‘*Your Original Consciousness
Is Krsna Consciousness’’

“Your original consciousness is Krsna consciousness, ” Srila Prabhupada tells

freelance reporter Sandy Nixon. “Now your consciousness is covered with so
much rubbish. You have to cleanse it, and then— Krsna consciousness. Our
consciousness is like water. Water is by nature clear and transparent, but
sometimes it becomes muddy. If you filter all the mud out of the water, it again
comes to its original clear, transparent state.”

Ms. Nixon: My first question is very basic. What is Krsna conscious-
ness?

Srila Prabhupada: ‘“‘Krsna’”’ means God. We are all intimately con-
nected with Him because He is our original father. But we have forgotten
this connection. When we become interested in knowing, ‘‘What is my
connection with God? What is the aim of life?’’ then we are called Krsna
conscious.

Ms. Nixon: How does Krsna consciousness develop in the practitioner?

Srila Prabhupada: Krsna consciousness is already there in the core of
everyone’s heart. But because of our materially conditioned life, we have
forgotten it. The process of chanting the Hare Krsna mahd-mantra—Hare
Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare—revives the Krsna consciousness we already
have. For example, a few months ago these American and European
boys and girls did not know about Krsna, but just yesterday we saw how
they were chanting Hare Krsna and dancing in ecstasy throughout the
whole Ratha-yatra procession [an annual festival sponsored by the Krsna
consciousness movement in cities around the world]. Do you think that
was artificial? No. Artificially, nobody can chant and dance for hours
together. They have actually awakened their Krsna consciousness by
following a bona fide process. This is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta
[Madhya 22.107]:

nitya-siddha krsna-prema ‘sddhya’ kabhu naya
Sravanadi-Suddha-citte karaye udaya

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