Revatīnandana: Yes? (question is asked) How can we know ourselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? How can we know ourselves through Kṛṣṇa consciousness?Prabhupāda: That you will know as they have known. These boys, these girls, they had no idea of Kṛṣṇa four years ago. Now they are fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. So if you follow their process, you'll understand what is Kṛṣṇa.(Lecture on Bhagavad-Gita------Edinburgh).Hṛdayānanda: (translating) He wants to know what are the characteristics of a person who has realized that he is not this body.Prabhupāda: Yes, he is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He doesn't know anything but Kṛṣṇa. That is normal condi... (break) Thank you very much.(Lecture on Bhagavad-Gita------Mexico).Jyotirmayī: So he is saying that "You have been explaining what is God according to Bible and Bhagavad-gītā." So he wants to know if to be able to talk in that way you have met God, you have seen God, and if God has given you the authority for being seated on this vyāsāsana and receiving the obeisances of your disciples.Prabhupāda: Yes. You can also get this position. If you know God and if you can speak about God, then you are also welcome to sit here and speak about God.(Lecture------Paris).Student: How can one inquire of you how to know Kṛṣṇa? What is the process? How does one inquire of the spiritual master when he is (indistinct)?Prabhupāda: When you feel that urge, when you feel that urge. And that urge is created by association. Just like a man, he was never drunkard, but if he associates with drunkards, he'll feel the urge of drinking. Similarly, the same process. Nobody is Kṛṣṇa conscious, but if he associates with the person Kṛṣṇa conscious, he'll feel the urge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and that is your qualification. Then he'll urge, oh, then he'll inquire, "Oh, what is Kṛṣṇa? What is Kṛṣṇa consciousness? How to have it? How to prosecute it? How to execute...?" So many things will come. Ādau śraddhā. The processes I have explained many, many times. Ādau śraddhā. Śraddhā means... Actually, what is called śraddhā? Exact meaning? Some faith. Or some attraction. Not attraction. Some faith. Just like people come here that they have little faith what is Kṛṣṇa, about Kṛṣṇa. Ādau śraddhā, that... If that faith is increased little more, then the association is also needed, sādhu-saṅga (CC-2:22:83), those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is second stage. Then he becomes initiated, follows the rules and regulations. Then all misgivings, misunderstandings, are over. Then attraction, then firm faith, then love, and that is the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There are stages.So first stage is faith. Without faith, nobody can make progress. Just like you are going from here to New York, you are purchasing some travel ticket by aeroplane. So you must have faith that "This company will carry me to New York." Otherwise, there is no progress. If in the very beginning you have no faith—"Oh, I shall purchase ticket. What is guarantee that this plane will carry me to New York?"—it may not carry you to New York, but you have to pinch(?) your faith in the beginning. Then you can go. Similarly, first of all faith is required. Without faith, therefore, faithlessness is no, I mean to say, position of making further progress. Little faith must be there. That faith must be increased by further advancement. In the beginning is the faith, and then the faith becomes firm faith. Then you shall make progress, further, further. You come to the perfect stage.(Lecture on Srimad Bhagavatam------Boston).
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