(Click to enlarge photo of Srila Prabhupada and devotees, Potomac, 1976)
"When I am actually serious to have connection with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So Kṛṣṇa can understand. We cannot hide anything from Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Because Kṛṣṇa is sitting side by side, just like two birds, sitting side by side. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree. Another bird is the witness. That is the Vedic version. So as soon as I become serious to know about Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa can understand, 'Now My friend is very serious.' So He will find out a bona fide guru for him.
Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (Cc. Madhya 19.151). By the, by the double mercy... Kṛṣṇa's mercy, and guru's mercy. If one is serious, Kṛṣṇa is satisfied: 'Now he's serious about finding out, about knowing Me.' Then Kṛṣṇa gives him direction that 'Here is guru, My representative. You take shelter of him and you will get Me.' This is the way.
That is explained in this..., that by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, that it is a fortunate person. Fortunate person means he must be sincere, serious to know about Kṛṣṇa. That is fortunate. Because our misfortune has begun by forgetting Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare (Prema-vivarta). When we desire to enjoy this material world, forgetting service of Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of our misfortune. That is the beginning. Because as soon as I forget Kṛṣṇa, that is the beginning of my misfortune.
So in order to be, in order to become again fortunate, I have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the way. The same... By some way or other... Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli gela ataeva kṛṣṇa māyā..., ataeva māyā tāre galila baddhiya (CC Madhya 20.117). Some way or other, we forgot Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunate because we are, even we have got this opportunity of remembering Kṛṣṇa, we are trying to avoid Him. We are bringing so many nonsense things: 'Why not this? Why not that? Why not...?' This is misfortune. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). But we are presenting, 'Why not this? Why not that? Why not this? Why not that?' this is our misfortune. Why? Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekam. Why shall I try to put another alternative? Why? What is the reason? That is our misfortune. Kṛṣṇa is offering the fortune. Sarva-dharmān parityaja mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is fortune. But I'll not take that. Kṛṣṇa says, 'Get up. Give up all other engagements. Simply take shelter of Me. I shall give you all protection.' But I don't believe Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is my misfortune.
This fortune, to become fortunate and misfortunate... Just like in English word, 'Man is the architect of his own fortune.' Is it not? 'Man is the architect of his own fortune.' But if you, as you are architect of your own fortune, you are architect of your own misfortune also. So if you don't accept Kṛṣṇa's advice, then you must consider yourself unfortunate. We should be cautious: 'Why shall I become unfortunate? I must become fortunate.' So that, to become fortunate, is not very difficult thing. All these Kṛṣṇa consciousness people, they are fortunate. They have taken Kṛṣṇa's advice as it is, without any change. They're fortunate. And that is being manifested, that they are fortunate. So this is the process."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Vrindavan, October 30, 1972)
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