What Does Self-realization Mean?

Self-realization means becoming indifferent to the needs of the gross and subtle bodies and becoming serious about the activities of the self. The impetus for activities is generated from the self, but such activities become illusory due to ignorance of the real position of the self.

By ignorance, self-interest is calculated in terms of the gross and subtle bodies, and therefore a whole set of activities is spoiled, life after life. When the living being desires to be an enjoyer of material energy, the Lord covers the living being in the mystery of forgetfulness, and thus the living being misinterprets the gross body and subtle mind to be his own self (SB 1.3.33 Purport)

When one thinks that I am an Indian, I am an America, I am a dog, one identifies with the specific bodily and mental designations and acts accordingly as an Indian, an American or a dog. One’s life goal is aimed at serving the needs and demands of such designations hence repeatedly suffering the miseries of material existence of birth, death, old age and disease.

A dog thinks, “I am a dog,” because he has the body of a dog. If I am thinking that I am Indian because this body was born on Indian soil, then how am I different from the dog? Identifying with the gross and subtle body and living a life centred around such bodily concept is simply animalism.

When Does Self-Realization Begin?

Realization of the Superself by the individual self is the beginning of self-realization. In the Mahābhārata, Arjuna made the similar mistake of designating himself with the Kuru family and hence his consciousness was impure. His aim was to serve his relatives who were associated with his material body instead of serving the Lord. After hearing the Bhagavad-gītā from Lord Kṛṣṇa, he gave up his so called temporary material designations and identified himself with his eternal designation as a spirit soul, part and parcel of the Lord and decided to engage in the service of executing Lord Kṛṣṇa’s orders. Thus he became a self-realized devotee and till this day we are speaking of his glories.

Missing Kṛṣṇa means missing one’s self also. Real self-realization and realization of Kṛṣṇa go together simultaneously. For example, seeing oneself in the morning means seeing the sunrise also; without seeing the sunshine no one can see himself. Similarly, unless one has realized Kṛṣṇa there is no question of self-realization.

 

How To Become Self Realized?

When the living being prays to the Lord for deliverance from the clutches of forgetfulness, the Lord, by His causeless mercy, removes the living being’s illusory curtain, and thus he realizes his own self. He then engages himself in the service of the Lord in his eternal constitutional position, becoming liberated from the conditioned life.

With the help of authorized scriptures and the spiritual master who imparts transcendental knowledge and brings his disciples from darkness to light one begins the process of self realization. It is due to ignorance that we are suffering in this material world and the guru’s business is to rescue his disciple from this ignorance.

At present everyone is suffering due to ignorance, just as one contracts a disease out of ignorance. If one does not know hygienic principles, he will not know what will contaminate him. Therefore due to ignorance there is infection, and we suffer from disease. The guru sees that suffering is due to ignorance, which is compared to darkness. How can one in darkness be saved? By light. The guru takes the torchlight of knowledge and presents it before the living entity enveloped in darkness. That knowledge relieves him from the sufferings of the darkness of ignorance and brings him to the light of self-realization

Human Life Is Meant For Self Realization 

Human life is especially meant for self-realization. This rare opportunity is not available in the animal forms of life. According to Vedic civilization, the perfection of life is to realize one’s relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. It is the duty of every human being to understand his constitutional position with God and to act accordingly. If this is possible, then our lives become successful.

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring that spiritual existence to humanity at large. In our present material consciousness, we are attached to the sensual material conception of life, but this conception can be removed at once by devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If we adopt the principles of devotional service, we can become transcendental to the material conceptions of life and be liberated from the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance, even in the midst of various material engagements.

Those who desire to go back to Godhead need only adopt the principles of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and simply aim their consciousness at the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. To learn more about this sublime process of self realization please read the Science Of Self Realization by “His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and start your journey today: https://prabhupada.io/books/ssr