Approaching Krishna, the All-pervading Truth
(Purport to Chapter Four continued)
I am very pleased, therefore, when my disciples nicely dress the Deity, offer the Deity nice foodstuffs, and keep the temple very clean. Sri-mandira-marjanadau. Marjana means "cleansing." Whether one dresses Krishna or cleanses the temple, the spiritual benefit one receives is the same. Don't think, "I am only a cleanser, and he is a dresser." No, the person who is dressing the Deity and the person who is cleansing the temple are the same because Krishna is absolute. Therefore, one should engage in Krishna's service in any way, and one's life will be successful. This is the Krishna consciousness movement.
By the grace of Kuntidevi we can understand that Krishna, Vasudeva, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word vasudeva also indicates that the Lord is understood when one comes to the platform of pure goodness, which is also called vasudeva, or visuddha-sattva. Sattvam visuddham vasudeva-sabditam (SB 4.3.23). To understand the Supreme Lord, we must first come to the platform of sattva, goodness, but goodness here in the material world is sometimes contaminated by the lower qualities ignorance and passion. By hearing about Krishna, however, one comes to the platform of pure goodness. Srinvatam sva-kathah krishnah punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. We should try to hear and chant about Krishna always, twenty-four hours a day, and in this way the dirty things will be cleansed from our hearts. It is not that one should only attend a bhagavata-saptaha, an official reading of Srimad-Bhagavatam for seven days. That is another form of exploitation. In the Bhagavatam it is said, nashta-prayesv abhadreshu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. The word nityam means "daily" or "twenty-four hours a day." One should always read Srimad-Bhagavatam and carry out the order of one's spiritual master. The word bhagavata may refer either to the spiritual master or to the book Srimad-Bhagavatam. So one should always serve the person bhagavata or the book Bhagavata. Bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naishthiki. Then one will be fixed immovably (naishthiki) in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In this way, one should realize the benefits of the Krishna consciousness movement by the prescribed spiritual process and try to distribute these benefits to other people. To awaken the dormant Krishna consciousness of others is the greatest welfare activity in the world. We can actually see that devotees who were not Krishna conscious four or five years ago have been awakened and are now Krishna conscious. Similarly, others can be awakened also. There is no difficulty. The process is the same.
By following in the footsteps of devotees like Kunti, we shall be able to understand Krishna's identity. For example, we may ask a person's identity by asking, "What is your father's name?" So Srimad-Bhagavatam presents God with His father's name, His mother's name, and even His address. We are not impersonalists with a vague idea of God. If one takes advantage of the Krishna consciousness movement, one can understand God perfectly and completely.
--------------------------------------------Written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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