The Vision of Lotuses 25

many flowers, Krsna is the source of innumerable universes, which may
be compared to a big garland of lotuses. This is God. Yasyaika-nisvasita-
kalam athavalambya/ jivanti loma-vilaja jagadanda-nathah (Brahma-
samhita 5.48). Krsna is unlimited. We are very much concerned with this
one planet, but Krsna’s creation contains an unlimited number of plan-
ets. We cannot count how many planets there are, any more than one can
count how many hairs there are on one’s head. This is the nature of
Krsna’s creation. To give another example, on one tree there is an
unlimited number of leaves. Similarly, there is an unlimited number
of planets, and there are unlimited universes. Therefore, Krsna is
unlimited.

Krsna’s navel resembles a lotus, He is garlanded with lotuses, and His
eyes are also compared to the petals of a lotus (dlola-candraka-lasad-
vanamalya-vamsi, Brahma-samhitd 5.31). So if we simply think of only
this one verse, which describes Krsna’s body with reference to the lotus,
we can meditate our whole life on how beautiful Krsna is, how wise
Krsna is, and how Krsna manifests His creation. This is meditation—
thinking of Krsna. Dhydnavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti ‘yam yogi-
nah. A yogi is one who always thinks of Krsna.

Those who think of something impersonal are not yogis. Their medita-
tion simply involves undergoing more and more labor (kleso ’dhikaras
tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam) , and they cannot reach anything substantial.
Therefore after meditation they say, ‘‘Come on, give me a cigarette.
Come on, my throat is now dry. Give me a cigarette.’ That is not medita-
tion. Meditation means thinking of Krsna always (satatam cintayanto
mam) and endeavoring to advance in Krsna consciousness with a firm
vow (yatantas ca drdha-vratah).

We have to be purified. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam
bhavan. Because Krsna is pure, we cannot approach Krsna impurely. But
if we think of Krsna always and meditate upon Krsna, then we shall be
purified. Punya-sravana-kirtanah. That meditation can be possible by
hearing and chanting, and then thinking of Krsna will automatically
come. That is the process of Krsna consciousness. Sravanam kirtanam
visnoh smaranam. The word smaranam means ‘‘remembering.”’ If we
chant and hear, then remembrance will automatically come, and then we
shall engage in worshiping Krsna’s lotus feet (sevanam). Then we shall
engage in the temple worship (arcanam) and offering prayers (van-
danam). We shall engage ourselves as Krsna’s servants (ddsyam), we shall
become Krsna’s friends (sakhyam), and we shall surrender everything to
Krsna (dtma-nivedanam). This is the process of Krsna consciousness.
