Devotee: How do you know when..., how do you know when he's attained to Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: When he develops attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can certify him. He will certify himself. If you have got attachment for any other thing, then you are not in samādhi. If you have only attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then you are in samādhi. You don't require certificate from others. You know yourself. Just like while eating you can understand whether you are satisfied or not. While eating, if you are hungry man, if you are eating, you'll know, "Oh, I have eaten something. I am feeling now strength." You don't require to inquire from your friend, "Oh, am I feeling strength?" "Oh," he'll say, "what nonsense. You know yourself." Similarly, if you have... You can test yourself whether you have got full attachment for Kṛṣṇa. If not, you are not in samādhi. The test is in your hand. And that is being explained. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. In full attachment for Kṛṣṇa. And you can understand what is the meaning of attachment. You have got attachment for sex. You have got attachment for so many things. So similarly, if you have developed attachment only for Kṛṣṇa and you have no more any other attachment, then you are in samādhi. It is not artificial. It is practical. (pause) Śrī Rāma. (end)

(Lecture on Bhagavad-Gita--------San Francisco).

Devotee: How can a devotee be free from being attracted to this worldliness?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: How can a devotee be free...?

Prabhupāda: When he's attracted by Kṛṣṇa, he'll forget. Just like we are more or less not attracted by these material features because we have little attraction for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. So increase your attraction for Kṛṣṇa; you'll forget all nonsense. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (S.B.11:2:42). The bhakti means more realization of God and forgetting this, all this nonsense. That is bhakti. That is the test of bhakti: how much you have become disinterested with this material advancement. That is bhakti, advancement of bhakti. And the... Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, niṣkiñcanasya. At last, when you'll feel that "Now I am dispossessed of all this material nonsense," then you make progress. And so long you'll feel "I have got this, I have got that, I am in possession of this, I...," that means your material disease is continuing. When you'll feel that "I do not have anything material," that is the beginning of Bhāgavata-dharma.

(Morning walk--------Paris).

Devotee (3): How is it possible that Tulasi-devī is a pure devotee, what we might call a plant?

Prabhupāda: That you cannot know in your impure state. You just become pure. You will understand. (laughter) Just like a physician, he can understand another physician, what is his position. The layman, what he can understand? If you say, physician, "Oh, how I can understand this physician?" How you can understand? You are not a physician. You become a physician, then you will understand what kind of physician he is. So when you become devotee, you will understand what kind of devotee is Tulasi. So long you are not devotee, you cannot understand. Don't expect. Therefore we have to accept the authority. That is beginning. Śāstra says, "Tulasi is the greatest devotee of Kṛṣṇa." We have to accept, that's all. Authority. How she is so great devotee, that you will understand when you become a devotee. You come to the platform; then you will understand, not before. Now chant.

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