When there is excessive heat, the sunshine evaporates seawater and it turns into gas, which is called cloud. So cloud has no separate existence beyond the sunshine, it is also a product of the sunshine. Similarly, this māyā, illusion, is also a creation of God. And because it is creation of God, it can be dissolved by the mercy of God. The same process: the cloud is there, but when the sunshine is too bright the cloud disappears: no more cloud.
Similarly, if you can capture the sunshine of Kṛṣṇa, and if you make it brighter, or if you go to the brighter side—sunshine is always there, similarly bright side of Kṛṣṇa is always there—that side is the association of the devotees. Instead of associating with nondevotees, if you associate with these devotees, then you get that sunshine, or the light and heat from Kṛṣṇa. That is the process. Same way: if you somehow or other you go up the cloud, then you get this full sunshine.
Similarly, if you capture the association of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you get sunshine, that Kṛṣṇa’s shining. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But unfortunately there are some people, they do not want it, or they have no knowledge. But this process is like that. We cannot be happy within this cloud-covered material existence. We are spirit by nature. We are sparks, spiritual sparks. We have to associate with Kṛṣṇa; then we can have our full-fledged.
Another example: just like there is fire, and there are small particles of sparks coming out of the fire. The sparks which is coming out of the fire, it falls down beyond the range of the flame, it becomes charcoal, carbon, immediately—black charcoal. But if it remains with the fire, it is as bright as the fire. All this a small spark.
Similarly, if you remain always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness fire, you are also as good as Kṛṣṇa, ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. And as soon as you go out of the boundary, or somehow or other you are covered, just like cloud, then you become black, or extinguished—no more fire, although the fire potency is there. Just like coal: the coal, it looks very blacks, carbon; but put it in the fire, it becomes red, very good fire.