Awareness: that’s what differentiates the living from the non-living. Though all living beings are aware, most of them are aware only of material reality.
The capacity to be aware of spiritual reality: that’s what differentiates human beings from other living beings. Though all human beings have this capacity, few utilize it.
The awareness of spiritual reality: that’s what differentiates spiritualists from other human beings. Not all spiritualists, though, ascend to awareness of the pinnacle of spiritual reality: Krishna.
The active awareness of Krishna as the ultimate spiritual reality: that’s what differentiates devotees from other spiritualists.
The Bhagavad-gita points to this progressive enrichment of awareness when it states (07.03) that among thousands, few endeavor to know Krishna, and among those who endeavor, fewer still actually know him in truth.
What does knowing Krishna in truth mean?
It doesn’t mean theoretical, informational knowledge of Krishna as a historical personality. Millions already have that, and millions more can acquire that just by reading a relevant book.
It means practical, experiential awareness of Krishna as the acme of truth, the paragon of beauty, the ocean of happiness. To be aware of Krishna is to relish an unending flood of wisdom, beauty and joy. Thanks to Krishna’s all-attractiveness, we fall in love with him – completely, eternally, purely.
When we become aware of Krishna, we don’t become unaware of other features and levels of reality; rather, we see them from a higher perspective, just as we would see the road traffic from atop a skyscraper.
Awareness of Krishna not only heightens but also unifies our perspective. We see all of reality not as discrete and discordant sets of perspectives, but as coherent and concordant subsets of visions within the superset of the absolute reality, Krishna.
This unifying awareness is thrilling and fulfilling. It is life’s supreme attainment.
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