Question: I feel Kṛṣṇa is very abstract at this point. When does Kṛṣṇa become reality? How to get there?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
The experience of Kṛṣṇa becomes real, as opposed to imagined, notional, or abstract through the purification of consciousness.
Life of higher consciousness begins when one has at least preliminary faith. Preliminary faith is the conviction there is a higher reality than what we are accustomed to experience in day-to-day life. Those who are in touch with that higher reality are the devotees – and their association is called sādhu-saṅga.
The third stage of bhakti life – which follows preliminary faith and sādhu-saṅga – is to perform devotional activities together with the sadhus. This is called bhajana-kriyā.
The result of bhajana-kriyā is gradual cleansing of the heart of unwanted things, or anartha-nivṛttiḥ.
The direct experience of Kṛṣṇa is not an abstract concept or a mere notion; you actually experience Kṛṣṇa’s potency and mercy as you proceed through the anartha-nivṛttiḥ process.
Experiencing Kṛṣṇa directly is likened to the rising of the sun in the morning. Even before the sun fully rises, there is dawn. Seeing light gradually illuminating the sky, dispelling the darkness of night, you know the sun is coming even though you have not yet directly seen the sun.
Patiently and faithfully continue bhajana-kriyā. The sun will arise.
