and get the result and enjoy." This is called karma. And jñāna means speculative knowledge. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). Simply cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness favorably, not unfavorably.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . . just like demons like Kaṁsa; he was also Kṛṣṇa conscious. What was his purpose? He was conscious, he was making plan how to kill Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is not anukūla. Ānukūlyena. We should be Kṛṣṇa conscious favorably. "What Kṛṣṇa wants, and how can I serve Him?" That is anukūla. And "Kṛṣṇa wants this, I'll not do this. Rather I shall kill Kṛṣṇa. I shall read Bhagavad-gītā to kill Kṛṣṇa. There is no Kṛṣṇa. There was no Kṛṣṇa. There was no battlefield of Kurukṣetra. It is imaginary," that means the Kaṁsa's program, for killing Kṛṣṇa. So we should not adopt that. That is pratikūla Kṛṣṇa consciousness, reading Kṛṣṇa's books but trying to kill Kṛṣṇa. So this is going on, "Not to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and a learned scholar, commentator, is saying: "It is not to Kṛṣṇa, not to the person Kṛṣṇa." This is going on. This kind of consciousness will not help us. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes down:
- yadā yadā hi dharmasya
- glānir bhavati bhārata
- tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham
- paritrāṇāya sādhūnām
- (BG 4.7)
Sādhu, they are very much neglected. They are criticized, "You are service mentality. You are after Kṛṣṇa. You have given up all material enjoyment." So they tolerate. Those who are devotees, they tolerate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us these things. What is that word?
Devotees: Tṛṇād api sunīcena . . .
Prabhupāda: Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā (CC Adi 17.31). You have to learn toleration. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was tolerating. His father became enemy. What is the fault of this little boy, five years? Because he was Kṛṣṇa conscious, his father became enemy.
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is rather difficult. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, you will . . . just like we are experiencing in this land so many obstacles. Now the latest difficulty is that they are not sanctioning our plan, "No temple, sir." So we have to tolerate. What can be done? There are so many temples, but we are faulty. Because we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, our temple will not be sanctioned. So this is going on. This is not new thing. It is very old thing. As soon as . . . because māyā is very strong. Māyā sees that, "This person is now Kṛṣṇa conscious. He'll go out of my clutches." Because Kṛṣṇa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Māyā puts obstacles so that he may not go away. But if you stick to your principle, catch Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet very tightly, then you'll be saved. Kṛṣṇa will save. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So this is our duty. In spite . . . despite all difficulties, we cannot give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We must go on.