102 THE PATH OF PERFECTION Failure and Success in Yoga 103

transport us to an undesirable body. Or, if the consciousness progress is a question of practice. When a child is born, he neither
passes over roses, it carries the aroma of roses, and thus we are knows how to smoke nor how to drink, but through association he
transported to a body wherein we can enjoy the results of our pre- becomes a drunkard or a smoker. Association is the most impor-
vious work. If we train ourselves to work in Krsna consciousness, tant factor. Sangat sanjdyate kamah. For instance, there are many
our consciousness will carry us to Krsna. Different types of body business associations, and by becoming a member of certain
are developed according to consciousness, therefore, if we train associations, one’s business flourishes. In any endeavor, associa-
our consciousness according to the yogic principles, we will attain tion is very important. For the development of divine conscious-
a body wherein we can practice yoga. We will get good parents and ness, we have established the International Society for Krishna
a chance to practice the yoga system, and automatically we will be Consciousness, in which the methods of attaining divine con-
able to revive the Krsna consciousness practiced in our previous sciousness are taught. In this society we invite everyone to come
body. Therefore it is stated in this last verse, ‘‘By virture of the and chant Hare Krsna. This process is not difficult, and even
divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically be- children can participate. No previous qualifications are necessary,
comes attracted to the yogic principles—even without seeking one doesn’t need a master’s degree or doctorate. Our invitation to
them.” Therefore, our present duty is to cultivate divine con- everyone is to join this association and become Krsna conscious.
sciousness. If we want divine life, spiritual elevation, and eternal, The Supreme Lord, God, is pure, and His kingdom is also
blissful life, full of knowledge—in other words, if we want to go pure. If one wants to enter His kingdom, he must also be pure.
back home, back to Godhead—we have to train ourselves in This is very natural; if we want to enter a particular society, we
divine consciousness, or Krsna consciousness. must meet certain qualifications. If we want to return home, back
This can be easily done through association (sarigat safjdyate to Godhead, there is a qualification we must meet—we must not
kamah). Through divine association, our consciousness is made be materially contaminated. And what is this contamination?
divine, and through demoniac association, our consciousness is Unrestricted sense gratification. If we can free ourselves from the
made demoniac. Therefore, our consciousness must be trained to material contamination of sense gratification, we can become eli-
be divine through the proper association of those in Krsna con- | gible to enter the kingdom of God. That process of freeing our-
sciousness. That is the duty of one in this human form, a form that selves, of washing ourselves of this contamination, is called the
gives us a chance to make our next life completely divine. To at- yoga system. As stated before, yoga does not mean sitting down
tain this end, we should try to contact those who are developing for fifteen minutes, meditating, and then continuing with sense
divine consciousness. gratification. To be cured of a certain disease, we must follow the
prescriptions of a physician. In this Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-
prayatnad yatamanas tu gitd, the process of yoga is recommended, and we have to follow
yogi samsuddha-kilbisah the prescribed methods in order to be freed from material con-
aneka-janma-samsiddhas tamination. If we succeed in doing so, we can link up, or connect,
tato yati param gatim with the Supreme.
Krsna consciousness is a method for connecting directly with
“But when the yogi engages himself with sincere endeavor in the Supreme. This is the special gift of Lord Caitanya Maha-
making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then prabhu. Not only is this method direct and immediate, but it is
ultimately, after many, many births of practice, he attains the also practical. Although many people entering this Society have
supreme goal.” (Bg.6.45) As indicated in this verse, making . no qualifications, they have become highly advanced in Krsna
