(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2003)In one sense, the devotee is always in Vrindavan. It is said that Vrindavan is a state of consciousness. Prabhupada mentioned that one cannot just go to Vrindavan by some travel agent or by making some travel arrangements, but one must be there in consciousness. And we find a similar description when
Caitanya Mahaprabhu, after taking sannyass, He met Advaita Acarya and Advaita Acarya at one point said to Him, "My Lord, wherever You are, You are in Vrindavan." So wherever the Vaishnava is, he is in Vrindavan. He is in the spiritual world, because he has that intimate relationship with Krsna, in all activities. If we look at all the other different spiritual paths, the first basic problem is that the Lord is not visible. And the spiritual world is not visible. One cannot perceive it, and therefore it is necessary for some sort of process to bring about a change of consciousness - some purification, whatever may be - before one can actually perceive His trascendental abode, pastimes.
So different traditions are trying by some process of either meditation, austerity, prayer, in these ways they are trying to bridge that gap - they are trying to get into the other ethereal realm.
But Krsna Consciousness is different. Krsna Consciousness brings the ethereal realm down here. It points out that the ethereal realm is here. It's not that there is a need to focus on another world. Yes, of course, that other world is there, it is a part of reality, but in due course of time, one's ability to perceive reality will extend, because the Lord will reveal transcendental knowledge within the heart, but that, already here, in this planet, everything is here to fully experience the spiritual reality. ...
In Krsna Consciousness, it's immediately here, like for eg. one can say there are descriptions how in the Astakalya Lila, the gopis are cleaning the kunjas where Krsna is being received with Srimati Radharani. In these kunjas we see how various gopis, various manjaris, are rendering their assisting service, and it is described how one of them was sweeping the marble floor with her long hair. Alright, that may be in such conditions, but there is no difference in sweeping the floor with her hair, or sweeping the temple floor with a broom. The same capacity for raas is available. The same capacity for the service relationship with Krsna is there - it doesn't depend on anything external.
So this is very nice, that Krsna Consciousness makes this everyday immediately accessible reality totally surcharged with all spiritual potency, and it's not the conditions where we are in that are the impediments, but that it is our consciousness that is the impediment, and that simply we can engage all things in the service of Krsna immediately and actually be in the spiritual world.
(Kadamba Kanana Swami 2003)
