SB 3.31.21-Therefore, without being agitated any more, I shall deliver myself from the darkness of nescience with the help of my friend, clear consciousness. Simply by keeping the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu in my mind, I shall be saved from entering into the wombs of many mothers for repeated birth and death.
PURPORT-The miseries of material existence begin from the very day when the spirit soul takes shelter in the ovum and sperm of the mother and father, they continue after he is born from the womb, and then they are further prolonged. We do not know where the suffering ends. It does not end, however, by one’s changing his body. The change of body is taking place at every moment, but that does not mean that we are improving from the fetal condition of life to a more comfortable condition. The best thing is, therefore, to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Here it is stated, upasādita-viṣṇu-pādaḥ. This means realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who is intelligent, by the grace of the Lord, and develops Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is successful in his life because simply by keeping himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will be saved from the repetition of birth and death.
The child prays that it is better to remain within the womb of darkness and be constantly absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness than to get out and again fall a victim to the illusory energy. The illusory energy acts within the abdomen as well as outside the abdomen, but the trick is that one should remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, and then the effect of such a horrible condition cannot act unfavorably upon him. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that one’s intelligence is his friend, and the same intelligence can also be his enemy. Here also the same idea is repeated: suhṛdātmanaiva, friendly intelligence. Absorption of intelligence in the personal service of Kṛṣṇa and full consciousness of Kṛṣṇa always are the path of self-realization and liberation. Without being unnecessarily agitated, if we take to the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness by constantly chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, the cycle of birth and death can be stopped for good.
It may be questioned herein how the child can be fully Kṛṣṇa conscious within the womb of the mother without any paraphernalia with which to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not necessary to arrange for paraphernalia to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. The child wants to remain within the abdomen of its mother and at the same time wants to become free from the clutches of māyā. One does not need any material arrangement to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One can cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness anywhere and everywhere, provided he can always think of Kṛṣṇa. The mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, can be chanted even within the abdomen of one’s mother.One can chant while sleeping, while working, while imprisoned in the womb or while outside. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be checked in any circumstance. The conclusion of the child’s prayer is: “Let me remain in this condition; although it is very miserable, it is better not to fall a victim to māyā again by going outside.”
SSR5–Therefore, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that this is the incarnation of God in this age. And who worships Him? The process is very simple. Just keep a picture of Lord Caitanya with His associates. Lord Caitanya is in the middle, accompanied by His principal associates—Nityānanda, Advaita, Gadādhara, and Śrīvāsa. One simply has to keep this picture. One can keep it anywhere. It is not that one has to come to us to see this picture. Anyone can have this picture in his home, chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and thus worship Lord Caitanya. That is the simple method. But who will capture this simple method? Those who have good brains. Without much bother, if one simply keeps a picture of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu at home and chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, then one will realize God. Anyone can adopt this simple method. There is no expenditure, there is no tax, nor is there any need to build a very big church or temple. Anyone, anywhere, can sit down on the road or beneath a tree and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and worship God. Therefore it is a great opportunity. For example, in business or political life one sometimes finds a great opportunity.Those who are intelligent politicians take a good opportunity and make a success of it the first time it comes. Similarly, in this age, those who have sufficient intelligence take to this saṅkīrtana movement, andthey advance very quickly.
Some Conclusions–Srila Prabhupada mentions above…”.In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that one’s intelligence is his friend, and the same intelligence can also be his enemy. … Absorption of intelligence in the personal service of Kṛṣṇa and full consciousness of Kṛṣṇa always are the path of self-realization and liberation.” He also mentions that no paraphernalia is needed either to become God Conscious, nor do we have to go to some temple, that one can simply sit down along some road with a picture of the Panca Tattva, chant the Holy Names and become Krsna Conscious in this very simple way.
So that intelligence to do such a thing does not happen overnight, nor by chance. It means one has done sufficient penances and austerities in previous lifetimes to understand that THIS constant chanting of Hare Krsna Maha Mantra is what I should do now in this present lifetime. In other places Prabhupada explains that of all the material energies, both gross and fine, intelligence which is very subtle, is sitting right next to the soul itself. Therefore when our intelligence is sufficiently purified and understands these concepts, that intelligence will help guide us to the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord who is now sitting with us within our hearts. With that purified intelligence we will never leave Krsna seva.
This purport above is the general principle and has been shown by so many exhalted souls pastimes given in Srimad Bhagavatam and other places in Scripture. In NOD, for example the story is given of one brahmana who was told you can simply meditate upon serving Krsna, did so, burnt his finger testing some sweet rice, and eventually after his meditations became so intense , Lord Narayana sent for him to come back to Vaikuntha.
The point being from all this is that yes, anybody can do it, but one has to be favored by the Lord, as these are not the typical cases, but exceptions to the rule. The general rule is that devotees must take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master, follow his orders for daily sadhana bhakti, and then after doing that for some time, long or short, he will eventually attain the direct personal darshan and service of God. But anything can happen and this verse and purport is meant to show us that it can happen, but as Srila Prabhupada often times has said, we should work on behalf of the Lord and expect His mercy, but don’t expect any honorary degrees to be bestowed upon us.
” Work now, samadhi later”–SP
And lastly, now that the iskcon temples in most of the world are unfit for serious devotees to visit, this purport shows us that by use of our intelligence only , we can still become Krsna or God Consious.
The temples may come and go, but my books will remain-SP(paraphrased)
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das