Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Category

Category:Converting to Krsna Consciousness

Theme Analysis

Converting a conditioned soul to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is an incredibly arduous task. Because material life is defined by a deep-seated hatred for Kṛṣṇa and a strong desire to exploit matter, changing this consciousness requires immense spiritual potency. It is said that a preacher must spend gallons of blood to successfully convert a single person. Prior to the establishment of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, many mundane svāmīs and scholars traveled to the West to speak on the Bhagavad-gītā and Vedic philosophy. However, because they lacked the backing of pure devotion and authorized disciplic succession, they failed to convert a single person to Vaiṣṇavism throughout history. In contrast, the pure saṅkīrtana movement has astonished the world by transforming thousands of misguided, drug-addicted youths into dedicated servants of the Lord.

The scope of this preaching mission is universally expansive. The profound desire of the spiritual master is to see the entire globe—from the people of Japan and China to the entire population of Africa and the West—become spiritually inclined and happy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The methods for achieving this are practical and authorized. While establishing temples and inviting people to see the Deity and take prasāda is highly effective, the absolute greatest stress is placed on the distribution of transcendental literature. Through these books, people receive the authentic knowledge required to accept a bona fide spiritual master, which is the foundational step for global conversion.

Despite the grand, worldwide scale of this preaching effort, the movement's core philosophy remains deeply individualistic and detached from material results. Echoing the heart of his own spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the pure devotee considers their entire life's mission successful if they can factually convert just one single person into a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Ultimately, the preacher does not agonize over the numerical results of conversion; their sole duty is to humbly flatter the conditioned souls, requesting them to chant the holy names, take prasāda, and gradually utilize everything in the service of the Supreme Lord.

  • The Difficulty of the Task: Converting a materially conditioned soul is an exhausting endeavor that requires the immense spiritual purity of a bona fide representative.
  • Unprecedented Success: Unlike previous mundane scholars, the genuine Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has successfully converted thousands of Westerners to pure Vaiṣṇavism.
  • A Universal Mandate: The preaching mission knows no borders, actively seeking to bring the happiness of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to every continent and culture.
  • The Value of One Pure Soul: While aiming for the entire world, the true success of the mission is realized even if only one person becomes a factually pure devotee.

Pages in category "Converting to Krsna Consciousness"

The following 17 pages are in this category, out of 17 total.