How Did We Forget Krishna?

Question 1: How and why did we lose our love for Krishna in the beginning?

Click here to listen to Srila Prabhupada's answer

Jahnava: How and why did we lose our awareness of our true love for Krishna in the beginning?

Tamala Krishna: How and why... How and why did we lose our love for Krishna in the beginning?

Jahnava: No, not the love. Just the awareness of the love, of our true love for Krishna.

Prabhupada: Our awareness is there. You love somebody. But you are meant to love Krishna, that you have forgotten. So forgetfulness is also our nature. Sometimes we forget. And especially because we are very small, minute, therefore even I cannot remember exactly what I was doing last night at this time. So forgetfulness is not unnatural for us. And again, if somebody revives our memory, to accept that, that is also not unnatural. So our loving object is Krishna. Somehow or other, we have forgotten Him. 

We don't trace the history when we forgot. That is useless labor. But we have forgotten, that is a fact. Now revive it. Here is reminder. So take opportunity. Don't try to history why you have forgotten and what was the date of my forgetfulness. Even if you know, what is the use? You have forgotten. Take it. Just like if you go to a physician, he'll never ask you how you got this disease, what is the history of this disease, at what date, at what time you were infected.

No. He simply feels your pulse and sees that you have got a disease and he gives you the medicine: "Yes. You take it." Similarly, we are suffering. That is a fact. Nobody can deny. Why you are suffering? Forgetting Krishna. That's all. Now you revive your memory about Krishna, you become happy. That's all. Very simple thing. Now don't try to find out the history when you forgot. 

You have forgotten, that is a fact, because you are suffering. Now here is an opportunity, Krishna consciousness movement. Revive your memory, your love for Krishna. Simple thing. Chant Hare Krishna, dance, and take Krishna prasada. And if you are not educated, you are illiterate, hear. Just you have got natural gift, ear. You have got natural tongue. So you can chant Hare Krishna and you can hear Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam from persons who are in the knowledge. So there is no impediment. No impediment. It does not require any prequalification. Simply you have to use whatever asset you have got. That's all. You must agree.

That is wanted. "Yes, I shall take to Krishna consciousness." That depends on you because you are independent. If you disagree, "No. Why shall I take to Krishna?" nobody can give you. But if you agree, it is here, very easy. Take it.

- Lecture - Seattle, September 30, 1968