Krsna Consciousness: Love and Beauty

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Bengali poet Hemachandra wrote, "There are so many countries rising in prominence: this land, that land – Japan is a very small country, but it is rising like the sun. Only India is under eternal slumber." When he mentioned the other part of the world, he said, "America is rising forcefully, as if he is coming to swallow the whole world. Sometimes he is shouting as if with a war cry, and the whole world is shivering. His enthusiasm is so intense and great that he wants to snatch the world from the solar system, and give it a new shape, a new molding." America has been mentioned in this way by Hemachandra. In the same way, Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja came to give the world a new shape through Krsna consciousness. He once said, "We must go there and build it in a new way – with Krsna consciousness."

What is Krsna consciousness? Krsna consciousness means real love and beauty. Real love and beauty must predominate; not selfishness, or exploitation. Generally, whenever we see beauty, we think that beauty is to be exploited, but actually, beauty is the exploiter, beauty is the master, and beauty is the controlling principle.

And what is love? Love means sacrifice for others. We should not think that sacrifice is to be exploited by us. Who is to be the recipient of sacrifice? Is it our party? No. We are in the group of those who sacrifice themselves: the predominated negative party, Mahabhava's party. The underlying principle of love is sacrifice, but sacrifice for whom? And who is the beneficiary? Love is the beneficiary. Everyone should contribute to the center, but no one should draw energy from there. "Die to live." With this spirit we should combine and work for real love and beauty.

Banner of Love

And beauty will be victorious in the world. Love will be victorious in the world. We will sacrifice everything to see that the banner of divine love will flutter all over the world, for a particle of that divine love will be able to keep peace and distribute peace in all directions. Just as fighting soldiers dedicate everything, and give their lives so their countrymen will benefit in the future, we should sacrifice our lives and work to bring real peace for everyone.

In Vrndavana, the land of Krsna, the standard of sacrifice is unlimited. Devotees there are willing to risk everything for Krsna. If that principle of sacrifice is enthroned, then peace will automatically follow.

Krsna consciousness should be enthroned above all other conceptions. All other conceptions are meant to be subservient to Krsna consciousness. The ideal of Vrndavana, Krsna's abode, is above all other ideals. In theistic comparison, the conception of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's lila is above all other conceptions. There, theism reaches its zenith. That is our highest goal, and step by step, that should be explained, thought out, accepted, and preached.

Source: The Search for Sri Krishna, Reality The Beautiful

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