Guest: What is the first stage of transformation like in the consciousness after one discovers chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra?

Prabhupāda: You understand what you are. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra when you are purified, then you can understand that you are not this body; you are soul. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho abhadrāṇi (S.B.1:2:17). Abhadrāṇi means inauspicious things. That is the modes of ignorance and passion. So in the material world some of us, most of us, we are covered by these modes of passion and ignorance. That is abhadra. That is most inauspicious. We cannot understand. But gradually we have to come to the modes of goodness, sattva-guṇa. So rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa is covering us. So by śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ... If you hear about Kṛṣṇa, then these dirty things, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, will be cleansed. And even it is not completely cleansed, naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu (S.B.1:2:18), even almost clean, then you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa. And as soon as you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, the resultant action of tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa, namely kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (S.B.1:2:19). So long you are covered by the passion and ignorance... The ignorance means you do not know anything. Just like animals. And passion means although human being, they are after sense gratification. That is called passion. So both these qualities will keep you in darkness. By the resultant action of these modes, you will be simply greedy and lusty. So if you come to the platform of sattva-guṇa, then you become free from this greediness and lustiness. Then your life becomes settled. Then gradually you will understand what is God, what is your relationship. Tato rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (S.B.1:2:19). Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (S.B.1:2:18). You can do that simply by cultivating this Bhāgavata life. That is required.

(Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam----------Melbourne).

Hayagrīva: Would it not be better to say that the living entity is born with certain tendencies, rather than innate ideas, which carry over from a previous life?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: And that he needs only meet with some stimulus in order for these tendencies to be manifest?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like when the, a dog, cat, is born it has no eyes, and it searches out the nipples of the mother. So although his eyes are all closed—you have seen the dogs—but because in his previous life as dog he had the experience where to find out the food, so even though it cannot see, it traces out where is the food. That is past experience and that is the proof of the continuation of the soul eternally. Just like I am living in this room and, say, for ten years I am absent from this room, but after ten years when I come here, immediately I remember where is the toilet, where is my sitting place, everything. So that remembrance comes from the last visit. So a living entity is passing through different species of form. That is his material life. So in some previous life, millions of years, when he was a dog, he knew where to find out his food, so immediately in the dog's body again, he remembers. (break)

(Philosophy discussion).

Pañca-draviḍa: When somebody is dying and his external consciousness is completely absorbed in all kinds of terrible bodily symptoms, how is it that a devotee remembers Kṛṣṇa? What is actually happening that he's able to remember Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Devotee generally remembers Kṛṣṇa. But even if he cannot, Kṛṣṇa will help him.

(Morning walk----------Mayapura).