How to attain the liberated state in this body itself?
A Girl devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
“Jai shree krishna. I wanted to ask, if someone attains Krishna Prema before their death, does that mean they become a liberated soul on this earth and can see Krishna face to face? As in we don’t have to wait till death to see Krishna. Also is it possible to become 100% pure in this lifetime? I am anxious at the thought that it may not be possible meaning it takes multiple lifetimes”
REPLY:
The stage of Krishna Prema means seeing Krishna in everyone and everything.
How can one see Krishna in everyone and everything?
Only when he has no other attachments, likes, dislikes, etc.
(ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE, BHAKTI RASA & KRISHNA PREMA – PROCESS! READ HERE!)
Because, when you have even a trace of attachments, you may think some other things when you see a person or thing.
For example, if you are a very good devotee, but have attachment to Halwa alone in life, you can’t claim that you are under Krishna Prema.
Because, whenever you see anyone eating halwa, your tonque may induce you to get some halwa.
So, you will forget Krishna at that moment.
So, the Krishna Prema stage means, you have forgotten everything but see only Krishna in everyone and everything.
Such a person in Krishna Prema will not be affected though he is stabbed by anyone.
Because, he will take it as the will of Krishna at that point of time.
He will never feel as if he is affected because he would have forgotten that he has an identity other than the part of Krishna.
In this Krishna Prema stage, a devotee entrusts himself to Krishna and is just living in the thoughts of Krishna.
(How to understand if even the enemies killed by Krishna are also liberated? READ HERE!)
If you are in such a Prema stage, that means, you are a liberated soul even in this body.
But, such a stage can’t be attained just by doing some mechanical sadhanas. It comes only when we throw our ego and entrust ourselves fully to Krishna.
This Prema is the ultimate stage that takes you to Krishna’s Kingdom after you leave this body.
How to attain this stage of Krishna Prema?
You should not follow Pravrutti type of relationship with Krishna.
What is Pravrutti relationship?
Pravrutti means, “Krishna, I will do this for you; You please give this in return”
This type of devotion will not give you Krishna Prema. It is a “deal” you are trying to make with Krishna.
(What is called Pure love? Is it possible in this material world? READ HERE!)
Instead, you should follow Nivrutti type of relationship.
What is Nivrutti type of devotion?
It is the complete surrender of everything to Krishna and follow devotion without expecting anything in return from Krishna.
This type of surrender will give Krishna Prema.
Since we still have some or more impurities, we need sadhanas to get purified.
So, we need to follow dedicated chanting of Hare Krishna with taste.
While chanting, we should follow Nivrutti form of selfless devotion to Krishna.
This will make you a Krishna Premi.
(Maintaining Purity & Chastity in Kaliyuga! 15 Tips for devotees! READ HERE!)
Srila Sanatana Gosvami says in “Laghu-Bhagavatamrta”:
“Even if one distributes ten million cows in charity during an eclipse of the sun, lives at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna for millions of years, or gives a mountain of gold in sacrifice to the brahmanas, he does not earn even one hundredth part of the merit derived from chanting Hare Krishna.”
Srimad Bhagavatham (12.3.51) says:
“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.”
This shows that chanting Hare Krishna while following Nishkam devotion will liberate you from all bondages.
If you attain that Krishna Premi stage in which you will see Krishna everywhere, you will not have any needs for you in this earth.
So, you will be considered to be in the liberated state in this body itself.
This is called Jeevan Muktha stage coupled with Krishna Prema.
So, that devotee has already got Krishna in this body itself.
Hope you are clear now about how to attain the liberated state in this body itself.
(DEVELOPMENT OF VAIDHI BHAKTI TO RAGHANUGA BHAKTI! READ HERE!)