2 Krsna Consciousness: the Topmost Yoga System

This topmost yoga system was described by Krsna in the
Gita to His most intimate friend, Arjuna. In the beginning, the
Lord said that this system can be practiced only by a person
who has developed attachment for it. This Krsna conscious
yoga system cannot be practiced by an ordinary man who has
no attachment for Krsna, for it is a different system, and the
topmost—bhakti-yoga.

There are five types of direct attachment, and there are
seven types of indirect attachment. Indirect attachment is not
bhakti. Direct attachment is called bhakti. If you are attached
to Krsna by the direct method, it is called devotional service,
and if you are attached to Krsna by an indirect method, it is
not devotional service. But that is also attachment. King Kamsa,
for example, was the maternal uncle of Krsna; and there was a
warning that Karsa would be killed by one of his sister’s sons. '
So he became very anxious about the sons of his sister , and he
decided to kill his sister. Devaki, Krsna’s mother, was saved
by her husband, Vasudeva, who made a compromise and
proposed to his brother-in-law as follows: “You are afraid of
the son of your sister. So your sister herself is not going to
kill you.” He requested, “Don’t kill your sister. Save her,
and I promise that all the sons born of her will be brought to
you, and if you like you can kill them.”

Vasudeva did this in order that his poor wife might be saved.
And Vasudeva thought, “When Devaki’s son is born, Kamsa
may have a change of heart.” But Kamsa was such a great
demon that he killed all the sons of Devaks. It was told that
the eighth son of the sister would kill him. So, when Krsna
was in the womb of His mother, Kamsa was always thinking of
Krsna. You may say that he was not Krsna conscious, but
actually he was. Not directly, not for love’s sake; but as an
enemy. He was Krsna conscious as an enemy. So, that is not
devotional service. One in devotional service is Krsna conscious
as Krsna’s friend, Krsna’s servant, His parent, or His lover.
