Dog on a Royal Throne

By A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj


Habit is second nature; it is very difficult to break. Sva yadi kriyate raja. tat kim nasnaty upanaham (Gitopadesa): One may seat a dog on a royal throne, but as soon as he sees a shoe, he will immediately jump down and run after it simply because he is a dog. The canine qualities are there, and they cannot be changed simply by putting the dog on a throne. Similarly, we have acquired material qualities by associating with the three modes of material nature--sattva guna, rajo guna and tamo guna--and our habits are formed by association with these three qualities, which are the qualities of goodness, passion and ignorance. If, however, we disassociate ourselves from the three modes of material nature, our real spiritual nature is invoked. That is the process of Krishna consciousness. If one is Krishna conscious, there is no chance of his associating with the three modes of material nature, and when one is conscious of Krishna, one's spiritual nature is automatically invoked. That is the secret. Those who seriously follow the process of Krishna consciousness, though previously habituated to many undesirable things, are able to stay on a platform where there is no material contamination simply by virtue of practicing Krishna consciousness.

Thus Krishna consciousness is an excellent medicine. Unless one comes to awareness of Krishna, the habits he forms in association with the three modes of material nature will continue, and he will not be able to change them. If one actually wants freedom from the repetition of birth and death, he must come to Krishna consciousness