Who is called Krishna Conscious? Is it possible for sinners? How?
The simple definition for a Krishna conscious person, as said by Srila Prabhupada is:
“One who has developed attachment with Krishna is Krishna Conscious.”
For a Krishna Conscious person, his consciousness, thoughts, feelings, actions, etc., all are centered at Krishna. He lives for satisfying Krishna, not for his sense gratification. He accepts other relations just as his duty as per his previous karma.
(How to engage our mind, thoughts and actions for Krishna? READ HERE!)
Most of the people suffer in life only because they are material conscious, in other words, maya conscious.
Maya shows attractions and thus push you into the well filled with problems and unjcertainties. There is a kind of female elephant used to attract violent male elephants. This female elephant is called KUMKI elephants. When the forest authorities or hunters try to catch a male elephant, they use these Kumki female elephants. They dig a big pit that can allow a big elephant into it and fill that pit with dry leaves just on the top and the below these leaves, the pit is hollow. They make the trained female Kumki elephant to walk towards the pit. The male elephant also follows the female elephant to mate with it. The Kumki female takes that male elephant near that pit. When the female elephant comes near the pit, it diverts its route and walk safely without falling into the pit because they have been trained. But, the foolish and lusty male elephant follows the female and falls into the pit without knowing that it is a pit filled with dry leaves and sticks. Thus, the male elephant is caught by the people using its weakness towards the female elephants.
Maya also follows the same trick. She shows attractive and temporary colours and pulls us tightly into the material bonding. By showing attractive boys and girls, she makes us to engage in lusty acts. By showing opportunities to sinful acts, maya engages us in sinful acts. Usually, sinful acts are enjoyable in the beginning, but miserable at the end.
For example, illicit affairs are thrilling initially, but, after engaging in them, the man or woman invites many problems as he/she gets attached to commitment with that girl or boy. In serious cases, the sinner invites many diseases.
(How to live happily in spite of problems in life? READ HERE!)
If they do not work, but, earn by cheating others, initially, they feel a thrill. But, when they are one day caught by police, they suffer in jail and all their image go.
This is the nature of activities that we do getting induced by maya. Whereas, in the activities we do in Krishna Consciousness, we are not bound with material life, but, we get liberated. Krishna cleverly and gradually makes us uninterested in material pleasures and sinful acts.
(Tips to Convert our Material Career as Karma Yoga & Working for Krishna! READ HERE!)
Krishna is the most powerful person and all His creations are existing and functioning as instructed by Krishna.
Therefore, any level of sinner can become the dear devotee of Krishna if he stops all his sinful acts and surrender to Krishna and work sincerely to satisfy Krishna.
Krishna is able to cleanse the sins of people if He is convinced that the sinner has given up the sinful acts and sufficiently surrendered to Himself. Since he will start to lead a life with material detachment, karma, ie, reactions for past actions can’t affect him.
Material detachment is possible only if we get the most powerful attachment of Krishna.
(Is being affectionate with Relatives attachment that leads to rebirth? READ HERE!)
Why detachment by forceful means is not effective?
Examples:
If you detach in life because of getting frustrated with the love failures, you will again get attached if any girl/ boy starts to love you and that love ends in marriage successfully. Your detachment was by force.
If you detach because of your repeated failure in becoming rich, you will again develop attachment if you get a big amount through someone one day in future.
But, naturally growing detachment because of our attachment with Krishna is permanent because no other person can attract you since Krishna is the most attractive person.
That is why, many devotees who were doing many sinful acts in their past life get reformed when they start to follow Krishna Consciousness sincerely.
Depending on our level of sincerity in adopting and following Krishna Consciousness, the timings of results may vary. But, with sincere following and sincere attachment with Krishna, our attachment with sinful acts induced by maya will come down.
Thousands of proofs and evidences are there even in the movement of Srila Prabhupada. If they follow the regulative principles such as No meat, No gambling, No intoxication and No illicit relations, and involve in the service to Krishna in addition to devotional practices, their elevation is assured.
We need not have even a trace of doubt in this. So, follow Krishna Consciousness with full faith.
Don’t see the backside. Just proceed on the path of Krishna. Do other assigned duties just as duties without attachments for your and family’s living.
That’s all. You are now Krishna Conscious.
(11 Tips for starting and managing Krishna Consciousness for starters! READ HERE!)