Have you got your prema?

[Guest guest]

"Everyone has prema, love. This propensity to love others. That is... There

is, everywhere. But that prema, that love, is originally for Krsna.

Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. That is the original prema. But because we are

illusioned, that prema is being applied or used for so many maya. Prema I

have got. I have got my love. That is a fact. But I do not know where to

repose that love. That is my misfortune. Therefore Krsna says that

sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. "You have got prema. You

apply it to Me. Then you'll be benefited." Prema is already there. You are

simply misusing it. Therefore you are not happy. This is the process. Prema,

you have got. But you are misusing it. But if you take Krsna's word, that

"Give your prema unto Me..." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam

namaskuru. This is the beginning of prema. "Always think of Me." I think of

my son. I think of my child. I think of my wife. Because there is prema. So

if you think of Krsna, then you will increase your prema for Krsna. This is

the process. Prema is not you have to get it outside. It is already there.

Just like a young boy, young girl. As soon as they meet, there is natural

attraction. That is already there. It is not that he has brought this

attraction from, purchased from some shopkeeper. No. It is already there.

Simply by combination, it becomes aroused. That's all. Similarly,

krsna-prema is there. Nitya-siddha krsna-prema sadhya kabhu naya. It is not

that by artificial means we are getting krsna-prema. It is already there.

But just like the attraction for young man and young (sic) man, it comes at

a certain stage, similarly, if you develop this sravana-kirtana, then that

krsna-prema will be aroused, automatically. It is already there."

 

His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Lecture on BG 2.22 in Hyderabad, 26 November 1972