We are often conscious of many things in life, and consciousness can be said to be the energy that enables us to become aware of things and even to become absorbed in things. When we grow in wisdom, we start trying to direct our consciousness toward things that truly matter, things that last, things that change us for the better in an enduring way. 

As we evolve in spiritual understanding with guidance from wisdom texts like the Bhagavad-gita, we understand that Krishna is the ultimate reality, and taking shelter of him is the best way to protect our consciousness from life’s upheavals (Bhagavad-gita 06.22). 

When we thus strive to become Krishna conscious, our journey begins with bringing Krishna into our consciousness, which means we make him a component of our consciousness. As we learn more about him and learn to love him more, Krishna starts becoming the primary content of our consciousness. And as we grow further in our wisdom and devotion, we increasingly appreciate that Krishna is not just the supreme reality that can enter our consciousness but also the supreme reality (07.19) that our consciousness can enter into whereby we become absorbed in him. Pertinently, the Gita declares that absorption of our mind and intelligence in Krishna enables us to live in him (12.08).

Though we never lose our self-existence because we are eternal individual beings, we do lose our self-consciousness as our consciousness becomes absorbed in Krishna and thus we attain his shelter. Just as a person who is sheltered amidst a storm enters into a sheltering structure that covers them fully, similarly our consciousness becomes immersed in him and we become joyfully lost in him. 

Thus, the journey toward Krishna consciousness begins with making him a component of our consciousness, thereafter making him the primary content of our consciousness and finally making him the container of our consciousness.

Summary:

Taking shelter of Krishna means that Krishna becomes not just in the content of our consciousness but also the container of our consciousness. 

Think it over

  • What are the three stages in the journey toward Krishna consciousness?
  • What does taking shelter of Krishna mean? Explain with an analogy.
  • What activities enable you to take shelter of Krishna?

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12.08. Just fix your mind upon Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt.

What does taking shelter of Krishna mean?

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